mrow

Oh, well this might end up being a good thing then - the Q and O fares seemed to be offering pretty good value...if miles are included that is!

Wonder how long it will be before AA tell us about this - have emailed them to ask for clarification, will feedback any responses.

GB

Last week I was trying to price flights from ORD to NRT that also contained a JAL flight segment beyond NRT. Upon getting to the final payment screen it became clear that the return NRT to ORD flight was pricing in Q. I called the EXP line who contacted web services and on three separate calls they were unable to change the fare class on the Q segment.

One of the key shortfalls with AA.com is the inability to put on hold any itinerary which contains a segment that is not on AA. You only are provided a purchase option.

spanishflea

Even with those announced changes elsewhere, this still means that AA's cheapest and most available fares across the Atlantic are non-mileage earning and non-upgradeable.

Not a good move at all!

LSunbury

Last week I booked December flights in W. This week they are £15 cheaper but in O.

I too hope this is short-term and not a long-term startegy for TATL.

mrow

I wait to see whether Q and O end up being mileage earning. The thread referenced above seems to indicate that Q may be, but not sure about O!

If the upgrade restrictions aren't changed then it's also a kicker, but the lack of mileage is the biggest PITA.

brp

Actually, I think it's a fine move. You want to pay the bare minimum and still have all mileage and upgrade privileges? That seems the unreasonable part- and this from someone who looks for the cheapest ticket overseas and then upgrades. From what I've read, AA are still more liberal than other US majors.

Cheers.

mrow

I disagree. It puts AA at a disadvantage when compared to BA or IB as they both offer some miles on their cheapest tickets, fly similar routes in many cases (save for BA TATL between UK and USA) and are both Oneworld partners.

If AA.com changes to allow a customer to price up the lowest fare which allows for mileage earning (in a similar way to how BA.com allows you to select the cheapest Tier Point earning fare) then that's a whole different story. Even going to an Air Canada style of selecting which 'extras' you want would also be a step forward. But as it currently stands, not offering fares with miles as a default seems a step backwards to me.

As an example I've just gone on to BA.com to book a flight to Canada from the UK next month.

BA's cheapest fare which earns 25% miles - £377.50.
BA's next least expensive fare is one in World Traveller Plus which earns 110% miles - £867.50.

In comparison for similar flights on AA, AA.com is giving:

AA's cheapest fare which earns 0% miles (or possibly 100% depending on if Q earns miles or not!) £375.80 including 1 change in NYC, BOS or ORD.
The next least expensive fare offered by AA.com is a flexible economy ticket - £1368.80.

Now sure, you might be able to call up AA to get a fare in between the £375.80 and £1368.80 that will give you 100% miles at a cost cheaper than BA's WTP, but if AA.com doesn't give the option then this is a real step backward in terms of usability, and I can't see how this can be spun into a positive step forward at all.

brp

Agree completely. I still think having the lowest fares earn fewer (or no) miles and not have upgrade capability is fine...but they really do have to allow an easy (read fee-free) mechanism for up-faring.



I think what we're talking about is what is already around, with some relaxation of the rules (but I haven't followed all the details). In that case, it's just not a complete relaxation as opposed to a removal.

Cheers.

mrow

Well I'm totally confused as to what's going on now.

About 30 minutes ago I priced up a trip to get prices for AA vs BA. Fares were in Q and O.

Having just looked trips again now, the exact same flights have dropped by £10 are are booking into N and Q - which is normally what I'd expect.

Very strange indeed.

spanishflea

Absolutely, I'd happily pay a £10-50 premium to get my 200% miles and use my eVIps and in many cases already do when comparing AA flights to cheaper competitors.

I guess there is some experimentation going on right now as fares do seem to be in something of a state of flux.

Blueboys999

I certainly hope so or Coupon Connection will soon be flooded with UK eVIP's on offer.

LSunbury

+1

and possibly more than £50 - it would be great to have the option

mrow

Well I got a response from the EXP desk. They've confirmed that O and Q fares (which didn't previously earn miles TATL) will do, on all routes, at 100% of the RDM. The one exception being that O fares won't earn miles between N and Latin America.

One thing to note though, the O and Q fares are NOT upgradable with either EVIPs or Mileage.

AA.com still reflects the old rules in the page about mileage earning, but the new rules are reflected in the notes which can be accessed when making a booking using the search by price and schedule function; if you go through to the page which displays the fares, clicking on one of the fare types (i.e. Economy Super Save, Economy Saver etc) brings up fare rules - in here all fares are listed as earning 100% base AAdvantage miles, with a note pointing out that O fares between N and Latin America are excluded.

YourAAdvantageVoice

There's good news here! We are actually expanding mileage earning opportunities on transatlantic flights. Effective for travel on or after October 15, 2008, AAdvantage members will now earn miles when booking tickets on AA marketed flights in Q inventory between North America and Europe and India or O inventory between North America, India or Asia. The only remaining restriction on these fare classes is that O inventory will still not accrue miles for flights between North America and Latin America (including Central and South America). We are in the process of updating AA.com, but rest assured you can save money and still earn miles!

LSunbury

Thanks for posting this good news.

Just off to check again the current 'winter' sale fares available for next June. ^