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IROPS "IRROPS" - OSO, Weather, etc. Affecting AA Flyers (master thread)

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Old Sep 6, 2017, 1:54 pm
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American Airlines Travel Notices and Policy, Resources etc.

What do the technical terms noted in the thread's title mean?

OSO = Off Schedule Operations,
System IROPS or IRROPS = Irregular Operations such as flight delays and/or cancellations

When severe weather or other uncontrollable events impact your flight and travel dates, you may be able to change your trip with no change fee.
Link to AA PDF "Schedule Irregularity (IROPS) - Travel Agency Guidelines 001 and 037 tickets"

As of 30 Sep 2017, if you are affected by OSO / IROPS you may be able to rebook yourself using "Dynamic Reaccom" the AA app, a kiosk or on AA.com. See this post for further information.

NOTE: This thread will be regularly archived to allow more recent OSO issues to be listed. Older posts from 2018 have been archived to ARCHIVE: AA OSO, IROPS / IRROPS, delay, cancelation etc. resources for 2018

Posts pertaining to delays and cancellations go in Flight [xx] Cancellation / Delay / Diversion etc. on [date] 2018 (consolidated)

AA Travel alerts
Link to AA Travel Policy / Travel Notices, including existing Weather Waivers

Relaxed change fee policies
How to change your trip (also see "Dynamic Reaccom" above and post #2)
When severe weather or other uncontrollable events impact your flight and travel dates, you may be able to change your trip with no change fee. (In some cases you might have to pay a fare difference.)

If a travel alert affects you, you may be able to change your trip online if:
  • You booked on aa.com or with American Airlines Reservations
  • Your travel is within the U.S., Puerto Rico or U.S. Virgin Islands
  • Look for the 'change trip' button to see if your trip is eligible. If not, please call to change your trip.
Look up your trip and see if you have the change trip button to change it online. Look up your trip


OSO Resources and Tools, Links
Link to AA Travel Policy / Travel Notices, including existing Weather Waivers
Link to AA travel exception policy for travel agents (now withdrawn from being downloaded by the public)

Off Schedule Operations special numbers (We have verification this number is still in service for widespread IROPS.)
AA OSO (Off-Schedule Operations) Phone: 1.800.843.3447 "800-THE-EGGS"
(Only if you are affected, please! Only staffed during OSO events.

Twitter: @AmericanAir can help. Send them a request they follow you so you can send them DM (Direct Messages), then you can send them your AAdvantage number and EP status,which they can add to their profile on you. Then you can DM them privately with your PNR etc. (You must have a Twitter account.)

Link to Federal Aviation Administration OIS national airspace system status & delays
Link to FAA Air Traffic Control Command Center Advisories page
Link to AA cancelled flights on FlightAware
Link to "Misery Map" USA from FlightAware - see where it's miserable now
Link to North American airport weather delays (FlightStats)
Link to U S airport delays (FlightAware)
Link to cancelled flights (today, to two days out - FlightAware)
Link to USA Weather Service website
Link to FT thread on PALL List discussing priority for passengers in IROPS, etc.
Thread with alternative numbers (wiki) that can be useful during IROPS: Long wait / delay / hold times for Customer Service / EXP, etc. lines (consolidated)
Link to "AA Protection for OSO / IROPS / IRROPS / Misconnect on Separate AA / oneworld Tickets" thread.
Link to FT Original Routing Credit thread
Link to thread: 2015 AA Travel Notices & Policy, resources etc. (OSO, system IROPS, weather, etc.) (pre-merger forum)[/quote]
Link to 2017 Guide to compensation thread.
Link to FAA list of aviation terms and abbreviations
Link to Wikipedia list of aviation and aerospace Terms and abbreviations

Note: Normally weather waivers allow no changes to origin or destination, but a number of members have optionally been so accommodated; new dates must be within a few days of the original booking. If your plans are totally hammered (missed my meeting, cruise, etc.) or is interrupted and you can't continue, try the phrase "trip in vain" for cancelling and refunding.

Weather (or other "force majeure") caused delays such as FAA ground holds, etc. will generally not gain payment for overnight hotel accommodation or hotel vouchers.

NOTE: Basic Economy fare holders ARE entitled to reaccommodation on other AA flights without requiring B fares, according to recent announcements. 23 Aug 2017)


Other ways of contacting AA reservations:
Link to listing of USA other language than English lines.

