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[2017 NEWBIE LOUNGE] Ask Your "Newbie" AA Questions Here (flame free)

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Old Dec 31, 2016, 10:20 pm
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Welcome to the 2017 "NEWBIE LOUNGE"
Ask Your Consolidated / Combined AA Questions Here (flame free)
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[2017 NEWBIE LOUNGE] Ask Your "Newbie" AA Questions Here (flame free)

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Old Dec 8, 2017, 6:28 pm
  #2176  
Moderator: American AAdvantage
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Originally Posted by david55
I am new AA Gold. In the welcome envelope they sent me a sheet of " in recognition of your outstanding service......" certificates. I get that I am suppose to send them back when I want to recognize an AA employee..... but why the certificate? Why the program? Do I as a Gold get any benefit of physically sending this certificate back or just the good will of doing so?
They’re an incentive and recognition of good service by employees. You merely give one to an employee who has provided you with noteworthy service; there’s no need to send anything in, and no benefit for passengers.

See https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...rts-chits.html
JDiver is offline  
Old Dec 8, 2017, 8:17 pm
  #2177  
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,973
Originally Posted by Fredd
We were flying two relatives on points today on an itinerary that started with a flight that was cancelled: AA 1300 MSY-DFW.

I see on FlightAware that the previous DFW-MSY leg was also cancelled. AA told our relatives it was "weather."

We finally got them rebooked to their original destination with a two-day delay after they initially talked to an agent who had decided that DEN was close enough to their final destination of DRO.

I couldn't find any weather issues at either airport and wonder if I missed something, or if the plane's previous flight was cancelled for weather reasons, maybe in the Northeast.

Is there a way to find out the previous flight of the plane in question? Is there a way to find out definitively why the flight was cancelled?
Today?Dozens of flights canceled at New Orleans airport amid wintry weather

Last edited by JY1024; Dec 9, 2017 at 12:03 am Reason: Reduced font size
rove312 is offline  
Old Dec 8, 2017, 8:22 pm
  #2178  
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,372
Originally Posted by Fredd
We were flying two relatives on points today on an itinerary that started with a flight that was cancelled: AA 1300 MSY-DFW.

I see on FlightAware that the previous DFW-MSY leg was also cancelled. AA told our relatives it was "weather."

We finally got them rebooked to their original destination with a two-day delay after they initially talked to an agent who had decided that DEN was close enough to their final destination of DRO.

I couldn't find any weather issues at either airport and wonder if I missed something, or if the plane's previous flight was cancelled for weather reasons, maybe in the Northeast.

Is there a way to find out the previous flight of the plane in question? Is there a way to find out definitively why the flight was cancelled?
ExpertFlyer notes that the inbound DFW-MSY was cancelled due to weather at the destination (MSY). Could be rain, or wind or whatever. Could be based on a forecast as much as actual weather occurring.
Fredd likes this.
DMPHL is offline  
Old Dec 8, 2017, 8:23 pm
  #2179  
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: SEA/YVR/BLI
Programs: UA "Lifetime" Gold, AS MVPG100K, OW Emerald, HH Lifetime Diamond, IC Plat, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold
Posts: 9,488
Yes. Thanks for that link. ^ I suppose I can infer the incoming flight stayed put at DFW.

Last edited by JY1024; Dec 9, 2017 at 12:03 am Reason: Update to quoted post
Fredd is offline  
Old Dec 9, 2017, 12:00 pm
  #2180  
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 34
Sorry if this is the wrong thread, but some advice / opinions please?
Several months ago we booked flights on AA57 LHR MIA and we were the first passengers to select our seats in the business class cabin.

We selected seats 6D & 6G – two seats together in the forward (our preference) section of business class. The seating configuration for this cabin is shown as A / D G / J.
Some weeks ago, we found out, purely by chance, that the aircraft designation had been changed to a B772 from the B773. I accept that change is out of anybody’s control and that there will be specific arguments for it. All of this I am prepared to accept – with a degree of disappointment as it was the B773 that was our prime consideration and had the 773 not been available then we would probably have flown BA to avoid the transfer fiasco at LHR.

Do AA tell people that their travel arrangements and / or aircraft designations have changed?

When changed the aircraft seat assignments were transferred across to the amended booking, however, the AA seat map for the 772 shows A / D H / L so 6D & 6G do not exist and in fact row 6 does not exist! There is one seat only – 6L!

