Jan 12, 2018, 4:29 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
The 2019 compensation master thread is here.
Questions about, guide to, and listing of, compensation (2018, master thread)
Welcome to the "2018 Guide to, and listing of, compensation" thread!
NOTE: If compensation is not generated automatically (occasionally, it will), you will want to contact American Airlines Customer Relations. See Contacting American Airlines Customer Relations & Complaint, Issues (master thread).
In keeping with tradition, we'd like to ask members to report their compensation in the following format:
- Date
- AAdvantage Status
- Fare class
- What happened
- Compensation
- Comments
• JGR01 has created a spreadsheet parsing posts in this thread from 2003-2007, available for download here
• AA's official policy regarding compensation for delays, cancellations, and diversions is as follows (thanks to tom911 for posting):
DELAYS, CANCELLATIONS AND DIVERSIONS
American Airlines will provide customers at the airport and onboard an affected aircraft with timely and frequent updates regarding known delays, cancellations and diversions and will strive to provide the best available information concerning the duration of delays and to the extent available, the flight's anticipated departure time.
We are not responsible for any special, incidental or consequential damages if we do not meet this commitment.
When cancellations and major delays are experienced, you will be rerouted on our next flight with available seats. If the delay or cancellation was caused by events within our control and we do not get you to your final destination on the expected arrival day, we will provide reasonable overnight accommodations, subject to availability.
In extreme circumstances, it is possible that a flight will cancel while on the ground in the city to which it was diverted. When this happens you will be rerouted on the next American flight with available seats, or in some circumstances on another airline or some other alternative means of transportation. If we are unable to reroute you, reasonable overnight accommodations will be provided by American, subject to availability.
American will provide amenities for delayed passengers, necessary to maintain the safety and/or welfare of certain passengers such as customers with disabilities, unaccompanied children, the elderly or others to whom such amenities will be furnished consistent with special needs and/or circumstances.
American Airlines will provide customers at the airport and onboard an affected aircraft with timely and frequent updates regarding known delays, cancellations and diversions and will strive to provide the best available information concerning the duration of delays and to the extent available, the flight's anticipated departure time.
We are not responsible for any special, incidental or consequential damages if we do not meet this commitment.
When cancellations and major delays are experienced, you will be rerouted on our next flight with available seats. If the delay or cancellation was caused by events within our control and we do not get you to your final destination on the expected arrival day, we will provide reasonable overnight accommodations, subject to availability.
In extreme circumstances, it is possible that a flight will cancel while on the ground in the city to which it was diverted. When this happens you will be rerouted on the next American flight with available seats, or in some circumstances on another airline or some other alternative means of transportation. If we are unable to reroute you, reasonable overnight accommodations will be provided by American, subject to availability.
American will provide amenities for delayed passengers, necessary to maintain the safety and/or welfare of certain passengers such as customers with disabilities, unaccompanied children, the elderly or others to whom such amenities will be furnished consistent with special needs and/or circumstances.
Contrary to the belief of some, airlines are not required to compensate passengers for “damages” when flights are delayed or canceled. Compensation is required by law only when you are “bumped” from a flight that is oversold. Airlines almost always refuse to pay passengers for financial losses resulting from a delayed flight. If the purpose of your trip is to close a potentially lucrative business deal, to give a speech or lecture, to attend a family function, or to be present at any time-sensitive event, you might want to allow a little extra time and take an earlier flight. In other words, airline delays and cancellations are not unusual, and defensive planning is a good idea when time is your most important consideration.
Also see (FT) EC261 / EC 261/2004 complaints, compensation and AA (master thread)
(The other compensation threads are archived and closed, but can easily be accessed for reading here:
2017 Questions about, guide to, and listing of, compensation (consolidated)
2016 Questions about, guide to, and listing of, compensation (consolidated)
2015 Questions about, guide to, listing of, compensation (consolidated - archived)
2014 Questions about, guide to, listing of, compensation (consolidated - archived)
2013 Questions about, guide to, and listing of compensation (archived)
Guide to, and listing of, compensation (2012 - archived)
Guide to, and listing of, compensation (2003 - 2011 archived)
AA Forum Moderator Team
ARCHIVE: Questions for 2018 about, guide to, listing of, compensation
Dec 4, 2018, 1:26 pm
#211
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Land of Enchantment!
