1. Apparently, flight credit can never be used to purchase BE fares. You will not find any language to that effect on any public facing AA webpage. When being told this by an agent on the EXP desk, I was told “it would not matter if I were CK. Same rule applies to everyone.” I’m not so sure about that, but then again, how often would a CK be looking to book a BE fare?

2. The fact that such a policy does not appear in the t&c for using flight credits is highly dubious at best. What are t&c for if not to detail the “terms and conditions” governing the use of flight credits? Seems kind of basic. From what I’ve since read on other threads, it is not uncommon for folks to want to use a flight credit in this way, only to find out after much time and frustration that they can’t. This is not some isolated, one-off incident.

3. AA gets to make the rules. Sure. But what about the responsibility to be transparent about those rules? In my view, big fail there.

4. When I followed up with AA customer service, this was the reply I got: “We sincerely regret any confusion regarding the restrictions associated with your fare. When booking on our website the fare rules are listed at the bottom of the review and pay page. Just click on the detailed fare rules and it pulls up all the rules. I'm sorry for all the problems this may have caused.”

Instead of being “sorry,” just fix it. I don’t agree with the policy, but at least be transparent and upfront about it. How about putting something to this effect in the t&c: “Flight credits cannot be used to purchase basic economy fares.” Seems to me that the addition of these ten words would save a lot of unnecessary irritation.