What would have happened had I not found this out? Would we arrive at check-in to be told that despite being the first people to book a business class ticket on this flight we were no longer sitting together? To me that smacks of incompetence!

I have now changed the seats to 2H & 2H – but if the aircraft changes back to a B773 we could well find our self in difficulties as this would be in the first class, so again we risk not sitting together. At the time these were the only two seats in the forward business class section that were available.

As it stands, flight-wise, we are now keeping fingers crossed and hoping nothing else gets changed.

Is this type of change unusual and should I be keeping a close eye on my booking��

Thanks

Mike
Dewsbury is offline  
Old Dec 9, 2017, 12:17 pm
  #2181  
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: MSN
Programs: AA, BAEC Gold
Posts: 3,922
You should keep an eye on the flight, although AA might have eventually told you. I believe that you can automate the process if you subscribe to Expert Flyer. On an international flight AA will let you make a change free of charge if the equipment changes and this might extend to switching to BA.
MADPhil is offline  
Old Dec 9, 2017, 1:06 pm
  #2182  
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 34
Thanks for that. I found out about the change using an ipad app ‘MyFlight’ which has access to Amadeus, but that is being discontinued later this month. I have a connecing flight at MIA so even a change in flight is out of the question.
I guess I’ll just have to keep an eye on it and make my displeasure be known to AA.
Mike
Dewsbury is offline  
Old Dec 9, 2017, 2:27 pm
  #2183  
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Programs: Advantage
Posts: 27
I feel a little foolish not being able to find this myself, so apologies. . . .

I'm looking to get my EQD for the year (I'm good on EQM) - does AAdvantage vacation purchases count towards my EQD requirement?

If I'm $3K short on EQD's for the year, can I spend $3K on a vacation package that is completed before the 31st and make my requirement?

What if I pay for a vacation for two? Does only my half count towards EQD's?

Thank you for any help!
separatepeace is offline  
Old Dec 9, 2017, 3:03 pm
  #2184  
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AY+ Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,846
Originally Posted by separatepeace
I feel a little foolish not being able to find this myself, so apologies. . . .

I'm looking to get my EQD for the year (I'm good on EQM) - does AAdvantage vacation purchases count towards my EQD requirement?

If I'm $3K short on EQD's for the year, can I spend $3K on a vacation package that is completed before the 31st and make my requirement?

What if I pay for a vacation for two? Does only my half count towards EQD's?

Thank you for any help!
You will earn EQDs for your flight portion of the package. Generally, in my experience, flights booked as an AAVacation package post as a special fare (so a % of the distance flown). But some have reported that EQDs have posted based on the fare. The general rule of thumb is that flights marked with an (*) indicate special fare--but I am not sure how completely accurate that is, based on my experience.

You may find this thread helpful:
AA "Special Fare" (AA Vacations, TYP, MR, etc.) Questions, EQD, Issues (merged)

Last edited by flyingeph12; Dec 9, 2017 at 3:06 pm Reason: Added link to thread
flyingeph12 is offline  
Old Dec 9, 2017, 8:47 pm
  #2185  
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 1
Applying for Global Entry when you have dozens of employers since 2012

I'm hoping to get Global Entry for our family of four. Just did the application for myself and realized we need to provide employment info since 2012. My husband works in the film industry and has a regular show that he's worked on for the past several years which lasts about 7 months but then will fill the rest of the year with random other jobs. He sometimes ends up with over a dozen W2s at the end of the year. Does he really need to enter every single one going back 5 years? What would you advise? TIA
voyageuseheureuse is offline  
Old Dec 9, 2017, 11:34 pm
  #2186  
Moderator: American AAdvantage
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Originally Posted by voyageuseheureuse
I'm hoping to get Global Entry for our family of four. Just did the application for myself and realized we need to provide employment info since 2012. My husband works in the film industry and has a regular show that he's worked on for the past several years which lasts about 7 months but then will fill the rest of the year with random other jobs. He sometimes ends up with over a dozen W2s at the end of the year. Does he really need to enter every single one going back 5 years? What would you advise? TIA
This isn’t necessarily the forum for this question, but I was in a similar position. I declared self-employed, because I wasn’t genuinely employed by my employers-clients for periods from hours to months. Your husband might check with his accountant and be able to verify indie or self-employment status. The last thing he wants do do is submit what they’ll see as a falsehood, so check and make it verifiable.

