Downgrade of a business class ticket to Economy
Sep 21, 2016, 4:49 am
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: QRPC Gold, EK Silver
Posts: 32
Thanks to all for your messages.
I had already called AA before I posted this thread, but as Andriyko said, the tickets were issued by IB so I had to check with IB.
After many phone call to IB client service and asked to speak directly to a manager, the leg betwwen SJC-ORD of my tickets were changed yesterday from Y to A (First).
It was difficult to be heard, but finally all is okay
I had already called AA before I posted this thread, but as Andriyko said, the tickets were issued by IB so I had to check with IB.
After many phone call to IB client service and asked to speak directly to a manager, the leg betwwen SJC-ORD of my tickets were changed yesterday from Y to A (First).
It was difficult to be heard, but finally all is okay
Sep 21, 2016, 6:16 am
#17
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine
Programs: Mucci, BA Gold, TK Elite, HHonors Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 7,683
Thanks to all for your messages.
I had already called AA before I posted this thread, but as Andriyko said, the tickets were issued by IB so I had to check with IB.
After many phone call to IB client service and asked to speak directly to a manager, the leg betwwen SJC-ORD of my tickets were changed yesterday from Y to A (First).
It was difficult to be heard, but finally all is okay
I had already called AA before I posted this thread, but as Andriyko said, the tickets were issued by IB so I had to check with IB.
After many phone call to IB client service and asked to speak directly to a manager, the leg betwwen SJC-ORD of my tickets were changed yesterday from Y to A (First).
It was difficult to be heard, but finally all is okay
Sep 21, 2016, 9:20 am
#18
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: **ATL**/PHX/MIA/LAX/HKG
Programs: AA-EXP/DL-Diamond/UA-100K/Hyatt-Globalist/Hilton-Diamond/Marriott-Titanium - Many more....
Posts: 546
Business class on AA within N America, Central American and Mexico
There seems to be some information being shared which is not accurate. As a frequent flyer of AA including domestic, Mexico, Central and South America etc. Please allow some clarification.
There are frequently flights on AA sold as J/C in the "Premium" cabin (i.e. Domestic F class product) this is not determined by equipment but, rather marketing requirements.
If you look at the market DFW-QRO you will note that it is sold as business in the "premium" cabin on a CRJ-700/900 operated by Mesa. Clearly there is no lay flat seat but it is marketed with C/I/J fare classes and not F/P/A indicating the marketed flight is business.
In the case of the flight referenced. IB has a codeshare which is marketed in business for the premium cabin (As does AA) and which should correspond to the front of the aircraft (pointy side) which should have been operated with AA's domestic F class hard product and marketed as a C/J class flight.
The OP has a valid expectation and unfortunately with the less then stellar customer service of AA and IB stands a small chance of resolving.
At minimum a waitlist for the premium cabin should be offered and possibly look at alternative routings (ie. thru MIA). If successful with a waitlist then a call to AA and ask the agent to contact revenue mgmt and see if they will release the seat to clear the waitlist.
Good luck
There are frequently flights on AA sold as J/C in the "Premium" cabin (i.e. Domestic F class product) this is not determined by equipment but, rather marketing requirements.
If you look at the market DFW-QRO you will note that it is sold as business in the "premium" cabin on a CRJ-700/900 operated by Mesa. Clearly there is no lay flat seat but it is marketed with C/I/J fare classes and not F/P/A indicating the marketed flight is business.
In the case of the flight referenced. IB has a codeshare which is marketed in business for the premium cabin (As does AA) and which should correspond to the front of the aircraft (pointy side) which should have been operated with AA's domestic F class hard product and marketed as a C/J class flight.
The OP has a valid expectation and unfortunately with the less then stellar customer service of AA and IB stands a small chance of resolving.
At minimum a waitlist for the premium cabin should be offered and possibly look at alternative routings (ie. thru MIA). If successful with a waitlist then a call to AA and ask the agent to contact revenue mgmt and see if they will release the seat to clear the waitlist.
