Evaluation of American Airlines, as shared by Shantel Pina-Jemio

Evaluation of American Airlines, as shared by Shantel Pina-Jemio

Shantel Pina-Jemio's recent journey with American Airlines in June 2025 has been marred by **poor customer service** and operational mishaps, as she recounts an incident where a plane was grounded due to a tire issue that should have been detected during routine maintenance.

American Airlines failed to provide a replacement plane, reroute passengers, or offer meaningful assistance, such as hotel accommodations, adequate meal vouchers, or rebooking support, as required by their own policies and Department of Transportation regulations. Instead, she and other passengers were left stranded with minimal support – only a single meal voucher issued after airport food services had closed and a refund for the unused flight.

The lack of contingency plans, backup resources, and empowered staff to handle the situation led Pina-Jemio to label the response as **negligent** and **frustrating**. This experience has prompted her to warn others and express her intent to hold the airline accountable for their failure to meet obligations.

Furthermore, Pina-Jemio's experience raises concerns about the **check-in and care processes, especially for vulnerable passengers like unaccompanied minors**. In a separate incident during her return trip, her children were pulled from their scheduled flight and placed on a later one. American Airlines charged an additional $300 for a flight attendant to escort her unaccompanied minor, despite it seemingly being part of the flight attendant's job.

Pina-Jemio was informed that a flight attendant escort was necessary for unaccompanied minors, but she was given conflicting information regarding the process. She believes American Airlines intentionally delayed the process to pass her child's seat to another passenger, causing frustration and further inconvenience.

Moreover, American Airlines did not provide clear online customer service regarding policies for unaccompanied minors, adding to the confusion and stress of the situation. This incident, combined with the overall negative experience, has reinforced Pina-Jemio's belief that American Airlines' service quality needs improvement.

[1] Source: Personal testimonial from Shantel Pina-Jemio.

American Airlines' mishandling of the situation left Shantel Pina-Jemio questioning the airline's commitment to customer service, especially in the finance, aerospace, and lifestyle industries where travel is a significant aspect. An unexpected delay in her return journey, accompanied by a lack of transparency and conflicting information, has raised concerns about their check-in and care processes, particularly for unaccompanied minors in the travel sector.

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