Award ticket and MCE / Main Cabin Extra or Premium seat: possible? (master thd)
 

Is it possible to upgrade a regular saver award in coach to a MCE seat? I'm assuming I would have to call- also does anyone know cost associated with this? (OGG-LAX)

Thanks!

From my understanding if you have status you can pick MCE seats for free - and if you don't you can pay the fee - what happens when you try to select your seat online?

No, it isn't.

a. Awards can't be upgraded
b. There is currently no differentiation, AFAIK, for MCE in award land anyway.

Cheers.

Yes the MCE seats are available just not for awards. I am willing to pay- still not possible?

The MCE seats are available if I go through the motions of actually buying the ticket instead of using award- safe to say they are available?

Interesting - I didn't realize MCE wouldn't be available for award tickets. Don't remember reading about that anywhere. Interesting because unlike other cabins like CX's Y+ or BA's WT+, MCE isn't really an extra cabin, just a preferred "subsection" within Y.

I booked an award flight for a non-status friend, and had no option to select any MCE seats.

On aa.com, FAQ on MCE:

Q: Can I purchase the new seat product if I am traveling on an AAdvantage MileSAAver Award ticket or Business Extra PlanAAhead ticket?

A: Elite status members may select Main Cabin Extra seats when traveling on MileSAAver or PlanAAhead Award tickets. However, Main Cabin Extra is not available for purchase by non-elite customers traveling on MileSAAver or PlanAAhead Award tickets.

I just double checked the rules, and it is only available for Elites on awards.

At least it's avail for elites on an award basis.

Weird. Details about AA are on AA's website. Whoda thunk it.

Cheers.

I think it is also available for Anytime tickets which code as full fare economy.

AA won't let me book MCE on AS award
 

I've booked flights on AA using some of my Alaska miles. I'm AA platinum, no status on AS. When I use the AA PNR to choose seats on AA, only the basic seats are available. I called AA and the agent said that I couldn't book MCE because I was on an Alaskan award.

AA says this about MCE on their website:
"AAdvantage elite status members and oneworld equivalents* have complimentary access to these seats and will continue to receive PriorityAAccess boarding as part of your benefits"

I couldn't find anything saying elites lose their privileges on AA if booked using another airlines miles. If they are correct, does that mean I'll have to pay for luggage on the first leg, which is coach while the remaining two are in F. CUR/MIA/LAX/SEA?

Is your AA number in the booking?

Yes, it shows up in My Reservations on AA. And as I mentioned, I talked directly to an AA agent about seat selection on the phone.

You should have no problem if you show your card at check in if you didn't have FC flights. Even without status, your itinerary should get the first class limit.

AA Gold, MCE and award "T" fare seat assignments
 

I am AA Gold elite. Used 80,000 Dividend miles to purchase a R/T ticket to Hawaii. Upon going to select seats I found all seats forward of row 20 blocked off. On the phone with an AA supervisor, she told me I was on a T fare and I was not eligible to purchase a main cabin extra seat. She said there were MCE seats available but she could not override the computer to put me in one. She sounded sincere in her effort. Has anyone else had this experience and how did you purchase a main cabin extra seat? Also. when did this happen?

I've never heard of such a restriction. It seems quite nonsensical.
I'd call again.

edit: I am wrong...

That is , I believe, quite correct in that purchase of MCE seats is not possible on award flights. istr other threads covering the same issue

That is exactly correct.

Post duly edited.
Does anyone have theories as to why that might be the case? Seems quite nonsensical to me. Why would they leave revenue on the table?

It's a limitation whereby if they can't charge on an award lest it lead to other taxes/fees and the system can't work with it. It's most definitely officially in the category of "something we want to fix and will fix, but haven't as of yet."

That makes a lot of sense if it would no longer be classed as a "free" ticket and so , evem on just a one way one sector DFW-ORD (as an example ) add $33.69 in taxes as well as the cost of the MCE seat

That is exactly the case/issue.

Am I incorrect in recalling that UA allows purchase of economy plus on reward tickets? If not, what are the IT (or other systemic) differences that allow the process to work there but not at AA?

And just to be thorough, here's the link to the AA site that provides this info. (See the FAQ, re: MileSAAver tickets)
https://www.aa.com/maincabinextra

The wording is still the old wording, that "elites" have the ability to choose MCE seats. Of course, Golds no longer have that ability at booking.

"T" fare ? seat assignments
 

So how do they charge checked baggage fees on award tickets?