Code:
Call us (Within the U.S.)
Language Phone Hours (CT)
English 800-433-7300 24 hours, Daily
Spanish 800-633-3711 24 hours, Daily
Japanese 800-237-0027 6 a.m.  12 midnight, Daily
Mandarin 800-492-8095 7 a.m.  12 midnight, Daily
Portuguese 866-824-8717 6 a.m.  7 p.m., Daily
Hearing & speech impaired 800-543-1586 24 hours, Daily
Link to worldwide reservations phone numbers.
From outside U.S. can call AA headquarters 1-817-963-1234, use voice menu.
Try Skype or Skype WiFi or other methods of calling if your mobile will incur significant charges.


FAQ
Q. If I'm on an AA award or ticket but the flight is operated by another airline, whom do I call in case of cancellation or IROPS?
Prior to the day of travel, call AA (do so as soon as you become available of changes); on the day of travel, you can call AA but it's appropriate for the operating carrier to reroute and assist you.

Q. The operating carrier canceled or changed my AAdvantage award flight so I'll miss (event, connection, etc.)
AA can change you to AA flights regardless of award seat availability, but they can not force partner airlines to do so. AA may attempt to request the other carrier accommodate you, but the request will be with the carrier's Liaison with AA and may take some time.

Q. When is AA obligated to pay for Hotel in OSO / IROPS?
See this thread with that title.

Q. Im stuck in xxx for the night! Where do I go now?
Start by reviewing the options (hotels, sleep facilities, lounges, ad hoc sleeping in airports) at http://www.sleepinginairports.net.

Q. Gd received my upgrade prior to OSO, now Ill have to change flights.
If your upgrade was confirmed and from a SWU or miles and copay, AA will attempt to preserve your upgrade if seats are available for sale on AA or JBV partners AY, BA, IB and JL, rarely on non-JBV partners. If your upgrade was a CK-EXP-PPro courtesy upgrade or from e500 stickers AA will not likely preserve your confirmed upgrade.


Related issues
NOTE:This thread will be regularly archived to allow more recent OSO issues to be listed.
Posts from 2019 can be seen in the ARCHIVE thread here.
Posts from 2018 can be seen in the ARCHIVE thread here.
Posts from 2017 can be seen in the ARCHIVE thread, here.
Older posts from 2016 and prior can be seen in the ARCHIVE thread, here
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IROPS "IRROPS" - OSO, Weather, etc. Affecting AA Flyers (master thread)

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Old May 4, 2021, 4:53 pm
  #31  
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: ILM/STT
Programs: AA Exp, Admirals Club
Posts: 192
May 5 AA4764 7:01am ILM to CLT has been canceled.

Tonights SFO to CLT red eye has also been. (Friend supposed to be on that one).

Havent checked why yet on either.

Edit: ILM is for current weather in CLT
onanisland is offline  
Old Jun 14, 2021, 9:35 am
  #32  
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Programs: Delta GM, Southwest A-List
Posts: 41
26 hour mechanical delay on AA2574 STL-PHX. Supposed to leave 8:58am June 13, now 10:30am June 14.
ldonnelly is offline  
Old Jun 16, 2021, 11:20 am
  #33  
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,539
Not sure if I should post here or the Travel Insurance section, but here goes:
PVR to DFW flight #353 on 6/11/21 (the 12:29 p.m. flight)
Delayed due to mechanical (or the pilot said waiting for mechanics to check something and then later they were waiting on the mechanical paperwork). This caused us to arrive late into DFW and then another 30 minutes for AA to get bags to pickup.

Anyway, how do I obtain "proof" that it was mechanical? Travel insurance is requesting it. I thinks some folks here have a way to look up the flight and see the info (not sure how to do that).

Thanks!

Edit:
Someone helpful on FB posed this link to get documentation:
https://www.aa.com/contact/forms?topic=TRP#/

Last edited by hurnik; Jun 22, 2021 at 8:16 am Reason: Found answer
hurnik is offline  
Old Jul 11, 2021, 8:48 pm
  #34  
 
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: CLT
Programs: AA
Posts: 431
I was flying a DFW-DRO leg back on July 1, AA3224 which was dependent on 3289 from SBN. Getting into DFW the inbound was already delayed due to aircraft maintenance and as a result 3224 was pushed back from a ~250pm scheduled departure to ~430pm or thereabouts. Not the end of the world.

A bit later I check on 3289's status and now it's not scheduled to arrive DFW until something like 10pm. My flight, 3224, still shows ~430 scheduled, so that doesn't add up. At this point I'm wondering... should I just stick with this, or should I get a new routing that'll get me to DRO late-ish, but doesn't look likely to be cancelled?

