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AA eliminates free standby from B,H fares; non-elites can only standby earlier

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AA eliminates free standby from B,H fares; non-elites can only standby earlier

 
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Old Dec 12, 2012, 10:12 am
  #1  
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AA eliminates free standby from B,H fares; non-elites can only standby earlier

With the introduction of the new choice bundles, AA has eliminated the option to standby from all economy fares except Y. You now need to buy the $88 roundtrip "Plus" bundle to be able to standby.

Other change is that non-elites can only standby for earlier same-day flights, not later ones.

The revised rules (highlighting mine) read as follows:
Code:
          1. SAME DAY STANDBY -                                 
           A. ELIGIBILITY                                       
            1.AADVANTAGE EXECUTIVE PLATINUM/ PLATINUM/ GOLD     
              PASSENGERS AND THEIR ONEWORLD EQUIVALENTS AND     
              AAIRPASS MEMBERS TICKETED WITH ANY FARE MAY       
              STANDBY ON THE SAME DAY AS TICKETED/              
              WITHOUT CHARGE AS NOTED BELOW.                    
            2.PASSENGERS NOT QUALIFYING BY TIER STATUS AS       
              DESCRIBED ABOVE WHO PURCHASED TICKETS FOR         
              FIRST OR BUSINESS CLASS OR COACH FARES BOOKED     
              IN Y/D/I/J/A/P/F INVENTORIES MAY STANDBY          
              WITHOUT CHARGE AS NOTED BELOW.                    
            3.MILITARY PASSENGERS AND THEIR DEPENDENTS MAY      
              STANDBY WITHOUT CHARGE AS NOTED BELOW.                                                                        
            4.COMPANION FARE PASSENGERS WHO QUALIFY FOR        
              SAME DAY STANDBY AS IDENTIFIED ABOVE/ MUST        
              TRAVEL STANDBY ON THE SAME EXACT FLIGHTS.         
            5.PASSENGERS TRAVELING WITHIN THE US48 WITH         
              FARE BASIS CODES ENDNG IN 7 OR 8 OR 9 MAY         
              STANDBY WITHOUT CHARGE AS NOTED BELOW.            
            6.ALL OTHER PASSENGERS PURCHASING COACH             
              TICKETS BOOKED IN H/B/K/M/L/W/V/G/S/N/Q/O         
              INVENTORIES/ MAY NOT USE SAME DAY STANDBY.        
              THESE PASSENGERS MAY USE SAME DAY FLIGHT          
              CHANGE IDENTIFIED BELOW FOR A                     
              NONREFUNDABLE FEE. /SEE AA.COM FOR DETAILS.       
          ///---///---///---///---///---///---///---///---//    
          B. STANDBY CONDITIONS FOR ELIGIBLE PASSENGERS -       
           1.AADVANTAGE EXECUTIVE PLATINUM / PLATINUM/          
             GOLD PASSENGERS AND THEIR ONEWORLD EQUIVA-         
             LENTS AND AAIRPASS MEMBERS MAY STANDBY FOR         
             EARLIER/LATER SAME DAY FLIGHTS                     
           2.ALL PASSENGERS OTHER THAN THE TIER AND            
             AAIRPASS PASSENGERS MENTIONED IN 1 ABOVE/         
             MAY STANDBY FOR EARLIER SAME DAY FLIGHTS.          
           3.PASSENGERS MUST BE HOLDING CONFIRMED RESERVA-      
