AA ceases flights [all activity?] in Belgium 06 Nov 2012!
Oct 9, 2012, 12:18 pm
#211
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Plat, DL AMEX Plat
Posts: 333
Delta actually has struggled for years on JFK-BRU..going from a 767 to a 757 and back to a 767. And the significant competition on the route has not helped anyone. But I believe DL may have gotten a corporate contract on the route last year, and committed to placing a refurbished 767 with flat-beds and nose-to-tail AVOD on JFK-BRU. The flatbeds/corporate accounts have helped a great deal, and now, with 9W and AA both dropping JFK-BRU, things should get better for DL as well...
And I always wondered why JFK-BRU was one of the first non-76T (extra long 763) routes that had the refurbished 763.
Oct 10, 2012, 1:23 pm
#212
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Plat, DL AMEX Plat
Posts: 333
Bumping my question, hoping for an answer...
So I got the schedule change email on September 18th, for 4 milesAAver award tickets JFK-BRU-JFK for me and my family during President's holiday week / winter break, saying that we will now have to transfer via LHR.
We face two challenges now:
- We might have to cancel our trip as the wife might not get the week off. I will know this in a month.
- Transferring in LHR with a 5 and a 3 year old coming off a red-eye AA flight, then connecting to a BA flight to BRU, meaning changing from terminal 3 to 5. Does AA still arrive at terminal 3 in LHR, or does it arrive at terminal 5 now? Personally I avoid transferring in LHR at all costs when it involves a terminal change, let alone with 2 small children.
Would I be OK calling AA in 5-7 weeks and then either canceling the flights and get refunded without penalties, or asking if we can change to BA flights for JFK-LHR and LHR-JFK instead, so we can at least stay in terminal 5 when transferring, and not being charged the BA fuel surcharge?
Any input would be greatly appreciated.
So I got the schedule change email on September 18th, for 4 milesAAver award tickets JFK-BRU-JFK for me and my family during President's holiday week / winter break, saying that we will now have to transfer via LHR.
We face two challenges now:
- We might have to cancel our trip as the wife might not get the week off. I will know this in a month.
- Transferring in LHR with a 5 and a 3 year old coming off a red-eye AA flight, then connecting to a BA flight to BRU, meaning changing from terminal 3 to 5. Does AA still arrive at terminal 3 in LHR, or does it arrive at terminal 5 now? Personally I avoid transferring in LHR at all costs when it involves a terminal change, let alone with 2 small children.
Would I be OK calling AA in 5-7 weeks and then either canceling the flights and get refunded without penalties, or asking if we can change to BA flights for JFK-LHR and LHR-JFK instead, so we can at least stay in terminal 5 when transferring, and not being charged the BA fuel surcharge?
Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Oct 11, 2012, 10:28 am
#213
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Plano, TX USA
Programs: AA LT Plat, HH Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 171
Just did this exact thing ~ 7 weeks ago. You will have to transfer from 3 to 5 - and all of the associated "fun" that entails. Took about 90 minutes with "fastpass" access, but still a pain. Just schedule the time accordingly.
Oct 14, 2012, 2:56 am
#214
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ATL
Programs: AA PLT, DL
Posts: 309
Found this page..not sure how long it's been up. I guess ince Aug 29?
http://www.aa.com/i18n/agency/Travel...Suspension.jsp
http://www.aa.com/i18n/agency/Travel...Suspension.jsp
Oct 14, 2012, 4:34 am
#215
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 250
From what I got to understand. The JFK-BRU-JFK is not a bad performer but there are 20+ full time employees working at the station on Belgian payroll so the losses stem from that. By canceling the route due to economic reasons the staff gets sort out treated fairly (Belgian law) and AA takes a loss making route out of its portfolio.
I would not be surprised that they'll come back once summer is around or fall 2013 but with 1 station manager and outsourced local people. You can't expect 1 757 to break even with 20+ staff & expcept for the nutcase (=me) that does not mind LHR don't expect the rest to follow suit especially not high yielding pax.
I would not be surprised that they'll come back once summer is around or fall 2013 but with 1 station manager and outsourced local people. You can't expect 1 757 to break even with 20+ staff & expcept for the nutcase (=me) that does not mind LHR don't expect the rest to follow suit especially not high yielding pax.
Oct 14, 2012, 11:42 am
#216
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ATL
Programs: AA PLT, DL
Posts: 309
I hope they come back.