I ask a GA re: inbound - "Well it looks like that's changed, your flight is still showing 430pm, they're pulling a plane out of the hangar now." Hours pass, 430 comes and goes, departure time pushes back, ask another GA - "They're going to pull a plane over on a tug from the maintenance hangar, or we're waiting on a new inbound, so hopefully we'll get sorted and going soon." Which sounds a lot less certain of what's actually happening. In reality we got a different inbound and departed around 7pm - so this "pulling a plane out of the hangar" line seems like it was just to get me to go away when I'd initially asked 5 hours earlier.

So in that situation where you're trying to figure out whether to stick with an incrementally delaying flight or rebook through the app or what not... what's best practice on who and what to ask? Does this "pulling a plane out" thing ever actually happen? Do the GA's really not know? Is there any way of getting a clearer picture, or does the airline really not have it figured out until the last minute?

The creeping delays have always been a head scratcher for me and I've wondered what's actually going on behind the scenes.
jerseytom is offline  
Old Jul 11, 2021, 9:49 pm
  #35  
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: MSN
Programs: AA, BAEC Gold
Posts: 3,935
Originally Posted by jerseytom
So in that situation where you're trying to figure out whether to stick with an incrementally delaying flight or rebook through the app or what not... what's best practice on who and what to ask? Does this "pulling a plane out" thing ever actually happen? Do the GA's really not know? Is there any way of getting a clearer picture, or does the airline really not have it figured out until the last minute?
I wonder if the Twitter team, who are based in the Operations center, are a reliable source.
MADPhil is offline  
Old Jul 12, 2021, 10:12 am
  #36  
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: oneword Emerald
Posts: 20,727
AA 2737 ATL-LAX on July 11 was scheduled to depart at 11:27 am. It didn't leave till 10:09 am the next day. The inbound plane was over an hour late getting in from DFW. Once it landed, it was announced that there was a maintenance issue and the estimated departure time was pushed back from 12:15 pm until 2:00 pm. Shortly before 1:00 pm, the plane was taken out of service - the board actually showed that the flight was closed and according to the app, it had departed and was awaiting takeoff. That caused many passengers who were not waiting in the gate area into thinking that they had missed the flight. One of the agents said that they were looking for a substitute plane while waiting a part to arrive on a flight leaving PHL to ATL at 2:00 pm. Shortly thereafter, the AA app showed that the flight had been delayed till 9:00 am the next morning.

I later found out that a wrong part was installed at DFW and that the crew timed out while waiting for a replacement aircraft or for the correct part to arrive.
TWA884 is offline  
Old Jul 13, 2021, 11:03 am
  #37  
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: Choice Hotels
Posts: 762
I am scheduled today on AA 502 MEX-PHX, connecting to AA 2315 PHX-DEN

My first flight is now about 2 hours late, as the inbound flight, AA 619 is about 2 hours late or so flying into MEX from PHX.

AA 619 has had a rolling delay all morning and is supposed to leave at 11 AM. I don't think it actually will. If it gets much later, I am going to miss my connection to DEN. I had assumed that a 3 HR 45 MIN connection would have been safe, but I guess not.

Does anyone know why AA 619 is late?
thunderdeacon is offline  
Old Jul 17, 2021, 6:19 pm
  #38  
 
Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: Boston, MA
Programs: AAdvantage, HiltonHonors, Hertz Gold Plus
Posts: 1
Originally Posted by jerseytom
I was flying a DFW-DRO leg back on July 1, AA3224 which was dependent on 3289 from SBN. Getting into DFW the inbound was already delayed due to aircraft maintenance and as a result 3224 was pushed back from a ~250pm scheduled departure to ~430pm or thereabouts. Not the end of the world.

A bit later I check on 3289's status and now it's not scheduled to arrive DFW until something like 10pm. My flight, 3224, still shows ~430 scheduled, so that doesn't add up. At this point I'm wondering... should I just stick with this, or should I get a new routing that'll get me to DRO late-ish, but doesn't look likely to be cancelled?

I ask a GA re: inbound - "Well it looks like that's changed, your flight is still showing 430pm, they're pulling a plane out of the hangar now." Hours pass, 430 comes and goes, departure time pushes back, ask another GA - "They're going to pull a plane over on a tug from the maintenance hangar, or we're waiting on a new inbound, so hopefully we'll get sorted and going soon." Which sounds a lot less certain of what's actually happening. In reality we got a different inbound and departed around 7pm - so this "pulling a plane out of the hangar" line seems like it was just to get me to go away when I'd initially asked 5 hours earlier.

