mitenator

I'm curious if anyone else has spent a lot on change ticket fees throughout the year? After this month, I'll have spent close to $1200. I realize that AA specifically states that change ticket fees will not apply to annual EQD earnings, but i'm starting to get frustrated with this policy. I can understand the other fees that don't qualify, but change ticket fees are purely a revenue generator that don't stress or inconvenience their systems in anyway. I still have to pay the change in fare (counts toward EQD) but the $200 fee is a no no. Why shouldn't these be included in EQD spending?

I wrote AA an email asking them to shed some light on their policy but get canned responses. Their suggestion was for me to buy flexible TATL flight tickets which are more than TRIPLE the cost of a normal economy ticket. Simply a terrible deal.

Obviously I'm sour because the $ i've spent on EQDs would qualify me for EXP again. I'll be roughly $900 short. Amazing that flying to Europe 1x/month mixed with a ton domestic travel can't seem to qualify me for spend requirements. I guess I need to start buying business class tickets

JDiver

Ancillary fees were excluded. This includes taxes, Airport fees, ticket change fees, lies redeposit fees, baggage fees, upgrade fees, special seat fees, etc. I don’t see this changing anytime soon, and as most petiole avoid paying change fees I frankly don’t see too many allies advocating for achange.

PHL

They are ancillary fees. From a revenue/accounting standpoint, they are basically the same as bag fees, advance seat assignment fees and the multitude of other fees that Doug likes to use to tout how AA will never fail. Base fare revenue is the only thing EQD is tied to. If you get any reply at all, expect it to be a canned or very short response telling you it is what it is. Until other airlines begin giving some EQD credit for purchases other than base ticket price, don't expect AA to do anything to be "industry leading".

GIGMIACDG

i would love if the copayment from Miles upgrades count towards EQD but they don't and that's nothing we can do..

3Cforme

If you're not qualifying on spend you are the high mileage but low spend flyer that the two factor (distance=MQM, spend=MQD) system initiated by Delta and copied by UA and AA (with their own little spin) was meant to filter out. Regrets - I'm not who they want for Plat Pro anymore, either.

Often1

Your email to AA was doomed. Customer service doesn't engage in policy issues and there isn't likely anyone within three levels of the chain of command who could remotely answer your question.

The real answer is because AA does not believe that it needs to incentivize passengers to change their tickets,. Those who pay the fees are those who have a reason to change their tickets. They will do so whether AA credits the EQD or not. So, why expand the ranks of EXP's by doing so at the very time there is a clear push to link EXP to more spend?

If you are flying 12x TATL and not making EXP, you are exactly the person AA does not want as an EXP.

matrixwalker2012

Fight back and go on a MR flying partner PEY fares . High EQDs relative to EQMs and low spend. Best of all, you can deny AA any revenue other than the miles the partner pays to them. Avoid any ATI JV routes too.

kb9522

I think what you're really annoyed about is that AA is focusing more on creating incentives for those who spend more per mile.

That's an odd thing to be annoyed about... AA is a business, not a charity... of course they are going to target those who will have a greater contribution to their bottom line.