New Business Class Award Inventory LAX-PVG
 

AA yesterday released a healthy amount of business class saver award inventory, including multiple seats per flight on many days, on the nonstop 787s between LAX & PVG. I notice this availability for fall travel, mostly midweek.

Prior to today, this was a nonstop route without a single business class saver award seat through end of schedule.

Thanks for the update.

Wow. There is a ton of C availability on the route. Some days show C6

I wonder if this was just a loading error. Or if they expect a downturn in business demand (economic, not cabin class) to/from China.

Given the state of the Chinese economy and the large drops in the stock markets there lately, they could well be expecting a downturn in traffic. China flights have already been reported to be less lucrative in recent years than they were, say, five years ago, and business demand may well decrease some in the near to mid term.

Ugh. Have a DFW-PVG booked in a bit that is still showing C0 but same day LAX-PVG and ORD-PVG are showing C6 & C5. Wish DFW-PVG had some C.

Tempted to change but it's nearly 4k less miles R/T and my cost for the DFW routing is about $75 less than current pricing via LAX. With a change fee figure it'd be a $300+ cost for 4k miles. Nice to confirm H, but thats a good chunk of miles to lose out on in terms of travel & SWU efficiency.

JFK-LAX-PVG for 55k is tempting.

For those interested, looks like JFK-LAX J award is mostly available on Saturdays.

A few months ago I booked LAX-PVG in business for October 2016 but today just realized it's on a 777 not a 787? Did they change the equipment? These aren't even lie flat beds :(

I'm wondering if I can change the routing to get the dreamliner?

If it's a paid ticket, AA's International Tariff allows you to request a refund if the equipment change is not suitable to you. They'll probably also be flexible with potential re-routing.

If it's an award, I don't know what parts of the Tariff apply, but you can always change routing for free on an award, subject to availability. I don't know if I'd expect them to open award inventory on an alternative flight, though.

Not 55K anymore :(.

(1) Is this true if it's the domestic sector that has an equipment swap? I have an SFO-MIA-LHR later this year, cleared with an SWU, for which SFO-MIA was an int'l 757 when booked and is now a 738. MIA-LHR has had no change.

(2) If (1) holds, how on earth do I convince the EXP desk of such? I've tried calling in 3-4 times over the past month to try to get SFO-LAX-LHR or SFO-DFW-LHR and been shot down each time since "an equipment change is not a schedule change and there's no upgrade inventory."

1) Yes, it should be applicable for any international ticket.

2) Nothing says they have to force open upgrade inventory on your preferred routing. If you want the refund of the ticket price, or want to re-route in coach (and waitlist the upgrade), then refer them to the international tariff, which you can easily look up on AA.com.

Our ticket are award tickets. What's ironic is we routed the longer way thru LA just to experience the dreamliner. Apparently the dreamliner stops flying this route at the end of this month.

I called AA and asked them if they could change the routing to Shanghai thru Chicago instead of LA. There are currently no business saver seats available on that flight (or any other for that matter!)

The phone agent said they do not open up award seats for equipment change, only for a scheduling change.

Any thoughts on if and how this is worth pursuing?

I'm inclined to believe this, unfortunately. I suppose you could try pursuing--harp on the fact that you booked a flat bed and that's not what you're getting. But don't get your expectations up. Good luck.

That's correct.