Blast from the Past: Fare Difference Snail Mail
May 1, 2017, 7:23 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP, WN A+, Marriott LT
Posts: 893
Blast from the Past: Fare Difference Snail Mail
Wow, was I surprised this weekend when I opened my mailbox and found an envelope from AA. 
Inside was the fare difference from a $17 change I made to a ticket a week or so ago. Is a physical document like that really necessary in 2017? Is this normal? Such a waste...
Inside was the fare difference from a $17 change I made to a ticket a week or so ago. Is a physical document like that really necessary in 2017? Is this normal? Such a waste...
May 1, 2017, 7:33 pm
#2
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: South Park, Metropolis
Programs: AA LT PLT 3MM, Hilton/Marriott/SPG/Club Carlson GLD, IHG PLT
Posts: 4,608
Don't complaint and consider yourself lucky. There are far more threads regarding how long it takes for refunds to post than how silly and outdated to get a check in the mail.
May 1, 2017, 7:50 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP, WN A+, Marriott LT
Posts: 893
It wasn't a check. It's funds tied to my name. And I can't redeem it online (says so on document).
May 2, 2017, 9:01 am
#5
Join Date: Oct 2014
Programs: AA PLT; UA PLT
Posts: 120
It's even more amazing when you go to redeem it. You have to call in, make a booking, and then mail the voucher back to AA. And then you have to check your flight periodically for the next few weeks to make sure that they actually receive the voucher in the mail and issue your ticket! It's only held, not issued, until they receive and process the paper voucher.
May 2, 2017, 10:24 am
#6
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: South Park, Metropolis
Programs: AA LT PLT 3MM, Hilton/Marriott/SPG/Club Carlson GLD, IHG PLT
Posts: 4,608
It's even more amazing when you go to redeem it. You have to call in, make a booking, and then mail the voucher back to AA. And then you have to check your flight periodically for the next few weeks to make sure that they actually receive the voucher in the mail and issue your ticket! It's only held, not issued, until they receive and process the paper voucher.
May 2, 2017, 10:26 am
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 30,005
Or you can go the airport, and redeem the voucher directly, get instant ticketing, and I believe that you save some of the fees as well. Granted, this might be a pain if you don't live close to the airport, or are in a small station, but it certainly beats sending it by mail and wait.
OP: Here's how to redeem it in reality: Take it to the restroom on your next trip and "redeem" accordingly.
May 2, 2017, 8:24 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP, WN A+, Marriott LT
Posts: 893
May 2, 2017, 8:53 pm
#10
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: CVG
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 90
It's even more amazing when you go to redeem it. You have to call in, make a booking, and then mail the voucher back to AA. And then you have to check your flight periodically for the next few weeks to make sure that they actually receive the voucher in the mail and issue your ticket! It's only held, not issued, until they receive and process the paper voucher.
May 3, 2017, 12:04 am
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: RNO
Programs: AA/DL/UA
Posts: 10,775
I had to do that one time, but the amount was more than that, about $150.
It wasn't that long ago that every single airline ticket was paper. What is so awful about getting a paper voucher?
It wasn't that long ago that every single airline ticket was paper. What is so awful about getting a paper voucher?
May 3, 2017, 7:06 am
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP, WN A+, Marriott LT
Posts: 893
I don't know....maybe the fact that every other major airline in the country issues fare difference vouchers electronically? "Because that's how we've always done it" is a terrible way to run a business. Not to mention, physical vouchers are extraordinarily anti-customer, since the spoilage rate is much higher. Paper vouchers are a PITA and AA knows that, yet AA still hasn't decided to update its systems to the modern world.
May 3, 2017, 8:03 am
#14
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: South Park, Metropolis
Programs: AA LT PLT 3MM, Hilton/Marriott/SPG/Club Carlson GLD, IHG PLT
Posts: 4,608
Unfortunately, that is the way that AA deals with refunds, via voucher. Other carriers can do refund via original form of payment, instead AA gives you a voucher/credit for future travel on AA. I agree that it is a bit of a pain, but that's how AA does it. There are other choices out there, just remember that. I also agree that AA does stand to win some when people forget to redeem vouchers, or let them expire.
May 3, 2017, 1:44 pm
#15
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Dallas
Programs: AAdvantage EXP, IHG Spire, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, National Executive Elite
Posts: 1,523
Unfortunately, that is the way that AA deals with refunds, via voucher. Other carriers can do refund via original form of payment, instead AA gives you a voucher/credit for future travel on AA. I agree that it is a bit of a pain, but that's how AA does it. There are other choices out there, just remember that. I also agree that AA does stand to win some when people forget to redeem vouchers, or let them expire.
But let's be very clear here, AA absolutely refunds cancelled tickets to original form of payment and has for some time.