Didn't realise schedule change left me with short connection, missed my onward flight
May 1, 2017, 9:37 pm
#31
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: BOS/UTH
Programs: AA LT PLT; QR GLD; Bonvoy LT TIT
Posts: 12,745
I agree with the poster(s) upthread who said that the specific change should be pointed out in the email. I have a 16 segment DONE4 in July booked through AA. I just received notification of a change by email with my new itinerary, but so far, I have no idea what the difference is.
May 1, 2017, 9:44 pm
#32
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: YVR
Programs: OZ Diamond, Jiffypark Manhattan Gold
Posts: 4,485
I agree with the poster(s) upthread who said that the specific change should be pointed out in the email. I have a 16 segment DONE4 in July booked through AA. I just received notification of a change by email with my new itinerary, but so far, I have no idea what the difference is.
I dunno what the threshold is for sending this stuff out, but I routinely get them for changes of 5 minutes. I had a booking that was like 8-10 months in advance, must've been changed 15 times. 5 mins here, 10 mins there, flight number change, equipment change. Got the damn email every time!
May 1, 2017, 9:51 pm
#33
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: San Antonio
Programs: DL DM, Former AA EXP now AY Plat, AC 75K, NW Plat, Former CO Gold, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 27,040
They also show what the chabges are online in the reservation.
May 1, 2017, 10:29 pm
#34
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: DCA
Programs: DL DM, AA EXP, various hotel
Posts: 2,227
Yes, if I were writing the logic behind the algorithm, I would not have the auto-rebook make a change in the ticket if the schedule change did not bring the connection time below MCT.
It is up to the passenger to determine Sensible Connection Time (SCT) and to determine whether it is more inconvenient to leave earlier from IAH or to run the risk of misconnecting at DFW and suffering an eight-hour enroute delay.
Those of us with tight schedules have to make these judgments all the time. I might have booked the connection which was auto-rebooked for OP if I had an important meeting in Houston and could not simply change it on a whim, but did not mind being late if I misconnected.
On the other hand, I might have been able to leave earlier from IAH because I needed the cushion if my meetings in Europe were time-sensitive and an 8-hour delay problematic.
That is all on me and I don't expect AA personnel or algorithms to know the answer. My answer might be different from trip to trip.
It is up to the passenger to determine Sensible Connection Time (SCT) and to determine whether it is more inconvenient to leave earlier from IAH or to run the risk of misconnecting at DFW and suffering an eight-hour enroute delay.
Those of us with tight schedules have to make these judgments all the time. I might have booked the connection which was auto-rebooked for OP if I had an important meeting in Houston and could not simply change it on a whim, but did not mind being late if I misconnected.
On the other hand, I might have been able to leave earlier from IAH because I needed the cushion if my meetings in Europe were time-sensitive and an 8-hour delay problematic.
That is all on me and I don't expect AA personnel or algorithms to know the answer. My answer might be different from trip to trip.
May 1, 2017, 11:41 pm
#35
Join Date: Apr 2011
Programs: AAdvantage (Platinum)
Posts: 468
Unfortunately with AA one must not only be proactive about monitoring schedule changes but also be proactive in researching alternative flights in case there's a delay/diversion/cancellation at any connecting city. AAgents seem to have to manually check flight options, and when flying to europe they tend to only want to route people through LHR.
May 7, 2017, 7:42 pm
#36
Join Date: Nov 2013
Programs: AA Lifetime Platinum; Amex Plat; Four Seasons; Fairmont; HH; etc.; "Retirees-In-Training"
Posts: 658
In my experience, notification emails are hit or miss - not just AA but other airlines too. I check my reservations every 2 weeks to verify everything looks ok. I make it my responsibility to ensure my travels go smoothly.
Once, on a YVR-PHX-AUS booking I had a flight change (which I found by checking my reservation, no email) that resulted in YVR-PHX arriving PHX after PHX-AUS departed - a misconnect. I called reservations to change to a schedule that worked.
Once, on a YVR-PHX-AUS booking I had a flight change (which I found by checking my reservation, no email) that resulted in YVR-PHX arriving PHX after PHX-AUS departed - a misconnect. I called reservations to change to a schedule that worked.
While doing a regular "check" on our flights, I noticed that our connection to JFK, which had about 1.5 hr connection, was now scheduled for about the same time different, but... this time the flight to JFK was going to arrive about 1.5 hours *after* our flight to Asia was scheduled to depart.
Neither of us received any update about any change.
We had e-tix, made thought AA International Awards, so we know they had e-addresses for us...
