Completely reasonable, and what should have happened. Had I been the upgraded person who was downgraded, I'd be less than thrlled but, looking at it objectively, the person who paid F deserves the seat more than I do.
Cheers.
Once again, I disagree. Once you've been assigned the seat, it's yours. What next, F pax bumping paid A pax? AAnytime award pax? If you open the door to this there is no logical end.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mvoight
I think the X passenger can be downgraded without compensation.
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnnybgood3
I agree here. Although it's unpleasant to do that to someone, it's better than downgrading someone who paid a substantial premium to sit in that seat.
Since the X passenger was confirmed and had the seat for 5 hours, the X passenger may have made several decisions based on the assumption of a ride in F, namely not buying food or drink before the flight, planning to get some work or sleep in, etc.
I'm not a "gimme" passenger, but AA should compensate the downgradee in this case and unless the F passenger agrees to be a downgradee, then it should be the X passenger who goes back with a voucher in his/her pocket.
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You cannot uphold American ideology with un-American actions. It's time for change.
Reading this thread (and others), are the ga's decisions final (once a flight has gone to gate control), or can they be overridden by "higher up's" in the chain of command? It seems that sometimes (especially when aa will have to pay out real cash) that outside intervention could be to aa's advantage.
Once again, I disagree. Once you've been assigned the seat, it's yours. What next, F pax bumping paid A pax? AAnytime award pax? If you open the door to this there is no logical end.
I was flying y from lax to jfk, and my upgrade cleared (at boarding time), I was assigned a seat in FC (instead of BC), I knew it was an error and when called back to the podium by the ga, who reissued the correct bp, I don't think that I would have had any justification of pushing the bp issues.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Spiff
but AA should compensate the downgradee in this case and unless the F passenger agrees to be a downgradee, then it should be the X passenger who goes back with a voucher in his/her pocket.
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This is a somewhat unusual situation, because both flights were late. But, in many ways, AA handled correctly. Involuntary downgrade of the X was not a valid option. The passenger from SYD missed the departure time, so the seat reservation was cancelled and a valid BP was issued to the X passenger. Had that flight departed on time, there would have been no issue. Then, only because the flight to ORD was also delayed, the passenger from SYD appeared the gate. But, by this time, the other passenger had validly obtained the upgrade.
However, it should not have been so difficult for the SYD passenger to get: a) a clear and polite explanation, with apology; b) appropriate compensation.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gandhi90s
Once again, I disagree. Once you've been assigned the seat, it's yours. What next, F pax bumping paid A pax? AAnytime award pax? If you open the door to this there is no logical end.
Bumping paid class pax for a higher fare basis, but similarly ticketed cabin is silly, but I see how you think that can happen.
In this particular case, if an X is given an F's seat, and the F still makes boarding for the flight, the X should lose the upgrade and F gets the seat. Questions of compensation are up to the GA. If I'm an X and get bumped back, I'll be bummed, but I'm skating on a free dime when I'm in X. I should get my upgrade back and move on with things. Like Spiff says, I could even reason that a meal voucher or small pittance be paid for the 5 hour situation.
Instead, AA has now paid $600 in a voucher, F->Y fare difference, and negative press. Seems like the wrong decision to me.
Cheers,
-Andrew
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Is Terminal 5 the square root of -1?
In this particular case, if an X is given an F's seat, and the F still makes boarding for the flight, the X should lose the upgrade and F gets the seat. Questions of compensation are up to the GA. If I'm an X and get bumped back, I'll be bummed, but I'm skating on a free dime when I'm in X.
This is where I disagree. It is NOT a free dime. It has been paid for with some currency that is acceptable to AA. Would you feel the same if your bumpee had used miles to upgrade? Or if he/she was on an award ticket? Best not to open the door to such decisions, IMO. It's musical chairs. The person not seated is out of luck, and should be compensated accordingly if necessary.
As I've stated before, it's also possible that the upgraded pax paid a walkup full Y fare, which may have been less than a discounted F fare.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gandhi90s
This is where I disagree. It is NOT a free dime. It has been paid for with some currency that is acceptable to AA. Would you feel the same if your bumpee had used miles to upgrade? Or if he/she was on an award ticket? Best not to open the door to such decisions, IMO. It's musical chairs. The person not seated is out of luck, and should be compensated accordingly if necessary.
As I've stated before, it's also possible that the upgraded pax paid a walkup full Y fare, which may have been less than a discounted F fare.
In the case of a gate upgrade, I see it as a free dime. In terms of an award ticket, awarded in class, or a pre-purchased upgrade (miles/copay), yes, it's a different ball of wax.
