Using Search, the American Airlines Wiki and this "sticky" (linked to below) to look for posts addressing your questions are strongly recommended prior to starting a new thread (and reviving old threads - generally over two years old - is also not recommended.) With the now-enhanced Advanced Search, try using unique words for your search - e.g. "Francisco Admirals" should work for San Francisco Admirals Club, as you don't need redundant words to clog the search; or if posted in thread titles, for searching by “title only” - and using "Francisco+Admirals" with a plus sign between words will make it even more efficient. Be aware three letters (“DFW” or “JFK”) will work for searching, but you must enclose them in quotation marks. Also, please note if you are not registered and logged in, you may not have access to the extended search capability. You can also use alternate search methods displayed just below.
For further information on current Search issues and challenges, read
this post relating to FlyerTalk system slowness and the old Search and about the current temporarily available Search. As well you can read more in the Technical Issues Forum.
Bear with us, please. Search has some very knowledgeable, dedicated people working on the challenges so we can have a fully capable and fast search capability that will not bog the system down. In the meantime, do try some of the alternatives provided below.
Alternative Search engines:
Google - use the Search Site function, or use "site:www.flyertalk.com" followed by the search words
As well, be prepared for some other changes we hope will be of use to members...
Disclaimer: This unofficial Guide is for your convenience only. Always be sure your information source is up to date and accurate before acting on it. Information on aa.com may supersede information you find here or via any linked-to information.
Some FlyerTalk – American AAdvantage Forum Threads of Interest:
AAdvantage – My aa.com account is showing zeros! – AA posts miles in batches, and you may experience a few hours (or if it is the first Saturday of the month, as far as Monday,) where you can not read your account detail. Situation normal.
Photographs - Taking in AAircraft
From American Airlines: "Use of still and video cameras, film or digital, is permitted only for recording personal events. Photography or video recording of airline personnel, equipment or procedures is strictly prohibited."
Please add your recommendations for other consolidated or major threads on topics, organization, etc. for this new Sticky, as well as other comments, in the Unofficial Guide to FT - AA Forum additions thread. As time goes on, the thread will perhaps be partitioned, reorganized and/or spread into different posts; your comments and recommendations to make this sticky more useful and comprehensive are valued.
__________________ Lend a hand up with Kiva; far more than a hand out.
"Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu" (Isizulu)
Last edited by JDiver; Jun 29, 09 at 9:17 am.
Reason: add link
Customer Commitment - "Customer Service Plan"
Disabled Travelers
using web- go to Home Page, select "Contact AA," Select "Customer Relations" and then "Disability Assistance" for number, disability assistance form and referral to Customers with Disabilities page.
Telephone - Reservations at 1 (800) 433-7300 for Future Travel Disability Related Services
[color=black] oneworld news affecting earning / spending AA miles
Eleven airlines form oneworld in 2008: In addition to American, British, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, LAN and Qantas, Japan Airlines, Malév Hungarian Airlines and Royal Jordanian all now offering the alliance's services and benefits as full members. Dragonair, LAN Argentina and LAN Ecuador and five JAL associates have joined as affiliate members to make 20 affiliates. Be sure to check for new fare rules on earning AA miles / EQM / EQP.
Please add your recommendations for other “master” or major threads on topics, organization, etc. for this new Sticky, as well as other comments, in the Unofficial Guide to FT - AA Forum additions thread. As time goes on, the thread will perhaps be partitioned, reorganized and/or spread into different posts; your comments and recommendations to make this sticky more useful and comprehensive are valued.
__________________ Lend a hand up with Kiva; far more than a hand out.
"Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu" (Isizulu)
Last edited by JDiver; Jun 24, 09 at 11:08 am.
Reason: updates
US Department of Transportation Disabled Air Travelers' Hotline
0700 - 2300 / 7 AM - 11 PM seven days, EST, 1-800-778-4838 (voice)
or 1-800-455[url="http://airconsumer.dot.gov/publications/disabled.htm"]-9880 (TTY) to obtain assistance
checkinsooner.com for early AA, CO, DL, UA and WN
Check in early as a guest member; fee for >2 repeat WN pax, and full membership.
