Originally Posted by
the phoenix
I've no status. So as long as my original ticket receipt was confirmed (months ago), at the very least, can get my family on the flight? In my mind, that's the bigger priority.
There is a decent chance, I think, that some or all of you will be accommodated on the flight but in economy, particularly if you are on an "instant upgrade" fare. It will depend on how many confirmed J passengers check in for the flight. I believe you'll be in front of any upgraders from regular coach fares, but where you are on the priority list for the J seats amongst those who paid for J probably depends on some combination of your fare and status (so your low status probably puts you at the bottom of the list amongst those in the same fare class). After purchase, it can be very difficult to tell whether you're on an instant upgrade fare, but that's presumably something that an AA reservations agent can tell you.
Also note that if you have any checked bags and are accommodated in coach, you will likely be hit with checked bag fees if you don't have any status or credit card that gets you a fee waiver when flying in coach.
Of course, I would like for us all to be in the same cabin, at this point, since sitting together is apparently a pipe dream. BUT with only one seat confirmed, would the fall back be that we'd all at least be on the aircraft together? That would at least give some peace of mind.
AA policy regarding downgrades, is there a wiki for this specifically?
Here it is on AA.com. The conditions are absurd and ought to be illegal:
Instant Upgrade tickets are booked in the Main Cabin. However, Instant upgrade ticketholders who travel in the Main Cabin due to an involuntary seat change, equipment change, routing change, flight cancellation, or missed connection as a result of a late incoming flight may request a travel voucher. The voucher value shall be equal to $0.10 per mile, or $50, whichever is greater, for each flight segment flown in the downgraded cabin. Refunds will be rounded to the nearest whole dollar amount, and can be requested at
www.aa.com/refunds.
That $0.10/mile will likely (though not necessarily) be less than the fare difference between the instant upgrade J fare you paid and a regular coach fare.
There is a long thread on instant upgrade fares:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...solidated.html
If you're not on an instant upgrade fare, the situation is different; I believe in that case, you would be eligible for a refund of the fare difference between the J fare you paid and the coach fare, though it's not clear whether the relevant coach fare is the cheapest available one at the time you purchased the ticket or the cheapest coach fare available at the time of the downgrade (which may be more than the J fare you paid).
Basically, per AA's policy, you're hosed, I'm afraid.
