Jan 7, 2016, 6:15 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
Dropping last or first leg of an award ticket.
This wikipost is a starter wikipost; please feel free to add to it.
There is no charge for dropping the final segment(s) of a one-way Flex award, as long as doing so does not change the award's destination zone . If you are worried about losing your free DFW stopover, then do not call to drop the MAD-TXL segment until after you have flown YYC-DFW. HOWEVER...
DO note AA has instructed agents not to drop or add segments if doing so violates a married segment rule governing that award. See More award availability restricted by married segments / connections for further information.
(Otherwise) If an AA agent (erroneously) tries to charge you a change fee, refer the agent to the February 3, 2011, internal memo entitled "Dropping OWFA segments."
This wikipost is a starter wikipost; please feel free to add to it.
There is no charge for dropping the final segment(s) of a one-way Flex award, as long as doing so does not change the award's destination zone . If you are worried about losing your free DFW stopover, then do not call to drop the MAD-TXL segment until after you have flown YYC-DFW. HOWEVER...
DO note AA has instructed agents not to drop or add segments if doing so violates a married segment rule governing that award. See More award availability restricted by married segments / connections for further information.
(Otherwise) If an AA agent (erroneously) tries to charge you a change fee, refer the agent to the February 3, 2011, internal memo entitled "Dropping OWFA segments."
shown here with some examples:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/54131097@N07/14520915433/
Originally posted here:
http://www.travelingbetter.com/showthread.php?t=4814
Same thing, interchangeable terminology.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/54131097@N07/14520915433/
Originally posted here:
http://www.travelingbetter.com/showthread.php?t=4814
Same thing, interchangeable terminology.
Dropping last or first leg of an award ticket - any repercussions? (merged threads)
Dec 27, 2015, 4:05 pm
#47
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: WAS
Posts: 1,626
I think the issue you are running into is there is no sAAver availability on the LGA-MIA, so the only option would be to buy an AAnytime F award @ 190k which is what the agent is telling you.
You should be able to drop the EWR-MIA flight without a fee (might have to HUCA - hang up call again).
OR (what I would do) is look on the AA site for sAAver seats on LGA-MIA and when you call back let the agent know those specific flights. If you change EWR to another airport you are going to have to pay the re-deposit fee, but the mileage should not change. You can even use sAAver economy seats if they are all that's available.
You should be able to drop the EWR-MIA flight without a fee (might have to HUCA - hang up call again).
OR (what I would do) is look on the AA site for sAAver seats on LGA-MIA and when you call back let the agent know those specific flights. If you change EWR to another airport you are going to have to pay the re-deposit fee, but the mileage should not change. You can even use sAAver economy seats if they are all that's available.
Dec 27, 2015, 4:10 pm
#48
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: UA-1K, MM, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Titanium
Posts: 4,433
It would be 190k. That's my point. If I change anything on the first segment they said even if I stayed on the second segment they will charge me more points. IOWs I cannot drop the first segment or change the first segment without the 2nd segment jumping from 62.5 to 190k as both people told me they can not retain the Mia to EZE in saver F as its no longer available and I will forfeit that. if I drop the first segment or try to change the first segment,
That seems unreasonable to me and I had I known this would happen I would have just booked MIA to EZE and figured a way to get down to MIA on my own.
That seems unreasonable to me and I had I known this would happen I would have just booked MIA to EZE and figured a way to get down to MIA on my own.
Dec 27, 2015, 4:11 pm
#49
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"I can't change the first segment as its married. i asked to then drop the first segment and they said they can't do that."
If there was only married-segment SAAver availability for EWR-MIA-EZE when you booked it, then the agents may well be correct. Otherwise, you are definitely entitled to drop the EWR-MIA segment at no charge. Refer the next agent with whom you speak to the internal AA memo dated 02/03/11 and titled "Dropping OWFA segments." Escalate to a supervisor if necessary.
"I can't change the first segment as its married. i asked to then drop the first segment and they said they can't do that."
If there was only married-segment SAAver availability for EWR-MIA-EZE when you booked it, then the agents may well be correct. Otherwise, you are definitely entitled to drop the EWR-MIA segment at no charge. Refer the next agent with whom you speak to the internal AA memo dated 02/03/11 and titled "Dropping OWFA segments." Escalate to a supervisor if necessary.
