Originally Posted by
Narrow Seat
I got an interesting email this morning from American Airlines. It said:
ARE YOUR PLANS FLEXIBLE?
Record Locator: XXXXXX
You can move flights at no charge. If your plans are flexible, we have a few options you may consider. This is an exclusive online offer that is limited to availability.
See Offers
When I click on the See Offers Botton it says they can offer me a new flight on Monday, but there is no upgrade or compensation. There is no indication my Saturday, January 13th Flight is canceled or overbooked. I used AA frequent flyer miles to book the flight in economy class.
What is American Airlines trying to do here? Why would they expect me to change my flights to two days in the future without compensation?
I don't think they're expecting you to change your flight, but they're offering you the option to do so without extra fees or paying the fare difference. I would take this at face value for what it is: an offer.
It has come in handy once for me, where I didn't have to be back at work. I was regretting that my vacation wasn't just a little longer, so I booked an extra night at my hotel and moved my flight out for free.
It's a win-win for both parties, as AA avoids having unhappy passengers, reduces the chances they will need to bump someone, and those who want the offer can accept the flexibility.
Of course, if I had packed my bags and made my way to the airport, expecting to fly, and then accepted a voluntary bump, I would expect compensation of a flight credit voucher, food, and free hotel night (if applicable) for my trouble.