Membership (fee) services include AA coach seat selection (every 10 minute airline polling) e-mail notification
These are a few travel resources I have used and garnered. Please add your recommendations for other “master” or major threads on topics, organization, etc. for this new Sticky, as well as other comments, in the Unofficial Guide to FT - AA Forum additions thread. As time goes on, the thread will perhaps be partitioned, reorganized and/or spread into different posts; your comments and recommendations to make this sticky more useful and comprehensive are valued.
__________________ Lend a hand up with Kiva; far more than a hand out.
"Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu" (Isizulu)
Last edited by JDiver; Yesterday at 11:04 am.
Reason: update
Some acronyms and abbreviations used on this Forum
There is a FlyerTalk Glossary of Terms commonly or even occasionally encountered on FlyerTalk. (A very few are listed below.) N.B. We try to avoid abbreviations in thread titles, because Search can not deal with three - or fewer - characters.
In addition, you may find some terms used specifically on FlyerTalk, or in the American AAdvantage Forum (or when flying AA) that may not be used commonly elsewhere; these may also vary in meaning depending on context. Some of these, as well as a number of other abbreviations, acronyms or words you may encounter on FlyerTalk, are listed below:
Code:
AA = American Airlines or AAdvantage (it’s contextual)
AAR = Airport Acceptance Rate (permitted rate of # of flights landing per hour)
AATMS = Advanced Air Traffic Management System
AC = Admirals Club lounges; sometimes, Aircraft (aircraft also a/c)
ACAS = Airborne Collision Avoidance System
ACMI = Aircraft lease with Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance
AD = Airworthiness Directive, an FAA rule regarding specific aircraft safety issues
ADC = Air Data Computer
ADC = Code used by AA to indicate "traveling companion - remove 'stickers' from primary traveler"
ADS = Automatic Dependant Surveillance, advanced GPS based navigation system
ADT = Adult Passenger
AFS = American Flagship Service
Aft = rear
AFTN = Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunication Network
AHRS = Attitude and Heading Reference Systems
AONE = oneworld explorer ticket in First
ARINC - Aeronautical Radio, Inc.
ARTC = Air Route Traffic Control Center
ASM = Available Seat Mile
ASR = Advance Seat Reservation / Airport Surveillance Radar
ATC = Air Traffic Control
ATCT = Airport Traffic Control Tower
ATCSCC = Air Traffic Control System Command Center
ATI = Anti-Trust Immunity
ATO = Airport Ticket Office
ATPCO = Airline Tariff Publishing Company)
AVOD = Audio Video On Demand (form of IFE)
BC = Business Class
BIS = "Butt In Seat" miles (EQM, gained by actual flying)
Bistro Bag = coach bag lunches retrieved from carts on boarding (obsolete)
BOB = Buy on Board; see FFS
BOGOF = Buy One Get One Free
Booking / Fare Classes = see this Wiki page
Booking Class "7" = Upgrade to next class of service from highly discounted coach
Booking Class "8" = Upgrade to First from Business
Booking Class "9" = Upgrade to next class of service from discounted coach
BP = Boarding Pass
BT = Bulk Ticket
Bulkhead = "wall" separating fuselage sections
C (or D, or J) = Business Class cabin or fare class (contextual)
C01 – C17 = Child passenger and age code
CAS = Crew Alerting System (in aircraft cockpit)
CASM = Cost per Available Seat Mile
CB = Cumulonimbus clouds
Challenge, the = a way of attaining Gold or Platinum status via a "shortcut" - see the Wiki or the thread dedicated to Challenges
Cheatline = the colored line often extending down the fuselage or an aircraft
"x" Check, where "x" is A, B, C or PS = periodic maintenance - see here for AA
CG = Center of Gravity (see Weight and Balance)
Circle Pacific = a discounted oneworld product allowing that routing
