Security Flaw with AA Reservations
May 24, 2015, 6:34 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 123
Security Flaw with AA Reservations
So yesterday, when I was checking on my account, I noticed that a strange reservation was on my list of "trips." Upon further investigation, it was a complete stranger's reservation that was somehow tied to my reservation (my FF# was used). I do not know this person and did not issue an award ticket for them. Yet I could see their contact information (email, phone number), flight information, can change their seat and even print a boarding pass.
I had thought that if someone tried to enter my FF# the system would reject it if it doesn't match the name. It took the EXP desk 20 minutes to figure out what happened--apparently the last time I spoke with an agent on the phone, that agent forgot to close out the window with my FF information so it populated it for the next person? The new EXP agent was able to remove my FF# from that reservation so it no longer showed up on my account. This whole thing was kind of bizarre--has this happened to anyone else in the past?
I had thought that if someone tried to enter my FF# the system would reject it if it doesn't match the name. It took the EXP desk 20 minutes to figure out what happened--apparently the last time I spoke with an agent on the phone, that agent forgot to close out the window with my FF information so it populated it for the next person? The new EXP agent was able to remove my FF# from that reservation so it no longer showed up on my account. This whole thing was kind of bizarre--has this happened to anyone else in the past?
May 24, 2015, 10:41 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Midwest USA
Programs: BA SIL, WN A, UA SIL, Marriott TIT (LT), Hilton DIA
Posts: 1,969
this is a known issue. not sure why AA does not fix it.
May 24, 2015, 12:58 pm
#3
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: San Jose, California, USA
Programs: AS 100K, UA MM, AA MM, IC Plat Amb, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 3,146
A similar thing happened to me last year. I had received an email confirmation for an award ticket that I didn't reserve for a passenger who I didn't know. When I immediately reported it, the agent offered the same explanation (the agent's forgetting to close out my transaction when serving the next customer).
I got my miles back, but the worrisome thing is that I continued to get email updates -- and even a check-in reminder -- for the passenger's fateful itinerary.
I got my miles back, but the worrisome thing is that I continued to get email updates -- and even a check-in reminder -- for the passenger's fateful itinerary.
May 24, 2015, 6:21 pm
#4
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: LHR, SAN
Programs: BA GGL, AA PLT, VS-curious
Posts: 1,487
I had it happen with a ticket paid for by someone else. I received the email confirmation with my FFN. I called in to report it and it was fixed. I wondered later what would have happened if I had turned up at check in 
May 25, 2015, 8:13 pm
#5
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: LAX
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold but PlatPro thanks to LPs
Posts: 4,439
Security Flaw with AA Reservations
Same thing happened to me with my bank. I made a deposit, then checked the next day. There was a second deposit. I looked at the check image, and it was supposed to go to a church.
I called and got it fixed. The teller failed to close one transaction before starting the next one.
I called and got it fixed. The teller failed to close one transaction before starting the next one.
Jun 2, 2015, 5:39 pm
#6
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: US
Programs: AAdvantage
Posts: 1,753
I have a coworker who received 2,000 miles for an MIA-LGA roundtrip in December despite being in Colombia at the time. I wonder if the actual passenger ever noticed that the miles never posted.