New on AA.com: Notification center (major improvement)
Jun 27, 2009, 12:46 pm
#1
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 1999
Posts: 12,097
New on AA.com: Notification center (major improvement)
You can now set your AA.com account up such that you automatically receive notifications without having to manually sign up for every single flight.
View a quick demo for the new Notification Center at AA.com/connect
The Notification center is a new tab in "My Account" and this link should take you directly to it: https://www.aa.com/aa/myAccount/noti...enterAccess.do .
For some reason, email notifications are disabled by default, so you have to manually turn them on. That's not a very smart move, as AA benefits from the maximum number of users (higher satisfaction); they need a behaviorist in the design team!
BTW, apparently they're having some troubles with the new system: the homepage is currently stating that "Flight Status Notification is temporarily unavailable due to maintenance." However, the Notification Center tab is working so you can set up the account in advance of when they fix the issue.
Kudos to the AA team: the features/functionality looks VERY well done. I am sure the quality of the info sent out will be top-notch as well (especially when dealing with OSOs and unscheduled intermediate stops, which is when notifications add the most value).
Just one quick piece of feedback: when clicking "View Details" on an upcoming PNR, all flights are listed the same way, including those on non-AA (in my example BA). The display suggests that notifications will be sent out for all flights, including those on BA, which we know here it's not the case. AA may want to look at greying out (or mark in some way) those flights for which notifications are not going to be sent out (similarly to how it's done when you select "Notify a Friend") to properly set expectations.
View a quick demo for the new Notification Center at AA.com/connect
The Notification center is a new tab in "My Account" and this link should take you directly to it: https://www.aa.com/aa/myAccount/noti...enterAccess.do .
For some reason, email notifications are disabled by default, so you have to manually turn them on. That's not a very smart move, as AA benefits from the maximum number of users (higher satisfaction); they need a behaviorist in the design team!
BTW, apparently they're having some troubles with the new system: the homepage is currently stating that "Flight Status Notification is temporarily unavailable due to maintenance." However, the Notification Center tab is working so you can set up the account in advance of when they fix the issue.
Kudos to the AA team: the features/functionality looks VERY well done. I am sure the quality of the info sent out will be top-notch as well (especially when dealing with OSOs and unscheduled intermediate stops, which is when notifications add the most value).
Just one quick piece of feedback: when clicking "View Details" on an upcoming PNR, all flights are listed the same way, including those on non-AA (in my example BA). The display suggests that notifications will be sent out for all flights, including those on BA, which we know here it's not the case. AA may want to look at greying out (or mark in some way) those flights for which notifications are not going to be sent out (similarly to how it's done when you select "Notify a Friend") to properly set expectations.
Jun 27, 2009, 12:59 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: LAX
Posts: 3,267
They seem to be working to improve the website. I was there today and got a popup asking me to participate in a survey about how the site is running, where I buy my airfare, etc... There's a drawing for a prize, so I filled it out. Kind of long, but I'm glad they're working on it. 
Jun 27, 2009, 1:21 pm
#3
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: NY
Programs: AA Plat 1MM, IC RA, HH Gold
Posts: 2,791
If they could only add international online check-in...
Jun 27, 2009, 1:25 pm
#4
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: AA EXP, 1 MM, AC, HH Diamond, Marriott Silver, Hertz 5*
Posts: 4,010
Not complaining about progress, but I usually have flight alerts sent to a different e-mail address than ticketing info, etc., since I try to keep down traffic on my Exchange account on my cell phone.
But I'm not finding a way to enter an alternate e-mail address to set up the automatic notifications. Guess I could use text messages, but prefer getting it by e-mail.
But I'm not finding a way to enter an alternate e-mail address to set up the automatic notifications. Guess I could use text messages, but prefer getting it by e-mail.
Jun 27, 2009, 1:28 pm
#5
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Racine, WI/VCE
Programs: AA EXP, MR LT PPE, Arise Mucci des Hommes de Fer
Posts: 1,047
You can now set your AA.com account up such that you automatically receive notifications without having to manually sign up for every single flight.
View a quick demo for the new Notification Center at AA.com/connect
The Notification center is a new tab in "My Account" and this link should take you directly to it: https://www.aa.com/aa/myAccount/noti...enterAccess.do .
For some reason, email notifications are disabled by default, so you have to manually turn them on. That's not a very smart move, as AA benefits from the maximum number of users (higher satisfaction); they need a behaviorist in the design team!
BTW, apparently they're having some troubles with the new system: the homepage is currently stating that "Flight Status Notification is temporarily unavailable due to maintenance." However, the Notification Center tab is working so you can set up the account in advance of when they fix the issue.
Kudos to the AA team: the features/functionality looks VERY well done. I am sure the quality of the info sent out will be top-notch as well (especially when dealing with OSOs and unscheduled intermediate stops, which is when notifications add the most value).
Just one quick piece of feedback: when clicking "View Details" on an upcoming PNR, all flights are listed the same way, including those on non-AA (in my example BA). The display suggests that notifications will be sent out for all flights, including those on BA, which we know here it's not the case. AA may want to look at greying out (or mark in some way) those flights for which notifications are not going to be sent out (similarly to how it's done when you select "Notify a Friend") to properly set expectations.
