Efrem

It's common with AA that the first reply to a question misses the point. The folks who answer these questions are under a lot of pressure to get through huge volumes and can't always take the time to read a non-standard inquiry carefully enough to respond properly. I've had a couple of real howlers that way. (Whether it involves a postcard, an e-mail, or perhaps smoke signals, doesn't seem to matter.)

However, a second query referring to the first one and saying something like "hey, folks, you really missed the point here" (but more politely) has always worked in my experience. Again, the medium doesn't matter, it's the message. Glad it worked out for you too.

Presumably someone at AA has figured out that the time they waste dealing with a few inquiries twice is less than they save by dealing with them quickly the first time. Whether that's really better for their bottom line, taking into account the negative impact on people who receive thoughtless first replies, is another question - which I doubt they've addressed.

kebosabi

First of all, thanks in advance to FT as without this info I would've never known that such thing existed.

Now I need to ask a question. I'm flying SNA-ORD-DFW-AUS-DFW-SNA this weekend, but my first leg SNA-ORD was cancelled due to a mechanical. AA notified me in advance and had be booked on the same routing but with different departing times, which hinders my arrival schedule at AUS.

Is it possible to go to the AC at SNA and ask to be put on SNA-DFW-AUS while receiving the miles for the original routing? If so, what is the best way to ask? I've tried calling AA reservations, but they said they've never heard of such option despite my usage of the term "original routing credit."

JDiver

Reservations are probably not the folks to ask about this issue - but when you check in at the AC, you could say you were involuntarily rerouted (or as if you call to get on the flight you want) and would like a note in your PNR that you were involuntarily rerouted and want original routing credit. These are the words to use if you call to request the original miles / points posted.

I was granted original routing credit when I was involuntarily rerouted to another airline a couple of weeks ago; the CSR had to ask a supervisor, but it shows up properly now.

I've added this thread tot he original thread on this issue, liked to in the Unofficial Users' Guide sticky.

Bostom

Not that the PLT "desk" is reported as terribly helpful here from them that use it, but my experiences on the EXP line have usually resulted in getting the original credit when the reason for a routing change was AA's.

I say "usually" as on occasion they've done so when I requested the change. Three weeks ago, when the AAgent heard me say I was doing the trip for the miles, she re-routed me LAX-MIA-BOS instead of the non-stop. She also got me upgraded on both legs - better for me as the n/s was full in front - AND earning me an additional 1000 or so status miles to boot.

I suspect - but don't know - that status mattered on that occasion, either in getting to the experienced AAgent or because the airline wants to accomodate elite-level passengers.

Or maybe it's my sexy voice...

nrr

I was booked on 1806 las-ord today, 12/03/07, scheduled to depart at 12:20 am; and then connect to a flight to lga. When I called the aa info line at around 7 pm pst on 12/02/07--the message said that the plane would be two hours late due to late arrival of the crew. I called and asked to placed on the standby list for a flight via mia.
When I arrived at the airport at 8:30 pm, I tried printing my bp and it showed that I had been re-routed on US Air las-pitsburg-lga.
I called the exp desk and asked about getting mileage credit--the agent I spoke with said I would get NO credit as US Air is not an AA partner; I was then transfered to a cs agent, who after several minutes said I would get credit. [She first asked if the delay was weather related, and my response was "I don't know", it could have been due to ORD weather problems or mechanical...]
What is the official policy--if an exp agent doesn't know, should I?

bdemaria

You need to specifically ask for "original routing credit" for an involuntary re-route.

vasantn

Keep calling and be sure to use the magic phrase "original routing credit."

CloudCoder

EXP desk handles reservations. AAdvantage Customer Service handles mileage credit. Don't ask the EXP desk about mileage credit, unless you'd also ask AAdvantage CS about upcoming reservations.

brp

Actually, Agent #1 was correct, according to the official policy (posted recently in another thread). It basically says that one will not receive miles for the original flight if rerouted on a different carrier. Now, we all know that it happens all the time...but the official policy is as stated and the agent was, technically, correct.

Cheers.

