That has a probability of success in Mexico lower than a free election in North Korea next month.

Really should look at more assured options:

a) Leave earlier

b) Fly full fare

c) Have the taxi driver flag a new taxi immediately after the accident.

The best option of course is a) if you can't afford b).

I believe the accident occurred on the way to ORD so there may be some discussion to be had w/the taxi company.

Though we may refer to it as the "flat tire rule", it is not a rule AFAIK.

IMO and IME, the earlier one contacts AA the better it works - once one realizes the tire is flat it's time to call one's status line and state one won't make the flight and ask for assistance.

If the ticket has restrictions, they may (or may not) charge the difference in fare inventory available. A lot of variables here. But calling as earlier as one can avoids hassles with perhaps less eager ticket counter staff (and sometimes even less eager gate agents when one runs up and the jet bridge has closed).

Deleted duplicate

Good point. The agent wasted a few words saying there is no flat tire rule "to Mexico" since there's no flat tire rule period.

Still:

Leave early
Fly full fare
Flag down another taxi

Work as well in ORD as in Mexico.

And the odds of getting much out of a Chicago taxi company for ancillary damages will probably be as dim as I originally postulated.
Making no effort to call or otherwise contact the airline is pretty negligent on the part of the OP.

Of course, not contacting the taxi company is sure way not to get any money. If there was someone at fault in the accident, then that person or their employer is responsible for the extra expense caused by the accident.

Good day.

Sorry to dredge up the thread, but I have a question about the topic.

I am helping a French exchange student who missed his flight STL->DFW->COS->DFW->STL.

He was on a Greyhound bus that was supposed to arrive in STL 7 hours before the flight, but it was 8 hours late. He called AA while on the bus, and they made a notation on the reservation.

After a lot of confusion at the airport, and my calling AA reservations on his behalf, it looks like they rebooked him as a courtesy tomorrow, on standby, AA375 at 6:10am and AA249 at 9:25am. His return flight is in July and unchanged.

My question is, knowing it's a gamble, are there good odds that he'll be able to get on this early flight tomorrow? And, if it's full, will AA keep putting him on later flights until he gets to COS?

He really doesn't have the $ (about $350) to pay for the confirmed reservation and the language barrier is an issue, so I'd just like to give him an idea of how good his chances are.

Thanks for your input.

#375 tomorrow shows F5Y7 with half a plane of empty seats, so should be just fine. #249 is F7Y7 with 15+ seats unassigned, so should be fine. If not, next flight is F0Y5, so unlikely, but mid-afternoon flight is wide open.

Awesome. Thanks reeg2 for your reply.

I'm an new AA EP coming over from UA and didn't want to start a new thread but need some help from the experts. I'm scheduled on a domestic flight from DFW late Thursday and am nearly certain I will miss it. If I call ahead is there any chance I can get moved to the Friday morning flight the next morning if there are seats? What's people's experience with this? With UA I would be able to do SDC to any flight within 24 hours (which would include the following day), but I realize this is AA and things are different... Thanks in advance for your help

Likely you are going to need to pay a change fee and any refare as SDC are normally for the same date (subject to inventory) and "maybe" a late night redeye the very next morning. You could call Thursday night before the flight, claim extraordinary circumstances like car problems and hope an agent takes mercy on you and waives the change fee but likely you would still need to pay any fare difference. You "might" get an agent that simply puts you on standby for the next morning. You can always ask for options, if none are appealing, hang up, recall and see if you get any other alternatives. Since you are "nearly certain" I would wait until Thursday to call. Who knows your Thursday evening flight could get massively delayed allowing you to make it.

The policy is that if you arrive at the airport within 2 hours of your ticketed departure time, you can be placed on the standby list for the next available flight. If you missed the last flight of the day, then you would be placed on standby for the next available flight which would happen to be the first flight out the following morning.

HUCA isn't really applicable because RL standby can only be requested at the airport.

Late arrival standby
 

Some updated info on the application of this rule:

http://www.travelingbetter.com/showthread.php?t=5947

^ AA officially discontinued using the term "flat tire rule" about four years ago.

It's my understanding, though, that all points in the Caribbean are eligible for late arrival standby and that standby can also be offered for the domestic portions of an international fare.

Interesting-- appreciate the correction, for sure. I'll double-check w/ the person who provided that info, but certainly take your guidance on it as enough to go on!