Originally Posted by
3Cforme
That looks like a $300 upgrade co-pay and a $100 last minute (<21 day) award fee:
AAdvantage Award Fees Award Claiming / Travel Dates Award Fee
Travel ticketed 21 days or more prior to departure None
Travel ticketed 20 - 7 days^ prior to departure $50.00 USD*
Travel ticketed 6 days to 2 hours† prior to departure $100.00 USD*
Correct. They just told me it was a change free, and it was billed as a changed fee.
The real change became obvious just prior to my return when American noted I had no return flight booked. When I didn't make the flight out due to weather, they cancelled the return. When I rebooked the flight out for the following day, the AAngel lost her wings and didn't rebook the return.
So I started the morning with seat 44D for Frankfurt to DFW and no train ticket from STR-FRA. I used the old train ticket which wasn't cancelled, AC changed my seat to window 21A, then at the last possible minute I got an upgrade to 11A. It all turned out well.
It was an adventure, and thanks to previous reading of FT I didn't panic but just set about asking for things to be fixed and they were. I also was given two food vouchers and they wrote off one of the $100 late award claiming fees. A very nice trip after all.
As for the train tickets, neither American nor DB seems to be able to figure them out if you are on an American codeshare. American Platinum line couldn't reach DB and asked ME for the phone number for DB so she could get my ticket reissued or reconfirmed. It was midnight, my cell was dying, I just told her I'd take my chances. Worked out fine.