Dec 27, 2015, 4:11 pm
#50
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: CMH, sometimes AVP, formerly down the Shore
Programs: UA 1K/3MM, AA EXP/3MM, DL MM, former fan of TWA
Posts: 1,854
I think the problem here may be that it is the first segment that you want to change. My understanding is that any change to the first segment (on an award or a revenue ticket) requires that the whole thing be restarted anew. My guess is that the saver inventory is no longer available on MIA-EZE and when they start a fresh reservation that flight is no longer available for the low mileage.
Dec 27, 2015, 4:13 pm
#51
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: UA-1K, MM, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Titanium
Posts: 4,433
I agree. Call back and tell the agent you want to switch to the Lga flight that you know has milesaaver availability. Unfortunately, there seems to be some misinformed LUS agents that seem to think award segments are married when in fact they are not. I had a similar problem a few weeks ago and it took a few HUCA
Why do the think they are married fm they are not. Is there a rule or a lone n Sabre I can refer them to?
Dec 27, 2015, 4:16 pm
#52
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Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
A supervisor told me this and she also said there is no one higher then her I can speak to.....maybe I should call an international call center?
Why do the think they are married fm they are not. Is there a rule or a lone n Sabre I can refer them to?
See Post #12.
Originally Posted by cruisr
I agree. Call back and tell the agent you want to switch to the Lga flight that you know has milesaaver availability. Unfortunately, there seems to be some misinformed LUS agents that seem to think award segments are married when in fact they are not. I had a similar problem a few weeks ago and it took a few HUCA
Why do the think they are married fm they are not. Is there a rule or a lone n Sabre I can refer them to?
Dec 27, 2015, 5:49 pm
#53
Join Date: Feb 2011
Programs: AA LT GLD 1MM
Posts: 811
Very few segments are actually married. It doesn't sound like these would be (although I guess it would be technically possible). I agree it's most likely mis-informed pm-us agents.
I would just try calling again. Once you get a pm-aa agent this should be easy to accomplish. It's AA metal so they should be able to do what is necessary to re-capture the MIA-EZE if it is lost in the process - but ultimately your issue is lack of sAAver space, so if you can find any combinations that have it, even EWR-DFW-EZE, you can change to that.
I would just try calling again. Once you get a pm-aa agent this should be easy to accomplish. It's AA metal so they should be able to do what is necessary to re-capture the MIA-EZE if it is lost in the process - but ultimately your issue is lack of sAAver space, so if you can find any combinations that have it, even EWR-DFW-EZE, you can change to that.
Jan 7, 2016, 2:57 pm
#54
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: UA-1K, MM, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Titanium
Posts: 4,433
The funny thing was it was a pre US res agent based in Winston Salem that went to bat for me. She said she had to argue with the supervisor but finally the supervisor relented and it got changed.
Things like this is why I love FT. It is such a great resource for helping people and this thread/post helped me!
Jan 7, 2016, 3:04 pm
#55
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Thank you so much for this. I referenced the memo and it worked! wish it didn't take me two previous phone calls and lots of time on hold but hey, got it done. They dropped the EWR-MIA segment and retained the F segment from MIA-EZE.
The funny thing was it was a pre US res agent based in Winston Salem that went to bat for me. She said she had to argue with the supervisor but finally the supervisor relented and it got changed.
Things like this is why I love FT. It is such a great resource for helping people and this thread/post helped me!
The funny thing was it was a pre US res agent based in Winston Salem that went to bat for me. She said she had to argue with the supervisor but finally the supervisor relented and it got changed.
Things like this is why I love FT. It is such a great resource for helping people and this thread/post helped me!
Thanks to AZbba and guv1976 for the linking.
Last edited by JonNYC; Jan 7, 2016 at 3:10 pm
Jan 7, 2016, 3:49 pm
#56
Moderator: American AAdvantage
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Jan 16, 2016, 8:24 pm
#59
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: DFW
Posts: 520
Drop first leg - no fee?
Have a DAD-HKG-LAX flight I'm trying to change dates on. Was chatting with AA agent and asked if I would be charged anything if I just dropped the DAD-HKG leg and she said no, there would be no charge/issue (I have no status). From what I could tell this should be a $150 origin change fee - my question is that accurate and if so would the system auto charge this or could I do it so long as the agent was ok with it?
Jan 17, 2016, 7:49 am
#60
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Have a DAD-HKG-LAX flight I'm trying to change dates on. Was chatting with AA agent and asked if I would be charged anything if I just dropped the DAD-HKG leg and she said no, there would be no charge/issue (I have no status). From what I could tell this should be a $150 origin change fee - my question is that accurate and if so would the system auto charge this or could I do it so long as the agent was ok with it?