My Small Claims experience vs. American Airlines (The "Burden of Proof" Trap)
TL;DR: AA promised me 4 days of compensation for a cancelled flight over the phone, but later reneged. I took them to Small Claims Court and learned the hard way that "he-said, she-said" doesn't fly in civil court without recordings or written proof.
The Background:
I had a claim against American Airlines after a flight cancellation. During my initial calls with their customer service, they explicitly promised me compensation for the full 4-day delay. However, they later changed their stance, claiming they are only legally required to compensate until the "first flight availability," regardless of what was said on the phone.
The Court Experience:
I went to Small Claims Court today, and the judge’s ruling was a wake-up call. In Civil Court, the burden of proof is on the plaintiff (me).
The judge essentially told me that without a recording or a transcript of the conversation where the representative made that 5-day promise, there was no way to prove the agreement existed. I was told that I should have kept the recording.
The Corporate Defense:
Interestingly, after we stepped out of the courtroom, the AA representative told me that even if a staff member did say it on the phone, airline policy and specific laws regarding carriage might still make that oral promise unenforceable.
The Outcome:
They did offer me a decent out-of-court settlement, which I am most likely going to accept to put this behind me.
Lessons Learned for the Community:
Get it in writing: If an agent promises you extended hotel stays or meals, ask them to email you the confirmation right then and there.
Record (if legal): If you are in a one-party consent state, record your customer service calls.
The "First Available" Rule: Be aware that airlines will almost always try to cap their liability at the very first flight they could have put you on, even if that flight didn't work for your schedule.
Hopefully, this helps someone else avoid the same headache!