Friday, November 21, 2008

go to AA, but dont fly AA

i did not know i had ANOTHER old bloggetyblogsterblob account. it took an act of congress to combine the two. i have no idea what the other ones say, so if i cant delete them, it should be entertaining to say the least.

I know my devoted followers (all 3 of them) know of my venture into the world of free things from American Airlines. Oh but there's a grand update.

once upon a time, there was a breast cancer survivor named Deb. She was invited to be in the audience of the Ellen DeGeneres show. In the audience, along with Deb, were 300 breast cancer survivors. American Airlines was also in attendance. They told us how they painted their planes with a big gigantic pink breast cancer ribbon. Then came the BIG news... They gave all of the survivors a round trip ticket anywhere they fly in the 48 contiguous states.

thats where the dreamlike story ends, and Debbie the pissed off disabled housewife takes over. I knew the first place i wanted to fly was to visit my friend KatieMae in Idaho. I hadnt seen her in probably 10 years, and this would be my opportunity. Between Katie, her lovely husband Ry, and I, we came up with the date of January 12th as the day i'd bless IdahoUdaho with my presence.

I called the 800 number on the certificate and asked to set up my trip. i was told at this time, that American does not fly to Idaho. WHAT? SEZ I! nope, Idaho has no American Airline flights coming into its potatoey state. So i hang up, email customer service. They email me back, and say 'oh ask for code share, that'll take care of it'. so i call back, tell them i have code share, and the representative says 'we dont accept code share with the certificate' WHAT? YOU'RE KIDDING?

i get back to Katie, where the two of us decide that Salt Lake City is the closest airport to Boise, Idaho. She offered to drive 6 hours (yes, 6 hours) to come get me. nope. you have a gaggle of children, i wont allow it. So i check into Rental cars. i find one for 42 dollars and figure that i can cough up the money for a rental car, it will be fun to drive in a state besides California.

Upon deciding that i'm ready to make reservations, i'm told that some dates in January are black out dates. i'm okay with that, and i understand that. so i again, discuss with Katie, and make sure January 11th - 17th are okay, and she's fine with it. i have to have the 2nd Wednesday of the month since thats when i get my disabled money from our disabled government.

i call back to American Airlines, and i'm ready to make the reservations. i'm actually excited because i'm finally doing it! screeeeeeeech. stop. alto. nope, no dice. i'm told that there are only TWO DAYS IN FEBRUARY available since i'm using the certificate. the 10th and the 24th. WHAT? can you freaking believe it? so after getting mad and crying like i always do when i'm pissed off, i fired off a 3 page letter to the CEO of American Airlines, and sent a copy to Ellen Degeneres. i also sent a copy to our local news station who was interested in the story in the first place.

i'm so freaking mad, that after all is said and done, if i dont get a flight to IdahoUdaho, first class, i'm going to just make a reservation to the tippy corner of Maine and fly there and back. i have never once held my breast cancer over anyones head. i've never used it to get anything. the one time i actually am using it, is to just fly to visit a friend, and this is the thanks i get?

i say Boycott American Airlines, and go to AA (Alcoholics Anonymous)

1 comment:

Mommie Dearest said...

At first i held AA in rather high regards when I saw the show and found out you guys all got a round trip ticket to anywhere yalls little cancer surviving hearts desired... but ummm now?!?!

I think American Airlines took advantage of all of you survivors, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the Ellen Show too. Big fucking deal... they painted the pink string on a plane! They paint all sorts of things on those fucking planes! Isn't Shamu painted on one of them? Or is that another airline?

Whatever the case... American Airlines USED the Ellen show and they USED the cause and they USED their own "free" gift of airline tickets to you guys... for themselves. It was a publicity stunt and now all you breast cancer survivors that filled up Ellen's audience that day are sitting at home upset over not being able to REALLY go anywhere in the 48 contiguous US states.

Fuck American Airlines... I will NOT be using them again for ANY of my flights. Plane tickets cost too money much in the first place, but I'll be damned if I shell out a dime to a company who has to use BREAST CANCER to draw up business.

ILY! And you'll get to Idaho somehow! I swear!

~ Katie Mae