             TIONS AND TICKETS FOR FLIGHTS OPERATED BY          
             AMERICAN AIRLINES/ AMERICAN EAGLE OR AMERICAN      
             CONNECTION                                         
           4.STANDBY IS PERMITTED FOR SAME DAY AA NONSTOP       
             AND/OR CONNECTING FLIGHTS BETWEEN THE SAME         
             ORIGIN AND DESTINATION AIRPORTS PROVIDED THE       
             ROUTING IS APPLICABLE FOR THE FARE CHARGED.        
           5.WHEN TICKETED TO/FROM HOU/NYC/WAS -                
             CHECK FLIGHT APPLICATION FOR ANY AIRPORT           
             RESTRICTION.                                       
          ///---///---///---///---///---///---///---///---//    
          2. SAME DAY FLIGHT CHANGE/SDFC/                       
           A. ELIGIBILITY                                       
            1.PASSENGERS WHO PURCHASED TICKETS FOR FIRST        
              OR BUSINESS OR COACH CLASS BOOKED IN              
              Y/D/I/J/A/P/F INVENTORIES MAY USE SAME DAY       
              FLIGHT CHANGE WITHOUT CHARGE AS NOTED BELOW.     
            2.PASSENGERS TRAVELING WITHIN THE US48 WITH         
              FARE BASIS CODES ENDING IN 7 OR 8 OR 9 MAY        
              USE SAME DAY FLIGHT CHANGE FREE OF CHARGE         
              AS NOTED BELOW.                                   
            3.ALL OTHER PASSENGERS PURCHASING COACH FARE        
              TICKETS BOOKED IN H/B/K/M/L/W/V/G/S/N/Q/O         
              INVENTORIES MAY CONFIRM TRAVEL USING SAME         
              DAY FLIGHT CHANGE FOR A NONREFUNDABLE             
              FEE /SEE AA.COM FOR DETAILS/.                     
          ///---///---///---///---///---///---///---///---//    
          B.SAME DAY FLIGHT CHANGE CONDITIONS FOR ELIG PSGRS    
           1.THE REQUEST FOR SDFC IS MADE WITHIN 12 HOURS OF    
             THE ALTERNATE FLIGHT/S DEPARTURE TIME.             
           2.THERE IS NO CHANGE TO THE ORIGIN/DESTINATION OR    
             STOPOVER POINTS.                                   
           3.NEW FLIGHT/S/ AND ROUTING ARE PERMITTED PER THE    
             TICKETED FARE RULE.                                
           4.ALL TRAVEL IS ON AMERICAN AIRLINES/ AMERICAN      
             EAGLE AND AMERICAN CONNECTION.                    
           5.REQUESTS ARE MADE VIA AIRPORT SELF-SERVICE         
             CHECK-IN/ TICKET COUNTERS /INCLUDING ADMIRALS      
             CLUBS AND PREMIUM SERVICES/ OR BY CALLING AA       
             RESERVATIONS.                                      
           6.CHANGES PERMITTED TO OUTBOUND OR CONTINUING/       
             RETURN FLIGHTS.                                    
           7.CONFIRMATION IS SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY.           
           8.ALTERNATE FLIGHT IS ON SAME TICKETED DATE.         
          ///--///--///--///--///--///--///--///--///--///      
          REQUESTS MADE MORE THAN 12 HOURS IN ADVANCE OF THE    
          ALTERNATE FLIGHT/S DEPARTURE TIME WILL BE             
          PROCESSED FOLLOWING THE GUIDELINES FOR RESERVATION    
          CHANGES/ WHICH MAY INCLUDE COLLECTION OF              
          APPLICABLE CHANGE FEES PLUS DIFFERENCE IN FARE.       
          SEE PENALTIES