I would also argue that it's probably cheaper to the airline to bump the X down than the F. While cases exist where this is reversed, in general, the GA is probably saving AA money by "downgrading" someone in X inventory.
Cheers,
-Andrew
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Is Terminal 5 the square root of -1?
I had a similar occurrence, and I offer it here for whatever information others can glean from it.
I was flying HKG-LAX-ORD-BOS in A, a paid AONE4. LAX-ORD-BOS instead of LAX-BOS because it was unlikely that I would clear customs in time to make the nonstop LAX-BOS. As it happens, LAX immigration and customs were incredibly quick, and I made it in plenty of time. Walked from TBIT to AA, FC checkin desk. AAgent said that 1) there was weather in ORD, and I should try to avoid it, 2) I could probably make the LAX-BOS nonstop, she'd waitlist me on it, and 3) she would confirm me on LAX-DFW-BOS to avoid ORD. OK, off to the LAX-BOS gate.
I am, indeed, on the list. Everyone else boards, and I'm sitting with a paid and confirmed Y pax, also awaiting an upgrade. He got the upgrade, I did not. GA was excellent, quite solicitous and service oriented. He spoke with the lead FA, explained my situation, and arranged for me to receive free food and drinks, as I was on a paid F cabin ticket even though I was traveling that flight in Y. (Of course, having just come off a 13+ hour flight, the last thing I was interested in was alcohol.)
As the GA was walking me down the jetway (I was the last pax to board), he explained why I didn't get it, despite having a paid F seat versus a paid Y pax awaiting a sticker upgrade. (Remember, the TA out front had waitlisted me in F based on my AONE4. The Y cabin was mostly empty.)
He said that if the TA had confirmed me in Y and waitlisted me for F, I would have had the F seat. According to him, confirmed pax come first, even before paid standbys. So, it appears that one's confirmation status on that flight trumps cabin paid for.
As I said, I have no idea if this is official policy (the GA gave me the impression that it was), but I toss it into the discussion in case it throws light for anyone.
He said that if the TA had confirmed me in Y and waitlisted me for F, I would have had the F seat. According to him, confirmed pax come first, even before paid standbys. So, it appears that one's confirmation status on that flight trumps cabin paid for.
As I said, I have no idea if this is official policy (the GA gave me the impression that it was), but I toss it into the discussion in case it throws light for anyone.
This is indeed official policy, but not quite on point with respect to this discussion.
As I said, I have no idea if this is official policy (the GA gave me the impression that it was), but I toss it into the discussion in case it throws light for anyone.
I'd be interested to hear about the official policy on this. Although the usual policy of clearing upgrades before clearing standbys makes a reasonable amount of sense, that justification seems limited to situations in which you hold a Y ticket and want to get upgraded into F. If you hold a ticket that gets you straight into F, as soon as there's a seat available, it would make sense to accommodate folks that have actually paid for that cabin ahead of those who want to upgrade, regardless of who holds a seat in Y.
In other words: there's no need to upgrade anyone to make room in Y to get you on the plane, because you just need room in F. The logic for handling upgraders shouldn't apply to revenue A/F tickets.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jordyn
I'd be interested to hear about the official policy on this. Although the usual policy of clearing upgrades before clearing standbys makes a reasonable amount of sense, that justification seems limited to situations in which you hold a Y ticket and want to get upgraded into F. If you hold a ticket that gets you straight into F, as soon as there's a seat available, it would make sense to accommodate folks that have actually paid for that cabin ahead of those who want to upgrade, regardless of who holds a seat in Y.
In other words: there's no need to upgrade anyone to make room in Y to get you on the plane, because you just need room in F. The logic for handling upgraders shouldn't apply to revenue A/F tickets.
I don't know enough about A to know whether it is a "true" F seat, or an "Upgrade to F when available" fare. But I think Jordyn is right. Shouldn't this have been a DSR, which would be the "top" of the upgrade list, even without a confirmed seat?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thebkguy
Not really into GAs indian-giving upgrades.
I've got a wicked case of insomnia here in YUL, but I still can't believe anyone that walks upright would use such a moronic, racist term...also can't believe no one else reading was bothered by it.
I've got a wicked case of insomnia here in YUL, but I still can't believe anyone that walks upright would use such a moronic, racist term...also can't believe no one else reading was bothered by it.
Agreed totally racist. As bad as using the N word. I hope that mods take action on this. It has no place on these boards, and neither should anyone using the term. The person even put a "smiley" after the term. Terrible and offensive.
