Thanks for the tutorial. As a long time EXP and 100K who has booked many an SWU (both AA and AS issued) I am well familiar with the rules--both the old ones, and the changes effective 9/12 that allow BA metal for AA-issued SWUs---but NOT AS. I will admit to having been as skeptical as anyone that AA could possibly have implemented automation or be willing to train their agents to track the provenance of SWUs to ensure they were not from an AS account "shell". I am just reporting on my personal experience.

This was not a “reaccommodation”. This was me buying a WT+ fare on a(n AA-marketed trans-Atlantic) BA flight with U space (confirmed both on ba.com and by the AA agent as I was purchasing the ticket). I had the ticket issued into W by AA, then upgraded to U and reissued. All good. Seats and everything.

Then the audit, downgrade and subsequent reroute to AA metal to stay in Business.

As I said, I believe you succeeded in buying (but it sounds like not yet *flying*) such a ticket. Others should just be aware at least some AA ticket agents believe in and enforce the “rule”.