Jan 19, 2017, 10:38 am
Last edit by: JDiver
2017 Questions about, guide to, and listing of, compensation (consolidated)
Welcome to the "2017 Guide to, and listing of, compensation" thread!
NOTE: If compensation is not generated automatically (occasionally, it will), you will want to contact American Airlines Customer Relations. See Contacting American Airlines Customer Relations & Complaint, Issues (master thread).
In keeping with tradition, we'd like to ask members to report their compensation in the following format:
- Date
- AAdvantage Status
- Fare class
- What happened
- Compensation
- Comments
• JGR01 has created a spreadsheet parsing posts in this thread from 2003-2007, available for download here
• AA's official policy regarding compensation for delays, cancellations, and diversions is as follows (thanks to tom911 for posting):
DELAYS, CANCELLATIONS AND DIVERSIONS
American Airlines will provide customers at the airport and onboard an affected aircraft with timely and frequent updates regarding known delays, cancellations and diversions and will strive to provide the best available information concerning the duration of delays and to the extent available, the flight's anticipated departure time.
We are not responsible for any special, incidental or consequential damages if we do not meet this commitment.
When cancellations and major delays are experienced, you will be rerouted on our next flight with available seats. If the delay or cancellation was caused by events within our control and we do not get you to your final destination on the expected arrival day, we will provide reasonable overnight accommodations, subject to availability.
In extreme circumstances, it is possible that a flight will cancel while on the ground in the city to which it was diverted. When this happens you will be rerouted on the next American flight with available seats, or in some circumstances on another airline or some other alternative means of transportation. If we are unable to reroute you, reasonable overnight accommodations will be provided by American, subject to availability.
American will provide amenities for delayed passengers, necessary to maintain the safety and/or welfare of certain passengers such as customers with disabilities, unaccompanied children, the elderly or others to whom such amenities will be furnished consistent with special needs and/or circumstances.
American Airlines will provide customers at the airport and onboard an affected aircraft with timely and frequent updates regarding known delays, cancellations and diversions and will strive to provide the best available information concerning the duration of delays and to the extent available, the flight's anticipated departure time.
We are not responsible for any special, incidental or consequential damages if we do not meet this commitment.
When cancellations and major delays are experienced, you will be rerouted on our next flight with available seats. If the delay or cancellation was caused by events within our control and we do not get you to your final destination on the expected arrival day, we will provide reasonable overnight accommodations, subject to availability.
In extreme circumstances, it is possible that a flight will cancel while on the ground in the city to which it was diverted. When this happens you will be rerouted on the next American flight with available seats, or in some circumstances on another airline or some other alternative means of transportation. If we are unable to reroute you, reasonable overnight accommodations will be provided by American, subject to availability.
American will provide amenities for delayed passengers, necessary to maintain the safety and/or welfare of certain passengers such as customers with disabilities, unaccompanied children, the elderly or others to whom such amenities will be furnished consistent with special needs and/or circumstances.
Contrary to the belief of some, airlines are not required to compensate passengers for “damages” when flights are delayed or canceled. Compensation is required by law only when you are “bumped” from a flight that is oversold. Airlines almost always refuse to pay passengers for financial losses resulting from a delayed flight. If the purpose of your trip is to close a potentially lucrative business deal, to give a speech or lecture, to attend a family function, or to be present at any time-sensitive event, you might want to allow a little extra time and take an earlier flight. In other words, airline delays and cancellations are not unusual, and defensive planning is a good idea when time is your most important consideration.
Also see (FT) EC261 / EC 261/2004 complaints, compensation and AA (master thread)
(The other compensation threads are archived and closed, but can easily be accessed for reading here:
2016 Questions about, guide to, and listing of, compensation (consolidated)
2015 Questions about, guide to, listing of, compensation (consolidated - archived)
2014 Questions about, guide to, listing of, compensation (consolidated - archived)
2013 Questions about, guide to, and listing of compensation (archived)
Guide to, and listing of, compensation (2012 - archived)
Guide to, and listing of, compensation (2003 - 2011 archived)
AA Forum Moderator Team
ARCHIVE: 2017 Questions about, guide to, and listing of, compensation
Dec 31, 2016, 11:09 pm
#1
Senior Moderator and Moderator: American AAdvantage & TravelBuzz
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 10,417
ARCHIVE: 2017 Questions about, guide to, and listing of, compensation
Happy New Year! 
Time for a new consolidated "compensation" thread. Please see the wiki above for more information. Thanks! /AA Moderators
Time for a new consolidated "compensation" thread. Please see the wiki above for more information. Thanks! /AA Moderators
Jan 4, 2017, 8:27 am
#2
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 3
Hi, new member here, so not sure if this should go into 2016 or 2017 thread.
