armus

I thought there was 3: 1) all-AA, 2) AA/oneworld, and 3) AA/non-oneworld. Changing the type can normally incur a redeposit fee but my understanding is that AA has a policy to waive the fee when converting from #1 to #2 (or vice-versa), which seem to be the case here.

I can't find the most relevant thread, nor does it seem like any of the wikiposts on the threads I did find capture the waive case, but I did find jonnyc's image capture of the policy:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/541310...n/photostream/

JonNYC

2 types, not 3 (common misconception here as some members insist it's 3-- it isn't) and I agree that this isn't an award-type change. its' Oneworld/other airline award -> Oneworld/other airline award (no change), was never an all AA award.

But, not sure the above policy fits-- at least not exactly for this change. Worth another inquiry, of course.

armus

Ah, yes on closer inspection it's not even an award type change and even if the aagent can imagine a way a fee applies (as was apparently the case here) then there'd be the waiver to counter their BS.

JonNYC

I think we've all learned that the answer phone agents give as to the "why?" a charge/redeposit/etc applies in such a case is correct about 15% of the time or so.

So, it's always a question of asking again, trying to determine the -real- reason (usually done here) and seeing if that reason definitely applies or if it's at all a gray area, and, can often involve quoting one of the policies right to them and asking them to check it out in light of same.

Dave Noble

Isn't there a general AAdvantage redemption policy regarding most direct route. If there is, it would be hard to argue that changing from a non-stop to a connecting service would not fall foul of that general provision

Outside of that, as long as the governing carrier has not changed and is a valid routing , would seem to be something that could be changed without a fee applying

nasay

I want to go from London to India. Can I use Qatar Airways or Etihad Airways to connect in Doha or Abu Dhabi?

I noticed that AA have recently split the Indian Sub Continent/Middle East into 2 regions now.

guv1976

Yes. You can also use Sri Lankan, Jet Airways, and Gulf Air -- if need be.

nasay

Thanks for response.

Does it need to be QR-QR connection?

guv1976

I don't believe so, as long as the governing carrier has a published through-fare from origin to destination that permits the particular routing -- and mix of carriers.

rmxjzr

Thanks all! As suggested, I called again and got a much more helpful agent.

As suspected, the add-a-carrier rule is NOT true, at least not as stated. (I don't know about adding Oneworld to an AA only ticket, although it sounds like that may, indeed, trigger the fee.)

Here's the odd bit: when I called, it went like this:

"Ok, so you have BOS-JFK-HKG, but you want to switch to a nonstop the following day?"
"No, I want BOS-JFK-HKG."
"Sir, that's the routing you have. But it says a request was put in for the BOS-HKG nonstop, but unfortunately the seats were not available so it came back."

So I went online and checked, and indeed, that's what was ticketed - because the previous operator said it would require a fee, and because I definitely did not pay a fee, I assumed that my ticket remained unchanged.

My personal theory is that the operator changed the ticket without the fee, but then decided (for some reason) that a fee would be required, and when I declined to go forward, tried to change back to the old routing. (Not sure if that's a possibility with their computer systems or not.)

So, anyway, I got the change with no fee.

To the poster above who asked about the "most direct routing rule": Quite right, but since I was changing dates, and since the BOS-JFK-HKG was the most direct routing on the new dates - and only routing, unless I wanted to do BOS-LGA-JFK-HKG, which I *do not* - so it wasn't an issue.

Thanks everybody!

rmxjzr

DSI

Would this price out as one or two awards? FWIW: there are no DOH to IAD/PHL flights during the window.

Also, would EBB > DOH > LHR > IAD price out as one or two awards?

guv1976

Each routing should price as two awards.

Dave Noble

QR's routing rules for EBB-DOH permits EBB-DOH-WAS only, so would expect this to be priced as 2 awards

jchock1

I just ticketed the following itinerary

JFK-AUH
AUH-BOM

in J using 70k miles for this December on Etihad.

It was my understanding that since the middle east and india are now 2 separate regions this should've priced at 100k, 70k US-Middle East, 30k Middle East to India. 70k was how it priced by default in my case.

Thought this data point might be helpful for others interested in similar itineraries.

Dave Noble

Although for pricing purposes , they are now separate regions, they are still treated as the same region for route purposes, so normal to be priced like that