American Airlines Passengers Discover Buses Replace Flights After Security Screening
Numerous American Airlines passengers have reported feeling blindsided after selecting seats and passing through airport security, only to board a company-branded bus rather than an aircraft. The unexpected situation involves the airline's Landline service, which substitutes short regional flights with premium motor coach connections.
Passenger Experiences of Highway Travel Instead of Air Travel
Kennedy Woodard-Jones, a 27-year-old frequent traveler, went through TSA screening and waited at her gate in South Bend, Indiana, earlier this month expecting her scheduled flight to Chicago O'Hare International Airport. Outside, she observed workers loading luggage beneath a parked coach bus but assumed it was merely transporting passengers to their aircraft.
'There's no plane,' Woodard-Jones told The Washington Post after the bus departed airport property and entered public highways. 'It took me a second for it to really lock in that this is not a plane ride.' She had unknowingly reserved a bus journey through American Airlines' booking system, complete with a flight number on her confirmation.
Woodard-Jones captured her unexpected trip in a TikTok video that has since garnered over 13 million views, showing the bus interior with paired seats, overhead televisions displaying 'Welcome aboard' with the American Airlines logo, and subsequent footage of the vehicle traveling alongside regular traffic on the highway.
The Landline Service: American Airlines' Ground Transportation Alternative
The Landline Company, introduced in 2018, partners with American Airlines, Air Canada, and Sun Country Airlines to provide what the carrier describes as a 'premium motor coach experience' replacing short regional flights. Current routes connect Philadelphia with five smaller airports across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, while newer services launched in October link Chicago O'Hare with both Rockford, Illinois, and South Bend, Indiana.
'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 Washington Post. He maintains that airlines clearly communicate the service during booking and that unaware passengers typically become 'pleasantly surprised' upon completing their journey.
Multiple Travelers Encounter Similar Confusion
Shawnte Crossley, 30, flying from Detroit to Atlantic City for an annual girls' trip with family members, was similarly surprised to find herself boarding a bus in October. Having booked through standard channels, she received an email offering a first-class upgrade, prompting her to question, 'We're upgrading to first class on a bus?'
Patrick Keogan, 49, planned a first-class trip to Las Vegas through a third-party travel website, departing from near his Indiana home with a Chicago connection. The roofing company owner told The Post he focused on total cost and journey duration without noticing any mention of Landline transportation. 'Five in the morning, I'm expecting to get on a plane,' he explained, only realizing afterward that his first-class ticket applied to bus travel.
Keogan later criticized American Airlines on social media, questioning the legality of selling first-class tickets for highway travel and comparing it to 'selling someone a roof, and instead, installing a new driveway.'
American Airlines' Response and Passenger Reactions
In a statement to The Washington Post, American Airlines asserted it 'transparently displays any services operated in partnership with Landline' during the booking process. The carrier's website indicates when routes are 'operated by The Landline Company as American Eagle' and include 'travel on a luxury bus,' accompanied by a bus icon.
The airline emphasized that the service operates identically to flights, offering AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points on eligible fares, checked baggage, and complimentary Wi-Fi with power at every seat. Sunde added that the initiative aims to 'expand American airport infrastructure to be closer to where you live,' particularly benefiting travelers who would otherwise drive segments and pay for airport parking.
Despite some passengers' frustration, others found the experience positive. Krista Moats, 39, traveling from near South Bend to New York via Chicago, described the bus as 'super nice, really super clean, and very comfortable,' noting she could comfortably nap instead of enduring a stressful short flight. She has since recommended the service to others.
Sunde acknowledged that the company continuously seeks improvement based on customer feedback, particularly regarding how Landline-operated segments appear on third-party booking platforms. '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 stated.
