Ali Mithani

Hello,

Paid for a LHR-DFW in J on AA 81. I made it to LHR 70 minutes before departure. I was told that my paid seat in J was no longer available and my only two option were to fly the next day in J or take a seat in economy. I had to be back yesterday so took the economy option to be back in time.

Flying back in economy is not the end of the world and I was happy to be back home in time.

I fly this route over 20 times a year in J and this is the first time I was told of this policy when I believe I have sometimes even gotten to DFW or LHR in less time than 70 minutes.

I just need an explanation from AA why my J seat not available. The explanation I received from LHR staff was the seat was no longer available since I failed to check in.

Has this happened to anyone before?

Thanks

cmd320

Air Marshal perhaps?

3Cforme

Were you checked in 70 minutes before scheduled departure, or just at the airport?

Exec_Plat

Minimum check in is 60 minutes. Check in. Which is 'agent presses the button' check you in.

If you have checked bags, ADD the time for them to ALSO check all bags prior to 60.

When did you get to an agent?

Often1

Longstanding policy is that check-in cutoff is T-60 for international departures. You say, "made it to LHR". Does that mean you made it to the airport or that you were physically checked in by T-70.

If you were actually checked in by T-60 and DG, you are likely entitled to EC 261/2004 downgrade compensation (75% of the ticket) and a refund of the fair difference between J and Y. Note that there is a debate as to whether 75% of the ticket means all segments or just the down-graded segment, but that is not an immediate concern.

If you were not checked in by T-60, you are extremely lucky that AA honored your ticket at all. US carriers tend to better about this stuff, but AA could have cancelled your ticket and forced you to buy a new one.

bdemaria

The questions about when you actually checked in are key.

As for arriving even later at the airport and not having any problem in the past - it isn't really relevant here. IME AA can be lenient about things like this - esp. for a paid premium pax - if the flight load isn't very high. Earlier this week there were a LOT of weather cancellations & probably a lot of pax who req'd rebooking and there was no option for any leeway whatsoever.

Exec_Plat

But one question for the team...

He made it to check in in time for AA to check him into a COACH seat.

Rules being rules... If he missed check in, why make the exception for coach?

Could it be aa applying the rule part way, when it helps them?

swajames

Yes, that is indeed the question, and it is a very good one.

If anyone was going to get bumped from the business-class cabin, it should not have been a paid J ticket.

jordyn

That is not correct. You keep saying it in various places, but it is wrong. Why do you keep saying it?

Even though many fare rules result in the value of the ticket being forfeited if the passenger at the time of departure (note, not at the check-in deadline or the T-15 gate deadline or any other time), it's not clear that the OP is even flying on a non-refundable fare. Flexible fares can be cancelled/changed at any time, including after the departure of the original flight.

I_Can_Fly_US_Airways

And as such you should know the "rules of the road" (the unwritten ones), and that means checking in at LEAST 90 minutes before for an international departure!

jordyn

Huh? The rules are the rules. AA enforces the letter of the law often enough when it's to their advantage--they don't get to make up rules to the disadvantage of the passenger when they feel like it.

austin_res

Maybe J was overbooked, and passengers who checked in ahead of the OP were given seat assignments and no more J seats were available when the OP checked in.

mre5765

I am a T minus 2 hours kind of guy when it comes to long haul checkin.

That said if OP checked in on time and lost his C seat, then he need to read up on EU IDB regs and put in a claim. That is in addition to the refund of the difference between Y and C.

JDiver

Me too.

Being downgraded is covered by EC261/2004. Assuming checkin was >=T-60.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...er-thread.html

I_Can_Fly_US_Airways

I am simply saying that what SHOULD happen technically doesn't always happen!!!

Based upon my experiance of traveling internationally for some 40 years, what happen to the OP has NEVER happened to me. Is this because I checkin at LEAST 2 hours in advance. I don't know???