Goodbye $150 penalty for many domestic first class tickets
Domestic discounted first class? You may say goodbye $150 penalty.
AA.com surely got a facelift… but has anyone seen the change to those tucked away fare rules for discounted domestic first class?
Try booking into P for FLL/JFK Dec 23. For example, last week SA07ERP1 (“UP” fare) was always non-refundable with a $150 change penalty. I just booked it today into F cabin. However, the fare rules show that there is NO change penalty (but of course change in fare).
I called an AAgent and she insisted that there was a $150 penalty. I pushed back and read the fare rules as I saw them on aa.com, and then she called her fare desk. She returned to the line and confirmed that many (discounted and domestic) first class fares no longer have a change fee penalty. She pointed out that it’s easy to see online, but it’s difficult for AAgents to know the difference. In some cases (such as this one) they’ll need to call their fare desk to get confirmation.
Of course, they are still non-refundable and change in fare is still applicable. But for the old timers who booked on AA.com (last week)… As mentioned in other threads, the "instant upgrade" and "first special" category all fits into one new category called "First/Business". In many cases, it's advertising a $0 change fee for domestic tickets.
Last edited by MattFLL; Dec 12, 12 at 10:53 am..
Reason: typo
Did a couple of dummy bookings and it looks like indeed that all the Instant Upgrade and First Special fares have $0 change fee for domestic.
An interesting side effect: if you know you need the change flexibility, the arithmetic in making the decision between purchasing discount Y or purchasing the discount F is $68 less (e.g. you're comparing discount Y + choice essentials to F, not just comparing Y to F). Good if you routinely purchase those A/P fares. Probably worse for upgrades as it encourages more paid F on domestic.
I called three separate AAgents who acted like I was just another crazy PAX trying to wiggle out of a change penalty. But if I insisted, they called the fare desk, and they'd come back and agree that the change fee is $0.
A bit ironic... I never imagined that I would be the one insisting that the fare rules always prevail. Not very impressed with the rollout...
Programs: AA PLT, EK, WN, UA and VX Silver. Hilton Gold, Marriott Platinum, and Hyatt.
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Southwest power
From the fare displays (with the choices) and now the no change fee (just fare difference), this is all Southwest like. Very interesting. There is no doubting the power of Southwest even for many business travelers. I think though proximity to Southwest HQ was more influential for AA.
All of the things like Southwest might deserve their own thread.
I expect this to be mentioned in the new advertising to come (that will coincide with the new livery announcement maybe).
Especially since Southwest fares are not a deal anymore in most cases, I sense a plan to garner more customers in 2013.
Remember though, this is all experimental, if it doesn't capture more customers, expect the charges to creep back.
The more interesting problem though is how will other legacy carriers match these changes. Usually when a change in rules happen (min stay, etc.) like with LCCs, the legacies have matched those routes, but this seems to be a widespread change.
Perhaps this was done in response to complaints that the $60 CFC was seemingly unavailable for instant upgrade tickets which, in theory, could even prompt people to purchase Y (it they went to standby and all they could get was Y anyways, then they'd wasted a bunch of money).
Programs: AA EXP, 2.4 MM, HH GLD, Hyatt Diamond, SPG GLD
Posts: 7,856
I had to rebook a P fare last week and was surprised (pleasantly) when I didn't have to pay the $150.00 fee. I certainly have had to pay it in the past.
I suspect this is an unpublished change that comes with the highly published changes announced today on the fare structures. Now for $68 you can essentially have a 0 change fee ticket with free checked bag and priority boarding. Another $20 buy you 50% bonus miles.
I called three separate AAgents who acted like I was just another crazy PAX trying to wiggle out of a change penalty. But if I insisted, they called the fare desk, and they'd come back and agree that the change fee is $0.
A bit ironic... I never imagined that I would be the one insisting that the fare rules always prevail. Not very impressed with the rollout...
Fairly classic poor training on the changes. They likely kept is secret given the big deal they made today about it. Didn't you get that "Secret" email? It was apparently a secret to the agents as well.
I suspect this is an unpublished change that comes with the highly published changes announced today on the fare structures. Now for $68 you can essentially have a 0 change fee ticket with free checked bag and priority boarding. Another $20 buy you 50% bonus miles.
$20 bucks is rarely worth the bonus on miles unless it's long haul US. It's not the reason to book that tier.
I always just buy lowest available, to the point that I've never checked discount F. But from reading the boards, I get the feeling a lot of you do, as opposed to only booking F/J. What's your strategy?
I called three separate AAgents who acted like I was just another crazy PAX trying to wiggle out of a change penalty. But if I insisted, they called the fare desk, and they'd come back and agree that the change fee is $0.
A bit ironic... I never imagined that I would be the one insisting that the fare rules always prevail. Not very impressed with the rollout...
What's kind of ridiculous is that the agents couldn't read the fare rules themselves.
What's kind of ridiculous is that the agents couldn't read the fare rules themselves.
It's understandable on day 1 of a new policy. Everything else has been 150 change fee based on the seen booked fare class. Cut them some slack. The agents were obviously not informed in advance of the change.
It's understandable on day 1 of a new policy. Everything else has been 150 change fee based on the seen booked fare class. Cut them some slack. The agents were obviously not informed in advance of the change.