City Pairs = airports considered the same for fare construction purposes
CIR = Circle Pacific, class precedes, MPM follows, e.g. DCIR22
Co-terminals = Airports considered the same for standby and similar procedures
ConciergeKey (or CK) = Premium Service for the most valued AA customers
CONUS = Continental United States (contiguous 48 states)
COS = Class Of Service (referring to cabin service class)
CPM = Cost Per Mile
CSA = Customer Service Agent
CSR = Customer Service Representative
CX = Cathay Pacific (secondary: cancellation)
Direct (flight) = flies with one or more stops, possibly even change of aircraft
DME = Distance Measuring Equipment
DOMUPG = Domestic Upgrade
DONE = oneworld explorer ticket in Business
DSR = Passenger desiring to purchase up class of service
ECAM = Electronic Centralised Aircraft Monitor, same as EICAS, preferred Airbus version
EFIS = Electronic Flight Instrument System
EICAS = Engine Indicating and Crew Alerting System (heart of the "glass cockpit") same as ECAM
Emerald = oneworld equivalent of AAdvantage Executive Platinum
EP = Executive Platinum
EQM = Elite Qualifying Mile (a milepost used to determine status; "butt in seat" mile)
EQP = Elite Qualifying Point (ditto)
ETA = Estimated Time of Arrival
ETD = Estimated Time of Departure
ETER = Estimated Time En Route
EXP = AAdvantage Executive Platinum (chiefly on FlyerTalk; Also EP)
EXP Line = A dedicated help desk for Executive Platinum flyers
eUPG = Electronic Upgrade
eVIP = electronic VIP international Systemwide Upgrade "certificate" or SWU
usable for up to three segments in one direction, on most fares
F (or FC, A) = First Class cabin or fare class (A is normally discounted First)
FA = Flight Attendant
FAM = Federal Air Marshall
FC = First Class
FCC = Usually, London Heathrow Flight Connections Centre (on FT)
FEBO = (unofficial) Front Even, Back Odd (meal taking on many flights)
FFS = Food for Sale program in American Airlines domestic Coach
FL = Flagship Lounge (or Flagship, contextual)
FO = First Officer (“copilot” - but see PF and PNF)
FOP = Form Of Payment
FQTR = Frequent Traveller Redemption (on BA)
FQTV = Frequent Traveller (on BA)
FS = AA's premium transcontinental Flagship Service
FT = FlyerTalk
GA = Gate Agent
Gate Lice = people with low boarding priority cluttering up the gate at boarding time
GDP = Ground Delay Program
GDS = Global Distribution System
GLD = AAdvantage Gold
GMT = (Greenwich Meridian Time) Time at Greenwich Meridian, used for some airline and military operations
(see UTC, Zulu Time)
Gold line = a dedicated customer service line (not separate desk) for AA Gold
GPS = Global Positioning System (satellite based navigation system)
GS = Ground Stop
GV x = Passengers must travel together, x = number of pax
Heavy = Larger aircraft, such as 767, 777, 747, A330 - 340
HUD = Head Up Display
IAS = Indicated Air Speed (usually in knots)
IDB = Involuntarily Denied Boarding (involuntary bump)
IFE = In Flight Entertainment
IFR = Instrument Flight Rules
IFS = International Flagship Service
IFSD - In Flight Shut Down (usually relating to an engine)
ILS = Instrument Landing System
IROPS/ IRROPS = Irregular Operations (OSO on AA - could be weather, mechanical...)
ISIC = International Student Identity Card (12 or older currently enrolled as a full-time
degree-seeking student at an accredited institution)
ITA = Anti-Trust Immunity
ITIC = International Teacher Identity Card (Teaching > 18 hrs / wk at an accredited institution, min 1 yr employment.
IYTC = International Youth Travel Card (age 12 - 25)
JCB = (Adult) Contract Bulk passenger
Jim Wilson - Human remains traveling in the cargo hold ("Jim Wilson Air Tray" is an air casket)
Kiosk = Self-Service Check-in Machine
Knot = unit of speed, one nautical mile per hour, kt or kn (link)
KUP = Low cost fare booking into First seat (BA F status credit!)
