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Petty AA: Denied earlier flight at LHR on SAAver award, got SSSS

Petty AA: Denied earlier flight at LHR on SAAver award, got SSSS

Old Sep 6, 2017, 4:08 pm
  #31  
 
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Originally Posted by Cofyknsult
Classic domestic case in DFW, ORD and MIA where pax are turned away from early flights with availability, only to end with massive compensation at the end of the day for overbooking. Anybody with an IQ of 85 understands this.
That's certainly not unique to AA or any major carrier. Every carrier has end of the day problems that might have been resolved if they allowed open standby. But they don't.
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Old Sep 6, 2017, 4:13 pm
  #32  
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Originally Posted by C17PSGR
That's certainly not unique to AA or any major carrier. Every carrier has end of the day problems that might have been resolved if they allowed open standby. But they don't.
Absolutely and it is mind boggling that they do not solve it, partially at least.
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Old Sep 6, 2017, 4:19 pm
  #33  
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Originally Posted by SeeBuyFly
Sounds extremely underhanded to me. You wanted to gain an advantage for yourself in exchange for screwing other customers. You deserve the SSSS just for that. Not to mention the fact that the agent would not be authorized to make such a Mafia-type deal.
Absolutely not... I did not mention it because the delay originally was not so bad that EC261 would apply, it increased by slow increments and when EC261 became applicable, it took me time to realize it.

There was no intention to keep it to myself and there certainly won't be any in the future if/when I react quicker. It's a gradually acquired knowledge
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Old Sep 6, 2017, 4:20 pm
  #34  
 
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(2) Agents have NO power to award SSSS. Often, last minute flight changes trigger SSSS in the computer. But its a computerized decision.
Categorically false. They can and do regularly based on your answer to their behavioral questions
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Old Sep 6, 2017, 4:21 pm
  #35  
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Originally Posted by Gig103
Why wouldn't you have told people about EC261? It doesn't cost you anything!
See my reply on page 3.
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Old Sep 6, 2017, 4:21 pm
  #36  
 
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Originally Posted by apeortdz
SSSS is definitely a random occurrence.
international to USA it is easily triggered by agent with one key press for unsatisfactory response to their behavioral questions
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Old Sep 6, 2017, 4:26 pm
  #37  
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Originally Posted by Cofyknsult
Absolutely not... I did not mention it because the delay originally was not so bad that EC261 would apply, it increased by slow increments and when EC261 became applicable, it took me time to realize it.

There was no intention to keep it to myself and there certainly won't be any in the future if/when I react quicker. It's a gradually acquired knowledge
That contradicts what you stated in the 1st post when you stated

"I had not informed any of my traveling companions of the regulation, which they did not know about, during the 5 hours wait at the gate, and that I would most likely not be so discrete the next time"

How can it be that yoiu were discrete (though I assume you mean discreet) in not telling them whilst then claiming that you did not realise that there was entitlement at the time ?
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Old Sep 6, 2017, 4:32 pm
  #38  
 
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Originally Posted by justforfun
There's definitely a way an airline agent can make you SSSS. At CDG the gate agent didn't like my answers to the "security" questions, went to the computer and reprinted my boarding pass with those lovely letters.
Makes total sense to me that they can do that.
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Old Sep 6, 2017, 4:34 pm
  #39  
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Originally Posted by andersonCooper
The airline does not determine SSSS; and last minute flight/flight changes MAY trigger SSSS.

See posts: http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.c...ing-pass-mean/
Anderson, your (erroneous) post is not political so no reason to call it Fake.

I highly respect Lucky and read him a lot, but airlines can and do SSSS even if they are not those who do it most.
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Old Sep 6, 2017, 4:48 pm
  #40  
 
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Originally Posted by BobbySteel
international to USA it is easily triggered by agent with one key press for unsatisfactory response to their behavioral questions
But ... pretty unlikely that the Flagship lounge person is the one asking the behavioral questions. Last time I was at LHR, those were asked by a contractor who put the sticker on my passport.
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Old Sep 6, 2017, 4:56 pm
  #41  
 
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As someone who flies longhaul internationally monthly, I receive SSSS on about 50% of my international return segments, despite having a TTN, GE, and a reliable and consistent history of frequent travel. It's a fact of life, nothing more nothing less.

Given the OP's origination in LIS, presumably he/she had a BA-issued BP for the AA flight that did not indicate SSSS (making the OP think it was the FL agent who added the SSSS). It is completely common to have SSSS appear when the boarding pass is reprinted on AA stock. I had the exact thing happen to me last month returning from Europe. If the OP had attempted to board using his BA-issued BP, he would have received the exact same secondary screening at the gate. The FL lounge agent had nothing to do with this.

-FlyerBeek
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Old Sep 6, 2017, 4:57 pm
  #42  
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Originally Posted by C17PSGR
But ... pretty unlikely that the Flagship lounge person is the one asking the behavioral questions. Last time I was at LHR, those were asked by a contractor who put the sticker on my passport.
Not anymore. They now do, the questions are excellent and it's a much better system.
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Old Sep 6, 2017, 5:02 pm
  #43  
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Originally Posted by FlyerBeek
As someone who flies longhaul internationally monthly, I receive SSSS on about 50% of my international return segments, despite having a TTN, GE, and a reliable and consistent history of frequent travel. It's a fact of life, nothing more nothing less.

Given the OP's origination in LIS, presumably he/she had a BA-issued BP for the AA flight that did not indicate SSSS (making the OP think it was the FL agent who added the SSSS). It is completely common to have SSSS appear when the boarding pass is reprinted on AA stock. I had the exact thing happen to me last month returning from Europe. If the OP had attempted to board using his BA-issued BP, he would have received the exact same secondary screening at the gate. The FL lounge agent had nothing to do with this.

-FlyerBeek
@:-) @:-) @:-) @:-)
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Old Sep 6, 2017, 5:16 pm
  #44  
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Originally Posted by Cofyknsult
Absolutely and it is mind boggling that they do not solve it, partially at least.
I am more than certain that AA's RM/IM people have considered exactly this issue and have determined that it is a poor idea even if on a particular flight it might have been a good idea.

AA sells flexible tickets at a premium price. Nobody in their right mind would purchase those tickets if they could have flexibility for the price of a discounted ticket. Note that AA does not permit SDC on itnernational flights other than on this particular route and that is likely to deal with the overflow issues which arise in IRROPS.

AA is perfectly capable of offering proactive flight changes as a means of eliminating overbooked flights which are at risk of oversale. But, bear in mind that oversale is extremely uncommon.
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Old Sep 6, 2017, 5:25 pm
  #45  
 
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Originally Posted by Cofyknsult
Anderson, your (erroneous) post is not political so no reason to call it Fake.

I highly respect Lucky and read him a lot, but airlines can and do SSSS even if they are not those who do it most.
Nothing in this post is political to start with. But if you disagree with Lucky, comment on his blog.

IMO, another day, another DYKWIM.
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