heyeric

A few months ago, I had a domestic flight on AA, booked in "V", which I was considering cancelling. The agent told me that I could use the full value of the ticket toward a future flight if I paid a $150.00 change fee. Based on her helpful information, I decided to cancel.

Now, I'm ready to use the value of the ticket, but apparently it is only possible to do this over the phone with another $25 service charge. I don't recall having to pay the $25 phone service charge on this type of transaction. The agent didn't have any good ideas on how I could avoid the phone service charge.

So it seems that the TRUE total cost of changing a "deep discount" reservation is actually $175 -- not $150? Because in addition to being subject to the change fee you must also pay a service charge. Does anyone have a different experience?

After reading through a bunch of threads here, including http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...ok-online.html, it seems that I might be out of luck, and must pay this fee. Unless anyone has any tips...

Thanks for everyone's help!

ijgordon

Did you try to make your reservation on line, put it on hold, and then call AA Web Services to help you process "payment"? You shouldn't be liable for another $25, unless you're booking an itinerary that can't be booked online.

ckpeter

As ijgordon said, I don't think you should be liable for another $25 in phone ticketing fee. You may have more luck if when you call, you ask them to "change" the reservation (as opposed to "booking a new reservation with value from an old reservation").

By chance did you book the original ticket from an external travel agency or travel site? AA does charge a $25 "external reservation handling fee" for dealing with reservations originally booked with an agency.

If you did book with the other agency, the normal procedure would be to make changes or refund through that agency.

jm0754

You could argue since you paid the $25 previously that this an extension of that booking. If they retort no its a new booking, try booking online calling them to have the credit applied. Then call AA web services to issue the ticket since I doubt it will work online. Alternatively, keep calling until an agent agrees and waives the silly $25 fee.

Xero

Here is a FAQ on the issue. It's deep linked.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...l#post16185815

heyeric

Huge thanks to everyone! The agent I talked to insisted that I'd be subject to a $25 service charge. When I asked him if there was any way to book the ticket in a manner to avoid it, he said absolutely not. You guys were much more helpful than the folks who are supposed to be helping me.