JDiver

Official policy says nada - experience says use the proper phrases ("I was involuntarily rerouted and would like to request original routing credit") make sit easier for them to grant you the exception - often with a lengthy caveat after they do. If they don't, it may be helpful to call again later.


(N.B. Your thread has been merged with this consolidated thread about this issue to prevent "thread spread" and allow members to find information more easily; many links to existing threads may be found in the Unofficial Users' Guide sticky. - Moderator)

rbessler

Just wanted to provide a short data point, especially given that mine was not quite an *involuntary* re-route:

The short of it: Mileage run to Yakima, Washington last weekend from New York (JFK-LAX-SEA-YKM-SEA-SAN-JFK), with a planned overnight in Yakima. When I made it to Seattle, however, things looked bad: it was snowing heavily, and you couldn't really see anything, and you could start to see Alaska canceling flights.

Anyway, it looked like the flight to Yakima was going to take off on time, but since it was supposed to get even worse overnight I was worried that I wouldn't be able to get *out* of Yakima on Sunday. Luckily, Alaska was happy to reroute me a day early back to San Diego, and the Admirals Club was able to get me on the redeye back a day early. I did not end up flying the Yakima segments.

Anyway, called AAdvantage Customer Service (which, by the way, is hard to get to now that they are taking away the direct number), and after telling me they have been told not to do that, she asked if I needed them to requalify, and when I said "yes" she put me on hold for a few minutes, and came back and said that it should post in the next forty-eight hours.

ethang801

I was originally scheduled to fly from LAX-STL-LGA on flight 576 this past Sunday. One flight number despite the two flights so I would only be receiving one EQS and 2,469 EQM (not a big deal since I will qualify for EXP by about 2k EQM). However, on arrival in STL, we were told that the continuing flight had been canceled and I was unable to be rebooked on the next STL-LGA flight due to space limitations or STL-EWR due to weight restrictions. Instead, I was booked on the next STL-BNA flight and then BNA-LGA. Got back to NYC in the end, a few hours late but no real harm done. I was expecting to receive 2,853 EQMs for LAX-STL-BNA-LGA (1590, 500, 763) but today I found that I received sort of the original routing credit of LAX-LGA and additionally STL-BNA for a total of 2,969 EQMs but only 2 EQS (2,469 and 500).

My question (finally) is, is receiving this type of original routing credit with the extra leg thrown in normal or would I expect to get credit for the three segments? Again, the difference in mileage is minimal and worked in my favor, so its not an issue for me, but it was an odd curiousity. Any thoughts or experiences would be great, thanks!

Moderator note: main thread on ORC is Involuntary Reroutes and Original Routing Credit (ORC) (consolidated)

ja_user

You were booked on a direct flight, so they really don't have any way of knowing if you got off at STL or stayed on the plane. Of course they cancelled the STl-LGA leg, but AAdvantage doesn't know that.

JDiver

If you requested and been granted original routing credit - you would have original LAX-LGA (given the same flight number would eliminate STL from the formula, ergo the single segment you state) EQM/EQP/EQS routing credit.

If you gain more by the reroute, request they credit you properly for the LAX-STL-BNA-LGA reroute you took, NOT the original routing credit, and 1590 + 500 + 763 = 2,853 EQM, EQP depending on class booked. There's a segment missing, at least, and some bonus EQMs.

Since you will qualify by EQMs, I'd leave well enough alone and accept the anomaly.

bts09

Something like this happened to me a few days ago. I was flying back from Houston to Boston, via Chicago, This was Saturday when the storms were in Chicago. A friend advised me to try to re-reroute, going IAH-DFW-BOS. Originally, my flight from IAH-ORD-BOS was purchased as "S" fare tickets, so I was only getting .5 EQPs per mile, and since both those segments are <1000 miles, it was going to be 1000 EQPs total.

BUT, when I re-routed to DFW and then on to BOS, the FA grabbed a Y fare ticket for me, that is, for whatever reason, the ticket she picked in the re-route was a much more expensive ticket than I had originally purchased (but obviously, I didn't pay anything more). When I got back and checked my account, I had been credited 2343 EQPs for the DFW-BOS segment, which is the 1.5 EQPs per mile that Y fares give you. Just something I like to call winning the re-route lottery.