Tries

On Tuesday I as EXP was supposed to fly BUD-LHR-ORD-SFO, where ORD-SFO was upgraded with SWU. Everything on AA codes.

Upon arrival I've figured out that BUD-LHR was cancelled, and they told me the only way to get same day to SFO was to fly BUD-MUC-SFO on LH (with arrival 4 hours earlier than I initially was scheduled). That made me happy, but as non-elite for *A I had to pay $100 for the 2nd bag.

Questions:
1. What airline is to be contacted to claim those $100 fee for the 2nd bag- is it AA that ticketed me, or it's BA as the operator. Am I entitled to get those $100 at all?
2. What happens to my SWU and are there any compensations for the not used SWU? It's 8 days to expire for that SWU and I'm not sure about the strategy when to claim it back or when to ask for any compensation (if I'm entitled to any).
3. I did not try, but was I entitled in any way to enter BUD Terminal 2a AY or AB operating lounge as AA EXP flying LH with the ticket that was initially issued for BA flight?

brp

Not sure about the baggage, but you wouldn't get compensation for not being upgraded. You are entitled to get the SWU back but, as you note, it will expire soon. If you do have a use for it, call them and ask them to expedite the crediting.

Cheers.

Tries

What will happen if I'll contact AA to claim the SWU on March 1st?

brp

Most likely it will have expired and they will say "no dice." However, since it's going to expire anyway, I'd say that you have nothing to lose by waiting. You may be able to play with "I booked this a while ago and now don't have tome to use this, so can I get one with an extended expiration" card. Worth a try.

Cheers.

Upgraded!

I think the likely success of that depends largely on how many trips the OP took in the intervening period. If he booked this trip two weeks ago, or hasn't taken any trips since booking, then I'd be skeptical; it would likely have gone unused anyways.

Now, if between booking this trip and now the OP flew two r/t transcons and spent one or more in Y, then I think there's a great argument for where the upgrade could/would have been repurposed if he'd known this upgrade wouldn't happen.

It's worth asking to expedite its return, though, since any trips booked over the next week, regardless of when travel will occur, could be upgraded with that SWU (assuming OP requalified for EXP) since SWU are burned on a FIFO policy without regard for expiration dates when SWU spanning two membership years exist.

clacko

ask for orc & get the mi/pts..

Tries

ORC is a clear thing. The matter of time.

My concern is to get those $100 and the SWU

Dave Noble

You were over the ticketed allowance and so the airline is entitled to charge the additional bag fee. If you had been on AA, then AA would have waived the fee due to your status

Since you were over the limit, I don't see why you would be entitled to the $100.

AA doesn't actually word the benefit as giving additional ticketed allowance to those with status, just that it waives the excess fee


As far as the upgrade goes, the upgrade should be unused and re-credited; that it expires soon , I don't see how will be relevant

TechMarauder

I think te baggage fee hold either be refunded or credited as a ETC for the same amount. OP should not be penalized for xld flight

Dave Noble

I wouldn't rely on getting the miles ; I did a flight last year where a BA flight was delayed and I was rebooked by BA onto CY and was unable to get AA to credit the flight

You could try crediting the Star flights to US and wait for the merger as a backup

beerup

Since it was all AA coded, ORC most likely won't be a problem. It would be complicated if the BA flight was BA coded as then it is BA awarding the miles.

Tries

No, I'll definitely request *A miles as well, but I'm still not sure on which *A code they've re-booked me: on LH or on UA. It would be good to know before submitting the claim to either LH or UA.

*A boarding pass is difficult to read for an OW passenger, that did not fly LH for at least 5 last years.

bhomburg

Exactly. I had a similar case two years ago where I was rebooked on LH when my FRA-DFW AA flight was canceled. LH wanted 500 Euros(!) for transporting my dog and a second bag (my folding bike) to IAD. Turned to a specialist lawyer for advice who told me that I'd have no chance in getting anyone to pay for these fees.
I know why I left LH for AA...

Upgraded!

First, let me say what the OP deserves and what the OP receives may be very different. Now that that's out of the way, I think the OP definitely deserves to be reimbursed the $100 for the following reasons:

1. The OP packed the bags and brought them to the airport based on a certain program benefit and relied on it to his/her detriment. Through no fault of the OP's the operating carrier failed to operate the flight. Obviously AA/BA were obligated to provide alternative transportation but they should also cover any incidentals incurred by the OP which arose solely because of the airline's inability to operate the flight. While the alternate carrier was under no obligation to waive the fees, the original carrier should be obligated to make the OP whole, as though they'd flown on the original flight.

2. It doesn't sound as though the OP was informed of the extra fees owed until after accepting the alternate routing. Perhaps the OP would have consolidated, found a FedEx/DHL box or asked a friend to pick up the extra bag. Or perhaps the OP would have looked for other options. It's impossible to know because the extra fees were a surprise. Once again, the operating carrier let the passenger down in this regard by providing incomplete information.

For those reasons I believe that BA should compensate the OP (as the operating carrier whose flight cancellation started the whole mess). Now, whether the OP gets anything is an entirely different matter.

Out of curiosity, would your original carrier have transported all of these items free of charge, or would there have been some fees anyways (pet-related fees or oversize/oddly-shaped luggage fees) which would have been imposed regardless of status/COS?

Tries

Well... to be correct- OP was the person who raised the question and BA people at BUD told OP that there will be a fee but exactly those BA agents told OP that he should contact BA to claim the refund.
I was told that THAT option is the only option to get to SFO the same day (otherwise I'd rather go BUD-HEL-JFK-SFO with arrival next day). I'm not sure if I was given any choice of accepting or declining.

As a note aside... once I've turned on my cell at SFO- I got a voice message from AA EXP Desk about BA flight being cancelled asking me to call them back. I guess, if I had any cell connection in Hungary, I would get that message ^