AA refuses to ticket JL flights?
Jun 11, 2013, 11:59 pm
#1
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Location: SAN
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AA refuses to ticket JL flights?
I'm new to AA (thanks to EXP challenge) and am trying to book my first few flights. I want to book a ticket to NRT, with JL as the operating carrier on the outbound, and AA on the return. Because I'd like to upgrade (with JMB miles), I need the outbound flight marketed by JAL as well. I realize that means the flight will then be fared according to JL's fare rules, and I'm fine by that---in fact, it's cheaper.
AA is telling me they will not ticket a non-AA marketed flight over the water?!? Is this SOP? What good is Oneworld, then? With DL, they were happy to ticket whomever I'd like as the marketing carrier (flew AF over the water all the time). Is it really the case that I'll need to go through a TA for all such bookings, thereby negating the advantages of the EXP line?
AA is telling me they will not ticket a non-AA marketed flight over the water?!? Is this SOP? What good is Oneworld, then? With DL, they were happy to ticket whomever I'd like as the marketing carrier (flew AF over the water all the time). Is it really the case that I'll need to go through a TA for all such bookings, thereby negating the advantages of the EXP line?
Last edited by Erasmus; Jun 12, 2013 at 4:45 pm Reason: Typos
Jun 12, 2013, 12:12 am
#2
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Have you tried booking online?
Do a booking with the "all carriers" option ticked and search by schedule. You may well find that aa.com will allow you to ticket that which you want
Do a booking with the "all carriers" option ticked and search by schedule. You may well find that aa.com will allow you to ticket that which you want
Jun 12, 2013, 1:14 pm
#3
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It must be in accordance with resolution 852.
Jun 12, 2013, 1:42 pm
#4
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I just did a dummy booking on aa.com that would appear to meet the OP's specifications:
JL 65 SAN-NRT on the outbound
AA170 NRT-LAX inbound, connecting to
AA 2653 LAX-SAN
I don't see the problem; is it that AA won't ticket what aa.com permits me to place on hold?
JL 65 SAN-NRT on the outbound
AA170 NRT-LAX inbound, connecting to
AA 2653 LAX-SAN
I don't see the problem; is it that AA won't ticket what aa.com permits me to place on hold?
Jun 12, 2013, 4:21 pm
#5
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Precisely. I can do it online, but could not get the fare class I needed, so called in. (Need K fare or higher on JL to upgrade; the flight I need has lower-price availability that the website pulls.) The AAgent would not ticket JL 65, only the AA flight number. I asked for a supervisor, who said the same thing!?
Jun 12, 2013, 4:25 pm
#6
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Can you be more specific? I find:
AA seems to qualify to my understanding?
the ticketing airline shall be any BSP Airline participating in the transportation, or a BSP Airline acting as the General Sales Agent for any airline participating in any sector of the transportation in the country of ticket issuance, provided that the selection of Validating Carrier conforms to the requirements of the fare rules where applicable and subject to the existence of a valid interline agreement between the ticketing airline and each transporting airline
Jun 12, 2013, 4:27 pm
#7
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Some carriers won't ticket unless a substantial segment is operated/marketed by the carrier whose ticket stock is being used, but your TPAC return on AA should satisfy this.
Did the conversation go far enough that they were aware that your return would be AA flights?
Have you tried making the reservation on the website and then calling to ask them to change the fare class/fare code on the JL segment, with either the agent completing the ticketing on the phone or you completing the purchase on line?
Is there a reason (other than a small fee) not to use a good real live human travel agent, who should be able to put a ticket together according to your specific instructions?
Did the conversation go far enough that they were aware that your return would be AA flights?
Have you tried making the reservation on the website and then calling to ask them to change the fare class/fare code on the JL segment, with either the agent completing the ticketing on the phone or you completing the purchase on line?
Is there a reason (other than a small fee) not to use a good real live human travel agent, who should be able to put a ticket together according to your specific instructions?
Jun 12, 2013, 4:34 pm
#8
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Some carriers won't ticket unless a substantial segment is operated/marketed by the carrier whose ticket stock is being used, but your TPAC return on AA should satisfy this.
Did the conversation go far enough that they were aware that your return would be AA flights?
Did the conversation go far enough that they were aware that your return would be AA flights?
Have you tried making the reservation on the website and then calling to ask them to change the fare class/fare code on the JL segment, with either the agent completing the ticketing on the phone or you completing the purchase on line?
Is there a reason (other than a small fee) not to use a good real live human travel agent, who should be able to put a ticket together according to your specific instructions?
Jun 12, 2013, 4:36 pm
#9
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Jun 12, 2013, 4:42 pm
#10
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Jun 12, 2013, 9:01 pm
#11
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As suggested by MSPeconomist View Post, you could try putting on hold a booking created online with whatever fare is available and the flights you are after.
Once you have the PNR for the held booking, call and request the booking be up-fared to K class for the JL65 segment.
You can then go back in, hopefully the booking will show the class and fare you are after, then you can complete the booking by paying.
To Hold a booking, go through to the payment page and see the option to hold.
It seems the hold icon does not appear if there's a JL flight in the routing:
FREE 24 Hour Hold
The cash option may have a default hold. But that does not appear either with a JL flight.
Once you have the PNR for the held booking, call and request the booking be up-fared to K class for the JL65 segment.
You can then go back in, hopefully the booking will show the class and fare you are after, then you can complete the booking by paying.
To Hold a booking, go through to the payment page and see the option to hold.
It seems the hold icon does not appear if there's a JL flight in the routing:
FREE 24 Hour Hold
The cash option may have a default hold. But that does not appear either with a JL flight.
Last edited by serfty; Jun 12, 2013 at 9:39 pm
Jun 13, 2013, 10:53 pm
#13
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In case anyone cares, I ended up ticketing with a travel agent, who of course plated it on JL stock since they are the first overwater carrier, but I still don't understand why the AAgent wouldn't plate it, as AA.com clearly will.
Jun 13, 2013, 11:48 pm
#14
Join Date: Jul 2002
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Who's been vaunting the EXP desk? Five years ago it was indeed something special, but for the most part those days are gone. You'll still occasionally reach one of the remaining stellar agents. But for the most part, the value of the EXP telephone line in 2013 is that you spend less time on hold.