LAADR = Low Altitude Arrival/Departure Routing
LAHSO = Land and Hold Short Operations.
LEO = Law Enforcement Officer
LFBU = Load Factor Based Upgrades sold at self-service check in kiosks
LIFO = Last In, First Out
LOC = Localizer (component of ILS)
LONE = oneworld explorer ticket in Coach
LRTC = (unofficial) Less Room Throughout Coach, followed MRTC
MCLA = Mexico, Caribbean and Latin America
MCO = Miscellaneous Charges Order (a kind of voucher)
MEL = Minimum Equipment List (list of equipment allowed inoperative not affecting flight safety)
METAR = MÉTéorologique Aviation Régulière (Aviation Routine Weather Report)
midcon = flight that flies mid-continent, e.g. ORD-JFK or DFW-LAX
MIL = Military Passenger
MPM = Maximum Permitted Mileage
MR = Mileage Run (trip planned primarily to earn miles, at a cheap rate)
MRTC = More Room Throughout Coach (obsolete)
MTEU = Miles Towards Elite Upgrades (counter runs from March 1 to February 28/29; elites earn 4 500 mile "sticker" upgrades every 10,000 EQ miles)
MTOW = (aircraft) Maximum Take Off Weight
MX = Mexicana (secondary: Mechanical)
NGBC = Next Generation Business Class - new angled flat seats in 763s, coming to 777s in 2008
NGSA = Next Generation Single Aisle
Nonrev = Nonrevenue (e.g. pass) flyer
Nonstop = flight that flies from origin to destination with no stops
NOTAM = NOTices to AirMen (voice or teletype information of interest to pilots)
NRP = North American Route Program
NRSA / Non-Rev = Non-Revenue Space Available flyer (e.g. NRSA Lounge at DFW)
O&D = Origin and Destination
OAG = Official Airline Guide
OH, OHB = OverHead, OH Bin
OLCI = On Line Check In
OP = Original Poster (on FlyerTalk)
Op Up = Operational Upgrade
ORC = Original Routing Credit
OSO = Off-Schedule Operations (see IRROPS)
OTS = Out Of Service
OW = One Way (trip) - OR - oneworld (Alliance) on FlyerTalk
OWE = oneworld Explorer (RTW) fare - prefixed with cabin class code, followed by # of continents - e.g. DONE4
PAWOB = Passenger Without Bags
PDB = Pre-Departure Drink
PED = Personal Entertainment Device
PF = Pilot Flying
PFD = Primary Flight Display or Personal Flotation Device (contextual)
PIC = Pilot In Command (SIC = Second In Command)
PIL = Passenger Item List (manifest)
PIREPS = Pilot Reports
Pitch = aircraft motion "up or down"
Plat = AAdvantage Platinum
Plat (or PLT) Lite = one who achieved Platinum status via a Challenge
Platinum line = a dedicated customer service line (not separate desk) for AA Platinum
PLT = AAdvantage Platinum
PNF = Pilot Not Flying
PNR = Passenger Name Record, the "airline record" of your booking, usually 5 or 6 characters and airline specific
Port = Aircraft's left side as you face forward
PPR = "paper," an edit used to assure an op up doesn't automatically draw upgrade instruments,
usually used by the GA
PQ = Price Quote
PTA = Prepaid Ticket Advice
PYOB = Print Your Own Boarding Pass
RAPCON = Radar Approach Control Facility
RASM = Revenue per Available Seat Mile
RDM = Redeemable Mile (any mile that can be redeemed for awards, etc.)
