American's Lowest Fare Guarantee Bogus
 

On Friday, I purchased a roundtrip ticket from AA for $1400 even though Orbitz was showing the same flight and fare class for $999. The reason why I purchased was AA's low fare guarantee, where I would be refunded the difference in price and a $50 credit.

What was required was the name of the competing website and screenshots if the price could not be verified. I had both. I'm not sure how AA verifies fares, but prices change all the time, so I knew I had to rely on screenshots.

I printed screenshots of every page up until I had to purchase the ticket...even including the fare codes. Each page was sized to fit a regular sheet of paper. AA would not accept the screenshots via email, so I had to fax them to AA.

AA came back and said that the print was illegible, even though I could just read it fine. I asked what part needed to be enlarged, but was not told. I asked AA to simply check the Orbitz site and they can see everything that I could even though the price by this time has gone up $100.

AA refused to do so and said that they looked on Expedia and denied my claim. I never even mentioned Expedia...only Orbitz. AA also refused to call me to let me talk to someone to discuss this. The number listed for AA.com Low Fare Guarantee only sent me to customer reps claiming that they could explain the program, but not do anything about my situation. I could only email the Low Fare group.

Can anyone give me some advice on what I should do? Had anyone had a similar situation?

Thanks in advance.

For most purposes faxing documents gives "reasonably" legible copies. Some fax machines can be set to enhance the output [draft, fine and extra fine are some options on some fax machines], try to see if this improves the output. There is also a possibility that through some "glitch" in the phone lines, at the time you sent the fax, output came through indistinctly...try again!
Can you send your screen prints to them by US Mail?

The hoops they make you jump through are just not worth it. When I found a similar thing on Orbitz I tried to get AA to meet the price and save me 200. They told me I had to buy the tickets at AA.com and then send in the proof for a claim. If I was right (If??) they would credit my account. They would not even look at Orbitz in real time. I just got the ticket at Orbitz. Why should I go through the time and effort and make my expense reports more complicated?

As such the promise is worthless and quite in keeping with the AA policy of not allowing AA.com users to find the best deals available.

Several FTers have made good on AA's claim. It is not bogus. Maybe not as user friendly as it should be...

I believe if you have all the supporting evidence which you say you have you will be successful. I find some older fax machines which many companies still use give bad copies or perhaps you had a bad line.
Mail the supporting evidence in.

Now as somebody who visits Las Vegas fairly often, I hope you dont ever take up the game :) Gambling $400 to win $50 even if you consider it a "sure thing" is a very bad bet :D .

mike

And some four or five times. I only had trouble with one, which wasn't really AA's fault even if they handled it a little poorly initially. But in the end, it turned out fine and they apologized for the problems. I can't recall how I contacted them but I think it's through the web sales phone number.

I have been able to have them adjust the price once before ticketing (with no $50) and the other times have had to buy first. Once had to fax, others were still verifiable. Although I admit that I had my doubts, the system works if you follow the directions and let it. AA doesn't seem to be trying to screw people over from my experience. As long as everything is documented, I expect they will take care of you if you talk to them. And, as someone else said, the fine/superfine/photo setting on your fax is your friend.

You should have booked through Orbitz. These guarantees are way too much hassle for 50 bucks.

Student Fares
 

You shold be aware that the AA guarantee only works for published fares. As an academic, I am eligible for student/academic fares, and AA will not match these special fares.

They could do the Las Vegas method (now that you mention the city) - I stayed at The Orleans, found a Vegas hotel booking site that was lower, called the Orleans - they logged in and beat the rate all while we were on the phone.

In my case, AA.com refused to talk to me over the phone. They would only correspond via email. They also refused to check Orbitz.com for the lowest fare. It is impossible to capture everything using Ctrl. Print Screen. This makes it difficult to figure out AA.com actually needs to see.

What was at stake wasn't just a $50 travel coupon. The price difference between fares was $400 for the same ticket.

Fortunately, my fare was refundable. I bought the same ticke through Orbitz, even though it was $200 more expensive by the time I went back to Orbitz.

I've always used "Print Screen," pasted the results into Word, resized it to make sure it's readable, and sent it to AA on request...no problems thus far.

Few months ago I also tried to use AA Lowest Price Guarantee Refund because Expedia was cheaper. I bought the ticket via AA Web, and proceeded to claim to refund process. Then came to realize (after further reading on FT) that AA codeshared flight are not elligible for the refund so I called AA Web immediately and explained the situation. I suppose Apollo was looking after me that day, AA Web canceled my reservation and refunded me 100%. I'd say the refund process works but you need to read all the very fine print.

Actually, not really, from what others have posted. The notion that it won't work on codeshares is, IMO, big print, and not fine print at all. Some of the fine print mentions fare classes, rules, restrictions, etc...and having them all match. The experiences I've seen here have not required that close an adherence, despite what the "fine print" says. So, I really don't think it's a "fine print" issue.

Cheers.

The way that this would work, if AA were serious about it, is this:
1. You put reservation on hold at AA.com.
2. You call in with details of lower fare.
3. They check out lower fare while you are on the phone.
4. They adjust the price of your reservation to be $50 less than the fare at the other site (you are still on the phone).
5. You purchase ticket online.

This eliminates all the hassle of "we can't find it" and "that fare doesn't qualify because we put the exception in the tiny print".

Obviously, AA doesn't want to really offer its lowest fares on AA.com, it just wants you to think they do.

If I'm wrong, since we know that AA reads Flyertalk, they will change their guarantee over to something very like the above, and I will be back here with my apology. Until then, I will continue to check at least 5 other sites for every fare, and book it where I find the lowest price.

Only one of two things is going to change their gurantee and/or their modus operandi: an FTC ruling or lawsuits by a collection of State Attoneys General. The last thing they are going to do for themselves, and you, is make it easy for you to get money from them.

FT'ers moaning ain't going to do it.