Oct 28, 2012, 8:27 pm
Last edit by: Microwave
Moderator Wikipost
For AA's announcement of their new One-Way Flex Awards, see: http://www.aa.com/i18n/amrcorp/newsr...FlexAwards.jsp
For AA's FAQ on the new One-Way Flex Awards, including the new stopover rule, see: http://www.aa.com/aa/i18nForward.do?...award_faqs.jsp
Note that free stopovers have been eliminated as of 8 April 2014, so that portion of this discussion is no longer current.
/AA Moderator Team
For AA's announcement of their new One-Way Flex Awards, see: http://www.aa.com/i18n/amrcorp/newsr...FlexAwards.jsp
For AA's FAQ on the new One-Way Flex Awards, including the new stopover rule, see: http://www.aa.com/aa/i18nForward.do?...award_faqs.jsp
Q: Do one-way awards include any stopovers?
A: Awards between North America and Europe, India, Asia, and Central / South America allow a stopover at the North American gateway. However, other one-way awards do not allow stopovers.
A: Awards between North America and Europe, India, Asia, and Central / South America allow a stopover at the North American gateway. However, other one-way awards do not allow stopovers.
/AA Moderator Team
New One-Way Flex Award / Awards, <NO> Stopover Rule, and Booking Engine (May 9, 2009)
May 11, 2009, 5:01 pm
#211
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: SEA
Programs: AA 1MM Gold, AS MVP Gold. Happily ex-1K, ex-Exec Plat, ex-DL Diamond for 5 years each
Posts: 628
On the whole, I think these changes -- the addition of one-way awards -- is generally a positive thing, even without the stopovers. In truth, this lets you have *more* stopovers and more flexibility than under the previous system -- it lets you combine a single award for travel to multiple regions, often for less than what a OneWorld award would have cost (and without the two-carrier limitation/requirement of a OW award).
That said, I would be much more ok with this latest change if they reverted to the old OneWorld award rules, counting only the distance between the stopovers and not the as-flown distance.
Letter writing campaign, anybody?
That said, I would be much more ok with this latest change if they reverted to the old OneWorld award rules, counting only the distance between the stopovers and not the as-flown distance.
Letter writing campaign, anybody?
May 11, 2009, 5:06 pm
#212
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
I can't imagine why they would give a "huge benefit" to thos who rarely travel on American, while making loyal, frequent/business travellers pay up to DOUBLE the mileage amounts for the same exact trips [such as flying New York to Delhi w/a London stopover might incur.] Taxing their biggest customers an extra 50,000 miles is BAD BUSINESS - especially to spring this on us w/no warning.
May 11, 2009, 5:16 pm
#213
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: San Diego,CA
Posts: 536
I can't imagine why they would give a "huge benefit" to thos who rarely travel on American, while making loyal, frequent/business travellers pay up to DOUBLE the mileage amounts for the same exact trips [such as flying New York to Delhi w/a London stopover might incur.] Taxing their biggest customers an extra 50,000 miles is BAD BUSINESS - especially to spring this on us w/no warning.
For an example . lets assume coach from jfk to del. Under the old system it was 90k miles roundtrip with a stop allowed in lhr. Assuming you start jfklhr in off peak you would spend 20k 1way to london. Later spend 20k 1way from lhr del. Then return del back to jfk no stops for 45k. Do the math.
May 11, 2009, 5:20 pm
#214
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,762
We have an upcoming LAX-LHR-DUB-ORD-LAX trip with a stopover in LHR. That is definitely costing AA money as they have to shell out for the LHR-DUB segment on a partner.
I'm not happy abou this either, as the above trip would be quite a bit more if I had to buy four one ways to DUB and given that I'm already paying $$$ for taxes and fees, so the flights aren't "free" to begin with.
I'm not happy abou this either, as the above trip would be quite a bit more if I had to buy four one ways to DUB and given that I'm already paying $$$ for taxes and fees, so the flights aren't "free" to begin with.
When you pay for a revenue ticket, the taxes and fees are always separated from the airfare which is the seat itself. You do get a free seat, dont you?
I can understand the expedite fee is not a fair fee because of e-tickets. To argue the airline should pay the taxes, security fee, US immigration fee, etc etc, I think it is being GREEDY.
May 11, 2009, 5:53 pm
#215
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 1999
Posts: 12,097
Who's GREEDY now [your caps]?
May 11, 2009, 6:05 pm
#216
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: AA LT PLT 3 MM+, BA (very) Blue, CO nobody
Posts: 2,640
Date & time changes have always been free; why were you paying $150/pp and why did you needed a supervisor to redeposit and re-issue the award?This does not apply to paid tickets - trip only has to begin within 1 year of issue, can be completed anytime.
Last edited by Paulchili; May 11, 2009 at 7:13 pm
May 11, 2009, 7:02 pm
#218
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, BA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 33,533
May 11, 2009, 7:10 pm
#219
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: SNA
Posts: 18,240
I don't expect AA to pay the taxes, etc. but it would be nice for them to waive the award ticketing fee for EXPs. All in all it is costing about 150 per person for our upcoming free trip. Throw in a couple hundred bucks for a cheap Intra-EU flight per person and that free trip for a family of four isn't so free anymore. (Especially since that intra-Europe flight will probalby be on an airline that will charge us baggage fees, etc.)
May 11, 2009, 7:26 pm
#220
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 12
I don't expect AA to pay the taxes, etc. but it would be nice for them to waive the award ticketing fee for EXPs. All in all it is costing about 150 per person for our upcoming free trip. Throw in a couple hundred bucks for a cheap Intra-EU flight per person and that free trip for a family of four isn't so free anymore. (Especially since that intra-Europe flight will probalby be on an airline that will charge us baggage fees, etc.)
May 11, 2009, 7:41 pm
#221
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,762
A bit of history: when I signed up for AAdvantage in 1984, that's exactly what they did. A FREE ticket cost me $0 -- what a novel concept. All facilities fees, fuel surcharges, etc. were absorbed by the program. And the FREE ($0) ticket included food (with wine), bag fees, etc. and there was no ticketing fee.
Who's GREEDY now [your caps]?
Who's GREEDY now [your caps]?
Flying is a whole lot cheaper than in your old time. If you want the old time, then pay the old time price, inflation adjusted, - then you would have Stewardess (not flight attendant as they are called now) wearing hat and gloves to serve you!
May 11, 2009, 7:47 pm
#222
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,762
I don't expect AA to pay the taxes, etc. but it would be nice for them to waive the award ticketing fee for EXPs. All in all it is costing about 150 per person for our upcoming free trip. Throw in a couple hundred bucks for a cheap Intra-EU flight per person and that free trip for a family of four isn't so free anymore. (Especially since that intra-Europe flight will probalby be on an airline that will charge us baggage fees, etc.)
The other option is not to fly.
You take the trip you can comfortably afford. If a few hundreds extra per person can break the bank, then that trip probably should not happen if budget is so tight.
OP now contains links to relevant AA pages
May 11, 2009, 8:45 pm
#224
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: SNA
Posts: 18,240
My point is that the carrot AA (and other airlines and hotels) hold out for the FF programs is the promise of FREE! travel. That carrot looks more withered and stale with every change.
May 11, 2009, 8:52 pm
#225
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 12
Oh, sorry, I thought you meant the under 21 day fee. The $20 fee doesn't apply for EXP members or anyone booked in the same record locater as the EXP. If you were charged for this, you should ask for a refund.