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MODERATOR'S NOTE


This DOES represent a change from the previous policy, whereby Y, B, and H fares were eligible for free standby and there was apparently no restriction against qualified non-elites standing by for later flights.

See also this related thread posted by hillrider that explains the fare number component:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...ds-number.html

dstan
AA Forum Co-Moderator

Last edited by dstan; Dec 12, 2012 at 2:20 pm
hillrider is offline  
Old Dec 12, 2012, 10:14 am
  #2  
 
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Thanks for pointing this out. While AA announces the "positive" changes, they insert verbiage into the rules and add the "negative" changes without any fanfare.
FlyMeToTheLooneyBin is offline  
Old Dec 12, 2012, 10:16 am
  #3  
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Originally Posted by FlyMeToTheLooneyBin
Thanks for pointing this out. While AA announces the "positive" changes, they insert verbiage into the rules and add the "negative" changes without any fanfare.
Yep. I went to read the rules after noticing when posting the benefits of the "Plus" bundle that it included free standby. @:-)

As FTers we should be able to hunt down and expose all the negatives they did not communicate to us quite quickly.
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Old Dec 12, 2012, 10:19 am
  #4  
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I thought non-elites on discount fares lost the ability to use free standby a couple of years ago? What has changed?
swag is offline  
Old Dec 12, 2012, 10:24 am
  #5  
brp
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Originally Posted by swag
I thought non-elites on discount fares lost the ability to use free standby a couple of years ago? What has changed?
Same here. Maybe I've missed something, but I don't see anything different here from the change a couple of years ago...

Cheers.
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Old Dec 12, 2012, 10:24 am
  #6  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 447
Originally Posted by swag
I thought non-elites on discount fares lost the ability to use free standby a couple of years ago? What has changed?
These are my thoughts, too.

How is this any different?
NYCQuaker is offline  
Old Dec 12, 2012, 10:25 am
  #7  
 
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Location: LAX
Posts: 6,769
Originally Posted by swag
I thought non-elites on discount fares lost the ability to use free standby a couple of years ago? What has changed?
Now that you mention it, I also don't see the difference. I read it earlier to mean no one can standby, but with the non-elite part, it's similar.
FlyMeToTheLooneyBin is offline  
Old Dec 12, 2012, 10:26 am
  #8  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 447
Originally Posted by FlyMeToTheLooneyBin
Now that you mention it, I also don't see the difference. I read it earlier to mean no one can standby, but with the non-elite part, it's similar.
For non-elites, it has been full change or CFC or bust, AFAIK. That or a super generous GA.
NYCQuaker is offline  
Old Dec 12, 2012, 10:27 am
  #9  
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Originally Posted by swag
I thought non-elites on discount fares lost the ability to use free standby a couple of years ago? What has changed?
Really?

If so, I will humbly take the criticism and request for this thread to be removed.

Apologies from a red-faced humble poster.
hillrider is offline  
Old Dec 12, 2012, 10:28 am
  #10  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 447
Originally Posted by hillrider
Really?

If so, I will humbly take the criticism and request for this thread to be removed.

Apologies from a red-faced humble poster.
It's okay, you're new here. FT has a 14 year learning curve.
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Old Dec 12, 2012, 10:28 am
  #11  
 
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Non elites can still do confirmed change for later ones?
mrbrioni is offline  
Old Dec 12, 2012, 10:29 am
  #12  
brp
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Originally Posted by hillrider
Really?

If so, I will humbly take the criticism and request for this thread to be removed.

Apologies from a red-faced humble poster.
Not at all. So many things have the potential to slip under the radar, and it's good to have someone who keeps an eye on these things. I'll take the occasional slip-up on a non-new "feature" in exchange for the valuable information you provide here on a regular basis.

Cheers.
brp is offline  
Old Dec 12, 2012, 10:30 am
  #13  
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Originally Posted by NYCQuaker
It's okay, you're new here. FT has a 14 year learning curve.
Nah, it's too much rarefied EXP status for too long...I've lost touch with the, ahem, less frequent travelers.

Ivory tower syndrome!
hillrider is offline  
Old Dec 12, 2012, 10:30 am
  #14  
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Originally Posted by brp
Not at all. So many things have the potential to slip under the radar, and it's good to have someone who keeps an eye on these things. I'll take the occasional slip-up on a non-new "feature" in exchange for the valuable information you provide here on a regular basis.
Thanks, truly appreciated!
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Old Dec 12, 2012, 10:31 am
  #15  
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I may be wrong, but I think that the real change here is that B fares no longer get free standby if you're not elite. Now, only Y gets standby if you're not elite.
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