AAgoraku

Very strange experience over the weekend flying from the US West Coast to Malaysia. Perhaps, it was unlucky Friday the 13th. I had two separate tix. SFO to LAX on AA in Y and LAX-NRT-KUL on MH in C.

My flight from SFO to LAX was delayed and I began to wonder about making my connection at LAX. AA initially said on the phone it was Traffic Control but once at the airport it was clear that other flights were not delayed. Never saw an explanation for the delay.

Checking in for the flight at the AA biz class counter the agent didn't understand that my Choice Essential ticket with my Gold Status allowed 3 checked bags. Repeatedly she tried to tell me I was wrong and would have to charge me for the extra bag. I had to show her AA's website on my iPad to "prove" to her I was entitled to the 3 bags with no additional charge. I should have heeded this warning of her knowledge and been more concerned with what she did next.

Because of the delay the agent shared my concern that it was likely I was going to miss my connecting flight on MH from LAX to NRT. So, the agent rebooked me on SQ's later flight from LAX to SIN. I couldn't believe it. SQ C instead of MH on SQ's all C premium flight. I must be dreaming. Agent also included the connection to KUL on MI (Silk Air) and checked my bags through to KUL.

In addition, I'm feeling lucky b/c since I purchased two separate tix AA really didn't have any official responsibility to worry about my connection. They only had to get me to LAX. Then, I was MH's problem.

All Is Good....So I Thought.

Once at LAX, I walk to the intl terminal to check-in with SQ. First problem, agent looks at tickets and says he cannot pull up the ticket in their system. He can see the reservation but he needs a FIM or a record showing SQ sector info. Huh? Agent is very nice and courteous, explains some things and after a brief conversation, gives me his counter phone number and sends me back to the AA ticket counter at the domestic terminal to have AA issue the ticket electronically. Says SQ hasn't accepted paper tix for 2 years and to have AA call if there are any questions.

Little did I know this was only the beginning. AA agent chastises SQ for not understanding how things work, doesn't issue an e-ticket, prints the reservation and writes paper ticket on the print-out, hands it to me and tells me to explain this is a tix and that SQ doesn't need an e-tix. I ask her if she could call the SQ counter and she says they don't have any phones to make such calls. Total BS!!

For the next 4.5 hours I was a pinball going back and forth between the intl and the domestic terminal trying to get someone at AA or SQ to take some responsibility. SQ will not take the paper ticket and AA will not issue an e-ticket. At one point during this process, I realize this whole thing is about revenue. The fare difference btwn my original tix and what SQ charges is high and AA doesn't want to pay it. If they issue the FIM or issue a new tix they will pay the difference. SQ won't accept the paper tix b/c that means they are accepting the fare I paid. So much for customer service. This turned into revenue management SQ vs. AA. Neither will blink.

SQ gives me the fare they are willing to accept. AA won't budge.

Then without discussing with me AA went ahead and rebooked me for the next day on CX. The explanation I am given is that SQ won't accept the ti and that there were no biz class seats available that day. Total BS!! There were seats available on SQ and CX but only at a premium fare. AA didn't want to pay the fare difference and the inconvenience to me did not matter one bit.

Lessons Learned.

AA Supervisor admits that if SQ were OneWorld there wouldn't be as much of an issue paying the fare difference. Always stay within the alliance.

During this pinball game, I also learn that AA doesn't have an agreement with MI (Silk Air) which is probably why the paper tix was issued in the first place. If the connection in SIN was on MH, I probably would have gotten an e-tix and SQ wouldn't have blinked. Next time insist on an e-tix.

Next.

I'm working on a letter to AA. Any FTers have a similar experience? Any thoughts on what I should expect? No response. A nice form letter. 5000 miles in my AA account. I think an apology and something is warranted but I can't decide what.

Comments welcome. Flame away. Find fault and blame with me if you must but IMO AA f'd up and then would not take responsibility.

guv1976

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.601 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

"In addition, I'm feeling lucky b/c since I purchased two separate tix AA really didn't have any official responsibility to worry about my connection. They only had to get me to LAX. Then, I was MH's problem."

This is incorrect. AA's stated policy is to protect you on a connection from AA to another oneworld carrier, even when traveling on separate tickets, when AA causes the mis-connection.

I can't comment on the paper ticket/E-ticket problem you experienced, but AA was responsible for re-routing you to the destination you had booked on MH.

Microwave

This is not correct, at least not in your circumstance. As long as the second ticket was issued on the stock of a oneworld carrier, and assuming AA were responsible for the first delay, AA were responsible by their own policies for reaccommodating you to your final destination. Source

AAgoraku

Good to know. Can you point me to something in writing to that effect?

guv1976

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.601 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

Microwave's reply contains a link to AA's policy.

Not every AA line agent or supervisor may be aware of the policy, so when traveling with separate tickets on AA and another oneworld carrier, it would probably be wise to carry a printout of the policy with you.

777Pax

This is true, many carriers have ceased accepting paper tickets over the last few years.

djibouti

What was the result? Did you fly the next day on CX J? Not the end of the world product-wise but understandably a PITA if you got to your destination significantly late.

