Man Sees What’s Actually Transporting Him To Chicago: ‘American Airlines Has Clowned Us’

A traveller heading from Indiana to Virginia on an American Airlines itinerary checked in, cleared security and boarded what the ticket called a flight, then worked out somewhere on the highway that the first leg was on a bus. The 12 second montage of that trip has been watched more than 382,300 times, but the bus ran so late they missed their connection at the other end.

The video was posted by TikToker Mads (@madscoillot), whose channel mostly captures incidents from her everyday life. “We accidentally booked a BUS RIDE to Chicago instead of a flight,” reads the text over selfie footage of the highway and a travelling companion with a hand over their face. The caption ran: “And we are missing our layover! American Airlines has clowned us.”

The route was South Bend International Airport (SBN) to Chicago O'Hare (ORD), a leg Mads bought as a connection to Virginia. “South Bend, Indiana—it was a short trip (2.5 hours) but the fact that I was 100% expecting a plane is hilarious,” they told one commenter. Asked why the trip was late, the answer was one word: “Traffic.”

The Bus Has A Flight Number

Under a partnership with the Landline Company, American sells motorcoach connections between O'Hare and two regional airports, South Bend and Chicago Rockford (RFD), plus five more feeding Philadelphia (PHL). The airline describes it as “a premium motorcoach experience” that “offers many of the same amenities as a flight and is booked just like any other connecting flight in our network.”

It's also boarded like a flight. Passengers check in 24 hours out, check bags through to the final destination, clear TSA at the small airport and earn AAdvantage miles. American's own instruction is that “instead of a connecting flight, your connection to/from ORD or PHL will show ‘Operated by The Landline Company.'” The bus then pulls up to a gate on the secure side at O'Hare, an arrangement Philadelphia's airport called an industry-first TSA approval when the concept launched there in 2023.

“TSA for a bus ride is wild,” wrote nickydegirolamo. A commenter posting as eruscool explained the point: “The bus pulls into a gate like a plane. If you're making a connection you don't need to go through security again, you just go to your next gate.”

“IN FLIGHT MY [expletive]”

The most-liked comment on the video, with more than 14,000 likes, came from choopyxr22: “Now why would American AIRlines have anything but airplanes in the first place.” Mads' reply drew nearly as many. “I never knew until today. Our tickets literally say we are ‘in flight' right now. IN FLIGHT MY [expletive].”

Everything else in the thread hung off that. “Do you still get a Biscoff and drink?” asked marvinchito in a comment with more than 11,000 likes, and a commenter posting as _biggestrat answered: “No, that's the worst part.” Others asked whether anyone had made them switch to airplane mode.

It Happened On This Same Route In March

Mads is not the first. Frommer's reported in March on a traveller named Kennedy Woodard-Jones who booked what she took to be a South Bend to O'Hare flight through a work tool and assumed the bus was taking her to the aircraft. “It wasn't until we were on the highway that I realized this is my ride to O'Hare,” she told the Washington Post.

American told Frommer's that “across American's digital channels, Landline-operated segments are clearly presented and marketed as premium motorcoach services throughout the booking path.” Frommer's priced a round trip on the bus alone at $1,035, roughly $1,000 more than the same journey on Greyhound.

Plenty of commenters were pulling for the airline. “When you book, it tells you it's bus transportation,” wrote tacobellnachoslover in a comment with more than 1,000 likes, which drew pushback from rraibread: “They said multiple times it was advertised as a flight.” andrew.zapar argued that it's transparent, kind of: “It shows as a flight when being booked, but if you just make a few extra clicks to see the aircraft type it will indeed say ‘bus.'”

Others found the disclosure inadequate. “It'll say ‘includes travel on a luxury motorcoach' in fine print when you book,” wrote artbyashleyjayne. “They almost got me with that one last time.” Mads' reply drew 778 likes: “I see a cheaper FLIGHT option on American AIRlines and just go with that.” bigal69696 wrote: “I highly doubt many people would know what Landline company means.”

The Bus Is About To Become A Plane Again

Anyone booking South Bend from here on out will get an aircraft. American confirmed in early August that it is “winding down our operations with Landline at Chicago O'Hare International Airport this fall,” with the South Bend leg reverting to three daily regional flights from 5 October, flown by SkyWest as American Eagle. At 84 miles, it will be one of the shortest routes American operates.

Rockford, however, gets nothing: the bus was the airport's only American connection, and passengers are being offered refunds or rerouting.

One commenter saw this coming. “The crazy thing is y'all probably took one of the last bus transfers from South Bend,” wrote somethingz.up. Mads was not especially bothered. “The flight is 30 minutes and this is 2.5 hours, it's not that bad,” they wrote. “I laughed the whole ride.”

BoardingArea reached out to Mads via TikTok direct message and to American Airlines via email for comment. We'll be sure to update this if either responds.

@madscoillot and we are missing our layover! american airlines has clowned us. #americanairlines ♬ Bloopin – Eddie EWI