American Airlines passengers stunned after arriving at the airport to find their flights replaced by bus routes
Several American Airlines passengers said they were blindsided after selecting seats and clearing security, only to board a company-branded bus instead of a plane.
Kennedy Woodard-Jones, 27, went through TSA and lined up at her gate in South Bend, Indiana, earlier this month, expecting what the airline had described as her 'flight to Chicago O'Hare.'
Outside, she noticed workers loading luggage beneath a parked coach bus. While it struck her as a red flag, the seasoned traveler assumed it was meant to shuttle passengers to the aircraft.
As the bus rolled off the tarmac, left airport property and headed onto the open road, she realized: this was her flight.
'There's no plane,' Woodard-Jones told The Washington Post. 'It took me a second for it to really lock in that this is not a plane ride.'
She had unknowingly reserved a bus ride, just as she would a flight, and didn't question it at the time because the confirmation included a flight number.
Woodard-Jones is now among dozens of other passengers who were caught off guard to learn they were traveling to their final destination via the airline's lesser-known Landline service.
The Landline Company, introduced in 2018, is described by American Airlines as a 'premium motor coach experience' that, in some cases, replaces short regional flights with bus connections.
American Airlines passengers were caught off guard after selecting seats and clearing security to board a bus rather than a plane (pictured)
Kennedy Woodard-Jones (pictured), 27, was one passenger shocked to learn she was traveling to her final destination of Chicago O'Hare airport via the airline's lesser-known Landline service
The Landline Company, introduced in 2018, is described by American Airlines as a 'premium motor coach experience' - replacing short regional flights with bus connections
The buses run routes connecting Philadelphia with five smaller airports in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware and, beginning in October, between Chicago O'Hare and both Rockford, Illinois and South Bend.
'We're saving them time and money, and we're giving them a really awesome product experience on the way,' Landline Company CEO David Sunde told the outlet.
Sunde said he believes airlines are clear about the service when customers book, and that those who are unaware still end up 'pleasantly surprised' once they step off the bus.
But dozens of travelers who expected to be in the air, not on the road, said the bus leg of their journey was far from obvious - particularly for those booking through third-party sites or corporate tools.
Woodard-Jones, who was 'slightly panicking,' captured the early moments of her unexpected trip in a TikTok video that has since gone viral with over 13 million views.
'When you buy a flight from American Airlines but they board you onto a bus on the tarmac so you think they're driving you to the plane but they just start driving to the destination,' the caption read.
In the video, she showed the bus interior: two seats together on each side of the aisle and small televisions above displaying 'Welcome aboard' with the American Airlines logo.
The next clip captured the bus on the highway, traveling alongside everyday 18-wheelers and cars going about their daily routines.
The buses run routes connected Philadelphia with five smaller airports in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware
Regarding ths buses, Landline Company CEO David Sunde (pictured) said: 'We're saving them time and money, and we're giving them a really awesome product experience on the way'
Woodard-Jones, who takes at least two flights a month, said she noticed no mention of a bus when booking the trip through a work tool.
'It wasn't until we were on the highway that I realized this is my ride to O'Hare,' she told The Washington Post.
Shawnte Crossley, 30, flying from Detroit to Atlantic City for a yearly girls' trip with her mother and sister, was also surprised to find herself on a bus in October, according to the outlet.
She hadn't put together that Philadelphia would be a strange layover, having never been to either city and not realizing how close they actually are.
Once she spotted the bus, she thought, 'Oh, this is different,' but, as with Woodard-Jones, assumed it would simply take them to the aircraft.
Confused, the social worker asked the staff how they would get to the plane, received an 'odd' laugh in response, and, like the others, proceeded to board.
As the bus journey continued, she grew more and more worried that she would miss her flight.
It wasn't until a woman behind her said, 'I literally just found out this is the flight,' that she was taken aback, causing her to reflect on just how she got to this moment.
