I think AA can but the request must still be made through BAEC. I got the ORC when AA disrupted my plans, but I contacted BAEC who contacted AA who confirmed that I was owed a credit per the original itinerary (and, I assume, paid BAEC for it). I did fly though. Not sure whether BAEC would entertain an idea of contacting AA for a credit for flights that were not taken. I guess technically nothing stops AA from passing information along to BAEC that the OP was on flight X in class Y and BAEC never needs to know that the OP was not, nor will BAEC care as AA pays in this case.