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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, 5:25 pm
  #46  
 
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If it makes you feel any better AA107 went out with 4 empty business class seats.

There are rules put in place for a reason. Just because you might have had an agent go around the rules before doesn't mean that it is right.

Also, just speaking as someone who knows a lot of people that work for airlines throwing out things like "do you know who I am?" and "do you know how much money I have given your company" is going to get you nowhere.
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Old Sep 6, 2017, 5:26 pm
  #47  
 
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Years ago you could count on AA dumping excess inventory into U class (or Z or T) within days or hours of departure. No more of that and certainly not for EXP in the mythical expanded inventory which is gone too.

Clearly this is designed to prevent people from waiting to book until last minute and/or people who book at higher redemption tiers from exchanging their tickets to the lower tier closer to departure.

It stinks and I don't like it better than anyone else but the only recourse is to take your loyalty elsewhere.
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Old Sep 6, 2017, 7:27 pm
  #48  
 
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Had a similar experience checking in at LHR Admirals Club a few weeks ago. The agent asked if we’d had our bags checked for the tag upon arrival after the security check, as we were in transit (I think she was talking about a yellow carry on tag, but she wasn’t entirely clear so we asked for clarification). She got a little flustered at that, but we got along just fine. (It seems like we had also asked about availability on an earlier flight out, as well). Before granting us access, she said, “I’ve got to re-print your boarding pass” and the SSSS was on mine. I’m not saying she was responsible, but I did find it odd that it wasn’t on my original pass in TLV that I printed online or that a new one wasn’t issued when I turned in my bags and documents were checked before my first flight.

My additional security check went quite smoothly. The agent just pointed at various small bags in my carry on and would ask “what is this” without asking me to even open them. One agent kept making the rounds in the waiting area, asking to see people’s boarding passes (she was cross-checking the SSSS list). She asked my husband 5 times to see his boarding pass!

Later on, the same agent who had given me my “new” boarding pass showed up at the Gate and assisted with getting passengers on board (Very long story, but it was UTTER CHAOS at the gate for our delayed flight which caused many people to miss their connections in JFK).

Last edited by miles4sheli; Sep 6, 2017 at 7:35 pm
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Old Sep 6, 2017, 7:41 pm
  #49  
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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.
A little OT, but I also fly international approximately monthly to/from SEAsia (either TPAC or through DOH), also have TTN, GE, and a reliable and consistent history of frequent travel, and have never had SSSS. I'd love to know how they decide....


Originally Posted by Cofyknsult
The story is worth telling....
A matter of opinion.


Originally Posted by Cofyknsult
I mentioned to the Flagship FC agent that courtesies were a 2 way street, that I had just previously been delayed 30 hours in early August between Manchester and New York, that I had requested and obtained compensation as per EC 261 but that 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.
So you screwed your friends in order to help AA?
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Old Sep 6, 2017, 8:05 pm
  #50  
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Petty? Petty?!? I'll give you petty - the word you were looking for was discreet, not discrete! Now THAT's petty!
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Old Sep 6, 2017, 8:12 pm
  #51  
 
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Originally Posted by miles4sheli
she said, Ive got to re-print your boarding pass and the SSSS was on mine. Im not saying she was responsible, but I did find it odd that it wasnt on my original pass in TLV that I printed online or that a new one wasnt issued when I turned in my bags and documents were checked before my first flight.
Almost certainly you were already on the SSSS list, whether or not your orginial boarding pass said so (non-AA boarding passes typically won't). If you hadn't stopped by the lounge, you still would have been subject to the same additional screening at the gate.

-FlyerBeek
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Old Sep 6, 2017, 8:21 pm
  #52  
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Originally Posted by Dr. HFH
So you screwed your friends in order to help AA?
Well, maybe a more gentle/charitable way to express that might be... oh, wait, there isn't one.
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Old Sep 6, 2017, 8:54 pm
  #53  
 
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I am sure this was just a joke! Or else, this thread should belongs to DYKWIA thread.
Why so serious?
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Old Sep 6, 2017, 8:55 pm
  #54  
 
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Originally Posted by Cofyknsult
Good Point. Unfortunately, only ONE agent at Flagship FC check-in (I have no reason to believe that he/she is assigned there for being the brightest or more sympathetic), and long lines at other positions.

