skit53

I'm curious about this hypothetical situation.

If I miss my connecting flight, I assume I will be automatically rebooked onto the next available flight (or series of flights that get me to my ultimate destination).

But, what if I don't want to be on that flight (forced to sit apart from companion, poor timing, whatever reason)? Would I have any choice or say in picking my flight? What if the flight I want isn't until the next day, or even a couple days later (making it a stop over instead)?

videomaker

IME, there's a lot of flexibility in picking flight times for rebooking--at least, on the same day as the rebooked flight. Like if you didn't want to get up early for the first flight out.

But unless it's an extremely unusual situation like Snowmageddon, I think your chances would be slim of getting a free stopover and postponing the new flight a few days. As always, YMMV.

gemac

You will be rebooked onto something. The individual doing the rebooking may not be as knowledgable as you are about the different routings that will get you where you are going. You can change what they have done, but there are limits. Next day is possible, particularly if the flight you missed is late in the day, limiting options for same-day. Several days later is possible in giant snafus (usually weather), but not for cases where a few passengers miss a connection.

It's always a good idea to know what your options are, and ask for what you want. You won't always get it, but if you are reasonable, you have a good chance.

skit53

Thanks. I've had rebooking situations before and they almost always worked out.

In this case, I was wondering how much leeway we really get. In my case, I'm looking at a NRT-JFK flight. So, if I end up missing that flight, it will definitely be a next day flight. Would I be able to insist that I be put on the non-stop instead of going through LAX, ORD, or DFW (even if that meant waiting for a couple days+)? Has anyone had any experience with this?

I certainly wouldn't mind staying in Tokyo for a day or two extra (at my own cost of course).

videomaker

While there's flexibility in rebookings, when you start to "insist" that kind of puts things in a different light. I don't think you can force AA to put you on a non-stop.

I wouldn't count on extending your stay in Tokyo by two days or more, which appears to be your ultimate goal.

Are you connecting in NRT? What makes you think you are going to miss the flight?

skit53

Indeed, I was just wondering if it was possible. Thanks for the information.

3Cforme

It seeems the OP has a plan to miss his connection.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...-over-nrt.html

And we wonder why agents are so quick to respond with cynicism.

videomaker

Ha, good catch, I missed that one. Of course, the OP's question in this thread was "hypothetical".

Now it's becoming clear.

brp

I think if one misses a connection without a "good reason" they may well receive less support. Missing a connection due to a late flight is one thing. Arriving in plenty of time and just "failing to make the flight" would be looked at much more suspiciously, I would think. Could end up in cancellation of the rest of the trip and having to purchase onward travel. It would certainly be reasonable on this case,and I surely wouldn't count on a different outcome, even though it could happen more favorably.

Cheers.

skit53

As just another fellow flier trying to understand the system, I'm not sure why any cynicism is warranted (from you, or from any agent).

I'm merely asking what would happen if I did miss my connection. I don't see any problem with trying to understand the possible outcomes of any hypothetical action.

To be clear, I don't have "a plan to miss my connection".

I might end up praying for a delay, but I'm not here to get something out of nothing.

I do thank others for their helpful responses though!

tegelad

It really comes down to several things

• Fare class purchased
• Status
• Flight Loads

As a corollary, I have found if you are in transition and have access to the Admirals Club (as a non-EXP) they have been able to help out pretty well.

I have done this before where I didn't want a certain flight early in the morning, and I changed it to a later time so as to get more sleep and/or finish watching a baseball/football/basketball game

+-ADT

MiamiAirport Formerly NY George

Asking for an extra couple of days would be pushing it. One's best bet if he/she would like an extra day in a location would be to take the last flight of the day to a connecting hub with a minimal connection time and hope for a short delay that would cause one to miss the connection. In that case, AA would probably be agreeable to allow the flyer to take a later flight the next day assuming space was available (of course, if you get rebooked onto the same flight the next day you might be able to repeat if there is again another delay).

panamamike

Didn't want to start a new thread so reviving this old one.
I was recently in a situation where I missed my LAX to AUS connection which also happened to be the last of the day.

As it happens, a buddy of my traveling on United had his direct SFO to AUS flight delayed which if I had known may have made it possible for me to make his flight.

Scenario particulars.

1: Flight was initially delayed by 30 min. making it technically possible to make the connection but physically unlikely to make the connection. It eventually was bumped to 1h30min late, but as normal this was done in 30min increments at the last possible moment.

2: The United flight I could have made was showing "full" by airline standards. My buddy had a ticket, but had to wait for a seat assignment. He ended up getting a seat, but tells me there where other seats available.

3: My flight was a connecting flight SFO-LAX-AUS his direct. Do they take that into account.


Question:

1: Do AA agent look at alternative airlines as options to get customers to their destination closer to on time?
2: If the flight is "full" but has stand by capacity will they show up?
3: If you suggest the option, transfer to another airline, when there is a small chance your connecting flight will make it, will they give you the option or wait till it's certain you can't make it?

Regards,

Mike

videomaker

IME, yes. I'm sure they would prefer to book you on another AA flight. But I've had AAgents proactively volunteer to put me on another airline. Status may help in these cases, I'm not sure, but your profile doesn't indicate whether you have any with AA.

I'm assuming they can see a full flight. But I'm not sure why they would try to book someone on another carrier's flight that's showing full, if I'm understanding your question correctly.

Keep in mind, unusual things can happen during IRROP rebookings so all of these answers are YMMV.

But I doubt AA is going to make the effort and spend the money to interline someone until it's certain that there is a misconnect or flight cancellation. They might--though I've seen some reluctance lately to do it--protect you on a later AA flight if a misconnect appears likely and before it happens.

emma dog

1. Yes. Has happened to me multiple times by all of the major airlines.
2. No. Must be confirmed space.
3. Possibly, but unlikely. Depends on your fare basis and FF status. Last summer AA preemptively put me on a US nonstop DCA-TPA when it appeared that I wouldn't be able to make the DCA-MIA-TPA connection due to weather.