RI = Passenger with interrupted OSO travel
RJ = Regional Jet OR Royal Jordanian (contextual)
Roger = acknowledgment used in radio communications (e.g. with control tower)
Roll = aircraft motion about the longitudinal axis
RON = Remain Over Night
ROW = Roswell Industrial Air Center, NM "the boneyard" where old aircraft go - formerly Walker Air Force Base
RPM = Revenue Passenger Mile
RT = Round Trip
RTW = Round The World (ticket, fare or desk arranging same)
Ruby = oneworld equivalent of AAdvantage Gold
Rule 240 = Airline's domestic reaccommodation policy (AA: US, Canada, Puerto Rico, USVI)
Rule 80 = Airline's international reaccommodation policy
RV = Revenue Passenger
RVR = Runway Visibility Reporting
RWY = Runway
SAC = Special Assistance Coordinator
Sapphire = oneworld equivalent of AAdvantage Platinum
SATA = Student Air Travel Association
SDR = Special Drawing Rights (international currency code XDR)
SELCAL = Selective-Calling system (usually signal for messaging from operator to aircraft)
SIC = Seat In Coach
SIF = Selective Identification Feature (aircraft-based transponder signal)
SPML = Special Meal (not available on all flights)
SPCCR = Self-Policing Community Closure Rule, used by some on this forum for proposing ignoring a thread
SRC = Senior Citizen Passenger
SSSS - Selected for Secondary Security Screening
(on USA BP - TSA Security will give you an extra lookover))
STC = Supplemental Type Certificate (FAA approval doc for aircraft modifications, changes or additions)
STD = Scheduled Time of Departure
STMP = Special Traffic Management Program
STPC = Stopover Paid By Carrier
Starboard = Aircraft's right side as you face forward
Sticker = 500 mile upgrade instrument (used to be actual stickers)
SUD = Boeing 747 Stretched Upper Deck (2nd or upper deck)
SVRWX = Severe Weather
SWAP = Severe Weather Avoidance Plan
SWU = Systemwide Upgrade (electronic international upgrade "certificate" on AA, often "eVIP")
TA = Ticket Agent (Travel Agent, sometimes)
TAS = True Air Speed (usually in knots)
TATL = Transatlantic; sometimes transat
TCAS = Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System
TCP = Traveling together
TPAC / Transpac = Transpacific; often transpac
TRACON = Terminal Radar Control Facility
transcon = flight crossing US coast-to-coast (Atlantic & Pacific coasts)
TTL = Ticketing Time Limit
UG = UpGrade / UPG
UM or UMNR = Unaccompanied Minor (14 or under, optional 16 or 17)
US = Unserviceable / out of service
UTC = Universal Coordinated Time (see GMT, Zulu Time)
VCR = Virtual Coupon Record
VDB = Voluntary Denied Boarding (voluntary bump)
VFR = Visual Flight Rules
VIP = Systemwide Upgrade (See eVIP; also VIPOW, obs.)
VOR = VHF (Very High Frequency) Omnidirectional Radio Range
VORTAC = (Combined) VOR and TACAN Navigational Facility
Weight and Balance = calculations affecting aircraft flying characteristics based on maximum and distributed wieght
WiFi Lice = non-lounge users who hang out near lounges to use WiFi signals
Wilco = "Will Comply," occasionally used in radio communications (e.g. with control tower)
WL = Wait List
WX = Weather
Y = Economy cabin or full fare Economy fare (contextual)
Yaw = aircraft motion "side to side"
YM = Yield Management
YMMV = Your Mileage May Vary
YRT = One year ticket
YUP / KUP = Lower priced domestic fares booking into next class of service cabin
Z following 24 hour time, or Zulu Time = see GMT, UTC
Abbreviations frequently encountered on the Internet, e.g. FWIW = For What It’s Worth, IME = In My Experience, IMO / IMHO = In My (Humble) etc.Opinion
Mainline aircraft designations and number in fleet (#616, down from 663 EOY 2007, as of Feb 2009) <link>:
AB6 = 23 (previously 34) Airbus 300-605R two-class wide body
737* = 77 Boeing 737-823 two class
757* = 124 Boeing 757-223, two class (757-121s ex-TWA gone)
757 L - 757 (18 to be in subfleet) with NGBC / Next Generation Business Class seating
762 = 15 Boeing 767-223ER, three class transcontinental service
763* = 58 Boeing 767-323ER, two class cabins in domestic and international service (all with new near-flat J seats)
777 = 47 Boeing 777-223ER/IGW, 3-class cabins (all Flagship Suites in F, 45 with NGBC near flat seats in J)
