susiesan

good to know. last time I flew AA in business was in 2011 with the NGBC seats that were shamefully bad for a biz product. good to know all AA aircraft have been retrofitted since then. most of my long haul flying has been on AA partners like JL, CX. I had always avoided AA for the TATL or TPAC flights. The homebound flights for this vacation are on IB metal. No AA seats in J available from VCE to the US for the day I needed. In fact, I was shocked that I didn't have to go IB on the way to Europe, that I actually scored J seats on AA DFW-MAD flight.

BTW, packing is not an easy fast thing. There is a cruise involved with this trip so a lot more complicated packing to be done.

JDiver

I don't believe i mentioned packing, but I can relate. We're on DFW-MAD next week, flying onward to TFN to cruise as well. I'm looking forward to flying on the new 787-9.

DesertNomad

Where do I sign up for this $1000 & six hour deal?

kettle1

I am almost positive it is a FAM that took that seat. AA did you right. A pilot could have taken the jump seat. Safe and happy travels.

JDiver

No, that's unlikely that a relief pilot would take the cockpit jump seat. On flights requiring three pilots / a relief pilot, a seat is generally blocked for the PNF if a seat is required. That seat is not available for seat selection by passengers at any time. It might be possible an instructor pilot might be added for rating purposes, but my guess, as yours, is FAM.

Beltway2A

I'm sorry OP. That sounds like an inconvenience for you, while the compensation isn't worth much to you. While many on FT are able to rearrange their travel or plan additional trips to take advantage of airline credit, others have limited time off or otherwise inflexible travel patterns. It doesn't make your situation any less terrible that you fall into the latter group.

That being said, AA's proposed compensation in this particular case seems generous on average. If you think you'll be unable to use the proposed travel credit before it expires, I highly suggest contacting the airline until you get an agent who can offer you something else.

rjw242

I find it hard to believe that someone who flies over 25,000 miles per year will struggle to find a use for $1,000 in credit (on the largest airline in their home country) sometime over the coming year.

This is bad advice.

iadisgreat

Agreed, you're probably replying to the worst advice in this whole thread.

As to the OP, you did get a deal. More your various things ("inconveniences"), move on with $1000 more than you had before, and thank your lucky stars this didn't happen at the gate where no rerouting what possible. I wouldn't have cared to read *that* thread.

Dr. HFH

What's a PNF?

When the flight requires more flight crew than can sit up front, the extra pilot is assigned a specific seat based on the aircraft type. That seat has been negotiated and is part of the collective bargaining agreement with the pilots' union.

FlyerBeek

Almost certainly a FAM because this flight would already have a Relief First Officer (3rd pilot) assigned since it's always going to be greater than 8hrs of flying time. Even if there was an additional forth pilot (deadheading, positive-space for whatever reason) they would be contractually required to be assigned a business class seat (jumpseat or Y seat would not suffice).

-FlyerBeek

Alfonso XIV

Agree that the seats were taken by FAMs.

I'll add this data point, from 9 months ago:
- I had booked 2 award seats in Business/First, ORD-MIA-MXP
- The day before departure AA calls to say we've been downgraded to coach on the ORD-MIA leg. The agent is extremely apologetic, offers 2 exit row seats on the A330 (unlimited leg room), and $300 per passenger in vouchers.
- We still had our Business class seats on the transatlantic leg.

The other part of OP's scenario is the same as well: the agent did offer us seats upfront on the ORD-MIA leg, but on an earlier flight that would have required us to leave the house at 5am, giving us a 6 hour layover in MIA.

I knew what was going on, the agent who called knew that I knew what was going on, but never was the word FAM mentioned.

MSPeconomist

PNF = pilot not flying

rjw242

That's pretty phenomenal too - for a short domestic flight (with reseating in the exit row) I'd take that compensation in a heartbeat. Nice to hear AA's proactively making it right in these FAM situations.

arlflyer

I can always see both sides of things in threads like this. On one hand, there aren't many other industries where the provider can significantly change the product being offered without much warning and without much recourse. On the other hand, well, that's how things are in the airline business, and we have to deal.

Viewed through the first lens, it's annoying when stuff like this happens. It makes us want to pound the table and invoke imaginary contract laws that don't exist but just seem like they should. Viewed through the second lens, I agree with the majority here that the OP got a very good deal given the limited recourse inherent to consumers in this industry.

kb9522

The product wasn't changed.

And what was changed was within the terms agreed to by both parties.