Originally Posted by Cofyknsult

Hello all,

The story is worth telling, although I would not believe it if I myself heard it:

Months ago, I booked a MilesAAver award in Business Class LIS-LHR-JFK for today, September 6, with a 5 1/2 hour connection in LHR as AA 141 (Dep 7.30 PM) was the only one showing availability.

Arriving Heathrow from Lisbon early today at around 1.45, I looked whether an earlier flight to JFK was available. It was, AA 107 at 5 PM. It showed an availability of J7 and a seat map with 12 available J seats on Expertflyer, and this only 3 hours before departure. By comparison, my AA 141, 2 1/2 hours later only showed J4.

Although I am EXP and there is no fee involved to return/exchange awards, my request to change flights was, as I expected, rejected at the Flagship FC counter, but I was told to call the AA EXP line, which I did. I mentioned the bigger availability on AA 107 than on AA 141 but it was rejected too.

I mentioned to the Flagship FC agent that courtesies were a 2 way street, that I had just previously been delayed 30 hours in early August between Manchester and New York, that I had requested and obtained compensation as per EC 261 but that I had not informed any of my traveling companions of the regulation, which they did not know about, during the 5 hours wait at the gate, and that I would most likely not be so discrete the next time. She seemed very interested and gave me a boarding pass for my flight with the mention "SSSS" ("Potentially suspicious passenger, Hold at gate for secondary inspection").

So I'll go to the gate early, I have time. But Lower and Cheaper... I have seldom seen.

O Mighty Caesar, Dost Thou Lie So Low...