Schultzois

Sorry if there's a reference on this somewhere else, but I couldn't really locate it...

I have a ticket for EZE-MIA on the AA980 that arrives at 6:20am in paid A class.
I also have a ticket for MIA-PHL on AA858 at 10:35am in cheap-o G class (a fare that loses all value if you don't cancel before flying time).

As these are separate tickets, my first concern is that I'm somewhat aware of a risk of mis-connect in the case of extreme delay of AA980... can this be mitigated if I call AA and ask them to link the PNRs (is that even something they would do?). Or ask at the airport when I check-in for AA980? The international ticket is part of a larger itinerary (issued by AA) with MIA as a stopover, and that's why I didn't just book all the flights together in the first place. That and I'm happy to pay a premium for First on a longhaul, but less so for the short flight where F doesn't give much more space anyway.

Also, if the the two PNRs are not linked and my arrival on AA980 is several hours late, will they really just look at me and say "tough" or would they realistically try to accommodate me on a later flight to PHL? Once again, this would only become an issue if AA manages to get their service from EZE delayed by more than 3 hours or so, in which case I would be disappointed if they put the whole burden of their delay on me...

Finally, I've requested a sticker upgrade for the 858, and would like to check in online 24 hours ahead (which I can do if I leave the records separate, but can't if I link it to an international itinerary). Does this make any difference in your advice? Should I check in at 24-hours and then, after checking in, try either by phone or at check-in at EZE to get the two flights linked?

Thanks for any suggestions you might have here.

PDW5000

I actually took both of those flights recently, although not back to back. I can't say anything about the ability to link the PNRs, but because of the time that 980 leaves EZE and the operations at that hour of the night, I don't think you should be too worried about getting in too late to miss the PHL flight.

Schultzois

Thanks for the encouragement I'm not "too" worried, but I've also experienced 2-3 hour delays out of EZE on the last AA flight of the night (always blamed on ATC) in the past.

I checked the operation of 980 today and yesterday, and today's left and arrived right on time. Yesterday's shows left on time, but arrived 4 hours late (which would toast my connection). Only way I can imagine that happening is if they sat on the ground a few hours after pushing back (which as I said has happened to me at least once on that route).

Obviously, I'd know I was in trouble before we left the ground in EZE, and maybe, just maybe, someone could communicate with AA on my behalf at least to get the flight I'd miss canceled and put an alternate on hold for me.

spanishflea

You can link the PNRs together by calling AA, but technically this will only assist in getting you checked in all the way in EZE and having your bags tagged to PHL. It won't assist you in the case of a misconnect.

That said whilst AA won't owe you anything if you do misconnect, the fact that you are connecting from an AA flight to another AA flight often predisposes AAgents to be relatively sympathetic (if you are nice to them ).

You have no way of ensuring that you will get to PHL without having to buy a new ticket, but I would be reasonably confident that in most situations you are unlikely to be placed in that position.

Schultzois

Thanks... do you know if the PNR link is something I would need to call to do, or can they do it upon check-in at EZE? If possible, I'd like to have already checked in online for my MIA-PHL flight in order to maximize the chances of the upgrade, but I'm assuming (perhaps incorrectly?) that I couldn't do that if the PNR was linked to an int'l PNR.

I was hoping the PNR link, although perhaps not technically helping me in a misconnect, would at least make sure that perhaps a (sympathetic) AAgent dealing with the aftermath of the late arrival would have taken note in advance, "oh, Mr. Schultzois in 1J will miss his onward flight... let's see what alternatives we have" instead of saying "Schultzois terminates in Miami, so he's okay. Onto the next..." Am I being unrealistically optimistic here, or would a link at least bring advance awareness to an AAgent handling re-accommodation following a delay? Last time I made a similar connection (on one ticket) and the arrival was 2-3 hours late, by the time I got to an AAgent my record already had two or three alternate flights being held to get me to New York ^

nbevan

I have yet to see a report on FT of anyone who has not been rerouted after a missed connection on AA flights on different tickets (it is a risk I take on occasions).

