Often1

AA's sole obligations are, at AA's option as follows. "Insisting" gets OP nowhere and only pushes AA to Option 4 which can be accomplished with a keystroke:

1. Rebook on AA.
2. Rebook on OW, e.g. BA
3. Rebook OA
4. Refund full award & any fees, taxes

I would do the research to determine what I wanted, both including AA & BA and have those written down and ready for a call. I would also wait until the current WX IRROPS have died down, not only because it is courteous, but because you will get better service on something way down the line such as this.

Remember, the underlying issues of who pays what fees and who retains what % of them are irrelevant to an AA agent who has no insight into company financials. All that matters to the agent is what the agent is authorized to do.

JPG3392

In circumstances like this, airlines often do more than is strictly required. Last winter I booked an award flight BWI-JFK-TXL-STR on AA/AB. Almost immediately after I checked in at BWI (but before I went through security), my flight to JFK was delayed for 3-4 hours, which made it impossible to make my connection at JFK. After consulting with a supervisor, the very helpful AA agent offered to rebook me on BA BWI-LHR-STR with no further fees. Because I would have had to wait 6-7 hours at BWI for the BA flight, I chose instead to fly DCA-JFK-DUS-STR one day later.

dickinson

This thread is not about circumstances similar to yours.

ijgordon

#4 is not at AA's sole option no matter how much you want to take their side. If they try to take that route, it is certainly something the DOT would want to know about.

I also think this could potentially qualify as a post-purchase fare increase, which is specifically prohibited.

robbiesam

Thanks for all the help!!!
I will wait a few days or a week until things calm down and then give them a call. I will definitely report back my luck. I found a Delta flight that works with my tight schedule and I could book with Flying Blue points if they are not able to accommodate and I have to cancel.

thebill0322

Not trying to Hijack this thread, but I ran into a similar problem.

I had a connection in LAX going to Hawaii, the connecting flight got changed over 6 hours earlier. I will not be able to make this now, its not just an inconvenience but legitimately cant make it.. There are also very limited options and no more award availability for flights between these two destinations.

There are some other flight combinations that work that are paid bookings and 1 really good one on US airways.

Do you think they will change the ticket for me to something that works? I can afford a cancel outright as the points will not get me there now...

Thoughts? It was a first class booking between Boston and Hawaii for September.


I would not even have noticed but I went in to just check flight times for booking hotels and noticed this. I have already booked all my hotels to so my dates are really not flexible. Lot of non refundable things have been booked outside AA, banking on the original schedule.

ijgordon

You'll need to call AA. They'll likely be able to put you on a different flight irrespective of award availability. But you have to call.

thebill0322

They keep saying it has to be another saver award which there are none. plenty of anytime though...

wrp96

I would wait a few days until the current mess is cleared up and then call back. With a schedule change, they should put you on any of their own flights, even if award inventory is no longer available (if it were a partner flight that would be a different story).

robbiesam

Just to report what happened. So far I have had no luck getting them to accommodate me on the BA flight without charging the fees. They said that no matter what the reason for the change the difference in taxes and fees has to be charged/refunded. I have tried calling twice and each have said the same thing so we'll see if I have time to call again or if I just give up and cancel and find an alternative

ijgordon

You can try the DOT route. Or you can call AA again and tell them that you will file a complaint with the DOT because you believe that this violates the prohibition against post-purchase price increases, since AA merely cancelled your flight and replaced it with a flight operated by its joint venture partner at the same (or similar) time and are now trying to collect additional surcharges for travel on that flight. If that doesn't make them budge, then file the complaint with the DOT.

I understand you have the option to use a different alliance, but frankly, any time we have a legitimate complaint against these (don't call them fuel) surcharges, I think it should be filed.

Dave Noble

There is no post purchase increase being forced upon the passenger

After the cancellation of the flight, AA rerouted the passenger to the destination on the same airline, which the airline is obligated to do when a cancellation occurs

The passenger now wants to rebook onto another carrier and AA is informing the passenger that any difference in taxes/charges etc will have to be paid

If AA had rebooked the passenger onto the BA flight rather than AA flights, then it would not have been allowed to charge any surcharges

dickinson

Your analysis is exactly correct. Some of the advice OP is receiving ranges from breathtakingly bad to just uninformed.

bmchris

I was flying DFW-LGA/JFK-LHR on AA metal in J. Due to weather, my DFW-LGA was delayed 2 hours. AA paid for my accommodation overnight, bought my kids some food at LGA, walked me from the lounge to the car, car service from LGA to JFK and put me on the first BA flight in the morning. No charge. Y tickets already upgrades to J using SWUs. I didn't have to ask hard at all. EXP status. I asked the Lounge agent if this courtesy was for all or due to my status. Her reply was a bit of both.

ijgordon

To some people, apparently the only advice is to bend over and take it. I wouldn't be surprised if they work in the airline/travel industry.

Other people like to get creative. Many times the creative folks win. Personally, when someone tells me something can't be done, I work harder to accomplish it. Often works.