Ticket errors, corrections and "24 hour ticket mistake window" (consolidated)
Sep 11, 2007, 9:27 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Dallas, Tx
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott LT Titanium
Posts: 20
Ticket errors, corrections and "24 hour ticket mistake window" (consolidated)
hi everyone,
I booked a flight from ORD to CLT for October last night and today while I was in the AC in STL on my way home, I realized I made a mistake on the return date and asked the AAngel what my options were. They told me i would have to pay 100 change fee in addition to the fare difference. I declined since a new set of tickets would have been cheaper. However, I called AA reservations tonight and was told that there is a 24 hour window for mistakes where you can call in and they will waive the change fee. Is this something new? The very nice reservation agent said the person at the AC (and the tarriff person she called) should have known this and was surprised they didnt esp since my pnr noted they advised me of the cost to change the ticket. This is the first of heard of this "mistake window". If this is new, how long has this been the case?
------------------------------------------------
Please see Post #16 of this thread for the internal AA policy on the ability of reservation agents to waive change fees within 24 hours of ticketing for reservation mistakes.
Note, however: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...r-tickets.html
dstan
AA Forum Co-Moderator
I booked a flight from ORD to CLT for October last night and today while I was in the AC in STL on my way home, I realized I made a mistake on the return date and asked the AAngel what my options were. They told me i would have to pay 100 change fee in addition to the fare difference. I declined since a new set of tickets would have been cheaper. However, I called AA reservations tonight and was told that there is a 24 hour window for mistakes where you can call in and they will waive the change fee. Is this something new? The very nice reservation agent said the person at the AC (and the tarriff person she called) should have known this and was surprised they didnt esp since my pnr noted they advised me of the cost to change the ticket. This is the first of heard of this "mistake window". If this is new, how long has this been the case?
------------------------------------------------
Please see Post #16 of this thread for the internal AA policy on the ability of reservation agents to waive change fees within 24 hours of ticketing for reservation mistakes.
From the AA Res policy file on change fees:
24 Hour Itinerary Error Change Fee Waiver
Reps have requested the ability to assist customers at the first point of contact who are calling because there is a mistake on their itinerary. This usually happens once the customer receives their ITNR and can be either an AA or customer error. Effective Monday December 6, 2004 all reps will be allowed to authorize a one-time change fee waiver for customers who claim there is an error in their itinerary.
This applies to customers who advise there is a mistake in their reservation, and call within 24 hours of the first time their PNR is ticketed on the original booking or by 1159pm the following day. Voluntary changes requested by the customer do not qualify for this waiver.
Reps will be able to waive the Change Fee/Penalty for any change to the itinerary such as origin, destination, stopover, date or time. This exception can also be used to make a correction when an MSD discount was not applied. The reservation must have been created through any American Airlines booking source, including AA.com®.
Add collects and fare rules apply.
This policy applies to U.S. based Reservation Representatives and MRO who handle SPI and SJU calls. International offices please contact your RSD or leads desk for further action.
Applicable To
* Domestic and International revenue and award travel.
* AA and other airline space.
o The itinerary must include AA segments, including AA marketed codeshare flights.
o An itinerary solely on another airline is not applicable and the customer must be referred to the other airline.
* Must have been booked and ticketed via AA booking source (i.e. aa.com, Res, IVR ATO/Travel Center, AA Sales Office).
* Electronic or Paper tickets. (ETDS INFO procedures apply)
AAdvantage Applicable To
* RMA
* All Partner
* Promotional
* MilesAAver awards.
* This one time change would allow in addition to current date/time changes, a change to the origin, destination and carrier provided the customer can use the same award, otherwise a reinstatement fee would apply.
* For AA and other airline awards inventory must also be available.
AAdvantage Awards That Are Exempt From This Policy
* oneworld awards where no changes are allowed after ticketing.
Bookings That Do Not Qualify For This Exception
* Travel agency bookings including those booked through an online website (i.e Travelocity).
* Bookings that are priced at bulk/wholesale and opaque fares.
* A name change
* A change to form of payment
* Revenue Paper Tickets when the customer does not have time or is not in an AA city to have the ticket reissued.
* Change in country of origin
* Customers calling back within 24 hours after ticketing to process a rollover.
This waiver does not apply once travel has commenced.
24 Hour Itinerary Error Change Fee Waiver
Reps have requested the ability to assist customers at the first point of contact who are calling because there is a mistake on their itinerary. This usually happens once the customer receives their ITNR and can be either an AA or customer error. Effective Monday December 6, 2004 all reps will be allowed to authorize a one-time change fee waiver for customers who claim there is an error in their itinerary.
This applies to customers who advise there is a mistake in their reservation, and call within 24 hours of the first time their PNR is ticketed on the original booking or by 1159pm the following day. Voluntary changes requested by the customer do not qualify for this waiver.
Reps will be able to waive the Change Fee/Penalty for any change to the itinerary such as origin, destination, stopover, date or time. This exception can also be used to make a correction when an MSD discount was not applied. The reservation must have been created through any American Airlines booking source, including AA.com®.
Add collects and fare rules apply.
This policy applies to U.S. based Reservation Representatives and MRO who handle SPI and SJU calls. International offices please contact your RSD or leads desk for further action.
Applicable To
* Domestic and International revenue and award travel.
