oneant

I booked my mother an F AAward ticket from OAK-DFW-OAK for later in May but now we need to change the dates to mid-September (long story).

I called to change the dates, which should be fee-free for an AAward ticket and they're insisting that I should have to pay the $100 fee due to the ticket changing from OAK to SFO.

I countered that, since the change I'm making is to the dates only and is fee-free, I should not be charged the fee for an airport change that is not in my control--I would prefer OAK as it's closer for her.

The AAgent said that, since the pullout from OAK wouldn't be a factor at all if I didn't want to change the dates, the airport change IS within my control and I should be assessed the fee. Although she was willing to try to work a deal where they would only charge $50.

So, what is your opinion? Am I seeing this from the wrong angle?

3Cforme

Yes you are. AA is perfectly willing to fly your mother as originally ticketed in May. The concession to $50 seems quite accommodating, really.

oneant

But AA is also perfectly willing to fly my mother in June, July, or August too without a change fee. Only in September and beyond is there an issue, and it's not an issue of will: they're unable to do so due to an intentional change that they made.

If I'm allowed to change dates on an AAward ticket for free, but I now have to both increase her travel time to/from the airport considerably and pay a fee to do so, I don't find that to be very accommodating, personally.

EDIT: BTW, I'm not arguing with you. It's the counters to my statements that will help me see this from anbother side.

kebosabi

You could say that SFO and OAK are co-terminals...don't know if this would work though.

I motion that co-terminal policies to be added to the AA wiki (award and stand-bys at co-terminals ok or not, which airports are co-terminals, etc.)

CloudCoder

I think the AAgent is wrong. Changing airports is involuntary on your part. Call back and get another AAgent.

You could also make a reasonable case that they should fly her from OAK to somewhere (SNA, PDX, SEA, etc.) on AS, connecting to an AA flight to DFW. Note that just because something makes sense doesn't necessarily make it AA's official rule.

mingw

how come changing airport is YOUR control? if it were within control, you should be granted booking OAK flight.