Definitely filter out the emotion from your letter before you submit it. Explain what happened and that it took 4.5 hours with no resolution and agents unwilling to call SQ to work it out directly. I'd expect a fair chunk of miles or a nice voucher, depending on how much later you arrived at your destination. I'd feel 1000 miles/hour or $20/hour of delay to destination is fair, double that is generous, but that's just my impression.

Heck, they gave me 20k miles just because my seat was broken!

denCSA

OP, on your original MH receipt what did it say in the endorsements field? Yes AA will protect you when it's all OneWorld, but the ticket has to be endorsable (i.e. does it say anything to the effect of 'travel only via MH' or all OneWorld carriers, or non-endorseable?). AA was probably trying to get SQ to take the new ticket at face value rather than issuing a FIM or 120.20 either because it was not endorsable or they were just being cheap.

You may also want to read through THIS as SQ doesn't even honor it's own alliances endorsement waiver, so they sure aren't going to work with AA and OneWorld to help out in these cases.

hillrider

AA is one of them, according to this article, effective 01NOV12.

ashill

Where does AA's web site say that you're entitled to 3 checked bags on a choice essential (coach) fare as a Gold? What I see on the web site is that choice essential gives you the first checked bag for no charge. Per the member guide, Gold lets you "check two bags free of charge". It doesn't say that Gold status gives you two checked bags above your ticketed allowance (ie 1+2=3 total in your case), which I assume is what you're saying you're entitled to.

AAgoraku

Right here

Click on the "More Details" under each option. Gold & Plat get 3, Exec Plat gets 4 checked bags.

http://bit.ly/16eI5Gr

As you say, elites already get 2 bags. Choice Essential gives you a free bag. So, it should be 2+1 on a Choice Essential ticket. Otherwise, elites gets no baggage benefit from Choice Essential or Choice Plus.

djibouti

<redacted>

AAgoraku

Thanks for the info on your mileage compensation.

Yes, I was not disappointed with the change in product from MH to CX. In the end, I was lucky b/c I asked and CX allowed the two of us to fly standby and we both got on flights that same night (the original departure day). We did have to fly on different flights to HKG but that was not an issue and we arrived in KUL a few hours later than originally scheduled but AA had nothing to do with any of this upside.

Also, I did forget to mention that I had to ask the AA supervisor about hotel accommodations and vouchers for meals. She had to check if she could pay for our hotel and I had to go back again to get the voucher. Luckily, I didn't have to use it. I gave it to the very efficient, knowledgeable and friendly CX supervisor and told her to have a staff party.

AAgoraku

<redacted>

But, his question was where on the website I found the info. Happy to share.

AAgoraku

Thanks for the link.

IMO, AA was being cheap b/c they could have issued a new ticket or the FIM if they chose to do so. I certainly don't blame SQ as much as AA for the problem I faced. However, someone at SQ reservations gave the ok to the SFO AA agent to issue the ticket. It is not like AA is going to willy nilly issue tix on other carriers. If the conversation btwn AA and SQ was better documented (time, name of SQ agent, etc.) in the record, I think I could have made a stronger case to SQ to accept the tix as issued. As it was, AA didn't give me any leg to stand on. AA should have known better as you point out from the link.

As for endorsement on the ticket.... I'm not that familiar with that level of detail but here are the details I think apply. No restrictions to MH nor OW explicitly stated and a new endorsement seems acceptable. But does "use of MH fares" mean only MH?

endorsement box- higher non-ref amt and new endorsements.
<< in the event of changes to ticketed flights after departure of journey - applies within tkt validity certain domestic reissue provisions may be overridden by those of mh international fares no charge or sum of fees of all changed fare components- infant w/o seat discounts apply and reprice using fares in effect today provided all of the following conditions are met-
<< 1. when no intl coupons remain - all new travel must be domestic
<< 2. fully flown fare not repriced to further point
<< 3. change is on/before day of original scheduled flight
<< 4. mh fares are used
<< 5. new tkt has equal or higher value than previous tkt
<< 6. adv res is measured from reissue date to departure of journey
<< when change results in lower fare ignore residual then add-collect
<< endorsement box- higher non-ref amt and new endorsements.
<< or -
<< after departure of journey - applies within tkt validity certain domestic reissue provisions may be overridden by those of mh international fares no charge or sum of fees of all changed fare components- infant w/o seat discounts apply and reprice using fares in effect today provided all of the following conditions are met-
<< 1. when no intl coupons remain - all new travel must be domestic
<< 2. fully flown fare not repriced to further point
<< 3. change is before original scheduled flight
<< 4. mh fares are used
<< 5. new tkt has equal or higher value than previous tkt
<< 6. adv res is measured from reissue date to departure of journey
<< when change results in lower fare ignore residual then add-collect
<< higher non-ref amt and new endorsements.
<< or -
<< after departure of journey - applies within tkt validity certain domestic reissue provisions may be overridden by those of mh international fares charge myr 350 or sum of fees of all changed fare components - infant w/o seat discounts apply and reprice using fares in effect today provided all of the following conditions are met-
<< 1. when no intl coupons remain - all new travel must be domestic
<< 2. fully flown fare not repriced to further point
<< 3. change is after original scheduled flight
<< 4. mh fares are used
<< 5. new tkt has equal or higher value than previous tkt
<< 6. adv res is measured from reissue date to departure of journey
<< when change results in lower fare ignore residual then
<< add-collect higher non-ref amt and new endorsements.