The general view is that linking tickets is just information for agents looking at them, and does not have any implications on aa.com.

My advice would to be to go ahead as planned, but if you expect you may miss your connection due to a delayed flight, phone AA at the earliest opportunity to explain the situation.

skye1

In answering the thread title alone, I'd say, "Bring tennis shoes"...you'll do some walking at MIA.

Aside, as a OW Emerald, you'll have access to AA's AAdmirals Club in EZE. It's small for an intern'l club, and w/o showers, and often crowded with the MIA and DFW and now ORD flights, but the staff can be very helpful. They can check on your connections & get started on re-routes if needed.

And/or, you'll have access to AA's A/C at MIA, where the AAngels there will also be of assist.

That, & have your cell phone ready & AA's # on speedial so you can call immediately upon landing in MIA & see what's up if the plane you're on is landing late.

spanishflea

I think you misunderstand me slightly. You cannot get your PNRs linked into one big single reference, you can only reference the two separate PNRs together. So if your EZE-MIA is viewed, there is a text line saying "see also MIA-PHL" (very oversimplified view there, but hopefully you get what I'm saying)

So in your circumstances there really isn't anything much to be gained in doing this other than helping the checkin agent in EZE tag your bag through to PHL with a little less confusion.

Schultzois

Got it... and there's probably a pretty decent chance I can get them to do that by showing them my MIA-PHL boarding pass, too (which I'll print out in advance).

None of the other stuff should be a big deal given how much connecting time I have - it's really all just in case there's a long delay out of EZE, which because I've had it happen before, I don't want to be completely unprepared for - but I'm still not expecting it.

Thanks to all for the tips.

Hopping-Mad

Indeed, but the OP would get reimbursed if they have previously invested in - travel insurance (e.g. annual multi-trip plan) {assuming that on late arrival, another airline (or AA) is able to sell the OP a seat to PHL, which is then claimable on insurance... thus risk can be reduced to almost the same as - AA re-routing after misconnect on a single ticket. }

If you don't already have insurance, check the details from an online travel site, one that also sells insurance on the side - these often have clauses aimed at passengers who, mid-journey, miss pre-paid travel arrangements, due to no fault of their own (e.g. you have met advertised MCT when purchasing your separate itineraries).

Schultzois

Well, a little update here - and so far, so good.

I decided to wait until I could OLCI the MIA-PHL flight before calling AA about this, and did the OLCI at T-24h exactly. Snagged one of two remaining F-seats on the MIA-PHL (looks like they both upgraded at exactly the 24-hour mark) so ^. EF showed F0 A0 P0 Z0 X0 as soon as I looked after check-in.

Then called AA GLD line and asked to link the reservations - the very friendly AAgent was happy to put some notes in the PNR advising EZE to please check bag through to PHL and so forth. She also seemed to suggest that in the case of a severe delay out of EZE, there would already be a note in the PNR to try to re-accommodate me onward to PHL.

Flights are all still showing ontime, so barring one of EZE's trademark late-night air-traffic-radar-political-posturing-let's-make-everything-sit-for-hours I should be in good shape and will reflect on all my unnecessary fussing over a shower and a bloody mary in the Admiral's Club at MIA tomorrow.

I don't usually string separate tickets together like this, so perhaps I was paranoid a bit up front, but things are looking good for now.

nytango

curious,, what is paid A class, and why sep tickets?

Schultzois

A in this case is a discounted (but basically unrestricted) First fare, and I'm on a through fare to Europe with BA First later on.

Separate ticket because adding PHL into the SA-NA-Europe itinerary would seriously foul up pricing, and even if I could get the discount economy segment added in, it would "infect" the rest of the itinerary with it's much more restrictive change/repricing rules (fare rules for most restrictive fare component apply to entire itinerary).