What baffles me is that, as per Expertflyer real time availability and given the remaining time before each flight, accepting to move me would have actually INCREASED AA's chances of added revenue. 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.
Can i just say what I think many may be thinking ? If i have the misfortune to be seated next to you on a flight, PLEASE do not talk to me. !
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Old Sep 6, 2017, 8:57 pm
  #55  
 
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OP - consider yourself lucky that all you got was "SSSS".

Some years ago, checking in for a US-bound flight from London, when asked the security screening questions I provided honestly and truthful answers. That's what they want, isn't it? I wasn't being a wise-guy.

Unfortunately for me, the agent didn't believe and simply wouldn't accept what I had said. So instead of offering to reprint my boarding pass with a few extra letters on it, I was immediately and unceremoniously hauled away to have a no tea and no biscuits interview with Special Branch. They asked the same questions again in a polite but extremely serious way (and got the same answers) and then asked a lot of additional and very probing questions. Eventually it was verified that I was who I said I was and I have had no repeat of that procedure in the dozens of trips to the US since.

"SSSS" is nothing compared to that.
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Old Sep 6, 2017, 9:03 pm
  #56  
 
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Originally Posted by 12939
OP - consider yourself lucky that all you got was "SSSS".

Some years ago, checking in for a US-bound flight from London, when asked the security screening questions I provided honestly and truthful answers. That's what they want, isn't it? I wasn't being a wise-guy.

Unfortunately for me, the agent didn't believe and simply wouldn't accept what I had said. So instead of offering to reprint my boarding pass with a few extra letters on it, I was immediately and unceremoniously hauled away to have a no tea and no biscuits interview with Special Branch. They asked the same questions again in a polite but extremely serious way (and got the same answers) and then asked a lot of additional and very probing questions. Eventually it was verified that I was who I said I was and I have had no repeat of that procedure in the dozens of trips to the US since.

"SSSS" is nothing compared to that.
No tea and biscuits !! unimaginable !
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Old Sep 6, 2017, 9:16 pm
  #57  
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About 2 years ago, I reprinted my AA boarding pass and the new one had SSSS. So I looked really hard for the original one and found it. It worked.
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Old Sep 6, 2017, 9:43 pm
  #58  
 
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Originally Posted by Toshbaf
About 2 years ago, I reprinted my AA boarding pass and the new one had SSSS. So I looked really hard for the original one and found it. It worked.
I've checked in at the AA counter at MIA received an SSSS boarding pass, then went to the kiosks and reprinted it without SSSS. Went through pre-check with the reprinted boarding pass no problem!
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Old Sep 6, 2017, 10:23 pm
  #59  
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Originally Posted by DenverBrian
Petty? Petty?!? I'll give you petty - the word you were looking for was discreet, not discrete! Now THAT's petty!
Aren't we almost all immigrants with an imperfect knowlrdge of English ? Yes, I meant DISCREET, I take full responsibility for Discrete and apologize where due.

As to all those who blame me for not having spread around EC261 info to perfect strangers (travel companions by coincidence), 1) there was absolutely no intention at the time not to, as explained earlier, it was a situation in progress, and 2) how do you think AA would have reacted to my holding a Press Conference on the matter to 200+ people? Passengers have been dragged off planes for far less...

Last edited by Cofyknsult; Sep 6, 2017 at 10:46 pm
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Old Sep 6, 2017, 10:27 pm
  #60  
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Originally Posted by riced
I've checked in at the AA counter at MIA received an SSSS boarding pass, then went to the kiosks and reprinted it without SSSS. Went through pre-check with the reprinted boarding pass no problem!
The SSSS Experience was no big deal and extremely courteous. The existence and principle of SSSS marking in this day and age are obviously right. The use of it as attitude and a way by the staff to contain their nervous diarrheas, less so.

Last edited by Cofyknsult; Sep 6, 2017 at 10:43 pm
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