aktchi

I agree with calling the EXP desk (if you are entitled) instead of desk/gate agents.

If you are at a lounge in the USA, the AAngels are very helpful; definitely talk to them. However, I don't have the similar impression of foreign lounges like LHR and would probably not bother there; I'd call the EXP desk as soon as I could.

In all such situations, be prepared for your luggage not to arrive with you if you have already checked it. If that would be unacceptable for whatever reason, stick it out and hope for the best.

ThreeJulietTango

Technically, rebooking wouldn't be initiated until the MCT was actually violated.

I second the suggestions to contact the EXP desk in the future. As zebranz stated, there is no obligation for airport agents to rebook from what is still a legal (if unlikely) connection, and it technically shouldn't be done without being processed as a voluntary change.

I want to say that it's actually a 60-minute delay that allows initiation of rebooking for elites, but I don't recall if that's a 60-minute departure delay or a 60-minute arrival delay. If the latter, then there was no obligation since the arrival time (at the time of the initial request) would have remained the same since the connection was still technically viable.

869

No one suggested that AA has an obligation to rebook OP. If they show up on game day with a 105 minute delay at the outset, however, they should accommodate reasonable request for re-routing for the EXP OP. Of course, flyer's best move is to contact EXP desk when possible for this request. 2nd, reroutes on AA metal are more easily granted, of course, but I don't think this was an outrageous request.

mmgm

You're kidding, right?

sudden729

I think poster meant it's not guaranteed, but should happen given the current situation (of AA driving away it's loyal members with its operations decline)

I second the AAngels or Exec deck. They've been able to help me during irregular ops when the ticketing or gate agents could not/declined

BThumme

The only reason I didn't call the Ex Plat desk was because I had an irrational fear they would botch my ticket with less then 2 hours til takeoff, either it wouldn't issue properly or something else, and I'd have to go back to the same people who told me no and then have them fix a possible mistake.

In the end it worked out. But I was lucky - every other shown connection on the flight entertainment screen (San Jose, San Francisco, Fresno, and Las Vegas) had already departed by the time we got to the gate.

I don't travel internationally much so I'll keep that in mind for the future.

ijgordon

About what?

Often1

OP's question was when it was "appropriate" to ask and the answer to that is that it can never hurt. But, the 2-hour scheduled connection was a sellable connection well over MCT and agents who do fee-free changes these days do get asked to justify their change fee waivers, especially, as here, where there is a carrier change to BA (yes, I understand that both are OW and that some routes are under a JV).

There is also a tendency to push these things off to the connection point as aircraft make up time enroute and connecting flights get delayed. In this situation, unless the LAX flight was overbooked and at risk of oversale, there is real revenue on the table.

On the other hand, this was a departure from the EU and EC 261/2004 delay/cancellation compensation would have applied. It would have been measured at OP's final ticketed destination, e.g. DEN. I have no idea what a misconnect at LAX would have meant, but if it had pushed the DEN arrival back sufficiently, that would have cost AA EUR 600.

I would try everything. Ask at the AC, call, and as a last resort at the gate. Don't bother if you have checked luggage as this was a connection from VIE and the chances that AA would manually pull luggage for a voluntary change at the gate were slim.

driveswith

Are we confident this is still accurate for the upcoming new year? I'm planning to fly JFK-LHR depart 12-31-16 arrive 01-01-17 and I need the flight to get me over the line for EXP.

ijgordon

I'm pretty sure that for as long as there have been frequent flier programs, miles have posted based on the time/date of departure, local time.

mre5765

Even if it isn't automatic, the AA elite desk is good at forcing these sorts of things through; the agents are highly empowered.

JDiver

If your boarding pass is scanned and you board your flight on 31 Dec 2016 it will credit this year. (There generally is no way for the airline to prove your arrival, only your departure.)

JonNYC

I'd go further and say even if it's scanned after midnight (so Jan 1)-- due to delay or irrops, etc-- it will -still- post on the scheduled departure date regardless, and member is entitled to that even if reaccomodated in some way.

driveswith

Thank you all for the prompt responses

JDiver

Thanks for adding that valuable information. And of course there's always the Original Routing Credit recourse if the reaccommodation offers fewer EQM.