Mar 22, 2016, 10:06 am
Last edit by: JDiver
ARCHIVE: AA Eliminates 24 Hour HOLD 1 Apr 2016
As of 1 Apr 2016: 24 hour free cancellation,
except bookings purchased within seven days of travel.
NOTE: Hold and 24 hour cancelation online can be used currently until it is terminated.
As of 1 Apr 2016: 24 hour free cancellation,
except bookings purchased within seven days of travel.
NOTE: Hold and 24 hour cancelation online can be used currently until it is terminated.
See current thread: Free 24 hr Hold on AA.com Now Only Offered Randomly 3 Nov 2016
Bookings made now state:
"You have 24 hours to cancel your trip for a full refund if you booked at least 7 days prior to departure. (Link to) Refunds policy."
For bookings made online, AA may continue to offer hold for unspecified interim going forward, but 24 hours hold via telephone booking may no longer granted by agents (though occasional ones might anyway).
update July 2016
AA will follow USDOT requirements to the letter, not the industry standards:
● 24 hour cancellation with refund and no penalty, though
● No free 24-hour cancellations for purchases within seven days of flying (except on refundable fares)
● 24 hour hold dropped for telephone bookings 1 April - but per a post here, will continue to be available for an undetermined interim period of time
● 24 hour hold will be offered for online bookings for an undetermined interim period of time
● during this period both free 24 hour hold and 24 hour no fee cancellation will be possible
● Extended hold for pay will still be offered online on many bookings (not within seven days)
● The five day holds for awards, and 24 hours within fifteen days of travel (all awards by non-elites also incur a $75 close in processing fee) remain unaffected
● No free 24-hour cancellations for purchases within seven days of flying (except on refundable fares)
● 24 hour hold dropped for telephone bookings 1 April - but per a post here, will continue to be available for an undetermined interim period of time
● 24 hour hold will be offered for online bookings for an undetermined interim period of time
● during this period both free 24 hour hold and 24 hour no fee cancellation will be possible
● Extended hold for pay will still be offered online on many bookings (not within seven days)
● The five day holds for awards, and 24 hours within fifteen days of travel (all awards by non-elites also incur a $75 close in processing fee) remain unaffected
Gary Leff, From the Boarding Area, 31 Mar 2016: (link) American spokesperson Joshua Freed confirmed to me today:
● They are making the change
● It does go into effect tomorrow, April 1 after all.
● They are making the change
● It does go into effect tomorrow, April 1 after all.
Previous, obsolete thread: ARCHIVE: AA 24 Hour Cancellation Policy: Offer 24 Hour Hold (obsolete)
Prior statement 20 March 2016: "There is not a final decision on this. Moving to refunds instead of a hold policy is something we are looking at, but it has not been decided.
There are some issues and implications we need to sort through before we do anything – which may be nothing at all.
There are some emails and meetings about all of this, and it looks like someone was eager to share the news.
If something officially changes, we will let customers know in advance. Nothing has been decided as I write this at 7:32am on Monday."
- Gary Leff, View from the wing Link
There are some issues and implications we need to sort through before we do anything – which may be nothing at all.
There are some emails and meetings about all of this, and it looks like someone was eager to share the news.
If something officially changes, we will let customers know in advance. Nothing has been decided as I write this at 7:32am on Monday."
- Gary Leff, View from the wing Link
ARCHIVE: HOLD ticket changed 1 Apr 2016 - 24 hr cancellation (but, read...)
Apr 16, 2016, 5:02 pm
#271
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: USA
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If I were AA, I would proudly market the recent changes in the 24-hour policy and emphasize that I'm going above and beyond by allowing refunds within 7 days. Brings in more customers and makes people feel inspired that AA is looking out for customers. IMHO.
Apr 16, 2016, 5:10 pm
#272
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Apr 16, 2016, 5:57 pm
#273
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The USA is an exception in that the DOT has put in place a rule requiring refunds for tickets sold in USA to have a 24 hr cancellation allowance for travel > 7 days
e.g. looking at fare rules for Qantas for LAX-SYD in June, the lowest fare has a $500 cancellation penalty with a specific clause
CUSTOMERS WHO PURCHASE A TICKET IN THE UNITED STATES FOR TRAVEL ON QANTAS MAY CANCEL THEIR RESERVATION AND REFUND TICKET WITHOUT CHARGE WITHIN 24 HOURS OF TICKETING WHEN PURCHASE IS Or WEEK OR MORE PRIOR TO DEPARTURE OF THE FIRST FLIGHT IN THE ITINERARY.