S80 / MD80, M83 = 272 (recently 300) McDonnell Douglas MD-80 series, essentially stretched DC-9s (AKA "Mad Dog")
(revised May 2009)
* received / receiving Aviation Partners Boeing blended winglets
Airlines of the oneworld alliance
AA = American Airlines
AY = Finnair
BA = British Airways
CX = Cathay Pacific Airways (Hong Kong, China)
IB = IBERIA (Spain)
JL = Japan Airlines, including JAL associates JALways, Japan Asia Airways, JAL Express, J-AIR and Japan Transocean Air
KA = Dragonair (China) as of 1 Nov 2007
LA = LAN airlines (Chile and Perú) now includes 4M = LAN Argentina and XL = LAN Ecuador
MA = Malév Hungarian
MX = Mexicana (and Click Mexicana) joining later 2009
RJ = Royal Jordanian
QF = QANTAS (Australia)
(N.B. Aer Lingus has departed oneworld; Swiss and Turkish never were members.)
Last edited by JDiver; May 2, 09 at 6:58 pm.
Reason: added terms
A few things to keep in mind to make your experience here enjoyable and informative. This forum is host to a vast body of information and experiences current and past for you to read and enjoy as well as share.
1. There is a "Search this forum" function that becomes available if you have logged in and can be found at the top right edge of the message index list. This is a very useful function if you are looking for something in particular. Learning how to use Search will enhance your experience - more information in the Welcome announcement and in the Unofficial Users' Guide (#1) sticky.
2. The forum etiquette requires you to at least try searching before asking a question or posting information that may be public knowledge since many questions are asked, or public information is posted, over and over again and so can clutter up the message board.
3. The stickies (posts that always stay at the top of the page) capture some of the common questions or information that people find useful such as elite status and qualifications, award/upgrade ticket rules, etc. Do have a look at these threads labeled "sticky" to see if the information is useful to you.
4. If you are familiar with “Wikis” (an online resource built and edited by members,) the American AAdvantage Wiki is worth a visit – a link to the Wiki is in the “Unofficial Users’ Guide” sticky as well as here.
5. Like any community, this forum contains people from a broad spectrum of life and of varying experiences and manners. So don't be daunted by individual styles from people here until you have read for a while and understand who is who. It may take a little time to figure out all the players.
5. Please show courtesy and respect for other people here when you post. Frequently, some post here because they are angry or upset about some incident with the airline. It is natural and therapeutic to rant a bit in those situations, but remember that more rational you appear in your post, more sympathetic people will be to your situation.
6. An offer or request for miles, points, etc. and exchanges for same are not allowed on this Forum; such posts or threads will generally be deleted.
Welcome, and enjoy the forum.
Last edited by JDiver; Feb 26, 09 at 5:55 pm.
Reason: update
Being one of the newbies whose first reaction to FT was "Blimey I feel like I have just put my hand in a bucket full of angry hornets who are being attacked by an army of scorpions" its taken me a little while to understand how the forum works and what the dynamics and expectations of members are.
When I first joined and had that reaction I then reflected on another forum that I have been a member of for the past 5ish years and a supermod on and was reminded how snippy I get when someone jumps into an eastablished group who have communicated for a long and then .....es that the oldbies dont play nice with the n00bs.
What I am finding now is that if you have expended a modicum of effort to research your issue first, had a look on the AA site and make an effort to use appopiate speeling: grammer then the oldbies have been generally pretty helpful.
Just sharing a few thoughts on the curmugeonliness.
S
Last edited by JDiver; Mar 21, 08 at 8:15 pm.
Reason: add title