The CEO said the goal is to 'expand American airport infrastructure to be closer to where you live'
Woodard-Jones (pictured), a frequent flier, said she noticed no mention of a bus when booking the trip through a work tool
Sunde said that those opting for the bus service have provided exclusively positive reviews (pictured: passenger on bus)
Crossley explained that she had booked a round-trip flight, which made no mention of a bus, and even received an email asking whether her family wanted to be upgraded to first class.
'We're upgrading to first class on a bus?' she told the outlet. In a follow-up TikTok, she offered a tip for travelers: 'Let this be your reminder to read the small print!'
Patrick Keogan, 49, planned a first-class trip to Las Vegas earlier this month through a third-party travel website, departing near his home in Elkhart, Indiana, with a connecting flight in Chicago.
The owner of a roofing company told The Post that, like others, he didn't notice any mention of a Landline bus, instead concentrating on the total cost and length of his journey.
'Five in the morning, I'm expecting to get on a plane,' he told the outlet, only realizing afterward that his first-class seat was for the bus.
Though his seat was no different from the rest, his pricier ticket let him board first.
In a post to X, he slammed American Airlines, asking how it was legal to sell a first-class ticket that secretly required hours on the road.
'Can I sell someone a roof, and instead, install a new driveway for them?' he wrote. 'How small was that fine print??? What a JOKE.'
In October, the bus service began between Chicago O'Hare and both Rockford, Illinois and South Bend
Many passengers said they didn't realize they were going to board a bus until they walked outside (pictured)
Patrick Keogan, 49, questioned how it was legal for the airline to sell a first-class ticket that was actually for a bus ride. He shared a photo to X showing no mention of a bus (pictured)
While he found some humor in the mix-up, he said that had he known, he would have driven himself to O'Hare instead of paying flight prices for a bus ride.
'American does a nice job when a plane's involved,' he told the outlet. 'I just don't want to ride a bus.'
The bus company works with American, Air Canada and Sun Country Airlines, taking travelers from small communities to major hubs once served by small planes no longer in use.
No routes, however, are served by both the bus and American Airlines planes.
In a statement to The Post, American Airlines said it has 'transparently displayed any services operated in partnership with Landline' on its website during the booking process.
The website notes that passengers are informed a route is 'operated by The Landline Company as American Eagle' and 'includes travel on a luxury bus,' with a bus icon displayed during booking.
But the main goal of the service, according to Sunde, is to work with airline partners to 'expand American airport infrastructure to be closer to where you live,' the Washington Post reported.
He explained that most people who choose the service would otherwise be driving that portion of the trip - and potentially paying for airport parking.
The airline said the bus service operates just how a flight would, including 'complimentary Wi-Fi and power at every seat' (pictured: inside)
The bus company works with American, Air Canada and Sun Country Airlines
'For customers, this service operates just like a flight would,' American said in a statement, according to the outlet.
'Customers earn their AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points on eligible fares, check their baggage and enjoy the trip with complimentary Wi-Fi and power at every seat,' it added.
Sunde stated that those opting for the service have provided exclusively positive reviews, even among travelers unprepared for highway travel.
'In the communities where we operate, people generally get to know us quickly,' he told the outlet.
Krista Moats, 39, a resident near South Bend, was on the newly launched bus to O'Hare in October, booked as part of a business trip that connected in Chicago before continuing to New York.
Although she was unaware of the service, she told the outlet it was 'super nice, really super clean, and very comfortable.'
She noted that, instead of the stress of a short flight to a larger regional connection, she could comfortably nap on the bus and admitted she would probably choose it again in the future.
'I've recommended it to people and they've done it,' Moats told the outlet. 'It really is a nice service.'
For travelers frustrated by what they described as the secrecy of switching transportation modes for the same price, Sunde said the company is continuously seeking ways to improve.
'We’re always listening to customer feedback and are engaged with our partners to examine opportunities to better display Landline-operated segments on third-party displays,' he said.
