Originally Posted by
A1pax
I am thinking of a RTW trip for next year, and weighing on either using AA RTW desk or a TA (not the same one I used this year as their fees appeared to be high). Does AA RTW desk charge a booking fee? Does AA actively manage any cancellation (eg rebooking), after the ticketing is made? I am not sure if a TA will do that as part of their service - unless I alert them to the cancellation.
The AA RTW desk does not charge a booking fee.
AA's automated systems usually try to rebook after a significant schedule change or cancellation; when the automated system is unable to do so, it sends the passenger an email telling them to call. AA may or may not (it is unreliable) alert passengers of schedule changes and cancellations. AA generally does not send an alert for an equipment change.
Whenever booking, but especially with AA, it's always a good idea to create schedule and equipment change alerts in Expert Flyer and/or use another reliable third-party service. Flighty is also a good choice. (I use both Expert Flyer and Flighty.)
When a travel agent creates an itinerary, the agency is alerted to schedule changes/cancellations (not necessarily equipment changes), and any decent agent will check the alerts and inform the customer about them. Most agents charge a fee when initially creating an itinerary and for subsequent modifications, including for schedule changes. If the fee is reasonable, it can be well worth it because a good agent can help you maximize earnings by choosing codeshares, and can minimize airline overcharges (fuel surcharges) by choice of ticketing carrier. Booking with AA avoids the agent's fees but also limits the use of codeshares and of course eliminates the choice of ticketing carrier.