Good luck
Sep 21, 2016, 1:38 pm
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: London, UK and Southern France
Posts: 18,362
Indeed. Thankfully the issue is resolved for the OP but the suggestion in several posts above that, if there is no business class bucket, then the proper class of travel is economy is simply not true. Pretty much all I class fares on BA, IB or AY book into A or P (which are first class inventory buckets) on two-class domestic AA flights. You do have issues with some fares booking into Y in South America on LA but not with AA domestically. Now, on a single class domestic AA flight, then clearly I class fares book into an economy bucket, but that is not normally the case on two-class aircraft.
Sep 22, 2016, 2:10 am
#20
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine
Programs: Mucci, BA Gold, TK Elite, HHonors Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 7,683
Results from ExpertFlyer.com
Code:
Booking Class Search:
Departing CDG on 12/23/16 for LAS
Fare basis code ILN4Y4T1
Flying AA
Routing via North Atlantic
Booking Class
>$LB2
002 PARLAS 23DEC16 AA USD 1952.00 ILN4Y4T1 STAY---/12MBK-I
FARE CLS EXPLANATION BOOK CODES
-------- ---------------------- ----------
ILN4Y4T1 BUSINESS EXCURSION FARES I
ILN4Y4T1 BETWEEN AREA 2 AND AREA 1 FOR ROUND TRIP FARES
ILN4Y4T1 FOR ADULT
BOOKING CODE EXCEPTIONS
VIA AA P REQUIRED WHEN AVAILABLE I- FARES BETWEEN
USA-USHI
VIA AA Y REQUIRED I- FARES BETWEEN USA-USHI
VIA AA I/D PERMITTED I- FARES BETWEEN JFK-LAX
VIA AA Y REQUIRED I- FARES BETWEEN JFK-LAX
VIA AA I/D PERMITTED I- FARES BETWEEN JFK-SFO
VIA AA Y REQUIRED I- FARES BETWEEN JFK-SFO
VIA AA I/D PERMITTED I- FARES BETWEEN MIA-LAX 777
SERVICE
VIA AA Y REQUIRED I- FARES BETWEEN MIA-LAX 777
SERVICE
VIA AA A REQUIRED WHEN AVAILABLE I- FARES WITHIN
USA
VIA AA P/Y PERMITTED I- FARES WITHIN USA
VIA AA P/Y PERMITTED I- FARES WITHIN NORTH AMERICA
VIA AA Y PERMITTED I- FARES WITHIN EUROPE FLTS
8035-8103
VIA AA D/J PERMITTED I- FARES BETWEEN LON-EUROPE
FLTS 6246-6779
VIA AA Y REQUIRED I- FARES BETWEEN LON-EUROPE
FLTS 6246-6779
VIA AA A/Z PERMITTED I- FARES BETWEEN DOH-MIDDLE EAST
FLTS 7970-8019
VIA AA Y REQUIRED I- FARES BETWEEN DOH-MIDDLE EAST
FLTS 7970-8019
VIA AA J/Y PERMITTED I- FARES WITHIN EUROPE
VIA AA I/Y PERMITTED I- FARES WITHIN AREA 2
VIA AA I/Y PERMITTED I- FARES BETWEEN AREA 2-AREA 3
VIA AA I REQUIRED I- FARES
Sep 24, 2016, 10:03 am
#21
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Zurich
Programs: BA GGL, TK*G EL, KL P ELPL, ex AB P, ex LH/LX Sen, HHonors D4L, Bonvoy P
Posts: 1,647
Andriyko, the OP is travelling from ORD to SJC, so I think the required bucket is A, if available:
VIA AA A REQUIRED WHEN AVAILABLE I- FARES WITHIN
USA
The buckets you highlighted are specific routes which are operated 3 class (JFK-LAX etc) or otherwise different (Hawaii, USHI).
