JPG3392

I'm not sure that this comment is relevant, but last March I used AA miles to book award travel BWI-JFK-TXL-STR with the first flight on AA and the others on AB. My BWI-JFK flight was delayed for several hours, so the connection at JFK became impossible. After consultation with a supervisor, the very helpful AA agent at BWI offered to put me on BA flights BWI-LHR-STR with no extra charge. I chose a different option, for various reasons, but the offer was made.

dazza189

Yeah, the manager seemed to imply that if this was within a day or so of the flights, there would be different options. Did your delay happen day of?

bedelman

That is exactly the position I have understood AA to take. Whether that position is lawful, we do not yet know. I stand prepared to argue that, broadly, it is not.

dazza189

What about this page - https://www.aa.com/i18n/agency/Booki...40_80.jsp#2hrs

Doesn't rule 80 seem to apply here?

Rule 80 International tariff rules which state AA's obligations to our customers when their flights are changed or canceled as a result of Schedule Change(s)/Irregularities.

Rule 80 applies to all international travel except travel between the U.S. and Canada and/or between the U.S. and Puerto Rico /U.S. Virgin Islands.

Rule 80 protects all ticketed customers including AAdvantage, AA codeshare and Travel Agents free/reduced rate.

AAirpass® tickets should be handled in the same manner as revenue tickets and are considered ticketed at all times.

bedelman

The relevant section of that document is here:

AA Schedule Change
All American, American Eagle, American Connection Flights
American Airlines has a Schedule Change - AA Flights
...
91 minutes and greater
If no AA flights are available may select an alternate flight on AA* (AA codeshare) maintaining same inventory, origin/destination, fare and fare basis as originally ticketed.

Here, the original poster wants to take an AA* flight, AA codeshare on the BA morning flight. Same fare basis (award bucket) is indeed available.


This stated policy could form part of the original poster's argument against AA. AA's general tariff and prior statements to DOT (including when seeking antitrust immunity with BA) could also form part of his argument. Lots of sources of authority here.

Dave Noble

There is no X class on the AA codeshare; it needs to be booked ( as it is currently held ) on the BA flight number

dazza189

Well it was originally T class on AA metal - then moved to X class on BA.

Doesn't this part of rule 80 kick in?

If no AA flights are available may select an alternate flight on a oneworld AA*, if original inventory is not available may book next lowest available inventory, same cabin, up to and including B inventory, excludes W inventory for premium economy on AA*.

Dave Noble

It reads to me that an AA codeshare on a OW airline can be selected

There is no availability for an award flight on the AA codeshare on BA

dazza189

Yeah, I agree with your interpretation. I guess my question would be why does it need to stay as an award class? T presumably is lower than B.
(In fact I believe this is the order - B H K M L W V G S N Q O T)

"may book next lowest available inventory, same cabin, up to and including B inventory"

Dave Noble

The webpage is not a public information webpage but a page for information for travel agents in what they can do for reaccommodating passengers

A travel agent will not be booking award tickets and so no reason for AA to address the issue of award flights on that page

bedelman

I agree that travel agents don't book award tickets. But the top of the page specifically indicates that the page covers award tickets. Notice the following in the page's first block of text ("Schedule Change Introduction - General Information"):

JPG3392

Yes. When I checked in for my flight at BWI, the monitor indicated that the flight would be delayed for about 30 minutes. While on my way from the counter to the security lines, I glanced at another monitor and saw that the delay was now 4 hours, so I couldn't make my connection at JFK. After consultation with a supervisor, the agent at the desk offered to put me on BA's BWI-LHR-STR flight later that evening. Since that would have involved waiting at BWI for 5-6 hours and arriving at STR in the late afternoon, I asked if I could wait a day and change the flight to DCA-JFK-DUS-STR. AA agreed immediately.

ijgordon

I may or may not have mentioned this above or in another thread, but I believe this is an abuse of the joint venture's anti-trust immunity. Presumably AA gets half of that "surcharge" for effectively forcing you over to BA because they no longer feel like operating that flight (how convenient for them). It's infuriating to think that AA can get away with this. I'd definitely complain to the DOT and maybe even the DOJ just for good measure...

Austinrunner

Actually, we have no idea how much (if any) of the surcharge that AA keeps.

bedelman

But we do know what AA and BA told DOT when they sought the antitrust immunity for the JV. Multiple sections of those filings are quite damning vis-a-vis the practices discussed in this thread.