Date : December 24th
AAdvantage Status : None
Fare class : unsure
What happened : MAN -> PHL -> YYZ, the PHL -> YYZ (scheduled to land at 5 pm) was delayed for 2 hours and then cancelled due to crew unavailability. My gf got rerouted to YOW(landed at 9:25pm), which then needed me to make a 9 hour round-trip to pick her up (ended up in YYZ around 4:30am the next morning). Her luggage was also 3 days late, we had to buy some temp clothing.
Compensation: AA offered a 200 flight voucher
Comments: AA refused to reimburse us for the drive, as well I thought this delay/cancellation would be subject to EU regulations, but was told otherwise. For the baggage delay claim, I wrote an email, it's been 1 week and we haven't heard back. Does this need to be mailed in, or is email sufficient?
Thank you for your help!
Date : December 24th
AAdvantage Status : None
Fare class : unsure
What happened : MAN -> PHL -> YYZ, the PHL -> YYZ (scheduled to land at 5 pm) was delayed for 2 hours and then cancelled due to crew unavailability. My gf got rerouted to YOW(landed at 9:25pm), which then needed me to make a 9 hour round-trip to pick her up (ended up in YYZ around 4:30am the next morning). Her luggage was also 3 days late, we had to buy some temp clothing.
Compensation: AA offered a 200 flight voucher
Comments: AA refused to reimburse us for the drive, as well I thought this delay/cancellation would be subject to EU regulations, but was told otherwise. For the baggage delay claim, I wrote an email, it's been 1 week and we haven't heard back. Does this need to be mailed in, or is email sufficient?
Thank you for your help!
Last edited by hlee814; Jan 4, 2017 at 9:55 am
Jan 15, 2017, 9:40 pm
#3
Join Date: Dec 2015
Programs: AS GOLD, AA EXP, SPG PLAT, Marriott PLAT
Posts: 35
what is the maximum compensation you can get from a customer service representative when I call them?
Jan 15, 2017, 10:13 pm
#4
Join Date: Nov 2015
Programs: AAdvantage EXP, Marriott Ambassador (LT Titanium)
Posts: 94
I've gotten a $400 eVoucher before and was quoted that was the max they could give. Most miles given was 7,500 miles for broken wifi, and I suspect that could go higher.
Jan 16, 2017, 12:50 am
#5
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Signatures
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: London, England
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador, National Exec, AA EXP Emeritus
Posts: 9,765
Jan 16, 2017, 8:10 am
#6
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA S, LH S
Posts: 43
Hi - detailing what I've been offered, but interested to hear any opinion.
BA Silver (OW Sapphire)
Two flights:
6th January 2017, ASE-DFW, Economy
Flight delayed due to overfuelling, we were on board for over an hour waiting for fuellers to remove 3000lbs. (Incidentally, captain called out for pizza, which didn't arrive by the time we pushed back, but the delay caused us to need de-icing, and the de-icer brought the pizzas!!)
Arrived DFW >2hrs late
Flight 2:
7th January 2017, DFW-CDG, Business (I)
Old Business (not flat-bed)
But my main complaint was that we boarded late, spent an hour on the a/c, and landed in Paris >4hrs late. I know the flight isn't EC261 eligible (would have been the full €600).
Offer (combined): $150 vouchers.
BA Silver (OW Sapphire)
Two flights:
6th January 2017, ASE-DFW, Economy
Flight delayed due to overfuelling, we were on board for over an hour waiting for fuellers to remove 3000lbs. (Incidentally, captain called out for pizza, which didn't arrive by the time we pushed back, but the delay caused us to need de-icing, and the de-icer brought the pizzas!!)
Arrived DFW >2hrs late
Flight 2:
7th January 2017, DFW-CDG, Business (I)
Old Business (not flat-bed)
But my main complaint was that we boarded late, spent an hour on the a/c, and landed in Paris >4hrs late. I know the flight isn't EC261 eligible (would have been the full €600).
Offer (combined): $150 vouchers.
Jan 16, 2017, 8:19 am
#7
Join Date: Dec 2015
Programs: AS GOLD, AA EXP, SPG PLAT, Marriott PLAT
Posts: 35
I feel like they use that as a bargaining chip because I told her that $275 seems like a fair compensation but she said the max she can do is $250 and need to check something before she can give me the evoucher. I bet she was bulshitting. Do they give compensation based on ticket fare and status? I am EXP by the way and feel like I got a fair compensation, unless I am being naive
Last edited by noobConsultant; Jan 16, 2017 at 8:24 am
Jan 18, 2017, 10:16 am
#8
Join Date: Aug 2003
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 466
3 hour + late arrival - compensation?