VIA AA A REQUIRED WHEN AVAILABLE I- FARES WITHIN
USA
The buckets you highlighted are specific routes which are operated 3 class (JFK-LAX etc) or otherwise different (Hawaii, USHI).
Sep 26, 2016, 5:33 am
#22
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine
Programs: Mucci, BA Gold, TK Elite, HHonors Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 7,683
Andriyko, the OP is travelling from ORD to SJC, so I think the required bucket is A, if available:
VIA AA A REQUIRED WHEN AVAILABLE I- FARES WITHIN
USA
The buckets you highlighted are specific routes which are operated 3 class (JFK-LAX etc) or otherwise different (Hawaii, USHI).
VIA AA A REQUIRED WHEN AVAILABLE I- FARES WITHIN
USA
The buckets you highlighted are specific routes which are operated 3 class (JFK-LAX etc) or otherwise different (Hawaii, USHI).
Sep 26, 2016, 6:11 pm
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: London, UK and Southern France
Posts: 18,362
On experience but the rules that you printed just confirm it.
Several posts asserted that, in the absence of business class inventory on on a two-class domestic AA flight, an I class fare would only allow travel in the economy cabin.
I stated in my post that this assertion was simply not correct as most I class fares on BA, IB or AY book into A or P (which are first class inventory buckets) on two-class domestic AA flights.
The rules that you quoted explicitly confirm that.
But that is a completely different thing. I did not say that travel in Y class was not permitted. What I said is that the assertion that it has to be either I class or, if there is no I class, then it has to be Y was not correct.
I class fares routinely book in A or in some cases P. Now, clearly if there is no A class availability either, then that is a different matter but that was not what was being discussed.
Several posts asserted that, in the absence of business class inventory on on a two-class domestic AA flight, an I class fare would only allow travel in the economy cabin.
I stated in my post that this assertion was simply not correct as most I class fares on BA, IB or AY book into A or P (which are first class inventory buckets) on two-class domestic AA flights.
The rules that you quoted explicitly confirm that.
I class fares routinely book in A or in some cases P. Now, clearly if there is no A class availability either, then that is a different matter but that was not what was being discussed.
Sep 27, 2016, 2:39 am
#24
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine
Programs: Mucci, BA Gold, TK Elite, HHonors Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 7,683
On experience but the rules that you printed just confirm it.
Several posts asserted that, in the absence of business class inventory on on a two-class domestic AA flight, an I class fare would only allow travel in the economy cabin.
I stated in my post that this assertion was simply not correct as most I class fares on BA, IB or AY book into A or P (which are first class inventory buckets) on two-class domestic AA flights.
The rules that you quoted explicitly confirm that.
Several posts asserted that, in the absence of business class inventory on on a two-class domestic AA flight, an I class fare would only allow travel in the economy cabin.
I stated in my post that this assertion was simply not correct as most I class fares on BA, IB or AY book into A or P (which are first class inventory buckets) on two-class domestic AA flights.
The rules that you quoted explicitly confirm that.
Sep 27, 2016, 5:35 am
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: London, UK and Southern France
Posts: 18,362
What I was questioning was the "If no I then Y" assumption that seemed to underpin certain earlier statements such as
The question is what class of service your IB fare bucket books into on AA and that is most likely Y if this is a significant sale.
If there's no fare bucket availability - in this case I - for one of the legs, particularly a less important connecting flight, then the pricing engine will often opt for the lower cabin/class.
Sep 27, 2016, 12:16 pm
#26
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine
Programs: Mucci, BA Gold, TK Elite, HHonors Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 7,683
But that is a completely different thing. I did not say that travel in Y class was not permitted. What I said is that the assertion that it has to be either I class or, if there is no I class, then it has to be Y was not correct.
I class fares routinely book in A or in some cases P. Now, clearly if there is no A class availability either, then that is a different matter but that was not what was being discussed.
I class fares routinely book in A or in some cases P. Now, clearly if there is no A class availability either, then that is a different matter but that was not what was being discussed.