ARCHIVE: AA schedule changes - free flight change / cancelation / refund
Nov 28, 2011, 3:52 pm
#241
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: DFW/STL
Programs: AA EXP, AA Admirals Club, Marriott PLT Premier, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 762
I think you misunderstood.
My plan was to go from City A---City B--City C---City A. The 1st flight was the flight which I messed up on booking a day later. The last flight was the one that was rescheduled due to the time change.
And I didnt want to cancel/refund the entire itinerary bc to rebook it with the correct outbound would have cost me about $500 more for the whole ticket bc prices have since gone up I originally booked.
My plan was to go from City A---City B--City C---City A. The 1st flight was the flight which I messed up on booking a day later. The last flight was the one that was rescheduled due to the time change.
And I didnt want to cancel/refund the entire itinerary bc to rebook it with the correct outbound would have cost me about $500 more for the whole ticket bc prices have since gone up I originally booked.
Nov 28, 2011, 3:57 pm
#242
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 1999
Posts: 12,097
My plan was to go from City A---City B--City C---City A. The 1st flight was the flight which I messed up on booking a day later. The last flight was the one that was rescheduled due to the time change.
And I didnt want to cancel/refund the entire itinerary bc to rebook it with the correct outbound would have cost me about $500 more for the whole ticket bc prices have since gone up I originally booked.
And I didnt want to cancel/refund the entire itinerary bc to rebook it with the correct outbound would have cost me about $500 more for the whole ticket bc prices have since gone up I originally booked.
The "official" reason why you had to leave a day earlier than what was booked is because the change in the timing of the return flight caused you to rearrange your plans to accommodate the new inbound schedule.
I'd buy this, especially if you're now leaving earlier from city "C".
Nov 30, 2011, 4:42 pm
#243
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 284
Schedule Change: Opportunity to Cancel Award Ticket for Free?
I have an upcoming AA award itinerary that I most likely need to cancel. There was a schedule change to my outbound itinerary on Air Pacific - my flight was moved up by an hour. As this is the only Air Pacific flight, would this give me legitimate grounds to cancel and redeposit the miles for no fee? Would AA let me cancel for free or would they try to find me flights on other partners? Again, my goal is to get my miles back without having to pay the cancellation fee.
As AA awards are all one-way, would I also be able to cancel the return for free as well? Or would there need to be a schedule change to that too?
As AA awards are all one-way, would I also be able to cancel the return for free as well? Or would there need to be a schedule change to that too?
Nov 30, 2011, 4:44 pm
#244
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,731
You can call and try. I think you may get some pushback if the schedule change is less than 90 minutes, but I think for an hour, you can give it a try or two.
If your flights are all booked on the same reservation, you should be able to cancel all of them for free. If they are in different reservation, then you probably cannot.
If your flights are all booked on the same reservation, you should be able to cancel all of them for free. If they are in different reservation, then you probably cannot.
Dec 31, 2011, 6:45 am
#245
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,533
AA cancelled, put on EC, then changed its mind; runaround ensues. Compensation?
All - I'm posting an experience that a colleague of mine experienced. Essentially AA canceled a flight several weeks out, put the passenger on OpenSkies...then changed its mind a few weeks later and has been giving the runaround ever since. Any thoughts?
----------------------------
AA gold
Booked AA44 JFKCDG in Y (with hope of eVip upgrade) for mid Jan (taken this flight almost every year for 10 years).
3 weeks after booking (~6 weeks before flight) AA called to say flight was cancelled. Clearly economic decision.
They rebooked me on OpenSkies flight scheduled to arrive 2 hours later than AA44. Wasn't happy about delay (very time sensitive given 2+ day trip) but was happy with effective upgrade.
2+ weeks later I receive email (not even call) from AA asking me to call about reservation.
They informed me the booking on OpenSkies was agent's mistake (didn't realize was Biz) and they would not honor it. After 45 min getting bounced around I asked to speak with manager. Was told one would call me the next day.
Despite 3 calls on my part and stated policy of responding within 24 hours- no call back from manager the next day.
I call again the day after. Manager finally calls back an hour or so later. She says it was their mistake and that they would honor OpenSkies booking.
That is when things went downhill:
A few hours later another manager calls to say the first manager made a mistake and they would NOT honor OpenSkies.
All they offered were AA flights the day before or day after original res (but also a $500 voucher). This was a very short trip and those were not viable options. I asked about other carriers (AF and DL each have flights which would have been totally fine alternatives). Was told I would have to pay a considerable upcharge to get booked on AF.
