brewdog11

Hi all, I have an access question:

Business partner (no status) will be traveling DFW-LAX-JFK, with the LAX-JFK segment in 3-class F. Connection time is too short for FFD in LAX, so he's wondering if he'll be able to use FFD in DFW before the DFW-LAX flight. According to AA's website, it looks at first glance like it should work. Anyone know for sure? Thanks.

teemuflyer

Yes, if same day. They will also have access at JFK if they so choose.

brewdog11

teemuflyer

Who knows nowadays, but based on all the other reports, should not be an issue. But then again, the DFW attendants are relatively new to managing FL/FFD access so some convincing discussions might have to occur. If the 2nd flight was Int'l F, I don't think there would be a second thought.

dval44

Edge case here:

I am landing LAX on 700-300er Flagship First from tokyo, and my itinerary has me on a 90 minute connection on to Seattle.

I may end up changing the final leg by buying a one-way on AA. Changing the original itinerary was $10,000 USD and buying a domestic one-way to my new destination was $200. So obviously I'm just going to buy a second ticket.

Will having two onward tickets cause me a problem with FFD? I saw a pic where they mark down your connecting info. Are they going to "make sure" I get on my scheduled, earlier flight, or can I just tell them I'm changing my plans once I'lm in?

Kind of a strange question. Thanks.

anabolism

I'm not sure what you mean by "on 700-300." AA700 is SFO-PHL. Maybe you mean a 777-300 (also known as 773)?

I'm confident the lounge staff will not care at all if you are still eating when your supposed onward departs. I assume your new onward flight is not an AA flight? Because AA has software that detects duplicate/unreasonable flights and will cancel one or more of any conflicting segments.

ryan182

Should not be a problem, I would however 1) save your inbound boarding pass (get a paper one) since the new reservation won't show the inbound and 2) checkin at a kiosk after you clear immigration/customs - so exit to street vs using the connection security, and when you get to the lounge simply hand both BPs and explain you're inbound in F from TYO.

dval44

I think you do, in fact, know what I mean by flying Flagship First on a "700-300er" from Tokyo to LA. I happen to think pointing it out and asking about it was your way of pointing out a mistake, and that you weren't really that curious as to what American Airlines flagship first class from Tokyo to LAX on a 700-300er was.


Thank you for pointing this out. I did not know they cared. Guess I will give my business to another airline like SWA or United or whatever if they don't want it.

anabolism

I am sorry if I offended you, my intent was only to be sure I was not misunderstanding you (as that can cause rounds of confusing posts).

Having flown AA Flagship First on 77W many, many times over the years, no, I was not and am not at all curious about it. I was however, trying to be of help.

See, now I'm confused, which is exactly what I try to avoid. Did you book a separate ticket on an AA flight that conflicts with your original onward flight from LAX? If so, I'm surprised that neither flight has yet been cancelled. Usually AA's system detects and cancels duplicate or unreasonable flights within a few hours, certainly overnight.

dval44

Ok, I'm sorry for being snarky. Sometimes nuance is hard on the internet. Yes, it's F on a 77W HND-LAX.

As to your second point, yes, it's a problem, and thank you for alerting me to it.

The stand-alone flight I purchased later (LAX-XXX) departs after the original itinerary ends, but it it's still an impossible routing as it's too soon after my original flight lands at SEA to possibly make it back to LAX.

Both flights were paid with money (not miles) and their status is ticketed and confirmed. I have had both for a couple days.

I don't really know what to do now. I went on AA to remove my Advantage number, but the box is greyed out and won't let me change it.

It's been over 24 hours on both tickets so I can't cancel for free. Is there a good chance they catch and cancel the tickets? If they do, they issue a refund, right? Should I call AA or will that just alter them to it?

Thanks

dval44

Stupid me it was cheaper on other airlines but I just figured it would be easier to stay in T4 so I looked for an AA flight...never dreamed I'd be punished for it. It would have also been the same price to just finish at SEA then fly where I'm going, just more hassle and less time for Flagship Dining. Anyways, that is what I should have done.

Now, I need to figure out what to do going forward.

anabolism

If both have been ticketed for more than 24 hours, it seems you got lucky and outsmarted AA's system. I would just leave it alone, as I don't think their system will catch it since it hasn't yet.

dval44

anabolism

I don't know that removing the AAdvantage numbers is sufficient, but since your tickets have been around this long intact then I don't think you have anything to worry about.

I don't know if AA's system automatically refunds such tickets, but I would guess not. Usually the system either blocks a duplicate reservation from even being made, or cancels it before it can be ticketed. I would guess that is both were ticketed it would cancel the space but not touch the ticket so you could call and get put on a different flight, but I don't know. I know that the system was significantly enhanced in the past few years to become more aggressive. It used to exempt conflicting segments held in the same record, as this is how agents protect people on flights they might or might not be able to make due to upstream delays, but that's no longer the case (now it sometimes cancels protection segments and sometimes not). In any case, at worst it would cancel one or both of the conflicting segments. Since nothing conflicts with your inbound into LAX then I'm sure it's not at risk in any case.

JJeffrey

This is common FT heresay/myth that AA just automatically cancels overlapping bookings. It most definitely does not work like that . As long as both tickets are paid, and you put them through to ticketing immediately (not on hold), then AA is not just going to arbitrarily cancel one of them. The automatic system cancellations of overlapping flights typically only happens when tickets are on hold.

To the OP, once you land in LAX, pull up your first reservation at aa.com and cancel it. That will remove you from the flight and no one will ever look at your record again. Hang on to your F boarding pass, when you enter the lounge show them both and say you just flew in in F on a separate ticket. Off to Flagship Dining you will go.