* AA and other airline space.
o The itinerary must include AA segments, including AA marketed codeshare flights.
o An itinerary solely on another airline is not applicable and the customer must be referred to the other airline.
* Must have been booked and ticketed via AA booking source (i.e. aa.com, Res, IVR ATO/Travel Center, AA Sales Office).
* Electronic or Paper tickets. (ETDS INFO procedures apply)
AAdvantage Applicable To
* RMA
* All Partner
* Promotional
* MilesAAver awards.
* This one time change would allow in addition to current date/time changes, a change to the origin, destination and carrier provided the customer can use the same award, otherwise a reinstatement fee would apply.
* For AA and other airline awards inventory must also be available.
AAdvantage Awards That Are Exempt From This Policy
* oneworld awards where no changes are allowed after ticketing.
Bookings That Do Not Qualify For This Exception
* Travel agency bookings including those booked through an online website (i.e Travelocity).
* Bookings that are priced at bulk/wholesale and opaque fares.
* A name change
* A change to form of payment
* Revenue Paper Tickets when the customer does not have time or is not in an AA city to have the ticket reissued.
* Change in country of origin
* Customers calling back within 24 hours after ticketing to process a rollover.
This waiver does not apply once travel has commenced.
dstan
AA Forum Co-Moderator
Last edited by dstan; Sep 1, 2010 at 9:39 pm
Sep 11, 2007, 9:37 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2007
Programs: AA 1MM
Posts: 3,182
I didn't realize there was an official 24hr window (I know DL tried this at one point), but I've always been successful in changing tickets without a fee if I do so before they have ticketed, while they are still listed as "purchased." Not sure how I would have fared if the ticket had been ticketed but I was within 24hrs.
Sep 11, 2007, 9:39 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP / LT PLT / 3MM, Marriott LT Gold
Posts: 35,388
The agent was wrong; there is no mistake window. If you have purchased a ticket which has not yet been "ticketed," AA is pretty good about letting you cancel or change without a fee. With AA, there is a gap ranging from a few minutes to a few weeks (the latter on international itineraries far in the future) between purchasing and ticketing.
Sep 11, 2007, 9:47 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Dallas, Tx
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott LT Titanium
Posts: 20
I didnt think so either. The funny thing was that I realized the mistake when I got my E-ticket confirmation email and was surprised they changed it. Maybe I got really lucky.
Sep 11, 2007, 10:02 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Location: NYC, USA
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Posts: 10,967
It's unofficially called the "Oops Rule." Basically, as long as you call AA before the status switches from "Purchased" to "Ticketed," you should be able to make changes without fees. It's not guaranteed, however.
Sep 11, 2007, 10:08 pm
#6
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Dallas,Texas
Programs: AA Plat, HH Diamond, SPG GLD, MR GLD
Posts: 277
As an example, I had a similar experience as the OP with this "rule" last night. I had purchased a held ticket for a trip in October. I had the return leg held as a KUP fare, but failed to notice when I went to purchase that it changed that leg to Y. I called Web Services right away and the agent put me back in P, charged the fare difference and that was it. It does work, just don't let too much time lag before you call.
Sep 11, 2007, 11:02 pm
#7
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: AAdvantage, Hilton
Posts: 3,191
Though I have never had a need to use the "24 hr. oops rule" thus far, more than one phone agent in recent months has informed me that such a policy does exist for web purchases. Perhaps this is another situation where there is an unwritten policy that is sparingly applied but only if the customer asks.
Sep 11, 2007, 11:06 pm
#8
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Though I have never had a need to use the "24 hr. oops rule" thus far, more than one phone agent in recent months has informed me that such a policy does exist for web purchases. Perhaps this is another situation where there is an unwritten policy that is sparingly applied but only if the customer asks.
) status, but that may not always be the case.
Sep 11, 2007, 11:10 pm
#9
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: HH Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 10,458
For travel agents, there has always been a 24-hour "oops" rule. If the agent cancels the reservation before the 24 hour mark, there is no penalty assessed nor is the credit card charged.
Sep 12, 2007, 4:50 am
#10
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Cambridge
Posts: 63,609
There are airlines, like United, which has an official policy of allowing full refunds within 24 hours - even if it's already ticketed.
AA doesn't have a policy like that.
AA doesn't have a policy like that.
Sep 12, 2007, 7:06 am
#11
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 760
I, too, have made changes between "purchased" and "ticketed." I have never had any problem. However, only once did I need to change after ticketed (it was one of those that ticketed rather quickly) but the same day and the agent was cool about changing it without the fee.
I would not count on it as a "rule." I have learned to double and triple check before clicking that final submit.
Peace!
I would not count on it as a "rule." I have learned to double and triple check before clicking that final submit.
Peace!
Sep 12, 2007, 7:20 am
#12
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Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Finally back in Boston after escaping from New York
Posts: 13,644
Funny, I was also told that there is a 24-hour window for web purchases.
Mike
Mike
Sep 12, 2007, 7:34 am
#13
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The 24 hour 'ooops' rule has worked for me when I made a mistake on a return date when ticketing online.
Sep 12, 2007, 8:19 am
#14
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: DFW
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Actually, I think it may even be next business day for travel agents (have til Mon to cancel a ticket bought on Fri). I think the term is to "void" the ticket.
Sep 12, 2007, 8:20 am
#15
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Cheers.