"Desiring" A First Class Seat
 

Searched the forum, didn't see anything about this.

I was booked on SEA-DFW-ORD-CID leaving tonight (Friday) 11:50PM. Booked with an instant upgrade fare with confirmed seat in F for SEA-DFW and DFW-ORD. CID-ORD on regional.

The ORD-CID cancels (not sure why, but probably weather). Soon as I get the text, I call the EP desk and get rebooked SEA-DFW-CID (getting in a few hours later than before). I'm OK with this.

I get the email confirmation and see that I'm in coach SEA-DFW, so I call the desk back again and agent explains that when my original itinerary had a cancellation, they auto rebooked me for Saturday, but when I called the desk the first time, they cancelled the itinerary and thus gave up my F reservation. I'm not real happy, especially since only middle seats in Y are available (did get exit) for a redeye originally booked in F.

Finally, my question. When I pressed the agent, she said she was "desiring" F for me. When I asked if that meant if I was on the upgrade list, she said no and kept repeating that she was "desiring" an F seat for me and that I should check in with the gate agent at the airport. What the heck does "desiring" mean? Is there some special list or was the agent just trying to get rid of me?

Language barrier, perhaps? Maybe the agent was outsourced to India, which would explain the weird diction being used.

She sounded like a Midwesterner, but who knows.

By any rate, HUACA (hang up and call again). Sometimes that helps.

It is a code on the PALL List indicating that you are ticketed in F, have a Y seat, and would desire to sit in F. You're confirmed on the flight, but on standby for F. This is not the same as being on the upgrade list; this designation in theory puts you ahead of everybody standing by for an upgrade.

Also, AFAIK, AA doesn't outsource any customer service calls to India.

Thanks much! That really explains it well.

I posted in a thread about discounted or instant upgrade First Class fares in October 2013. You may find this thread helpful:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...ted-fares.html

Here is my post from the linked thread:

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Here are some observations and suggestions for those purchasing these discounted First Class fares on American Airlines based on my own experience using them.

1. It seems that the people that comment that the fare is an instant upgrade fare is a coach fare, probably never purchase them. Otherwise they would be aware or be willing to accept that these fares are identified by American Airlines as First Class fares on the www.aa.com web site. If you purchase one of these fares, you are well aware that you are paying a lot more to travel in First Class than in coach ( in most cases ).

2. Be advised that if you are booked using these First Class fares, you are to be accomodated in the cabin that you were originally ticketed in, provided it is offered and available when being rebooked.

Volunarily or involuntarily, this includes booking First Class in F and Business Class in J when being involunatrily rebooked. If you make a voluntary change, you need to be booked in the original booking class, A, P, D or I as applicable. You are entitled to be rebooked in the cabin you were originally ticketed in whether it is volunarily or involuntarily, the only difference is the booking class you are able to be rebooked into with involuntarily being able to be booked in F and J as applicable.

3. In the event that the premium cabin is not available for the flight you would like to be rebooked on, you probably should ask for a refund for the difference right there and then. Possibly by calling American Airlines reservations department and ask them to reissue the ticket at that point for the coach fare that was offered at the time of purchase. There are systems in place at American Airlines that can do this, even if they have to contact the rate desk and be put on hold for a while. It will be worth it to have the ticket reissued at that moment. Once you board the aircraft without being reticketed and refunded, you risk the problems the OP and many others have been experiencing.

4. If you really want First Class and the flight is full in First Class, tell the agent to just waitlist and place you on stand by for Frst Class and not to book you in coach. This will put you at the top of the First Class waitlist and stand by list as you are considered a revenue First Class passenger. Just refuse any confirmation or booking in coach on the flight. You will probably clear the wait list or stand by in First Class.

5. Consider alternate routings and connecting flights when rebooking into First Class. Check the availability for yourself at www.aa.com for flights that are available in First Class and suggest to American Airlines that you be rebooked on those flights. Remember involuntarily rebooked passengers can be booked in F or J class as applicable, so if you see a seat available for sale, you should be able to request to be booked on that flight.

6. Remember if your flight is cancelled, you are entiled to a full refund of your ticket. You may want to just ask for a refund and start fresh, I have done this twice and in the end, I was happy with the result.

I am sorry these uncompensated downgrades have been happening to the OP and others, it really shouldn't be happening. American Airlines should not be allowing all of these premium passengers to be treated this way when it comes to rebooking of thier flights.

soccer

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I hope this helps you determine what is your best option for your specific situation.

soccer

Indeed. The code is DSR, which means "desires to travel in ticketed cabin."

AA does not outsource call centers to India.

The only language barrier is for those of us who do not know the airline's specific terminology for certain actions and terms ;) - such as "DSR", which fortunately is listed in the pretty extensive Glossary within the AA Wiki, here.

As has been said, AA does not outsource customer service or reservations to other countries, thankfully. These tools and the collective knowledge are certainly what attracted me to FT, and the result has been a lot smoother flying (and communicating with agents, such as when requesting a "Rule 80/240" or perhaps "Original Routing Credit"). As one of my fellow moderators is known to include in his posts, FAQ, Wiki, Stickies"... So, welcome to FlyerTalk!:)

Instant Upgrade fares are not first class fares! It's a coach ticket that gets upgraded. If you get rebooked, that instant upgrade needs to be available.

I stand corrected.

As for the 'language barrier'/foreign reference, I was thinking maybe the agent was saying that she wished he could be in First Class, but could not do anything about it, but that 'desiring' was part of the foreign nature of the communication.

Looks like the mystery has been cleared up, regardless!

Aren't you telling us that AA routinely engages in fraudulent deceptive practices? Because these fares are always sold as first class fares by AA. There's never any warning on aa.com that these fares are not genuine first class fares.

Actually all that needs to be available is the same inventory (P, A, etc) for it to be rebooked. Unless it's during IRROPs, at which point F needs to be available.

Which this was, since OP said that one segment cancelled in the itin (presumably related to ORD weather, but perhaps MX).