AIRLINE NEWS - Consumer Rescue

American Airlines aircraft, damaged bag, AA plane ran over luggage

American Airlines destroyed my $1,700 Rimowa bag. What does AA owe me?

January 29, 2026July 28, 2025 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

American Airlines passenger and frequent traveler June Lee recently checked his sturdy aluminum Rimowa bag on a cross-country flight. Although Lee’s much-loved 2-year-old designer suitcase had successfully weathered many trips worldwide, it would not survive this journey.

When American Airlines reunited Lee with the $1,700 Rimowa suitcase at baggage claim in New York, it was severely damaged. In fact, the luggage looked like it had been run over by an aircraft instead of being transported inside one.

Consumer alert: Don't buy two one-way airline tickets to save money. This is why!

You should not buy two one-way airline tickets to save money. Here’s why

May 27, 2024January 3, 2023 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Airline passengers can sometimes save money by booking two one-way tickets instead of a round-trip flight. But Sharon Sanborn found out the hard way that there’s a downside to this practice.

Now she wants to know if our advocacy team can do anything to help her out of the financial headache in which she’s landed.

United Airlines marked this passenger as a no-show and canceled her return flight, but she was not a no-show!

Why did United Airlines call me a no-show and cancel my return flight?

March 1, 2026November 3, 2022 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Bernadine Fong has a strange story to tell. United Airlines called her a no-show for a flight to San Francisco that she flew. As a result, when she tried to fly back home, the airline informed a stunned Bernadine that it had canceled her return flight.

Can we figure out what’s going on here?

This social influencer asked for a business class upgrade in a most terrible way

This “influencer” asked for a business class upgrade in the worst way

October 14, 2025September 18, 2022 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Could asking for an upgrade to business class end with you getting kicked off your flight — and banned for life?

Maybe.

“Social Influencer” Jacqueline Ng insists that’s exactly what happened to her when she recently asked for an upgrade. Cathay Pacific agents turned down her request in no time and then kicked her off the flight. Worse, the airline accused her of fraud and banned her from all future flights.

Jacqueline says this is all a misunderstanding. Now she wants our advocacy team to investigate and ask the airline to reverse the banishment.

This is what American Airlines owes you if it cancels your flight.

What does American Airlines really owe you if it cancels your flight?

December 15, 2025July 7, 2022 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

If American Airlines delays or cancels your flight home from vacation, what does it really owe you?

That’s what Mikayla Shade wants to know after finding herself in this unfortunate situation. She says an American Airlines agent told her that when the airline cancels a flight, the passenger will receive a full refund. Mikayla used that guidance to determine her budget for a new flight home. It wasn’t until American Airlines processed her “full refund” that she discovered she’d relied on incorrect guidance from the agent.

Now Mikayla wants our team to ask American Airlines to provide what its representative promised her.

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