AmericanFtWorthTX

Since most of us here on FT are always looking for the best deal for our travel, then do that. If it cost you an upgrade fee, then will have to pay it. Granted if enough flyers complain, then 'they' may consider it. So now we have an option, roll over and play dead or stand up and say enough! You have to do what is best for you and get friends and coworkers involved.

I personally think it sucks. To be loyal to an airline now is going to cost me more, and taking the airline's attitude, then I'll go to whom gives me the best deal. I'm still communicating with AA regarding the use the phone center fee on my fly-free ticket voucher tickets. I've found them to be unbudging and "no exception" attitude from all that I've talked to or writen with. From this traveler, all this is doing is making me as a traveler, to be more creative and less loyal to an airline. In my last communication with AA, I informed them that with this family, we're going to use what ever airline gives us the best cost and I hope that this fee brings them at AA much happiness. i came very close to wishing that they lose their jobs over this but to be nasty just don't help. They have lost me as a traveler and I'm going to 'vote' with my fingers on the web and feet as I go to CO or UA or NWA or a discount carrier. Jet Blue you here this??? DFW awaits you!

PUCCI GALORE

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!! ^ ^

Now considering that I have been on my knees (and I do not do this for just any Moderator! or human being these days), lighting candles, and saying Novenas to St Anthony. Considering that I have wrecked three pairs of decent shoes walking with crossed toes, dropped Him Indoors hot tea on him in places that the sun should never shine. To think that I to whom solomn confidence means telling one person at a time have kept my lips sealed. And what do I get? I learn about this wonderful piece of news from the midst of this $500 upgrade dross when you and I know that this will be a matter of utter indifference to you in the months to come. It is rather like discovering a diamond in the coal scuttle.

I am delighted for you.

BUT - think not that you are going to get off lightly. Hell hath no fury like a Pucci who learns the goss last!

1) Darling, I told you so. Happy Days!

2) They'd have been mad not to take you

3) Have a lovely big drink on me! - but remember. If you are staff you have to fly First Class with all the rest of the staff. You never know who will be auditing the contents of the garment closet

Have a long and Happy career at Aer Lingus

(Was that what I was meant to keep quiet about?)

Your delighted Mate




PucciXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Now I can go off to the New World with a happy heart!

inlanikai

Let me add my belated congratulations and well wishes for success in your new job. They are lucky to get you. ^

777Brit

My Dear Pucci,

I tried to tell you, but your Private Message mailbox on FT has been full for the last week or so!

I start on November 15th, T4, err, T1...

I'll definitely have that lovely big drink on you! (Well, not literally....)

Cheers, Dave

PUCCI GALORE

Full Mail Box? Now what sort of an excuse is that? Call yourself a Moderator!!

Thank you Darling. I've cleaned it out of all the mail (except your Billets Doux )

Been called, must run!

lisamcgu

Brit!!!

How are you?! So long since I've seen a post from you - my fault, of course I need to putz around FT more and check out other forums.

Congrats on the new job, and I still have those new baby gifts on the ready - just let me know when the stork will be visiting!

kidpachinko

Sorry to bump this back up, but I've been away and just heard the news. Add us Kids to the large block of "upgrade discount flights to NRT" because of the lack of a charge. We can not buy biz class, so will just have to add on $500 to the cheapest AA tix and compare against other options.

We have a decent amount of mileage saved up, and Lifetime Gold (whatever that will end up meaning?), so perhaps AA's move will make us fly Coach awards ($0 revenue for AA) for a bunch of flights rather than use miles for upgrades when space allows ($700-$1200 revenue for AA).

I do not see how this move will get AA any more revenue from us Kids...

-KP

TravelGuy1965

Does anyone know where this ended up?

Will the fee apply to eVIPs as well as mile based upgrades? Or just for mile based? Could impact if I push the extra 20k miles this year to reach EXP or not.

Thanks!

flipside

IT's been stated here and on AA's website many many many times....

It ONLY applies to MILAGE upgrades.

DFWAAgold

I sent AA an email asking why they still charge the expedite fees ($50,$75) for award travel since it's all electronic and takes no more time or effort to issue these 4 months out or 4 hours out. The original reason was due to them having to issue a paper award and having to FedEx it to the traveler. Understandable. I got what looked like was a canned response that said they continuously re-evaluate their fees and still charge these because it is a good source of revenue. Hmm, I thought that was why they were going to start this $250 fee for mileage upgrades?

I sent a reply and asked since that's the case, will the $250 fee replace the expedite fees or will a FF having to pay up to $325 for last minute upgrades. It took them a few days to reply this time but the answer was:

"even with the Upgrade award fee, we are not in a
position to change the expedite fee policy at the moment. However, if
you do request the upgrade 21 days prior to your departure date, you
will not incur any expedite fees."

On recent trips, even as of yesterday, I mentioned the new fee to several Plats and ExPs that were seated next to me. NO one had heard of this, and of course no one was please. I asked a operations supervisor at DFW who was working a counter last week what kind of problems he thought it was going to create when they start charging this in about 2 weeks and he didn't know what I was talking about. A nearby ticket agent heard our conversation and she told him "oh yea, that was in our last announcements".

Why is AA keeping this so quiet and low key, maybe they KNOW it's going to be bad for business?? They just got spanked all over the DFW news about a week ago when they announced a $5-10 service fee to offset fuel costs. LOL It will be funny to see how they spin a $250 fee.

aamilesslave

Morter Forker! So, the fee for a round-trip upgrade is now something between $500 and $650, inclusive.

djcrooks

Yep, but plus the $500 to $1000 value of your 50,000 miles (depending on how you value your miles). Imagine, if you value your miles at $0.02 each, that's $1000 worth of miles, plus up to $650, assuming you request one way upgrades separately and within 7 days of each upgraded flight for a grand total of $1650 for your upgrade! Add in the actual cost of the ticket and you're much better off looking for a discounted business class ticket to begin with.

venk

They don't need to spin it at all. It is not even newsworthy since most news readers neither do mileage upgrades nor empathize wth people traveling in business/first class. It doesn't affect them.

Quite a different beast from a gas surcharge across all tickets.

AndrewC

Did anyone who's already complained to AA hear anything back from them?

I've gone from 100% AA on my transatlantic travel to 0%. My last 3 trips have been on Virgin. That's a ton of money AA have lost on paid J and F travel.

I'm kinda sick of punishing AA now, but I at least wanted to get some kind of response from them!

jaynyc

I received a letter in the mail in response to my letter. Have since thrown it away but they rationalized why they are doing it and tried to convince me they are still competitive on International flights.

I wrote in my letter that they have leveled the playing field. If another airline is a few dollars cheaper, AA has lost my business.