Dec 13, 2012, 3:04 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
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AA is now offering three types of Economy fares via AA.com:
• Choice (fare basis code ends in 1) = Lowest Fare, earn AA miles
• Choice Essential (fare basis code ends in 2) = Change Fee (depends on detailed fare rules), 1 Checked Bag, Group 1 Boarding, Earn AA miles
• Choice Plus (fare basis code ends in 7) = above Choice Essential benefits plus 50% Bonus RDM, Same-Day Flight Change, Same-Day Standby, Premium Beverage, No Change Fee, Earns base miles plus 50% bonus miles
• Business/First as Choice Plus, plus 3 checked bags, No change fee (domestic only), priority baggage delivery at carousel, 50% class of service bonus miles
(Updated 1 Mar 2015)
See this page at aa.com for bundled services.
AmericanAirlines has posted some comments and clarifications in Post 144.
See these related links:
AA.com: Tailor Your Travel | Enhance Your Travel with Combined Features
FT: AA economy fare basis now ends with a number
(lower right wiki corner).AA is now offering three types of Economy fares via AA.com:
• Choice (fare basis code ends in 1) = Lowest Fare, earn AA miles
• Choice Essential (fare basis code ends in 2) = Change Fee (depends on detailed fare rules), 1 Checked Bag, Group 1 Boarding, Earn AA miles
• Choice Plus (fare basis code ends in 7) = above Choice Essential benefits plus 50% Bonus RDM, Same-Day Flight Change, Same-Day Standby, Premium Beverage, No Change Fee, Earns base miles plus 50% bonus miles
• Business/First as Choice Plus, plus 3 checked bags, No change fee (domestic only), priority baggage delivery at carousel, 50% class of service bonus miles
(Updated 1 Mar 2015)
See this page at aa.com for bundled services.
AmericanAirlines has posted some comments and clarifications in Post 144.
(1Mar 2015) The fee for the "choice plus" bundled extra now ranges from $80-80 each way, up from $80.
Choice plus extras are comprised of:
Choice plus extras are comprised of:
- 1 checked bag
- Group 1 Boarding
- No change fee (any difference in fares would still apply; valid for American Airlines operated flights)
- Same-day flight change
- Same-day standby
- Premium beverage on board
- Earn 50% more AAdvantage miles
AA.com: Tailor Your Travel | Enhance Your Travel with Combined Features
FT: AA economy fare basis now ends with a number
aa.com Economy / Coach Pricing Display & Choice Bundles (consolidated)
Dec 12, 2012, 9:44 pm
#211
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: SFO, CLT
Programs: AA Bonsai EXP (2.9 MM), AS MVPG
Posts: 1,395
1) The inability to sort is absolutely awful. I will find another booking engine for AA flights until this is fixed- or I'll call and have AAgents run through all the prices and times.
2) The inability to see clearly the 1-way fares obfuscates which segments are contributing to the round trip fare. This really appears to be intentionally deceptive despite AA's assurance that this is supposed to provide greater transparency.
I remain happy with AA and AAdvantage, but the "enhanced" AA.com is bad.
2) The inability to see clearly the 1-way fares obfuscates which segments are contributing to the round trip fare. This really appears to be intentionally deceptive despite AA's assurance that this is supposed to provide greater transparency.
I remain happy with AA and AAdvantage, but the "enhanced" AA.com is bad.
Dec 12, 2012, 9:45 pm
#212
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, BA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 33,535
Well if you recall, a while back AA did introduce inventory restrictions on eVIPs but eventually retreated from that policy. The biggest problem with inventory restrictions is that you are basically asking customers to pay more for the opportunity to be placed on an upgrade list with no guarantee the upgrade is going to happen.
). And, yes, I realize what this amounts to. The same situation as some (all?) other airlines offering free international upgrades have.Cheers.
Dec 12, 2012, 9:46 pm
#213
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador, AA EXP
Posts: 2,704
Other websites don't show the new options (choice +, choice essential, etc).
So for example when you click on Kayak on some selected flights, kayak will redirect you to the aa.com purchase page that does not show any of the new options.
So yes, I think AA wants people to use their interface to search for prices and be able to show you all the new options.
So for example when you click on Kayak on some selected flights, kayak will redirect you to the aa.com purchase page that does not show any of the new options.
So yes, I think AA wants people to use their interface to search for prices and be able to show you all the new options.
Dec 12, 2012, 9:49 pm
#214
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 1999
Posts: 12,097
Dec 12, 2012, 9:50 pm
#215
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: SFO, CLT
Programs: AA Bonsai EXP (2.9 MM), AS MVPG
Posts: 1,395
On a lighter note, I'm thinking of calling AA and informing them that I'm not interested in the outbound, but would like to have the minus-$2700 1-way fare, and that a voucher in that amount would be just fine!
Dec 12, 2012, 10:02 pm
#216
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA CK, BA Gold, SPG PLT, Hyatt Diamond, Avis First, Hertz 5*
Posts: 537
I don't see this setup lasting very long. The negative fares alone on return trips are going to confuse the average leisure traveler.