Ultimately had to request refund (still waiting).
Wrote AA CR. All they offered is $200 voucher.
Is that fair given the needless stress AA caused, that no part of this was out of AA control and that there were reasonable alternatives on OpenSkies/DL/AF?
Their mistake with OpenSkies caused a 2+ week delay (to outside 21 day period) for rebooking on another carrier.
Also missing chance to earn elite qualifying miles (double mile special in place).
----------------------------
AA gold
Booked AA44 JFKCDG in Y (with hope of eVip upgrade) for mid Jan (taken this flight almost every year for 10 years).
3 weeks after booking (~6 weeks before flight) AA called to say flight was cancelled. Clearly economic decision.
They rebooked me on OpenSkies flight scheduled to arrive 2 hours later than AA44. Wasn't happy about delay (very time sensitive given 2+ day trip) but was happy with effective upgrade.
2+ weeks later I receive email (not even call) from AA asking me to call about reservation.
They informed me the booking on OpenSkies was agent's mistake (didn't realize was Biz) and they would not honor it. After 45 min getting bounced around I asked to speak with manager. Was told one would call me the next day.
Despite 3 calls on my part and stated policy of responding within 24 hours- no call back from manager the next day.
I call again the day after. Manager finally calls back an hour or so later. She says it was their mistake and that they would honor OpenSkies booking.
That is when things went downhill:
A few hours later another manager calls to say the first manager made a mistake and they would NOT honor OpenSkies.
All they offered were AA flights the day before or day after original res (but also a $500 voucher). This was a very short trip and those were not viable options. I asked about other carriers (AF and DL each have flights which would have been totally fine alternatives). Was told I would have to pay a considerable upcharge to get booked on AF.
Ultimately had to request refund (still waiting).
Wrote AA CR. All they offered is $200 voucher.
Is that fair given the needless stress AA caused, that no part of this was out of AA control and that there were reasonable alternatives on OpenSkies/DL/AF?
Their mistake with OpenSkies caused a 2+ week delay (to outside 21 day period) for rebooking on another carrier.
Also missing chance to earn elite qualifying miles (double mile special in place).
Dec 31, 2011, 9:18 am
#246
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA GGL, AA 1MM LT GLD, SPG PLAT, National Exec Selc, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Plat, Marriott Silver
Posts: 8,278
Why didn't you go via LHR?
Dec 31, 2011, 10:10 am
#247
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: STL
Programs: AA 2MM, AS MVP Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 12,966
+1. Or MAD. Or ORD. Or DFW. When you run into resistance like this, a frontal assault rarely works. You think you can batter them into submission, that somebody will cave in just to get you to go away. An end-around usually works better.
Given the plethora of viable alternatives that you did not suggest, I don't think compensation is in order.
Next year, why not book your colleague on EC, since that is where he wants to be?
Given the plethora of viable alternatives that you did not suggest, I don't think compensation is in order.
Next year, why not book your colleague on EC, since that is where he wants to be?
Dec 31, 2011, 10:12 am
#248
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,222
I think if your colleague had a confirmed reservation and ticket on OpenSkies, he could have taken a hard stance that trying to cancel it within the 21 day window (which were the terms of the original ticket purchased I gather) was unacceptable and he'd be filing a complaint with the DOT and taking AA to (small claims) court for any fare difference due for booking with AF/DL, he might have gotten them to keep the OpenSkies booking or permit the AF/DL re-accommodation at no additional cost.
It does seem a bit of a gray area as far as the conditions of carriage go, because they don't guarantee a specific schedule and disclaim liability from failing to operate per the schedule. Though I don't know if any of that has actually been challenged or held up in court. If their negligence/incompetence (the 2+ week delay before rescinding the OpenSkies offer) caused you to have to buy a ticket on another carrier that was more expensive, perhaps they could be held liable.
If the hard line didn't work, I think the second choice should have been to route via LHR as suggested.
I don't think you'll have any luck claiming miles/EQMs if you don't fly AA. You can usually only claim "original routing credit" for irregular operations (i.e., same-day flight cancellation).
You can still file a complaint with the DOT Consumer Protection division. They sometimes can get results, believe it or not.
It does seem a bit of a gray area as far as the conditions of carriage go, because they don't guarantee a specific schedule and disclaim liability from failing to operate per the schedule. Though I don't know if any of that has actually been challenged or held up in court. If their negligence/incompetence (the 2+ week delay before rescinding the OpenSkies offer) caused you to have to buy a ticket on another carrier that was more expensive, perhaps they could be held liable.
