Booked a ticket out of my EXP account for another passenger on Sunday. The agent narrated as she was finishing things up "and waive the telephone fee...." The reservation got rejected by ticketing (layover exceeded four hours when there were other flights available - just not for miles). I got it rebooked on suitable flights. She took the exp date and CID code and sent it to ticketing.

When the confirmation arrived, it included a $25 telephone service fee. I called the EXP desk and was told it was valid since I wasn't traveling. I explained that wasn't my understanding - no ticketing/redeposit fees for miles coming from the EXP account as corrected - only redeposit fees. I explained that was a strange and frustrating distinction to the airline's best customers. She responded that they needed to charge some fees to pay for our benefits, e.g. free upgrades and that they had improved our fee waivers (e.g. the EXP redeposit fee waiver). I explained that not only was that the redeposit waiver was just to be consistent with the industry (I don't know how the telephone ticketing charge works at other airlines) but that many EXPs spend hundreds/thousands annually extra to stay on AA, fly connections, etc. I also pointed out that this was an award ticket that couldn't be booked online (one Alaska segment) - as it could on DL/CO, etc. I didn't even get into how EXPs still have a CFC charge that is waiver for all elites on US and high-level elites on CO (not sure about PMUA and DL).

Anyways, we obviously agreed to disagree on this one. She was very professional and said she would "forward it on." I remained complimentary to the EXP desk as a whole which she appreciated. But this raised a question - doesn't this set up the following situation: anytime an EXP wants to redeem miles for someone else on (a) an itinerary solely on AA metal where an anytime award is available or (b) an itinerary where there is more than one saver seat, doesn't this just encourage the EXP to book a phantom reservation for themselves thus avoiding the ticketing fee and then cancel it later?