View a quick demo for the new Notification Center at AA.com/connect
The Notification center is a new tab in "My Account" and this link should take you directly to it: https://www.aa.com/aa/myAccount/noti...enterAccess.do .
For some reason, email notifications are disabled by default, so you have to manually turn them on. That's not a very smart move, as AA benefits from the maximum number of users (higher satisfaction); they need a behaviorist in the design team!
BTW, apparently they're having some troubles with the new system: the homepage is currently stating that "Flight Status Notification is temporarily unavailable due to maintenance." However, the Notification Center tab is working so you can set up the account in advance of when they fix the issue.
Kudos to the AA team: the features/functionality looks VERY well done. I am sure the quality of the info sent out will be top-notch as well (especially when dealing with OSOs and unscheduled intermediate stops, which is when notifications add the most value).
Just one quick piece of feedback: when clicking "View Details" on an upcoming PNR, all flights are listed the same way, including those on non-AA (in my example BA). The display suggests that notifications will be sent out for all flights, including those on BA, which we know here it's not the case. AA may want to look at greying out (or mark in some way) those flights for which notifications are not going to be sent out (similarly to how it's done when you select "Notify a Friend") to properly set expectations.
Jun 27, 2009, 2:33 pm
#6
Formerly known as katzalex
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: MSY
Programs: AAdvantage EXP, Hertz Platinum, Marriot Platinum, HHonors Silver, SPG Gold
Posts: 104
I noticed this when booking a flight earlier today, but couldn't believe a thread hadn't been started already. It's a major improvment in my eyes, much needed.
Jun 27, 2009, 5:57 pm
#7
Join Date: Oct 2007
Programs: AAdvantage EXP 1MM+, Marriot Platinum, Avis First
Posts: 43
Nice. I have been looking forward to this feature for a while. It was very annoying to have to go back to set up notifications on every reservation. I also like the ability to set up and notify friends. It will come very handy when I visit my family and a relative is picking me up at the airport. 
Jun 27, 2009, 6:37 pm
#8
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: LAX
Programs: AA EXP 1.5MM, Asiana Club Silver, KE Morning Calm, Hyatt Platinum, Amtrak Select
Posts: 7,161
Superb improvement! ^
Jun 27, 2009, 6:44 pm
#9
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: SLC
Programs: DL PM, Hilton/Marriott Gold
Posts: 971
Just set up my account to send texts (which I hadn't been able to do before 
) It will definitely help now that I'm flying more than once every three months...
) It will definitely help now that I'm flying more than once every three months...
Jun 27, 2009, 7:51 pm
#10
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: All over
Programs: AA-LTP, HH-DIA, Marriott-LT+AMB, Hyatt-Globalist, Hertz-PC, UA-GS
Posts: 6,828
Ill see how it works out tomm before I make any comments.
Jun 28, 2009, 12:54 am
#12
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 531
Thank goodness! This is the one thing I liked about United over AA... even a year after my last flight on UA, I still got a text notification about my flight. That being said, I must defend AA with a "UA sucks on so many different levels it's not even funny." :P
Jun 28, 2009, 1:05 am
#13
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: London
Programs: AA EXP 2 MM
Posts: 2,823
The Notification Center seems to be missing this morning - I hope it come back soon!
But can someone explain to me how texts work in the US? I though you just sent text messages to the cell phone number, so what is all this about specifying the carrier?
In any case, I am guessing that AA do not want to incur the expense of sending texts to phones outside the US. So I put my phone's email address in the field, which seems to have worked, as when I create a flight status notification from the reservation, it shows the email address in the field there described as "Deliver to: Device email or text message address:"
(Note most cell phone operators provide an email address for cell phones of the form <number>@<operator>, which converts the beginning of the email into a very short text message. This is a good workaround to get text messages from aa.com on non-US cell phones.)
But can someone explain to me how texts work in the US? I though you just sent text messages to the cell phone number, so what is all this about specifying the carrier?
In any case, I am guessing that AA do not want to incur the expense of sending texts to phones outside the US. So I put my phone's email address in the field, which seems to have worked, as when I create a flight status notification from the reservation, it shows the email address in the field there described as "Deliver to: Device email or text message address:"
(Note most cell phone operators provide an email address for cell phones of the form <number>@<operator>, which converts the beginning of the email into a very short text message. This is a good workaround to get text messages from aa.com on non-US cell phones.)
Jun 28, 2009, 8:48 am
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 1999
Posts: 12,097
The pulldown list of US carriers is nothing but a way for AA to build the correct email address for the phone, as most US customers don't know about the bridge between email and SMS and don't have a clue as to what their phone's SMS email address is.
Jun 28, 2009, 11:57 am
#15
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Planet Earth(most days)
Programs: Hilton Honors, SPG, Marriott
Posts: 1,544
+1
However, the only drawback is (like on Delta for instance) is you still have to show your passport to an agent (gate, ticket counter, or SC) and have them verify the info otherwise while boarding you have to step out of line and have the gate agent take care of that. So it kind of defeats the purpose of OLCI internationally.
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However, the only drawback is (like on Delta for instance) is you still have to show your passport to an agent (gate, ticket counter, or SC) and have them verify the info otherwise while boarding you have to step out of line and have the gate agent take care of that. So it kind of defeats the purpose of OLCI internationally.
zz