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A funny thing happened at YYZ this morning...

 
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Old Mar 29, 2013, 6:04 am
  #1  
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A funny thing happened at YYZ this morning...

Girlfriend and I are traveling to NRT on JAL this morning, through ORD on AA metal.

As we're checking in at YYZ a supervisor comes over to the agent helping us and whispers something in her ear. Next thing you know we're being offered a free swap to a direct-to-NRT flight on Air Canada.

The only theory that we can come up with is that YYZ to ORD is oversold; still, that seems like a very expensive solution, for somebody.

Wondering if anyone here might have some better insight on this...
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Old Mar 29, 2013, 6:28 am
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Originally Posted by acurrie
Girlfriend and I are traveling to NRT on JAL this morning, through ORD on AA metal.

As we're checking in at YYZ a supervisor comes over to the agent helping us and whispers something in her ear. Next thing you know we're being offered a free swap to a direct-to-NRT flight on Air Canada.

The only theory that we can come up with is that YYZ to ORD is oversold; still, that seems like a very expensive solution, for somebody.

Wondering if anyone here might have some better insight on this...
Interesting. They didn't give any reasons as to why?
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Old Mar 29, 2013, 6:45 am
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A funny thing happened at YYZ this morning...

Did you get oversold comp?

Perhaps they know the AA flight might be delayed?

It doesn't cost AA much to reroute (if anything) especially in economy since you already paid the economy fare to AA.
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Old Mar 29, 2013, 6:50 am
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Double dip time

If you were planning on getting OW miles for your trip, make sure you ask for Original Routing Credit (ORC). Not sure about CX, but AA is very good about giving you miles for segments that you did not fly due to operational reasons.
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Old Mar 29, 2013, 7:17 am
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I agree: oversell

I've been browsing for fares on that route recently and AA's metal ORD-NRT has been comically full for weeks. Fares skyhigh (YYZ-BKK-YYZ $2200 some days) and I think an oversell is the most likely reason for this outcome. Especially when you consider that AC fares during the same period have been very low: under $1200 YYZ-BKK-YYZ.
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Old Mar 29, 2013, 7:33 am
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Originally Posted by acurrie
Girlfriend and I are traveling to NRT on JAL this morning, through ORD on AA metal.

As we're checking in at YYZ a supervisor comes over to the agent helping us and whispers something in her ear. Next thing you know we're being offered a free swap to a direct-to-NRT flight on Air Canada.

The only theory that we can come up with is that YYZ to ORD is oversold; still, that seems like a very expensive solution, for somebody.

Wondering if anyone here might have some better insight on this...
Insight is very simple. While i wont divulge in actual numbers. 1st 4 flts out of YYZ to ORD today are at capacity and then some. By moving you and your gf to an alternative flt frees up 2 more seats for airline to use at their discretion. Safe travels.
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Old Mar 29, 2013, 7:35 am
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Originally Posted by SFO777
If you were planning on getting OW miles for your trip, make sure you ask for Original Routing Credit (ORC). Not sure about CX, but AA is very good about giving you miles for segments that you did not fly due to operational reasons.
Agreed. Be sure to get the miles to which you are entitled.
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Old Mar 29, 2013, 9:41 am
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Originally Posted by SFO777
If you were planning on getting OW miles for your trip, make sure you ask for Original Routing Credit (ORC). Not sure about CX, but AA is very good about giving you miles for segments that you did not fly due to operational reasons.
I did not know this. Thanks for the tip!
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Old Mar 29, 2013, 9:52 am
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Is ORC valid if the pax chooses to fly the AC flight vs. AA metal? Thought it was only if involuntary.
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Old Mar 29, 2013, 9:59 am
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Originally Posted by Antarius
Is ORC valid if the pax chooses to fly the AC flight vs. AA metal? Thought it was only if involuntary.
Good point, but I would certainly argue that this was involuntary. AA was oversold and agent initiated the change. OP was ready, willing and able to fly AA.
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Old Mar 29, 2013, 10:24 am
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Originally Posted by yyzgayguy
I've been browsing for fares on that route recently and AA's metal ORD-NRT has been comically full for weeks. Fares skyhigh (YYZ-BKK-YYZ $2200 some days) and I think an oversell is the most likely reason for this outcome. Especially when you consider that AC fares during the same period have been very low: under $1200 YYZ-BKK-YYZ.
I noticed this trend too, but in last month I've taken 5 US-TYO flights on AA and JAL metal and all the cabins have been less than half full. I was beginning to wonder if maybe something is wrong with their website since their competitors have been nearly half the price the entire time.
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Old Mar 30, 2013, 6:06 am
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Originally Posted by hessinger
I noticed this trend too, but in last month I've taken 5 US-TYO flights on AA and JAL metal and all the cabins have been less than half full. I was beginning to wonder if maybe something is wrong with their website since their competitors have been nearly half the price the entire time.
One wonders a lot of things.
The JL partnership could use a tweak.
For one thing, JL flights have too few seats available for AA to sell, making BKK almost inAAccessible.
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Old Mar 30, 2013, 10:05 am
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Originally Posted by yyzgayguy
One wonders a lot of things.
The JL partnership could use a tweak.
For one thing, JL flights have too few seats available for AA to sell, making BKK almost inAAccessible.
I haven't had trouble getting Cathay flights from US-HKG-BKK
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Old Mar 30, 2013, 10:27 am
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Originally Posted by mvoight
I haven't had trouble getting Cathay flights from US-HKG-BKK
Or from HKG to anywhere else in Asia.
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Old Mar 30, 2013, 10:38 am
  #15  
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Originally Posted by seawolf
Did you get oversold comp?

Perhaps they know the AA flight might be delayed?

It doesn't cost AA much to reroute (if anything) especially in economy since you already paid the economy fare to AA.
I would certainly imagine it costs AA something since AA/JAL and AC are not in the same alliance.

As far as getting comped, your bargaining power isn't very strong when getting put on a non-stop flight as technically they can IDB you and not pay you anything as long as the flight arrives within one hour (or earlier) of your originally scheduled arrival.
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