Baggage charges are separate from the actual passenger travelling. One is charging for a better seat for the passenger ( and akin to why surcharges charged on BA redemptions lead to taxes being due ) and the other is to do with taking baggage. I can see how this would be different

MCE not available for Gold on Mileage ticket?
 

I'm traveling on a MileSAAver ticket and the website is not letting me select an MCE seat (I was expecting to be able to purchase for 50% off as a Gold member). I just called and was told that I could not purchase an MCE seat because it was an award ticket, even though I am a GOLD member (which the agent acknowledged.

Now the website says the following:
Elite status members may select Main Cabin Extra seats when traveling on MileSAAver or PlanAAhead Award tickets. However, Main Cabin Extra is not available for purchase by non-elite customers traveling on MileSAAver or PlanAAhead Award tickets.

Normally I would try to hang up and call again but since the website itself is not letting me choose an MCE seat (they're just all grayed out, though I can see through "view available seats" that there are plenty MCE seats available), I'm not sure what to do.

I'd appreciate any help with this. I have very long legs :)

You cannot purchase MCE when on an award boooking

The wording on the website has not been updated since Gold members lost the ability to get MCE seats without charge. See the recent thread http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...signments.html

Ok, but I made my decision to book my award on an American flight rather than with LAN (which has, frankly, far superior service in economy) on the basis of the ability to purchase MCE according to the rules published on the website. Why should I as the customer be disappointed because of American's failure to change the wording on AA.com (the only place this info is published, as far as I understand?)

Just curious.

The wording on aa.com isn't wrong, just not comprehensive. MCE cannot be purchased by non elites as stated; it doesn't state that Gold members can purchase them

There is no charge to change award flights, so can always rebook on the LA flight

Q: Can I purchase the new seat product if I am traveling on an AAdvantage MileSAAver Award ticket or Business Extra PlanAAhead ticket?
A: Elite status members may select Main Cabin Extra seats when traveling on MileSAAver or PlanAAhead Award tickets. However, Main Cabin Extra is not available for purchase by non-elite customers traveling on MileSAAver or PlanAAhead Award tickets.

I guess that I can indeed select one, if available within 24 hours, but the Q part says purchase. I find this incredibly misleading. The phone agent I just spoke to agreed with me but said there is nothing she can do.

I really wish American would take responsibility for their errors.

Look at the Q part of the FAQ! "Can I purchase...

Regardless, other than simply rebooking on LAN, there is nothing that you can do other than waiting until Gold seat selection is available for no charge

The FAQ wasn't misleading at the time it was written, just hasn't been properly updated. I agree that it isn't well written, but other than asking AA to waive the cancellation fee if not switching to LA , I don't see much else can do

You can if you are Platinum or higher. I booked R/T Hawaii tickets a few months ago, and got the first row of MCE for my kids.

You didn't purchase it if you held Platinum status, you were able to get them for free

Another MCE query [Main Cabin Extra availability for award tickets]
 

Yet another MCE query....[apologies in advance if this scenario has already been definitely discussed previously --- a link to said discussion would be greatly appreciated.]

The query is about how to accomplish a complimentary MCE seat assignment for a OneWorld Sapphire passenger when said passenger is redeeming AAdvantage miles for a Mileage Saver ticket, and the passenger's OneWorld elite status has not been earned on AA.

I've had a previous personal experience with an issued AAdvantage reward where my AAdvantage number was replaced by my BAEC number (iirc, in order to achieve lounge entry), but I don't know whether such a change is still possible, and whether it would accomplish MCE seating.

I telephoned AA CS to enquire about this scenario (the award is unticketed, still on hold), and was initially assured by the first agent that YES, that my AAdvantage number could be replaced with my BAEC number and that MCE seating could be accomplished, and then was assured by a second agent (supposedly the supervisor of the first) that NO, that MCE was dependent on one's AAdvantage status, that status with BAEC could not/would not affect seating. She referred to an unspecified change made on April 8 of this year. However, neither telephone CS agent sounded particularly experienced... and I suspect were not as knowledgeable as many on this board.

TIA for your help!

Found by a search on 'main cabin extra, award'.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...l#post22959721

Unfortunately I don't think that this is relevant as the facts are exactly reversed.

In this circumstance there is no BAEC booking reference that can be retrieved at finnair.com (or ba.com for that matter). In this circumstance there is only an AA booking reference, and an AAdvantage number currently associated with the reservation.

MCE eligibility rules clearly entitle OneWorld Sapphire members to complimentary MCE seating, but how exactly can this be obtained if the Sapphire status is not earned through the AAdvantage FF number initially associated with the reservation? TIA!