Flying in the United States with the major airlines has become so underwhelming. A 2-3hr flight in most other parts of the world with the major carriers of the area comes with newer, CLEANER aircraft and significantly better in flight service in terms of both staff attitude and a actual meal service.
I am writing to share detailed feedback regarding my recent journey with American Airlines on the New York (JFK) to New Delhi (DEL) sector, which was ultimately diverted to Jaipur (JAI) due to weather conditions. At the outset, I would like to acknowledge that this was a full long-haul flight of approximately 14–15 hours, and while the journey fulfilled its primary transport objective, several aspects of the experience warrant both recognition and constructive feedback. 1. Cabin Crew Conduct and Service Consistency While the majority of the cabin crew maintained a polite and professional demeanor, one flight attendant’s conduct was notably inconsistent with expected service standards. The tone was often directive and lacked the warmth and guest-centric engagement typically associated with long-haul service. This created a perceptible imbalance in the cabin experience. Although other crew members acknowledged and apologized for the behavior, it highlighted a gap in service standardization and supervisory oversight. 2. Inflight Experience (IFE & Comfort) The inflight entertainment system was unreliable, with content failing to load consistently throughout the journey. Seating comfort in economy class was below expectations when compared with other international long-haul carriers. Cabin environment management at times felt unsettled, with noticeable noise and movement in the aisles. 3. Disruption Handling and Communication (DEL Diversion to JAI) The diversion to Jaipur due to weather was understandably beyond the airline’s control. However, the handling of post-diversion communication and guest management was an area of concern: Information during and after the diversion was fragmented and lacked clarity Limited guidance was provided upon disembarkation regarding next steps (transport, accommodation, onward travel) Ground coordination appeared inconsistent, with hotel partners and passengers receiving incomplete or delayed updates Communication the following morning remained unclear, including last-minute changes to transfer timings This resulted in avoidable uncertainty during a critical disruption phase. 4. Positive Acknowledgment – Ground Recovery Arrangements It is important to recognize that despite the initial communication gaps, the overall recovery framework was eventually well executed: Hotel accommodation was arranged efficiently Meal vouchers were provided appropriately Transfers between airport and hotel were organized in a structured manner Given the sudden and large-scale disruption, these arrangements were commendable and reflect the airline’s ability to operationally recover once systems were in place. 5. Recommendations for Improvement In the interest of strengthening the overall customer experience, I would respectfully propose the following: Service Delivery Reinforce consistent cabin crew service standards, particularly for long-haul sectors Enhance supervisory presence to address outlier behaviors in real time Inflight Product Improve reliability of inflight entertainment systems Reassess economy seating comfort for ultra-long-haul routes Disruption Management Establish a more visible “Care & Coordination Team” during irregular operations Ensure clear, centralized communication (single source of truth) for passengers and ground partners Provide structured briefing points to hotel and transport vendors to avoid information gaps Introduce proactive guest engagement (clear next steps, timelines, reassurance) Closing Reflection: While the journey was impacted by both controllable and uncontrollable factors, the overall experience would have been significantly enhanced through greater consistency in service delivery and more structured communication during disruption. I appreciate the efforts made by the broader team in arranging accommodation and onward logistics under challenging circumstances. With improved coordination and alignment, the experience can be elevated to match the expectations of a global long-haul carrier. Thank you for your attention to this feedback. I trust it will be received constructively and contribute to ongoing service improvement. Warm regards, Soosnata Chowdhury Convert effective for airlines) Or tailor tone
Wifi was spotty. Tray table was very dirty when I sat down.
Flight was extremely hot and they made us check our bags when the space was nowhere near full
Same plane as RDU to LGA — internet not working. Pilot issue of some sort at end of prior flight - I was on same plane for my connection. Late/delayed —
For an international flight the seats were smaller than most flight I have been on in economy. I don’t know the size of the seats or perhaps it was the size of the seat dividers that made the seats feel smaller and little amount of space to even turn your body if you needed to
My flight from LGA was cancelled and my rebooked flight from JFK was delayed numerous times. I will now be getting home after 2am.
Flight was delayed half hour before boarding, but when I checked flight aware the plane that would Pick us up had a delay of more than an hour. AA should let us know in advance to avoid waiting several hours in the airport
Not really sure I enjoyed the flight at all. The flight attendants seemed a little tired and rude at times. The snacks were lacking in taste and sustenance. The flight was incredibly turbulent for three plus hours and the pilot had to do a second pass to land at our final destination because he was coming in so fast. He must have taken a short cut and because of it we had to suffer the violent turbulence and the dropping down. It had to be one of if not the worse flights I have ever been on and have traveled vastly all over the world.
Aging planer and NO wifi on a 14 hour day flight. Unless you are retired or don't need to work or be in touch with the world... The lack of Wifif really ruined the flight. And the old plane - really showing it's age, wasn't great
The chicken was so dry it was impossible to eat. No substitute was offered. The port to charge my phone was broken and all I got was a shrug from the crew. The entertainment system was glitchy and subtitles didn’t load. Crew seemed fully uninterested and unfriendly.
The flight crew were absolute rock stars. When they came to the gate they looked like royalty, so chic. They also were extremely kind. Food was good and I loved the lack of plastic waste. The flight was lovely and smooth.
We were unable to check in due to technical problems on TAP’s end. The flight was delayed forty minutes with no reason given. We received timely notice of the flight delay. We were also notified of a gate change. The new gate was at a different terminal. When we got to the new terminal, we learned that we had to go back to the old terminal first to check in. This information should have been included along with the gate change notification. Also unexplained, the steward skipped us when offering breakfast.
The food left a lot to be desired. The crew was great
Horrible experience at tbe check in ladie she was very racist ,she doesn't speak portuguese too and forced me to check in my carrion bag and I saw everyone with carrion bag inside anda lot of space ,she was rude unprofessional
Absolutely unacceptable level of service for a Business class: lousy drink and food options, disgusting food (inedible meat, watery rice, etc...), pathetic level of attentiveness from staff, Business class restrooms were not accessible for long periods because blocked of by staff...overall extremely disappointing, will NEVER fly Business on TAP again.
First time flying Business with Tap, I think it was a very good experience. It beats many domestic US carriers, the food options were really great, authentic Portuguese food, wines & deserts. Next time will do the free 24-48 hour stopover in Lisbon or Porto for sure.
Late. Lack of updates. Rude hostesses. Terrible food. Lack of headphones.
Negative. Food was awful, seat broken, flight was late, baggage lost and damaged
Flight was delayed but crew gave little to no communication, then “began boarding” but really just had everyone stand up and wait for an hour without any news or updates, as if we were going to start boarding at any second. Total chaos. Seemed like this was their first time boarding a plane. When we arrived at our destination, we waited for over an hour for the baggage claim belt to even turn on. Probably waited at baggage claim for our luggage for close to two hours. Everyone was very confused and of course we all worried that the luggage was lost. Again, zero communication and everyone we asked just said “I don’t know.” So we were left wondering whether to wait, or file a missing baggage claim, or check the other baggage claim belts (which we did every fifteen-twenty minutes because we were just confused). Lack of communication throughout the experience was a huge issue.
