Upfared itinerary On Hold (with cleared SWUs / eVIPs) gets downfared upon purchase
Mar 27, 2009, 10:21 pm
#16
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: Marriott Titanium
Posts: 2,861
When you are logged into aa.com, it will ALWAYS try to re-fare and get you a lower price. Thus, Works As Designed.
To avoid this, either have an agent book it for you, or
LOGOUT of aa.com. Enter your PNR, and all your credit card info MANUALLY, and it won't do a re-fare.
To avoid this, either have an agent book it for you, or
LOGOUT of aa.com. Enter your PNR, and all your credit card info MANUALLY, and it won't do a re-fare.
Mar 28, 2009, 12:44 am
#17
Join Date: Oct 2008
Programs: AA EXP, WN, DL
Posts: 129
The sabre system will cancel a duplicate reservation in the system, whether it's purchased or not. Additionaly, you cannot use an EVIP unless the tkt is actually purchased. The system recognizes these things. I'd suggest you call the EP desk if you want to do something like this in the future.
Mar 28, 2009, 4:37 am
#18
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: London
Programs: AA EXP 2 MM
Posts: 2,823
** This post based on about 30 SWU upgraded flights over the past few years - ALWAYS initially held ECON in AA.COM - all INTL with domestic segments, ALL with SWU applied and RE-HELD and ALL purchased later, within the window - some on AA.COM and some (most) via agent.
I have always purchased before applying SWUs, but I assume you want to make sure you got allocated any C availability before purchase?
Mar 28, 2009, 7:59 am
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Location: BOS
Programs: AA MM Gold, HH Gold, SPG Gold, DL Gold
Posts: 74
Mar 28, 2009, 8:47 am
#20
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Madison WI
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT - 2.9MM, Lifetime AC, HHonors Gold, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat Amb, Hertz Precs Crcl
Posts: 2,212
Mar 28, 2009, 9:06 am
#21
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: London
Programs: AA EXP 2 MM
Posts: 2,823
Since I travel mainly TATL 4 or 5 times a year, I book the lowest (non O/Q) fares, then hope for upgrades on the flights that I select (only missed one so far). The complementary nature of these strategies provides a win/win situation for both approaches. ^
Mar 28, 2009, 9:21 am
#22
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Duluth, GA
Programs: AAdvantage PLT, AA 2MM, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,268
Mar 29, 2009, 5:27 pm
#23
Moderator: New York City and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2007
Programs: AA PLT, Natl EC
Posts: 10,855
Upfared held itinerary downfares at purchase
OK, just had the same problem upfaring an itinerary for an Award Upgrade. Booked Hold Reservation into OO/NN (outbound/return) online; called and had a Reservations agent upfare the outbound to NN/NN. Tried to complete purchase online and AA.com tried to downfare the outbound back to OO/NN. I tried logging out and pulling it up by PNR as suggested above, and it still refared to OO/NN.
Called Reservations who directed me to Web Services. (Agent suggested the logout trick, too, and reconfirmed that it didn't work for her either). Agent then had me go ahead and purchase the ticket online at the reduced fare with her on the phone; she then re-upfared the outbound, confirmed price with me, and processed the transaction. Purchased reservation now shows as the desired NN/NN fare. Just waiting for it to go to Ticketed now so I can upgrade! ^
I did a similar upfare a month ago and had no problem completing the purchase online. In that case, the entire itinerary was upfared (OO/O to QQ/Q), so I don't know if that made the difference or not (cf. Madison Guy's item #3 above)
Called Reservations who directed me to Web Services. (Agent suggested the logout trick, too, and reconfirmed that it didn't work for her either). Agent then had me go ahead and purchase the ticket online at the reduced fare with her on the phone; she then re-upfared the outbound, confirmed price with me, and processed the transaction. Purchased reservation now shows as the desired NN/NN fare. Just waiting for it to go to Ticketed now so I can upgrade! ^
I did a similar upfare a month ago and had no problem completing the purchase online. In that case, the entire itinerary was upfared (OO/O to QQ/Q), so I don't know if that made the difference or not (cf. Madison Guy's item #3 above)
Mar 29, 2009, 5:33 pm
#24
Join Date: Nov 2008
Programs: AA EXP 3MM
Posts: 1,773
So did the agent charge you for the upfare? If so, did you pay a telephone booking fee?
Mar 30, 2009, 6:09 am
#25
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: London
Programs: AA EXP 2 MM
Posts: 2,823
Upfare in UK?
Has anyone managed to upfare in the UK (or elsewhere outside the US)?
Apparently there is no longer a web services group in the UK, and web services in the US don't like making changes to international bookings which create fare changes.
If the fare is still available one could rebook by phone (for a fee if not EXP), but this could be a problem if the itinerary includes a W fare.
Apparently there is no longer a web services group in the UK, and web services in the US don't like making changes to international bookings which create fare changes.
If the fare is still available one could rebook by phone (for a fee if not EXP), but this could be a problem if the itinerary includes a W fare.
Mar 30, 2009, 12:14 pm
#26
Moderator: New York City and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2007
Programs: AA PLT, Natl EC
Posts: 10,855
Just got the receipts and there was no additional charge. (Of course, you're right, I should have confirmed that explicitly, but since she understood what I was trying to do and that I couldn't complete it online, charges were never discussed.)
Jul 14, 2009, 11:23 am
#27
Join Date: Sep 2007
Programs: Marco Polo Club Gold
Posts: 82
trying to book into Q inventory, website keep on showing O
I have read the wiki, upclass should be possible through the phone but is that possible with to do that completely online? I am outside the states right now.
Jul 14, 2009, 11:42 am
#28
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: All over
Programs: AA-LTP, HH-DIA, Marriott-LT+AMB, Hyatt-Globalist, Hertz-PC, UA-GS
Posts: 6,828
Jul 14, 2009, 11:47 am
#29
Join Date: May 2007
Location: ORD, DEL
Programs: AA (Plt Pro; 1.5 MM)
Posts: 6,185
Online there's no way to demand a specific fare code. The best would be to put whatever they are offering on "hold" (don't buy yet), then call them to make the change, then buy if everything looks good.
Shouldn't have to be so round about but that's life.
Good luck.
Shouldn't have to be so round about but that's life.
Good luck.
Jul 14, 2009, 11:47 am
#30
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: STL
Programs: AA 2MM, AS MVP Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 12,966
No, it is sometimes possible to force a higher fare class online, but not a particular higher fare class. This has to be done by phone. Suggest Skype or other similar services, or many countries have phone numbers in those countries. If you have to make a toll telephone call, put your reservation in O on hold, jot down the PNR, then call, give the AAgent the PNR and ask for the price to upfare the segment or segments you desire to Q. Once you get an agent, shouldn't take but a minute or two. If you are in another time zone, it is often convenient to call around 2 A.M. Central time, and your call normally has no wait time.