Last week I booked a RTW One World Business Class fare for travel departing Australia in September.

When I was ticketed, I was shocked to learn that American Airlines will no longer provide complementary upgrades to First Class where they offer only two service levels on domestic US flights. The conditions of the RTW OW ticket now states that "where two classes are offered the traveller will be downgraded to the next lowest class of travel - without compensation".

All my AA flights have been booked in Y class despite me paying for a OW Business Class ticket.

This sucks! I have expressed my anger to my travel agent, Qantas as well as American Airlines but to no avail!

I have cancelled the ticket and purchased a Star Alliance RTW ticket. Star Alliance has confirmed in writing that all my US domestic flights taken with their RTW Business Class ticket (i.e. with United Airlines) will be ticketed in A class (First Class Economy) although the airfare purchased is a RTW Business Class fare.

Has anybody else experienced such backlash from this move between Qantas and American Airlines?

[This message has been edited by Gary (edited 08-08-2000).]