mvoight

How would the EU regulation have protected him any more than what he can get from AA for this cancellation?

From EU rule concerning cancellation, look at the first exception. If the airline notifies him 2 weeks in advance, he is only "entited to a re-routing or refund". The AAgent offered to give him a refund.


************************************************
If a flight is cancelled, passengers are automatically entitled to a re-routing or refund. Where applicable, they are also entitled to refreshments, communication and accommodation as described below.

The airline is also required to pay cash compensation as described below, unless one of the following conditions applies:

the airline notifies the passengers at least two weeks prior to departure
************************************************** **

skylady

As long as you now know, it's not personal, just business.

Deltahater

Actually, this is fairly incorrect. Well, not incorrect, just not applicable.
The part of AA's legal documents that apply here is rule 80/240, not the COC.

AA will put you on another flight, whether or not there are award seats available in your class of service.
The OP has not provided sufficient information to help much, but, I assume he wants 3-4 seats (all in F?) on the same flight. If AA has F class seats available for sale, he should get those.

OP.. Like BRP said, tone it down, call AA with the flights you want, cite rule 80/240, make sure the F class seats are available and politely escalate things until you get what you booked and paid for.

Typically AA is very responsive in these situations. YMMV

MOXJO7282

To clarify something, I'm of the belief that you get more with honey than vinegar, and its not the CSR fault AA changed things, so I don't act hostile to anyone, even if the person has a really bad attitude, because it doesn't get you anywhere. I was frustrated for sure.

Anyway if she would have known the rules above it wouldnt have gotten so stressful but when she said my choice was to basically like it or lump it, not ony was she obviously wrong, but rude as well.

Subsequent CSRs tried to help but it wasn't until I got to someone with experience that it started to work out. I had to speak to 4 people before I got to one that knew about the rule mentioned above. Now I'm not to far off from where I want to be, other than coach on the way down, but maybe I'll get lucky with the 1st class seats opening up.

Regards.
Joe

zachary

Frankly, there are a lot of agents that don't understand the schedule change rules, whether on paid or award tickets. I've learned (the hard way) that if I get one of those agents, I just thank them for their time and call back. AA's rules really are pretty pro-consumer: they basically allow you to pick any other flight on the same day, or on the day immediately before or after the originally scheduled flight. This should apply to award tickets as well as paid tickets.

I book a lot of award tickets 11 months in advance, so I always keep the rules bookmarked: http://www.aa.com/content/agency/Boo...e_240_80.jhtml

brp

The most basic rule here (OK, the second most basic rule after "what do you mean you didn't search?!? ) is to call back if you don't get the answer you want/expect. Obviously, there are cases where the answer one wants is unreasonable, and you're never going to get it. What you wanted (and eventually got) was completely reasonable, as reading threads here will show. I know it's hard not to get frustrated- I know the call back rule well, and I still have situations where frustration takes over. It really is best to realize early on that a given agent either doesn't know, doesn't care, or both. Thank them, hang up, and call back. As you've seen, it really does work...

And the honey/vinegar thing is spot on in these situations. It may not be ideal, but I'm glad it's improved.

Cheers.

vrbaba

I guess that issue here is the OP's originally scheduled award flight in Biz/First had a major schedule and routing change. Now, he has flights that he is willing to go on within +/- couple days of those dates. However, AA is not willing to open up the Biz/First class seats to award redeemability for the OP to go on? Is this correct?

In such cases, the OP should have the right to choose any flights close to the original flights that he is willing to live with without regard to award availability as long as seats are available for sale.

If seats are not available, there is not much he can do or fly in coach for those flights (if available). Maybe ask for some compensation for paying first class award miles, but flying in coach (at least for one leg).

brp

That's the basic question- no F seats available, or they're just not willing to open those, just coach.

OP- can you let us know the new outbound flight number and date and someone here can look up the actual F availability?

Cheers.

PhilC

AA679 is showing J1 on 2/7/09, if that's the flight.

mvoight

In all seriousness. I hate someone bringing up the EU Rights thing everytime there is a cancelation. The OP's flight is in Feb. According to the "EU Rights", if the airline notifies you at least 2 weeks prior, they have to give you a change or a refund. No more..... This is EXACTLY what AA will give. Some agents might try looking for award seats, but if they do, ask for a supervisor. If AA makes a change, you are not limited to award seats. If you can't get agreeable flights, then you can get a refund..........mmmm just like in the EU..
Now, unless someone has a different interpretation of the EU rules on this...............

Deltahater

Typically the Eu rules are more pax friendly than the archaic US rules. In this case, AA policy trumps both and actually is a pretty good piece of customer service. AA has many flaws, this is not one of them

mvoight

Ok, AA will change the flights to your liking or offer a refund.
How does this "trump" the EU rules which basically say the same thing.

MOXJO7282

They did give me this seat and wait listed me for the 3 others. I'd give the seat to my wife, but I'm praying that the others come through somehow, because it would suck to have our family split between first and coach.

Regards.
Joe
www.cambrafamily.com

brp

So it sounds like, in the end, they did everything the possibly could short of reinstating the flight. It's too bad that it took a second call, but it seems they did everything right in the end ^

Cheers.

MOXJO7282

Well they are trying, but until I have 4 in first I'm not "whole". At least the CSRs have gotten progressively better.