Ind you, iirc I had to list dozens of countries I’d visited in that period (more than that ever visited, natch).
JDiver is offline  
Old Dec 10, 2017, 1:24 am
  #2187  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hawai'i Nei
Programs: Au: UA, Marriott, Hilton; GE
Posts: 7,132
Originally Posted by voyageuseheureuse
I'm hoping to get Global Entry for our family of four. Just did the application for myself and realized we need to provide employment info since 2012. My husband works in the film industry and has a regular show that he's worked on for the past several years which lasts about 7 months but then will fill the rest of the year with random other jobs. He sometimes ends up with over a dozen W2s at the end of the year. Does he really need to enter every single one going back 5 years? What would you advise? TIA
Welcome to Flyertalk!

For questions about GE, you might want to seek counsel in this forum:

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trusted-travelers-732/
747FC is offline  
Old Dec 10, 2017, 9:41 am
  #2188  
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: MSN
Programs: AA, BAEC Gold
Posts: 3,922
Originally Posted by JDiver
Ind you, iirc I had to list dozens of countries I’d visited in that period (more than that ever visited, natch).
OT but when I applied for US citizenship I had to list every trip out of the country since I immigrated 27 years previously!
MADPhil is offline  
Old Dec 10, 2017, 1:22 pm
  #2189  
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: GNV
Programs: AA EP (life Gold), Global Entry, TSA Pre-Check, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 392
CX MR trip to MLE

Hi all,
thanks for all the great things you do for us newbies. I wish I found you 18 years ago when I started this. I'm like a 40-year-old MLB rookie. Sorry if this question is in the wrong place but I've looked around, maybe unsuccessfully, and wasn't able to easily determine the right place. I welcome any direction.
Anyhow, I'm EP and have been for a bit. I decided I wanted it again. So, I booked an MR for the wife and me to MLE.
Here's the itin: JFK-YVR-HKG-MLE-HKG-EWR in I, R, I, I, and R, all on CX with CX flight numbers.
GCMap says it's 22,859 miles - Great Circle Mapper.
Wheretocredit is showing 25,601 - https://goo.gl/diBLB3.

My calculations show 34,293 EQMs and $4,992 EQDs.
If I've read aa.com correctly, EQMs for R and I are 1.5x mileage and EQDs are 20% for R and 25% for I.
I'm absolutely confident that wheretocredit knows more than I do. Can anyone help me understand the gap?
Sorry for the simple question but I've been scratching my head on this. I'm also confident that I'm missing something obvious.

Thanks in advance.
Whodunit68 is offline  
Old Dec 10, 2017, 4:17 pm
  #2190  
Moderator: American AAdvantage
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Originally Posted by MADPhil
OT but when I applied for US citizenship I had to list every trip out of the country since I immigrated 27 years previously!
Ouch. Glad I didn’t have to go that far back.

Originally Posted by Whodunit68
Hi all,
thanks for all the great things you do for us newbies. I wish I found you 18 years ago when I started this. I'm like a 40-year-old MLB rookie. Sorry if this question is in the wrong place but I've looked around, maybe unsuccessfully, and wasn't able to easily determine the right place. I welcome any direction.
Anyhow, I'm EP and have been for a bit. I decided I wanted it again. So, I booked an MR for the wife and me to MLE.
Here's the itin: JFK-YVR-HKG-MLE-HKG-EWR in I, R, I, I, and R, all on CX with CX flight numbers.
GCMap says it's 22,859 miles - Great Circle Mapper.
Wheretocredit is showing 25,601 - https://goo.gl/diBLB3.

My calculations show 34,293 EQMs and $4,992 EQDs.
If I've read aa.com correctly, EQMs for R and I are 1.5x mileage and EQDs are 20% for R and 25% for I.
I'm absolutely confident that wheretocredit knows more than I do. Can anyone help me understand the gap?
Sorry for the simple question but I've been scratching my head on this. I'm also confident that I'm missing something obvious.

Thanks in advance.

GCM is very accurate, therefore you’ll get ~22,859 trip miles for 34,288 EQM. If your math is correct, $4,992 EQD. If the CX marketed flights are all operated by a oneworld airline or affiliate.

The best place for these questions is https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...rs-2017-a.html.
JDiver is offline  


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