My original flight on January 7th, AA1590, Dallas to Miami (9:05 am - 12:52 pm), was delayed and ultimately canceled (after a 2 hour MX delay) and plane taken out of service. I rebooked on AA206 (12:28pm - 4:10pm), which departed late and arrived at 4:42pm, over three hours past my original, scheduled arrival time. Am I do any compensation? thanks
Jan 18, 2017, 10:32 am
#9
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AAdvantage PP
Posts: 13,913
My original flight on January 7th, AA1590, Dallas to Miami (9:05 am - 12:52 pm), was delayed and ultimately canceled (after a 2 hour MX delay) and plane taken out of service. I rebooked on AA206 (12:28pm - 4:10pm), which departed late and arrived at 4:42pm, over three hours past my original, scheduled arrival time. Am I do any compensation? thanks
Jan 18, 2017, 10:53 am
#10
Join Date: Oct 2016
Programs: AA Platinum
Posts: 29
My flight landed late into NRT due to mechanical issues in DFW, missed my connecting JL flight to CGK, I got re-routed to KUL on Malaysia Airlines.
Got into CGK 11 hours late, missed a good night of sleep in my paid-for hotel room.
All AA gave me was 7500 miles. Wouldn't budge.
You'd be lucky to get anything from AA for only a 3 hour delay.
Got into CGK 11 hours late, missed a good night of sleep in my paid-for hotel room.
All AA gave me was 7500 miles. Wouldn't budge.
You'd be lucky to get anything from AA for only a 3 hour delay.
Jan 18, 2017, 11:28 am
#11
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Chicago
Programs: AAdvantage Platinum
Posts: 34
When I get a MX delay which happens quite often to me, I usually just DM AA on Twitter and tell them that my flight got delayed by X hours and X minutes due to maintenance, and ask if any compensation is available. They usually reply positively and give me about 1,000 miles per hour of delay. My two recent ones are MKE-PHL 1.5 hour MX delay = 2,000 extra miles and ORD-DFW 2 hour MX delay = 2,000 extra miles. They post instantly. Good luck.
same thing with international. ORD-LHR, overnight MX delay, but this time AA gave me 11,000 miles out of courtesy for the 10.5 hour delay.
same thing with international. ORD-LHR, overnight MX delay, but this time AA gave me 11,000 miles out of courtesy for the 10.5 hour delay.
Jan 19, 2017, 12:55 am
#12
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,659
Date January 16, 2017
AAdvantage Status EXP, Emerald
Fare class I, discounted business
What happened AA 68 MIA-MAD CXL after 5 hours on and off aircraft.
Compensation 20,000 miles automatically deposited in account.
Comments travelling companions on discount economy fares got the same compensation. We were put up in an Embassy Suites, given meal vouchers, reaccomodated MIA-DFW-MAD and my companions' SWUs were protected on reaccomodated flight. I lost my SWU to F. My blanket travel insurance should be paying for my lost hotel night in MAD.
AAdvantage Status EXP, Emerald
Fare class I, discounted business
What happened AA 68 MIA-MAD CXL after 5 hours on and off aircraft.
Compensation 20,000 miles automatically deposited in account.
Comments travelling companions on discount economy fares got the same compensation. We were put up in an Embassy Suites, given meal vouchers, reaccomodated MIA-DFW-MAD and my companions' SWUs were protected on reaccomodated flight. I lost my SWU to F. My blanket travel insurance should be paying for my lost hotel night in MAD.
Last edited by FAA1996; Jan 19, 2017 at 1:01 am
Jan 19, 2017, 8:03 am
#13
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 56
Had a 4 hour flight delay LAX-AKL. It was because of mechanical issues on the plane (I think going to HND) that was using the gate that our plane needed to use.
None of this was communicated to all passengers in the gate area (I only knew what was happening because I asked a flight attendant).
There were two plane loads of people in 1 gate area, all trying to board the HND, because AA never made a clear announcement regarding the delay of the AKL flight. It was pretty terrible communication and just overall chaotic in the boarding area.
I wrote that to AA customer service using the automatic system on their website, and they gave me 7500 miles. Based on Snardy's compensation, it looks like that's their standard international delay compensation.
The twitter idea is good, but I've always had good luck with letter writing.
Definitely reach out in some way, and you should end up with a few thousand miles.
None of this was communicated to all passengers in the gate area (I only knew what was happening because I asked a flight attendant).
There were two plane loads of people in 1 gate area, all trying to board the HND, because AA never made a clear announcement regarding the delay of the AKL flight. It was pretty terrible communication and just overall chaotic in the boarding area.
I wrote that to AA customer service using the automatic system on their website, and they gave me 7500 miles. Based on Snardy's compensation, it looks like that's their standard international delay compensation.
The twitter idea is good, but I've always had good luck with letter writing.
Definitely reach out in some way, and you should end up with a few thousand miles.
Jan 19, 2017, 8:30 am
#14
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: IND
Programs: AAdvantage Executive Platinum, HHonors Diamond, National Executive
Posts: 1,297
I recently had a cancellation followed by a delay on the rebooked flight. Ended up getting in 5 hours late... they offered me 5,000 miles, but I had to ask for it.
Jan 19, 2017, 8:36 am
#15
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Columbia, SC
Programs: AA Plat, SPG/Marriot Gold, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Expl
Posts: 2,363
Sounds like the going rate is 1000mi/1hr delay....