The sign says it all.

Phil Harvey, Editor-in-Chief

October 19, 2005

1 Min Read
Sign o' the Times

4:00 PM -- This sign sums up everything that is wrong with American Airlines, which has to be one of the world's worst companies.

You'll note that in a three-word safety sign there are two mistakes and, yet, the sign was still produced in volume and mounted on nearly every giant baggage claim machine in Terminal A at Dallas Fartworth Airport.

Bad signs aside, American Airlines is really the kind of place that creates the perfect storm of incompetence and apathy. From the no pillows rule to the $3 box of stale crackers and other non-perishable rations it calls a meal, the airline just pounds its customers with one message: "We give up."

Personally, I wish they would give up and cease operations. I'd love for a JetBlue or Virgin Atlantic to come to Texas and start doing business at DFW. I've flown those carriers in the past, they pretended to give a damn.

Are there any other airlines I should be looking to give my business to?

— Phil Harvey, News Editor, Light Reading

About the Author(s)

Phil Harvey

Editor-in-Chief, Light Reading

Phil Harvey has been a Light Reading writer and editor for more than 18 years combined. He began his second tour as the site's chief editor in April 2020.

His interest in speed and scale means he often covers optical networking and the foundational technologies powering the modern Internet.

Harvey covered networking, Internet infrastructure and dot-com mania in the late 90s for Silicon Valley magazines like UPSIDE and Red Herring before joining Light Reading (for the first time) in late 2000.

After moving to the Republic of Texas, Harvey spent eight years as a contributing tech writer for D CEO magazine, producing columns about tech advances in everything from supercomputing to cellphone recycling.

Harvey is an avid photographer and camera collector – if you accept that compulsive shopping and "collecting" are the same.

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