FORT WORTH- American Airlines (AA) held its Los Angeles (LAX) to Sydney (SYD) flight and covered the ticket so a delayed passenger could reach the funeral of Rabbi Eli Schlanger after the Bondi Beach terror attack. United Airlines (UA) was unable to hold its own Los Angeles (LAX) to Sydney (SYD) service, so American stepped in.
The traveler had begun his journey on American Airlines from Miami (MIA), planning to connect to United Airlines (UA) in Los Angeles. When delays made the connection impossible, American reassigned gates, coordinated airport staff, delayed departure, and then issued a complimentary ticket for the Sydney flight.
Photo: Alan Wilson | Flickr
American Airlines Holds LAX-SYD Flight
Three longtime friends in Los Angeles, Miami, and Brooklyn decided to travel to Sydney to attend the funeral of Rabbi Eli Schlanger, who was killed during a Chanukah event at Bondi Beach.
All three booked United Airlines (UA) award tickets for flight UA839 from Los Angeles to Sydney, and positioned to Los Angeles using separate tickets on American Airlines from New York JFK (JFK) and Miami.
The New York flight arrived as scheduled. The Miami flight, AA1193, faced rolling delays. It became clear that the Miami passenger would arrive after UA839 was due to depart, and he would still need to change terminals. Since the flights were on separate tickets, there was no protection for the connection.
A friend already in Los Angeles contacted American Airlines through social media to explain the situation. American alerted its Los Angeles team and suggested asking United Airlines (UA) for support. United could not hold UA839.
Here’s the thing. American Airlines (AA) decided to help directly by offering a seat on its own service, AA73 from Los Angeles (LAX) to Sydney (SYD), and holding that departure so the delayed passenger could make it, DanDeals flagged.
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Photo: Benoît Prieur | Wikimedia Commons
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Terminal_corridor_at_Los_Angeles_International_Airport_(July_2022).jpg
Gate change, priority escort, and a complimentary ticket
American Airlines (AA) then executed a precise series of steps that removed nearly all connection risk. Instead of arriving at a domestic gate in Terminal 4, AA 1193 from Miami (MIA) was reassigned to a gate in the Tom Bradley International Terminal, placing the aircraft within steps of the AA73 departure gate.
While AA 1193 was in the air, the captain delivered a written message confirming that operations had been coordinated with United Airlines (UA). Although UA 839 could not be delayed, AA 73 would be held. The passenger was moved forward in the cabin so he could deplane first on arrival.
When the aircraft door opened at Los Angeles (LAX), an American Airlines (AA) agent was already at the jet bridge specifically to escort the traveler directly to the Sydney gate. Boarding was held. Crew and ground teams communicated continuously. The airline then extended a gesture rarely seen in commercial aviation: it covered the cost of the ticket entirely.
The aircraft pushed back only 19 minutes after AA1193 arrived. AA73 departed about 46 minutes behind schedule but made up time in flight and still arrived in Sydney (SYD) early. United Airlines (UA) also provided expedited handling for the two friends who remained on UA 839, which landed later due to a gate wait on arrival.
All three travelers cleared immigration quickly, reunited at the curb in Sydney (SYD), and reached the funeral only moments before it began.
Photo: Aero Icarus | Flickr
Why This Case Stands Out?
American Airlines (AA) has been selectively holding flights when operationally feasible. These decisions require coordination between dispatch, airport operations, crew scheduling, and customer teams. In this situation, three elements aligned:
Gate reassignment that avoided a terminal transfer
Controlled departure delay on an international flight
Dedicated escort and priority handling
American Airlines (AA) later confirmed the full account and stated that its mission includes supporting people during difficult life events where circumstances allow.
Photo: Clément Alloing
Bottom Line
The three friends had maintained a close bond for decades, originally formed during their school years.
Rabbi Eli Schlanger had been the connecting link among them, and they traveled to Sydney (SYD) to honor him after the Bondi Beach attack.
What this really means is that individual operational decisions can sometimes shape profoundly personal outcomes. Both American Airlines (AA) and United Airlines (UA) contributed to ensuring the travelers arrived in time to attend the funeral.
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