Oct 20, 2012, 4:28 am
#217
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: ABZ/NCL
Posts: 2,943
Bumping my question, hoping for an answer...
So I got the schedule change email on September 18th, for 4 milesAAver award tickets JFK-BRU-JFK for me and my family during President's holiday week / winter break, saying that we will now have to transfer via LHR.
We face two challenges now:
- We might have to cancel our trip as the wife might not get the week off. I will know this in a month.
- Transferring in LHR with a 5 and a 3 year old coming off a red-eye AA flight, then connecting to a BA flight to BRU, meaning changing from terminal 3 to 5. Does AA still arrive at terminal 3 in LHR, or does it arrive at terminal 5 now? Personally I avoid transferring in LHR at all costs when it involves a terminal change, let alone with 2 small children.
Would I be OK calling AA in 5-7 weeks and then either canceling the flights and get refunded without penalties, or asking if we can change to BA flights for JFK-LHR and LHR-JFK instead, so we can at least stay in terminal 5 when transferring, and not being charged the BA fuel surcharge?
Any input would be greatly appreciated.
So I got the schedule change email on September 18th, for 4 milesAAver award tickets JFK-BRU-JFK for me and my family during President's holiday week / winter break, saying that we will now have to transfer via LHR.
We face two challenges now:
- We might have to cancel our trip as the wife might not get the week off. I will know this in a month.
- Transferring in LHR with a 5 and a 3 year old coming off a red-eye AA flight, then connecting to a BA flight to BRU, meaning changing from terminal 3 to 5. Does AA still arrive at terminal 3 in LHR, or does it arrive at terminal 5 now? Personally I avoid transferring in LHR at all costs when it involves a terminal change, let alone with 2 small children.
Would I be OK calling AA in 5-7 weeks and then either canceling the flights and get refunded without penalties, or asking if we can change to BA flights for JFK-LHR and LHR-JFK instead, so we can at least stay in terminal 5 when transferring, and not being charged the BA fuel surcharge?
Any input would be greatly appreciated.
I have changed terminals with my little ones of several occasions without a problem.
Oct 21, 2012, 8:45 am
#218
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: DCA/IAD/SFO/SJC/JFK/NRT/LHR/BOS/etc
Programs: AA (EXP, 3 MM), Hyatt Globalist, Taj InnerCircle Silver, MLife Noir, former LHW-Aurelian
Posts: 364
+1. That flight brings back nice memories-- only time I've ever woken up on the floor of an airplane lavatory was coming back from a beer-centric excursion in Brussels. (And trying the five different beers in the BA lounge, each in their own branded glass of course, before departure). Good times...
Oct 21, 2012, 1:50 pm
#219
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ATL
Programs: AA PLT, DL
Posts: 309
+1. That flight brings back nice memories-- only time I've ever woken up on the floor of an airplane lavatory was coming back from a beer-centric excursion in Brussels. (And trying the five different beers in the BA lounge, each in their own branded glass of course, before departure). Good times...
Oct 21, 2012, 5:09 pm
#220
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: DCA/IAD/SFO/SJC/JFK/NRT/LHR/BOS/etc
Programs: AA (EXP, 3 MM), Hyatt Globalist, Taj InnerCircle Silver, MLife Noir, former LHW-Aurelian
Posts: 364
Well-- please have an (extra) drink in my honor, then! (And one of those Belgian chocolates too, if they still pass them around on the flight...)
Oct 21, 2012, 6:05 pm
#221
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ATL
Programs: AA PLT, DL
Posts: 309
I will have a trip report for you all upon returning.
Oct 21, 2012, 10:28 pm
#222
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 1999
Posts: 12,097
To each his own.
Oct 21, 2012, 11:10 pm
#223
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 1999
Posts: 12,097
I have to amend my previous post about the LHR connetion horror: the process now could easily take 1:30, since "security" theater now has 40-50 minute queues.
See http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/avia...-Heathrow.html and the thread at http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...y-warning.html. The latter has its share of posts of people witnessing actors' despicable behavior, including publicly berating passengers for being "stupid Yanks". I have seen worse, including an actor making disparaging remarks to an african-american woman about the contents of her carry-on, which he had just rifled through and left for her to repack.
See http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/avia...-Heathrow.html and the thread at http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...y-warning.html. The latter has its share of posts of people witnessing actors' despicable behavior, including publicly berating passengers for being "stupid Yanks". I have seen worse, including an actor making disparaging remarks to an african-american woman about the contents of her carry-on, which he had just rifled through and left for her to repack.