So in that situation where you're trying to figure out whether to stick with an incrementally delaying flight or rebook through the app or what not... what's best practice on who and what to ask? Does this "pulling a plane out" thing ever actually happen? Do the GA's really not know? Is there any way of getting a clearer picture, or does the airline really not have it figured out until the last minute?

The creeping delays have always been a head scratcher for me and I've wondered what's actually going on behind the scenes.
In my experience as a multi-year EP AAdvantage member who, despite the presence of Covid-19 still logged 110 EQS in 2020 and who has remained just as active with AA so far in 2021, here's my approach to the "incremental delay." The short answer is to do both...

1. The moment I'm notified of a delay, I always check to see if the inbound aircraft is also delayed. If so, I'll then pull up a doppler radar and the weather conditions to see what's happening in and around the origin airport. If conditions are calm and the forecast looks clear, I can rule out weather as the cause which in most circumstances will qualify the reason for the delay within the "controllable" category...aka, the airline has to be more accommodating. AA will almost always claim that it's "maintenance" if the cause of the delay is within their control, but that's like seeing a foreign tree for the first time and asking someone what type it is only to get "one with leaves" as an answer. It isn't technically incorrect, but it doesn't tell you much more than you already know. What's important to know is if the cause of the delay is within their control or not.

2. If not already at the airport, contact the AAdvantage desk. Or if already at the airport, speak to a GA or more preferably if you subscribe to the Admiral's Club, one of their agents. Usually the more tenured and senior employees manage these desks and are better equipped to help. But regardless of to whom you speak, always ask for the next possible flight options. Meanwhile, do some research on the AA app to see what's published for next flight possibilities.

3. Request to either be put on standby for the next flight option or if possible, request to be booked on the next flight while retaining your original flight itinerary. Plan for all options as I like to say, or #PFAO.

4. See which option presents itself first- the original flight or the next published flight for which you're on standby/ double booked.
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Old Jul 19, 2021, 12:28 pm
  #39  
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 127
Apologies if this is the wrong thread in which to post.

My wife and I were scheduled to fly MSP-DCA on July 17--it was cancelled (as was the inbound aircraft) due to thunderstorms in DC. We accepted a rebooking the next morning to IAD via CLT, and stayed in a hotel. It transpires that the credit card my wife used to make the reservation doesn't have any trip delay protection--oh well. I'm fine with eating the cost of the hotel near MSP and the cab ride home from IAD (we live not far from DCA). I get it, stuff happens. My question is, what's the chance of getting some AAdvantage miles thrown my wife's way for the AAnoyance? Thanks and have a great day!
ConstellationClass is offline  
Old Aug 2, 2021, 1:35 pm
  #40  
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: LI, NY
Programs: AA PLT, AAdv since Day One
Posts: 2,682
AA569 on 8/2 CLT-HN, sold out 772. Departure time bumped 4 times (as of this post) from 11:59am to 6:50pm. Was told they are trying to find (convince, cajole?) two FAs needed for the flight to fill-in. Current ETA in HNL 10:27p. Well, at least Biz on this route gets you AC access.
inlanikai is offline  
Old Aug 2, 2021, 8:59 pm
  #41  
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: oneword Emerald
Posts: 20,727
Originally Posted by inlanikai
AA569 on 8/2 CLT-HN, sold out 772. Departure time bumped 4 times (as of this post) from 11:59am to 6:50pm. Was told they are trying to find (convince, cajole?) two FAs needed for the flight to fill-in. Current ETA in HNL 10:27p. Well, at least Biz on this route gets you AC access.
Looks as if it's not leaving till 9:30 am tomorrow. This reminds me of my flight from ATL to LAX last month. I hope that they were able to accommodate you via another hub.
TWA884 is offline  
Old Aug 3, 2021, 9:45 am
  #42  
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: LI, NY
Programs: AA PLT, AAdv since Day One
Posts: 2,682
Originally Posted by TWA884
Looks as if it's not leaving till 9:30 am tomorrow. This reminds me of my flight from ATL to LAX last month. I hope that they were able to accommodate you via another hub.
On the plane now.. Its 11:43a and waiting for them to add more gas. Things got a little testy at the gate because of the repeated incremental delays this morning while waiting for the 3 (standby?) pilots to show up one at a time. Were given a rousing round of applause when they did. Two cops at the gate while boarding just to make sure things didnt get to crazy.

