American Airlines Quietly Rebrands Confusing Delay Vouchers Due To Customer Disappointment

American Airlines has been facing widespread flight disruptions lately, including severe delays and the cancellation of nearly 150 flights since Sunday after an Amazon cargo plane crashed on the runway at Miami International Airport (MIA). While passengers have noticed an improvement in American Airlines’ customer service during these setbacks, many still complain about the compensation they get while waiting or stranded at airports.

As a result, the carrier has rebranded its delay vouchers that have become a source of frustration for customers over the years. The update was announced in an internal memo to employees last week, not long before the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) also finalized a new rule altering airlines’ responsibilities during delays.

American Airlines Renames $12 Meal Vouchers Due To Unmet Passenger Expectations

American Airlines’ $12 meal voucher, which is given to passengers during controllable delays (caused by the airline) lasting three hours or more, has been renamed to food/beverage credit. In the internal memo obtained by View from the Wing‘s Gary Leff, the carrier explained to employees that the term “meal voucher” can create expectations of a full meal, therefore leading to customer disappointments.

“The term meal voucher can create the expectation that the amount provided will cover the cost of a full meal,” said American Airlines. “When that expectation is not met, it can lead to customer confusion or dissatisfaction.”

The new term is now seen in American Airlines’ customer service information on its website. The carrier’s $12 “meal” vouchers have been around since the mid-2010s. In recent years, passengers have increasingly complained about the amount, citing inflation and airport markups.

What $12 ‘Meal’ Vouchers Can Actually Buy At U.S. Airports

Travelers have long pointed out that calling American Airlines’ $12 credit a “meal” voucher was “exaggerated.” Comments on social media stress that it is “barely a snack voucher” either. And these are supported by recent reports and estimates based on average airport pricing. Below are the food items a $12 food/beverage credit can actually get you at U.S. hubs these days:

Additionally, the most significant downside to the $12 voucher is that it must be used in a single transaction, so any leftover balance is permanently lost.

That certainly adds to tensions during long waits at U.S. airports, especially when passengers are left completely in the dark about when or if their next flight will actually depart.

Travelers React To American Airlines’ $12 Food/Beverage Credit Rebrand

American Airlines customers had mixed reactions to the $12 food/beverage credit rebrand. While others commend the accuracy of the new name and how clever the move was, others are not pleased about the unchanged amount. U.S. air travelers have been calling for airlines to increase food coverage according to airport pricing.

“Yeah, $12 dollars isn’t going to cover a meal at any US airport (although, to be fair, I’ve seen restaurants in Bay Area that charge $12+ for oatmeal),” wrote a commenter. “Carriers should absolutely be compelled to give the value of at least the average meal of the airport where the delay is taking plus, when the delay is their fault.”

However, American Airlines is not alone in this. Several other carriers, including Alaska, Allegiant, Delta, and JetBlue, also have $12 set for their food credits for qualifying delays.

It’s slightly higher for United and Southwest, which both offer $15. Still, the typical baseline price for a fast-casual entrée or sandwich is $16 to $18, and $20 to $25 for a complete meal (entrée, a side, and a beverage) at most U.S. airports.

Frontier Airlines also offers up to $15 in meal vouchers, though its carriage contract does not specify an amount. So at times, passengers have reported receiving $5 or $10 vouchers instead.

Now, with the new U.S. DOT policy, American Airlines customers may also find themselves navigating a much harder path for these food and beverage credits.

New U.S. DOT Rule Means Fewer Delays May Qualify For American Airlines’ Food Credits

The U.S. Transportation Department has finalized a new rule reclassifying ten specific categories of flight disruptions as uncontrollable, which means fewer delays will legally or contractually qualify for food/beverage credits, hotels, and other expense coverage. Furthermore, U.S. carriers, including American Airlines, will no longer be penalized or expected to provide these vouchers during these recategorized situations.

American Airlines auto-sends $12 food/beverage vouchers to all AAdvantage members during qualifying disruptions.

Among these ten events is “unscheduled maintenance that cannot be deferred or must be addressed before flight,” which is the most common reason American Airlines passengers historically qualified for food vouchers. American Airlines guarantees the following during delays and cancellations caused by them:

• A voucher for an approved hotel with available rooms for overnight delays or if you’re away from your city of residence.
• Transportation to a hotel and back to the airport by hotel shuttle/third-party transportation service, or a transportation voucher.
• Food/beverage credit if you are delayed three or more hours after your scheduled departure.

U.S. DOT allows travelers, however, to get a refund if their flight is significantly disrupted, and they decline American Airlines’ rebooking offers, even if they bought a non-refundable ticket.