There is an example of a OW partner that only allows the fee free cancellation specifically only where ticket is sold in USA AND there is no allowance for refund within 7 days of purchase - also it is 24 hours , not until end of next day plus QF ( except in rare case ime ) issues tickets as soon as the purchase is complete
Last edited by Dave Noble; Apr 16, 2016 at 6:31 pm
Apr 16, 2016, 6:56 pm
#274
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Apr 16, 2016, 7:01 pm
#275
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I don't suspect that it will get much in the way of publicity ( bad or otherwise ) if it doesn't choose to go beyond the DOT requirements in refunds
Apr 16, 2016, 7:29 pm
#276
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 3,698
I don't really know what motivates press cycles. I know what motivates me. I won't book on AA within 7 days because the competition gives me flexibility that AA doesn't. I imagine if a lot of other people ended up behaving similarly, eventually they'd get the message and change policy. Rather than whining about it, just start booking away from AA within 7 days of travel. A vote with your wallet is the main thing companies care about these days, after all.
Apr 16, 2016, 7:40 pm
#277
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A sensible approach - if another airline better meets your needs, then book on another airline or not book until sure that wanting the ticket
Maybe if AA feels that it is losing enough customers due to this, maybe it will change it.
Maybe if AA feels that it is losing enough customers due to this, maybe it will change it.
Apr 17, 2016, 7:06 am
#278
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You don't need to abandon AA for flights within 7 days, just avoid booking on AA.com. Maybe if AA sees more of their revenue routing through other sources, especially if within 7 days of travel, they will revise their policy. This may also cost them commissions that they may like to keep.
Apr 17, 2016, 7:07 am
#279
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You don't need to abandon AA for flights within 7 days, just avoid booking on AA.com. Maybe if AA sees more of their revenue routing through other sources, especially if within 7 days of travel, they will revise their policy. This may also cost them commissions that they may like to keep.
Apr 20, 2016, 8:30 am
#280
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Hold is Back?
I just booked ORD-DCA for mid June travel and the hold free for 24 hours button was back plus the option to pay for longer hold times. Which was completely different from yesterday when I booked some May travel.
Apr 20, 2016, 8:42 am
#281
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AA has stated the hold will stay in play for now AND you will have 24 hours to cancel after purchase. Reports are both are in play so you can hold and refund on the same ticket giving you at least 48 hours.
Apr 20, 2016, 8:51 am
#282
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 3,698
You don't need to abandon AA for flights within 7 days, just avoid booking on AA.com. Maybe if AA sees more of their revenue routing through other sources, especially if within 7 days of travel, they will revise their policy. This may also cost them commissions that they may like to keep.
Besides, I think AA's policy sucks and think this sends the strongest message to them. Sure, I could work around AA's crappy policy, but I'd rather just give my business to someone else. Most of the routes I fly are served by at least one other of the majors, and I'll easily requalify for EXP this year either way, so it's not much hardship to book away from AA when they give me less flexibility than the competition.
Apr 20, 2016, 9:02 am
#283
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The hold button should only go away if booking within 7 days or using a partner airline. Since it wasn't within 7 days, any chance your ticket included someone other than AA?
AA has stated the hold will stay in play for now AND you will have 24 hours to cancel after purchase. Reports are both are in play so you can hold and refund on the same ticket giving you at least 48 hours.
AA has stated the hold will stay in play for now AND you will have 24 hours to cancel after purchase. Reports are both are in play so you can hold and refund on the same ticket giving you at least 48 hours.
...no credit card holds involved.
Apr 22, 2016, 8:55 am
#284
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: SFO
Programs: AA PLT, EXP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 42
3-Day Hold Option for $7.99
Has anyone else seen this now when booking flights?
I was booking SFO-JFK on May 16 and was offered FREE hold for 24 hours and 3-day Hold through April 25th for $7.99.
I thought this was not going to happen?
I was booking SFO-JFK on May 16 and was offered FREE hold for 24 hours and 3-day Hold through April 25th for $7.99.
I thought this was not going to happen?
Apr 22, 2016, 9:06 am
#285
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That's been an option for a long time (years, I think) on at least some itineraries.