The inability to sort is inexcusable as many have noted. Even more so when the return flights come into play.
This is very reminiscent of the "enhancements" UA did with their website change for selecting fares. I really thought AA had the cleanest search around until this, so it is a bit disappointing.
The inability to sort is inexcusable as many have noted. Even more so when the return flights come into play.
This is very reminiscent of the "enhancements" UA did with their website change for selecting fares. I really thought AA had the cleanest search around until this, so it is a bit disappointing.
Dec 12, 2012, 10:03 pm
#217
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Anywhere I need to be.
Programs: OW Emerald, *A Gold, NEXUS, GE, ABTC/APEC, South Korea SES, eIACS, PP, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 16,046
I'll use a TA to book these fares on AA then.
The small service fee is worth not having to deal with this.
The small service fee is worth not having to deal with this.
Dec 12, 2012, 10:14 pm
#218
Join Date: May 2008
Location: New York
Programs: AA Platinum Pro/4MM Lifetime Platinum, Hyatt Lifetime Globalist
Posts: 136
Perhaps the "Systemwide Upgrade Eligible" text appears to highlight the eligibile "AA metal" flights versus oneworld/codeshare flights? Or am I just being optimistic?
Dec 12, 2012, 10:22 pm
#219
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Dallas
Programs: AA LTPLT UA1P Hilton Dia Marriott Plat
Posts: 1,183
Today I can't fine any discounted F fares anymore. Yesterday F DFW LAS was $306.00 each way. Today its over $1500 for June.
Um, no. And I assure you that my IQ is above-average.
Yesterday I had found (using the old system) a discounted F fare of about $1300 RT ($650 outbound, $650 return, very straightforward). To find the same fare again today (using the new system), I had to click on various combinations of Choice, Instant Upgrade and Business/First to recreate it. The final solution? I had to click on a fare of $4000 RT on the first page and then hunt for a return itinerary giving me a $2700 credit on the next page. It took close to 10 minutes.
Really intuitive - NOT.
Yesterday I had found (using the old system) a discounted F fare of about $1300 RT ($650 outbound, $650 return, very straightforward). To find the same fare again today (using the new system), I had to click on various combinations of Choice, Instant Upgrade and Business/First to recreate it. The final solution? I had to click on a fare of $4000 RT on the first page and then hunt for a return itinerary giving me a $2700 credit on the next page. It took close to 10 minutes.
Really intuitive - NOT.
Dec 12, 2012, 10:41 pm
#220
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Canada
Programs: AS, DL, UA, Hyatt, SPG
Posts: 2,574
It appears that none of the new choices apply to transborder travel, but yet the fare displays and sorting has been killed nonetheless.
Apparently "Choices" don't apply if you're going to/from Canada, presumably because AA sees Canada as "International". Unless of course you're looking for lounge access on a paid F fare, in which case they're very clear and quick to tell you that Canada does not count as "International".
But why am I surprised. It's AA.
Apparently "Choices" don't apply if you're going to/from Canada, presumably because AA sees Canada as "International". Unless of course you're looking for lounge access on a paid F fare, in which case they're very clear and quick to tell you that Canada does not count as "International".
But why am I surprised. It's AA.
Dec 12, 2012, 11:23 pm
#222
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: New York
Programs: Oneworld
Posts: 6
Expressed my discontent to AA's Twitter person this morning after I assumed the site was broken. Turns out it simply doesn't work with Google Chrome.
What an epic failure.
What an epic failure.
Dec 13, 2012, 12:03 am
#223
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Washington state
Programs: AS MVPG-75K & HYATT Diamond; former DL-DM, AA-PLT, US-PLT
Posts: 359
That the two most useful things were missing was the first thing I noticed.
This new display sort of reminds me of DELTA, and probably seems cleaner through Kettle eyes, but I like the old one. It was functional and not cluttered. In fact, I don't recall anything about that needed improvement.
I would have thought that AA getting things right would be mission critical at this point, and that any changes rolled out from now until the end of bankruptcy would be so well thought out & tweaked that improvements would not be needed.
From my experience, a new website look should be so clean, clever and comfortable that after a day I don't even remember what the last one was like.
How can a whole industry consistently roll out 'enhancements' for customers that worsen the customers experience & service?
If this is a sample of the thinking & dedication we can expect from Horton's plan to a new shiny stand-alone AA, then US Air deserves a fair shot at merging with AA.
PS: Now I'm starting to have doubts about how good the new brand and paint scheme will look like. Creating something that looks better than AA's previous liveries & branding is a high bar to top. Maybe the current one isn't the worst.
Dec 13, 2012, 12:26 am
#224
Moderator: Alaska Mileage Plan
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 12,319
Some of those who fawned over now-CIO Maya Leibman may want to take it down a notch.
It's hard for me to believe that the new look was focus-grouped by actual AA frequent travelers prior to release.
It's hard for me to believe that the new look was focus-grouped by actual AA frequent travelers prior to release.