chriskre

Uggggh.
I am so bummed and hoping you experts can help me with this.

I purchased a ticket for my cousin to come on Wednesday and today she informs me that she can't come as planned.
It was a nonrefundable ticket as follows:

Flight Depart Arrive
American Airlines
1138
Santo Domingo (SDQ)
March 13, 2013 04:05 PM

Travel Time : 2 h 30 m
Cabin Class : Economy
Seat : 31J
Miami (MIA)
March 13, 2013 06:35 PM

Booking Code : O
Plane Type : 763
Create Notification Change Seats
Flight Depart Arrive
American Airlines
1481
Miami (MIA)
March 20, 2013 12:40 PM

Travel Time : 2 h 15 m
Cabin Class : Economy
Seat : 31J
Santo Domingo (SDQ)
March 20, 2013 02:55 PM

Booking Code : O
Plane Type : 763

I am hoping that AA will give me the credit for me to use personally. The agent on the phone said that it could only be for the person who is on the ticket but I paid for it. How is that logical? And also that it has to originate in the country that this ticket was issued in which is the Dominican Republic. I live in Florida so that's even useless as a credit.

Is there anything that I could do?
I've already emailed AAAdvantage and the Customer Service link.
Anything else or am I just out of luck?

Thanks.
Christine

DCann

I am pretty sure that the information the agent gave you is correct.

From what you wrote, I take it that the agent said that it could be used by your cousin at another time (with a cancellation fee, presumably).

Maybe that is a good excuse for your cousin to come and visit another time then!

Since it is in your cousin's name, it can only be reissued to your cousin as far as I know, regardless of who paid for it.

chriskre

Yes there would be a $150 change fee plus the difference in the fare whatever that would be. She has up til Jan 2014 since I purchased the ticket in Jan 2013.

I guess she could come and visit at another time, but I was hoping to head up to DC for the Cherry blossoms so would have preferred the credit that I could use myself for this flight.

If not, I guess I'll have a house guest at a later time.

Thanks.

DCann

That sounds about right. Prepare for houseguest!

Dave Noble

Looking at the fare rules, refunds not permitted and changes permitted for $150, so will be useable by the passenger for future use

chriskre

Well that wasn't exactly what I was hoping for since we were supposed to be going to Disney World this week. I guess I will have to force myself to make another homage to the mouse later on this year.

sukn

Ask if the agent will mail the voucher to you instead of the cousin. If the cousin has no AAdvantage account and no address associated with it, play dumb and give them your address. Or have your cousin temporarily change her address in her AAdvantage profile to your address. At least that way you will have it in your possession to use.

Now when you are ready to use it, you will have to mail it in. You won’t be able to go to the airport since at the airport the voucher must be in the name of the person who is travelling.

chriskre

Do they ever make exceptions to the rules.
I hate rules.

She has an AA # but I don't remember if I linked it to this reservation or not.
Uggggh.

Often1

The voucher is only useable by: 1) the cousin; 2) originating in the DR; and 3) after paying $150. Those are the rules because OP bought a discounted ticket.

Your choices are: 1) ask your cousin to reimburse you for the cost of the ticket; 2) have your cousin visit another time; 3) move on. Stuff happens.

sukn

Says who?

nrr

A lot of things can happen between now an Jan 2014, in particular, AA may make "big"* changes in flight times on some or all of the segments--this would entitle OP to get a full refund.
*90 minutes or more, from my recollection.

Dave Noble

The flight the OP is booked on is tomorrow ( march 13 ) though, so unless flight changes happen before tomorrow , will be out the $150

chriskre

Yes stuff happens and I am obviously going to need to move on.
Unfortunately she can't pay me back because of her financial situation.
Yeah it seems that I am going to have to suck up this loss.
Very expensive lesson learned for sure for me.
And kind of leaves me with a sour taste for AA, the airline that I have preferred and almost exclusively travelled on for the last 20 years.
So much for loyalty.

Dave Noble

The fare allows changes for $150 ( looking at the cheap fares out of SDQ ) but cannot see anything showing name changes being permitted

Dave Noble

If you take the benefit of the cheaper fares, then need to take the drawback of the restrictions of that fare. Having flown AA for 20 years , does not change this though. What you could consider is how much you have saved over the 20 years by buying discounted tickets against the cost of refundable ones and may be well ahead