Let's all not forget that it's in AA's power to automate the transaction, but that would reduce the fees it makes. The incentives are truly perverse.

Why should AA ever put oneworld award availability on AA.com when it's making all of this money on fees from the fact that it's not there?

In my book fees for phone booking should not apply if there's no online way of doing so.

Do contact AA customer relations and do copy the DOT, the only one who can do anything to stop this practice, as well. Department of Transportation | Aviation Consumer Protection Division, C-75 | U.S. Department of Transportation | 1200 New Jersey Ave, S.E. | Washington, D.C. 20590 .