If the hard line didn't work, I think the second choice should have been to route via LHR as suggested.
I don't think you'll have any luck claiming miles/EQMs if you don't fly AA. You can usually only claim "original routing credit" for irregular operations (i.e., same-day flight cancellation).
You can still file a complaint with the DOT Consumer Protection division. They sometimes can get results, believe it or not.
Dec 31, 2011, 11:09 am
#249
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: AA EXP, HHonors
Posts: 642
I own a business that provides a service that a lot of other companies in my industry also provide. We aren't without competition but we are one of the most popular and quite profitable. And we've seen many competitors come and go.
The secret is so simple. Good to excellent customer service. Customers understand that things sometimes go wrong. It's how you handle problems that matters most. Taking responsibility, responding quickly, and then proactively fixing the problem is key.
I have to say - this pervasive attitude of "to hell with the customer" has really helped our company stand out as different, and put lots of money in the bank account. But it never fails to make my jaw drop.
Dec 31, 2011, 1:38 pm
#250
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: AA EXP, AAirpass, & CK 2MM, MR Plat Premier, DL Plat, US Plat, UA RECOVERING GS
Posts: 2,620
I don't see any reason for compensation here either. AA cancelled the flight 6 weeks prior to departure and offered alternatives. None of those were palatable so they offered a refund + $200 voucher. There's still plenty of time to book on another carrier.
As far as the openskies booking is concerned I think a rebooking in to a business cabin is way outside the realm of "reasonable" re-accommodation. The passenger should have known that was a mistake from the get-go.
As far as the openskies booking is concerned I think a rebooking in to a business cabin is way outside the realm of "reasonable" re-accommodation. The passenger should have known that was a mistake from the get-go.
Dec 31, 2011, 4:16 pm
#251
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: ORD
Posts: 654
How does the choice of a $500 voucher to accept a different departure day, or a refund AND a $200 voucher not equate to compensation?
Dec 31, 2011, 4:23 pm
#252
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 487
you should get some sort of compensation
Dec 31, 2011, 4:39 pm
#253
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: PDX
Posts: 2,284
Winner, winner, chicken dinner!
I'd study EU Reg. 261/2004 very carefully for the airline's burden to re-route due to the cancellation of a flight this close to departure, where extra expense would be incurred to replace the flight. Cash compensation is also due if the cancellation occurred within two weeks of the departure date.
Did AA inform your colleague of his rights under this regulation? That's also their duty. As long as the flight is to/from a point in the EU, the regulation applies. And not just to EU-based carriers.
Last edited by AeroWesty; Dec 31, 2011 at 6:36 pm Reason: Silly websites!
Dec 31, 2011, 5:01 pm
#254
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: ORD
Programs: AA lifetime gold, United Mileage Plus silver, Marriott Platinum Elite
Posts: 503
You can't be serious. AA completely botched the situation and you think, because the pax didn't come up with a solution, then no compensation is due?
I own a business that provides a service that a lot of other companies in my industry also provide. We aren't without competition but we are one of the most popular and quite profitable. And we've seen many competitors come and go.
The secret is so simple. Good to excellent customer service. Customers understand that things sometimes go wrong. It's how you handle problems that matters most. Taking responsibility, responding quickly, and then proactively fixing the problem is key.
I have to say - this pervasive attitude of "to hell with the customer" has really helped our company stand out as different, and put lots of money in the bank account. But it never fails to make my jaw drop.
I own a business that provides a service that a lot of other companies in my industry also provide. We aren't without competition but we are one of the most popular and quite profitable. And we've seen many competitors come and go.
The secret is so simple. Good to excellent customer service. Customers understand that things sometimes go wrong. It's how you handle problems that matters most. Taking responsibility, responding quickly, and then proactively fixing the problem is key.
I have to say - this pervasive attitude of "to hell with the customer" has really helped our company stand out as different, and put lots of money in the bank account. But it never fails to make my jaw drop.
How is it that on this board the worst behaviour of AA gets a pass?
We all are AA frequent flyers and must like AA but hopefully it does not mean that we have to defend everything about AA.
Dec 31, 2011, 5:55 pm
#255
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Benicia CA
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 75K, AA 3.8MM, UA 1.1MM, enjoying the retired life
Posts: 31,849
Some of our regulars are probably away for the holiday weekend. Hang in there and someone will surely be along to attack AA's handling of the situation. I don't really have any experience with this type of situation to comment myself.