On a happy note, the AC AAngels were great last night with providing vouchers for meals, taxis and hotel accommodations.
inlanikai is offline  
Old Sep 22, 2021, 12:05 pm
  #43  
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: NYC suburbs
Programs: UA LT Gold (BIS), AA LT Plat (CC SUBs & BD), Hilton Dia (CC), Hyatt Glob (BIB), et. al.
Posts: 3,326
Datapoint: A month ago, award ticket business class JFK-LAX. Booked as 1 stop for 22,000 miles vs non-stop 97,000 miles. JFK-MIA 06:30am-09:32am connecting to MIA-LAX 10:55am-1:08pm, went to sleep at midnight, alarm clock set for 3:15am.

Received a text message at about 1am that the connecting flight would be delayed by about 35 minutes. In keeping with “any schedule change (no matter how small) is an invitation to call the airline and discuss ways to improve your travel” I called AA. Of course there was an hour estimated hold, I accepted their offer to call back thinking it would never happen. AA did call back at about 2am.

I pointed out the delay, asked about being switched to a non-stop. Agent said all non-stops were sold out in business, I pointed out several had multiple open first class seats. He put me on hold for 15 minutes, said I was confirmed on the 9:30am non-stop (arriving 12:32, my preferred JFK-LAX flight) but he could not assign a seat because business was sold out and at the gate someone would be upgraded to first to open a business seat for me.

I got to the gate an hour prior to departure, same as the gate agent(s), to ask about a seat assignment and with my Navy retired hat and my best puppy-dog look (as some bloggers suggest but obviously never works) “offered” to be upgraded to first if necessary. (Maybe the puppy dog look with the military retired hat was too much of an oxymoron for them. )

Didn’t get the first class upgrade, didn’t have breakfast in the MIA AA or Centurion lounge. Did fly business class lie-flat non-stop, got 2.5 more hours of sleep at home with 20 additional minutes sitting in rush hour traffic on the Van Wyck Expressway Parking Lot, arrived half an hour earlier than originally scheduled and an hour earlier than the delayed arrival time for 75,000 fewer miles. In my book a gamble with a win-win.

“Any schedule change (no matter how small) is an invitation to call the airline and discuss ways to improve your travel.” ABSOLUTELY, words to live by!!!
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Last edited by Dr Jabadski; Sep 22, 2021 at 8:54 pm Reason: clarification
Dr Jabadski is online now  
Old Nov 10, 2021, 7:26 am
  #44  
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Albuquerque, NM
Programs: American Executive Platinum
Posts: 368
SFDC: IRROPS exemptions? (AA)

Does anyone know if delayed flights (or other IRROPS) opens up new possibilities for free, confirmed same day flight changes as a EXP or PP on AA? As it stands, if I were PP, I can only SDFC for free with the same destination/departure and same layover city. If my 1p flight is delayed to 1:30p and I'm connecting through DFW, does that open up the possibility as a PP to SDFC for free through PHX? If so, how far in advance, how much of a delay, and is that only something an AA rep/gate agent could do, or does that become available in the app?

My main reason for asking is in thinking through the benefits of confirmed SDFC on UA va AA. UA seems to have a particular advantage here if a weather system pops up on a particular day causing a lot of delays out of a particular airport. With UA, you could be a bit proactive and SDFC through another airport (if possible), whereas AA you can't.
FrankMorris is offline  
Old Nov 10, 2021, 7:36 am
  #45  
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: ORD, sadly...
Programs: AA Exec Plat
Posts: 599
Originally Posted by FrankMorris
Does anyone know if delayed flights (or other IRROPS) opens up new possibilities for free, confirmed same day flight changes as a EXP or PP on AA? As it stands, if I were PP, I can only SDFC for free with the same destination/departure and same layover city. If my 1p flight is delayed to 1:30p and I'm connecting through DFW, does that open up the possibility as a PP to SDFC for free through PHX? If so, how far in advance, how much of a delay, and is that only something an AA rep/gate agent could do, or does that become available in the app?

My main reason for asking is in thinking through the benefits of confirmed SDFC on UA va AA. UA seems to have a particular advantage here if a weather system pops up on a particular day causing a lot of delays out of a particular airport. With UA, you could be a bit proactive and SDFC through another airport (if possible), whereas AA you can't.
Once stuff starts getting cancelled/major delays, the app usually offers all kinds of alternatives, and AAgents are also more flexible than the usual SDFC.
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GrumpyYoungMan is offline  


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