flying_q

I recently booked two award tickets, KRK-TXL-JFK (AB operated). One passenger name was misspelled on the itinerary. I immediately contacted AA, who passed the issue onto international ticketing and corrected the spelling. Within 24 hours, an updated itinerary was emailed with the correct spelling. Both AA.com and airBerlin.com displayed the correct name.

Upon check-in at KRK, the record showed the correct passenger name, however the ticket still showed the previous, incorrect spelling. The 2 AB agents at KRK could not make any modifications, nor check-in the passenger.

After 60 minutes on the phone with an ExecP agent (who verified this was agent error), the only solution was to buy a one way KRK-JFK for $3k and demand compensation from AA, or purchase KRK-TXL, and then a TXL-JFK award (no award space for KRK-TXL). I opted for the latter. Thankfully we mistakenly arrived at the airport WAY too early, allowing us to book all flights just within T-30 at KRK.

The original ticket was forfeited because it was under airport control at KRK and could not be cancelled. Additionally, AA never rushed the new award to international ticketing, leaving us with 30 minutes in TXL to pray for a willing agent to check us in at T-30 (luckily this was the case). The agents at KRK would not issue us the second BP because their "systems only work for KRK-TXL".

I supposed I should have cancelled the original itinerary when the mis-spelling was noticed, however both a verbal and email confirmation from AA.com and airBerlin.com seemed reasonable enough to me.

We have demanded compensation for the paid KRK-TXL, as well as reinstatement of all miles, and the difference in taxes between the two awards.

Anyone else ever experience this?

Exec_Plat

Id have opted for paying for the same routing on which you had the verified ticket receipt...Once you take miles out of your account you are totally at AA and ABs mercy. You use a credit card and you can charge back the amount with proof that AA/AB didnt let you fly the properly booked ticket.

Now you have to beg for miles back.

Never had this happen (ticket and receipt different) but Air Berlin is a horrific carrier. Good luck getting them to fix this.

IMO you had not further responsibility once AA & AB confirmed the correction

flying_q

I understand the point. It came down to fighting for compensation of a $3,200 coach ticket vs. 20k miles and $256 (price of KRK-TXL).

The phone agent advised I book the flights I did, and she would document everything in the record for compensation purposes. Whether that holds true is another story.

Often1

Some carriers, AB may be one, will not change the name on a ticket for any reason. Period.

It may be that AA did what it could and AB simply did not accept the name change as it does not.

I predict finger-pointing until the end of time.

Should not befall the passenger to do this, but it always pays to check with the operating carrier to confirm any change of any type. The changes must be reflected on the ticket in addition to the reservation. This can include anything from name to seats and so on.

I would have done the same as OP. Miles are just miles. $3K is a lot of money and it is far from certain that OP would prevail in a chargeback dispute against AB. All AB need document is that OP purchased the ticket and flew the segment. Both of which he did. If you lose the dispute, you are out cold hard cash.

flying_q

Agreed. I accept responsibility on this point. At the time it just didn't seem necessary, given the far too convincing email confirmation from AA. Heck, I even confirmed seats, and entered passport information online, months ahead.

Wouldn't the chargeback have been against AA, as technically they were at fault? Everything, including the newly issued tickets, were all 001 stock.

As an added data point, my claim to AA has just been passed onto the refunds department for review.

Often1

AA will respond to a chargeback by replying that it did what it ought to have done and that it is AB which failed (or chose not to) change its ticket.

Chargebacks are a limited dispute resolution mechanism. Quick and easy in most cases, but where there are factual issues about who is at fault, it is all left to the system to deal with and that can ultimately mean suing one or both of AA and AB.