mcgahat

Well, I am EXP and I was nice but firm in my desire to be put on the list but both agents on the final flight said "no" and weren't budging even after explaining to them that I understood that I would not clear but "go ahead and put me on there anyway". There were 5 people on the list of which 4 people cleared and I questioned them after the flight (got back to the gate after eating right as they closed the door) and that is where I was given the line that those people were no standby's from a later flight but standbys originally booked on that flight that didn't have seats.

So many changes to AA with things shaking out from the merger I just said whatever and moved on.

In the end it actually saved me money as I had a spicy chicken sandwich at Chick-Fil-A for about $6 and free wine in first class on my original flight instead of getting to the Boston Intercontinental early and eating a very pricey meal there!

neildibiase

Sorry in advance for the question, but I can't find a basic answer to this question:

Flying DCA-JFK-LAX in on a Saver Award in first (Z). Hoping to get to LAX a bit earlier than currently scheduled. There's no space available to SDC onto an earlier flight, but both the DCA-JFK and JFK-LAX legs are showing some flights with revenue space available (F and Y). Should I go to DCA in advance of the earlier flight and ask to standby? Or unlikely that they'd move an award ticket into a revenue seat (or I would be such low priority to clear that it wouldn't matter).

Thanks!

robbierob03

Clearly there's something I don't understand about SDFC as I've never been able to get it to work online since I've been merged into the AA family.

For some context, I'm an EXP and travel weekly. The last three weeks I've been attempting to get a confirmed seat on an earlier flight before I leave the client, and each time the AA website tells me there are no flights available for same-day flight change. However there are plenty of revenue seats available when I try a ghost booking, and I'm able to clear standby fairly easy at the airport. I've even been able to go to the AA club and have them move me from a connecting flight to a direct!

So what don't I understand about the same day flight change function online? Is it just something pmUS elites can't use for the remainder of the program year? I mean as I type this I tried to change my flight for tomorrow and I still get the "There are no flights available for same-day flight change" message online, where again there are any number of available earlier flights available in a ghost booking. I haven't tried calling in to the EXP line yet because it's never been urgent I get home earlier, but I don't understand why AA labels this as a perk if it never works and I just have to do it at the airport anyway.

ThreeJulietTango

Yep! No line and no having to train an LUS agent.

I believe a confirmed change would require Z inventory. Standby is allowed per policy but I'm almost certain the system won't allow it automatically and it'll require a supervisor override.

Main Cabin SDFC is dependent on E inventory. There could be revenue seats available, but if there's no E, SDFC won't be offered. It's possible that your recent routes don't have much E availability for whatever reason.

Standby is always available but can only be done at the airport.

nautikal

Why is AA so restrictive in releasing "E" inventory? I'm trying to SDFC onto a later flight tomorrow that has at least 12+ seats unsold (my estimate) on an E-70. There are even 4 seats in Q and T available, but no E. Annoying...

edit: And now all of a sudden it's E7. Thanks ExpertFlyer. No thanks AA for making me worry!

SFO777

Yep, that's AA. E inventory can change significantly inside T-24 hours.

thecurtisw

Do paid SDFC pull from a different fare code than complimentary SDFC for EXP? My wife and I are traveling on the same flights, but different PNRs (booked at different times). When selecting SDFC in her account, a BUNCH of options were available to her for $75. When I checked in my account a minute later, there are zero flights available to me for complimentary change. Is that normal?

nautikal

Should be pulling from E. However, I've had cases where E is showing available on ExpertFlyer but I'm unable to switch online, in which I just call and the phone agent is able to do the SDFC.

G-CIVC

For SDS, if I clear do I also bring over my original (sticker) upgrade request time stamp? My flight is showing F1 A0 but the earlier one is at F7 A7...(and loads of coach open as well)...just wondering if I should do SDS

ThreeJulietTango

I'm not sure, but I'm guessing that you wouldn't keep the timestamp, and either way your upgrade request would only be processed after those of confirmed passengers.

iadisgreat

Wiki wasn't clear on this item that I could tell.

If you have a connecting itinerary that you want to SDFC, do you need to be within 24 of both of your new flights or just the first one?

Also, T&Cs on AA.com no longer list a routing requirement for SDFC, just a number of segments requirement. Any reports of being able to change routing easily now?

JY1024

I did one a few days ago, and the EXP AAgent on the phone confirmed that my original timestamp from booking was attached for my upgrade request on my new flight. (And I was #1 on a list of ~15 around boarding time.)


Based on my experience and what several EXP AAgents have told me, you just need to be within 24-hours of the first flight you want to change. Then you can also adjust connecting flights even if they're not at the T-24 mark yet.

iadisgreat

Thank you! That would make sense (to me at least) given you can check in for flights >24 hours away as connections. Will be trying this here in a little while and will report back the results.

ETA - No push back on routing change or the connecting flight being >24 hours away. There was some issue with not taking the immediate connection available, but Twitter worked it out with one tweet.

thecurtisw

So both paid for non-EXP and free changes for EXP pull from E? If that's the case, it's odd that my wife had a ton of available options as a Gold and I had none as EXP.

iadisgreat

Had you received a complementary upgrade? I am never able to complete the process online if any segment has been upgraded - always need to call. Have checked on itineraries that I have changed over the phone and have not yet been reupgraded - always able to see options.