revue: America Airlines, Continental Airlines, Holiday Inn
Guest User
American Airlines provided a hotel because they couldn't get us through to Trinidad on time, along food vouchers for dinner and breakfast. After waiting for the shuttle curbside for about forty five minutes, we finally arrive at the Holiday Inn Airport. An overly friendly Cuban man (who referred to us as a Chinese tour group in Spanish) attempted to help us carry our luggage and instruments to our room. The fact he didn't speak English very well was beside the point- he had a severe problem with retaining information. After I explained that I was taking our instruments to our rooms, he went over to get check-in tags and begin to tag the bags. He asked what rooms we were staying in. I explained again that we were taking our luggage to our rooms, not checking them in. He took off the tags. He asked us which rooms we were in. We went to the elevator and got in. He asked us which rooms we were in. Since I was on four and others were on five, I pushed four so I could get out first with my luggage. We get to four, I ask him to take the red suitcase off the cart while I'm taking the taiko. He asked us which rooms we were in. He starts taking the others' bags to my room. In his fumbling and our struggling to stop him from taking the wrong bags to my room, the elevator door closes (despite Yumi holding the button) with Yumi's koto still in it. He takes charge by going to the elevator door and inconceivably begins knocking on it. I start moving my own stuff and he asks us which rooms we were in. I tell him that only the taiko and red suitcase have to go to my room. Since he is still fumbling around, we take my belongings practically by force and I escape his vortex of confusion and ineptitude, with my own bags in tow. Later we meet at the only restaurant in the hotel, to find that there is Salsa music blaring from the dance floor. The price of room service makes that out of the question so despite being exhausted and wanting quiet we sit down in the restaurant, unable to hold a conversation without shouting and are treated to bad service and an air conditioner blasting cold air directly on us. The food is soggy and salty. The cheapest thing on the menu is 14.95 so we have to use both our dinner and breakfast coupons to pay for it and are told that additionally each of us has to pay an additional 4.75 for tax and 18% gratuity. There was beer in a store in the lobby being sold for $4.50 a bottle.
Appropriately, the next morning the shuttle driver wouldn't listen to my suggestions as to how to store the taiko and koto and basically had to unload and re-pack the shuttle according to my instructions. We check-in again at the AA counter and the woman courteously complied with my request for an emergency exit row seat so that I can stretch my legs out. Of course when we board the full flight, I find myself in a regular seat next to a man wearing a thick jacket with his arm extended well into my space. I'm writing this with the computer literally pressed again my belly and my arms folded in so that I'm typing like a praying mantis.
American Airlines and Holiday Inn Airport need to understand a few things. They need to learn that the best way to provide customer satisfaction, is to give a little something more then what is expected- not a whole lot less. I can survive regular cramped economy class, but NOT getting extra leg room when promised can be very aggravating. Not getting to a destination on time is something that happens to all of us, but when promised complimentary dinner, don't provide $10 for a dinner when the cheapest thing offered in the only restaurant we can use them in is $19. Don't offer help or services that you can't provide. So far on this trip, EVERY SINGLE PERSON that I've encountered working for American Airlines, Continental Airlines and Holiday Inn, whether friendly and (overly) "personal" or having that unpleasant, apathetic attitude ubiquitous to the American service industry, has been glaringly incompetent, inept and unprofessional. The people working in hotels, airports and theaters in Costa Rica and Honduras in contrast have been for the most part ernest, hard working and professional.
In general I don't consider myself a complainer and overly high-maintenance, but just writing this down has been very therapeutic. Sorry and thanks!
Also, if you are an educator or artist who may be interested in facilitating an activity (i.e. arts and crafts for kids, poetry workshops, open-mic), please know that we are open to your ideas. We want to fill July with many events that our communities can tap into.
I'll be performing with my good friends On Ensemble in Seattle next week. 
