RogerD408

Seems more and more CSRs are quick to justify what's happened rather than fixing it. There used to be a time you could expect a supervisor to take the time to figure out what happened and come up with a good fix. It seems like some of those CSRs have now been promoted and doing the same thing in their new position. Of course, that is presuming you actually get a supervisor when asked and not just their cubemate claiming to be one.

I suggest the OP send a tweet to @AmericanAir and let them know the type of service received. Maybe someone can schedule some retraining.

Often1

Things like refunds are best handled through a webform request. Refaring international itineraries isn't done in one's head. Unless you need the miles the next day, send in the webform, you will inevitably get the correct refund and not have to waste an hour arguing about it.

antonius66

I originally booked MAD-MIA-CLT-LAS...2 tickets on 2 PNR...1 in in J MAD-MIA and the rest domestic first. The other MAD-MIA in Z, and the rest domestic first. They changed both tickets to MAD-PHL (J) and PHL-CLT-LAS in domestic first without my permission. I called and had them refund the 12.5k extra miles paid for the original Z booking one way since they changed it to J. The other one was not impacted mileage wise, but both had the routings changed. The original flights and flight numbers still exist for booking (I checked with a test revenue booking) although the times have changed. I still do not know what the reason was that they changed my 2 original bookings and no one gave me any answer.

They are RT though, and begin in C1...these legs are the returns that were at issue. No changes were made to original outbounds, which were LAS-DFW-JFK-MAD, both in J.

Dave Noble

What/where is C1?

It is irrelevent now, but sounds like you could have got better compensation given that the rerouting was not your choice

jordyn

Not enough of one--it seems like AA owes him 62.5K x 75% miles, so 46,875 miles, and they've only refunded 12,500. Seems worth pursuing the extra 34,375 miles. I can't imagine getting AA to give less than the required refund lets them off the hook for the rest.

Dave Noble

No it doesn't

The passenger has not travelled in a cabin lower than that which is ticketed. Prior to travel the passenger has asked the airline for a refund and been given it.

When the flight actually occurs, the passenger will not be being placed in a cabin lower than paid and ticketed for

Would have needed to wait until after the flight had occurred before pursuing compensation

jordyn

By this logic, every time AA involuntarily downgraded someone it could just reticket, refund the difference in miles/money and never be on the hook for the penalty because on the day of travel everything matched.

This is analogous to IDB--just because you accept another accommodation or a voucher doesn't turn IDB into VDB. You actually need to have the option to fly on the original flight in order for it to be "voluntary". If one of OP's options wasn't to fly in F, then the change doesn't magically become voluntarily just because a fare difference was provided.

antonius66

C1 means North America...the US in this case.

Well, now you guys have me wondering if I still am entitled to more...although I have to say I would think Dave Noble's view is more accurate in my opinion but my knowledge of EU compensation rules is only slightly more than the average traveler...which is to say I know the basics but almost nothing more than that.

Dave Noble

No it isn't . AA did not refund the passenger until the passenger requested and insisted on it. If he had not requested the refund but had travelled in a class lower than booked due to the airline , then would have been entitled to EC261 compensation

The airline has no right to force a downgrade and force a refund

The precise wording is

The passenger will have no claim against the operating carrier for the flight when it occurs since he has a business class ticket and has paid a business class fare and so not been placed in a cabin lower than purchased. The reissue to a business class fare was only done by AA after the passenger specifically requested it. In fact AA initially refused to do so

jordyn

Even if we accept your logic (which I don't, but let's go with it arguendo), it's not at all clear that there was an actual ticket reissue in response to OP's request as opposed to a "goodwill" refund of miles.

Dave Noble

The customer is no longer going to be taken in a class of service other than which he has paid for.

I think the chance of successfully pursuing a claim under EC261 will be so close to zero that would just be a waste of money to try

emcat

Should be pretty easy for the OP to figure that one out. Did he get a credit for the reinstatement and then a debit for the new award (and now have yet another new ticket number)? Or did he just get 12.5k costumer service miles credited to his account?

sbm12

Likely because the times changed and the MCT was borked at MIA. But that's just a hunch. Switching you to PHL still gets you to the same CLT-LAS flight, right? And leaves MAD around the same time as the original MIA schedule? That's what AA was trying to protect.

As to the EU261 claim suggestion, AA had reissued the ticket when it switched the routing. Suggesting that it is still ticketed in F is ludicrous. The company may not have issued the refund yet, but that's not what the EU261 rule is about.

Dave Noble

Regardless of reissue... the wording is

" in a class lower than that for which the ticket was purchased"

the customer purchased a 1st class ticket. Until the customer pushed for it to be refunded down to business class, that is what the customer had purchased

As of now, however, when the passenger travels, the customer will only be in the class purchased

jordyn

That's the whole point of the rule, though--the airline can't sell you one service and then deliver another without paying a penalty. Giving a refund isn't a get out of jail free card under the rule.