American Airline's Chutzpah
Nov 16, 2017, 11:25 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: Mileage Plus
Posts: 186
American Airline's Chutzpah
I paid two $200 change fees to change the day of departure on my ticket and my wife's for a spring flight. I could have waited for a probable schedule change and then cancelled and re-booked, but I decided not to gamble on a price hike or not getting the seats we wanted. Fair enough. Today I got an e-mail from American saying that they had changed our flights and at no charge to us. The change was adding an extra half hour to our already adequate layovers coming and going. Thanks, American, for not charging us for the change to a more inconvenient flight.
Nov 16, 2017, 12:06 pm
#4
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,631
The OP seems to believe that paying a fee to change the date, and the change in the schedule of the new flights, are related somehow. They are completely unconnected, making the post incoherent. The schedule change is to the new flight, not the original flight. Even if it were the original flight, 30 min is not enough to trigger free changes/refunds.
Of course, I agree that this is a terrible story. It's probably the worst treatment by an airline I have heard of in many years of flying.
Of course, I agree that this is a terrible story. It's probably the worst treatment by an airline I have heard of in many years of flying.
Nov 16, 2017, 12:09 pm
#5
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
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The OP seems to believe that paying a fee to change the date, and the change in the schedule of the new flights, are related somehow. They are completely unconnected, making the post incoherent. The schedule change is to the new flight, not the original flight. Even if it were the original flight, 30 min is not enough to trigger free changes/refunds.
Of course, I agree that this is a terrible story. It's probably the worst treatment by an airline I have heard of in many years of flying.
Of course, I agree that this is a terrible story. It's probably the worst treatment by an airline I have heard of in many years of flying.
Nov 16, 2017, 12:14 pm
#6
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
There is nothing to complain about and the post title makes less than no sense.
OP chose to book inflexible tickets which carried a change fee. He then chose to change the dates, incurring a change fee which he knew of before he booked. He is then upset that AA changed its schedule when he himself acknowledges that he chose to change the tickets and pay the penalty rather than chance things.
The chutzpah of complaining about nothing !
OP chose to book inflexible tickets which carried a change fee. He then chose to change the dates, incurring a change fee which he knew of before he booked. He is then upset that AA changed its schedule when he himself acknowledges that he chose to change the tickets and pay the penalty rather than chance things.
The chutzpah of complaining about nothing !
Nov 16, 2017, 12:31 pm
#7
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: DL: Silver; AA: EX PLAT; UA: Silver; HY: DIA; HH: DIA; MR: TIT
Posts: 1,708
To all the AA defenders, I think the OP's point is that it sucks that he gets charge $200 to make a change while AA makes them with impunity. I don't know how the defenders can't see the irony/unfairness/annoying-ness of this disparity. And yes, I know, he could have paid 10x the fare he bought and avoided change fees....
Nov 16, 2017, 12:39 pm
#9
Join Date: Oct 2006
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,635
To all the AA defenders, I think the OP's point is that it sucks that he gets charge $200 to make a change while AA makes them with impunity. I don't know how the defenders can't see the irony/unfairness/annoying-ness of this disparity. And yes, I know, he could have paid 10x the fare he bought and avoided change fees....
Nov 16, 2017, 12:39 pm
#10
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,580
To all the AA defenders, I think the OP's point is that it sucks that he gets charge $200 to make a change while AA makes them with impunity. I don't know how the defenders can't see the irony/unfairness/annoying-ness of this disparity. And yes, I know, he could have paid 10x the fare he bought and avoided change fees....
Nov 16, 2017, 1:33 pm
#11
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
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Posts: 20,386
To all the AA defenders, I think the OP's point is that it sucks that he gets charge $200 to make a change while AA makes them with impunity. I don't know how the defenders can't see the irony/unfairness/annoying-ness of this disparity. And yes, I know, he could have paid 10x the fare he bought and avoided change fees....
Nov 16, 2017, 2:14 pm
#12
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Nov 16, 2017, 2:16 pm
#13
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,580
Nov 16, 2017, 2:21 pm
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
To all the AA defenders, I think the OP's point is that it sucks that he gets charge $200 to make a change while AA makes them with impunity. I don't know how the defenders can't see the irony/unfairness/annoying-ness of this disparity. And yes, I know, he could have paid 10x the fare he bought and avoided change fees....
1. WN - 2 free checked bags, no charge for overhead, no change fees.
2. DL - After the hurricane when I needed to get back to TPA and WN didn't fly back until the next day
3 Allegiant - Non stop Clearwater (PIE) to Peoria (PIA) - Not a bad fare, even after the bag fee and preferred seat fee. And,, how else are you going to go PIE to PIA nonstop?
I don't complain about expected things, like the $200 change fee, and minor schedule changes.
Nov 16, 2017, 4:25 pm
#15
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: San Diego, Ca
Programs: AA 2MM LT PLT; AS MVP Gold75k; HHonors Diamond; IHG PLT
Posts: 3,502
I think the issue is simply to not book that fare or that carrier if you want to avoid this. I have lifetime Platinum status on AA, but that doesn't stop me from flying other carriers that have what I need, like
1. WN - 2 free checked bags, no charge for overhead, no change fees.
2. DL - After the hurricane when I needed to get back to TPA and WN didn't fly back until the next day
3 Allegiant - Non stop Clearwater (PIE) to Peoria (PIA) - Not a bad fare, even after the bag fee and preferred seat fee. And,, how else are you going to go PIE to PIA nonstop?
I don't complain about expected things, like the $200 change fee, and minor schedule changes.
1. WN - 2 free checked bags, no charge for overhead, no change fees.
2. DL - After the hurricane when I needed to get back to TPA and WN didn't fly back until the next day
3 Allegiant - Non stop Clearwater (PIE) to Peoria (PIA) - Not a bad fare, even after the bag fee and preferred seat fee. And,, how else are you going to go PIE to PIA nonstop?
I don't complain about expected things, like the $200 change fee, and minor schedule changes.