Originally Posted by
futuramadramallama
Thanks for the confirmation.
Unfortunately, as suspected.
Does it follow that booking an award on AA itself would bypass these types of issues? Because an invol change would follow their broader policy on the topic, even allowing rebookings on itineraries without existing award space?
Yes and no, since it depends on what flights are involved. If you book award travel on AA and there is a sufficiently significant schedule change, AA can force new award travel space on its own flights but can only request its partners to do the same. The same is true on the reverse situation, as far as partner airlines are concerned (i.e., a partner airline can clear additional award space on its own flights, but cannot force AA or other partners to do the same). Refund always remains an option.