Programs: Southwest RR, Alaska Mileage Plan™
Posts: 341
It's good that you have a nice attitude about this forum, Lars. You will get along very well.
Best wishes in your future.
Best wishes in your future.
Dec 4, 2018, 5:57 pm
#212
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,234
Chill dude. No one is policing anyone else. I was just pointing out why there was likely confusion. It may also actually have mattered since if the counter was unattended there would have been no way for the OP to pretend to be an obnoxious American and get more immediate attention.
Dec 4, 2018, 6:23 pm
#213
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,313
Welcome ballin44
the grammar police don't always show up on here.
My suggestion, regardless of what time you got attended/served/called over/"next", is if there is a time crunch, just walk up to the counter in front of everyone else and say "my flight is about to leave and there's a problem" and they'll often take you out of turn
when you said not attended till 5:58 AM my first thought was that meant it was unattended, that the counter was unattended until that time. Glad we got it cleared up. Just barge right up next time. Safe travels.
the grammar police don't always show up on here.
My suggestion, regardless of what time you got attended/served/called over/"next", is if there is a time crunch, just walk up to the counter in front of everyone else and say "my flight is about to leave and there's a problem" and they'll often take you out of turn
when you said not attended till 5:58 AM my first thought was that meant it was unattended, that the counter was unattended until that time. Glad we got it cleared up. Just barge right up next time. Safe travels.
Dec 4, 2018, 8:38 pm
#214
Join Date: May 2005
Location: PHX
Programs: AA Gold, WN A+ & CP, HH Diamond, Hyatt Platinum, National Executive Elite
Posts: 3,246
I don't know any people named Lars who are native English speakers. Not that there aren't any, just saying it was one of the clues to me. Also, I think to some extent people tend to type how they speak in these type of situations. So another clue was the complete lack of contractions. As I was hearing the post in my head, it just sounded like people I've heard whose primary language isn't English. There's just something about the flow when it's almost too perfect. Again, just the things that clued me in. Certainly not saying it was obvious. And nothing against Lars. Admire people who can speak a second (or third, or fourth, etc) language so well. 
Dec 6, 2018, 3:32 pm
#215
Join Date: Nov 2015
Programs: AAdvantage EXP, Marriott Ambassador (LT Titanium)
Posts: 94
Plane swapped @ gate, Exit row MCE to non-MCE - Compensation?
Flew LAS-JFK today, plane was swapped at the gate from an old 738 config to new 738 config. My seat assignment didn’t change, but I knew something was up when I wasnt asked to confirm I was good for an exit row seat when my boarding pass was scanned.
Whats protocol here? Not an involuntary downgrade per se, but on a 4 hour flight MCE makes a difference. And what about people without status who paid upwards of $100 for their seat selection?
Anyone have prior experience with this situation?
Whats protocol here? Not an involuntary downgrade per se, but on a 4 hour flight MCE makes a difference. And what about people without status who paid upwards of $100 for their seat selection?
Anyone have prior experience with this situation?
Dec 6, 2018, 3:44 pm
#216
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: DCA
Posts: 7,769
You paid nothing and got nothing. Harsh maybe, but that is the mentality that I have regarding the reality of the state of affairs in 2018.
Dec 6, 2018, 4:00 pm
#217
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 132
Not much can be done, but AA will credit the paid MCE selection back while status passengers simply lose their MCE seat. Annoyingly AA's standard policy for an equipment change is to relocate MCE passengers without much in the way of notification to the passenger.
This recently happened to me even due to a flight schedule change of less than fifteen minutes with no equip change. I had a lively discussion with an agent about this topic, and her position was essentially that we passengers should have know to revisit our reservation to re-select our seats.
This recently happened to me even due to a flight schedule change of less than fifteen minutes with no equip change. I had a lively discussion with an agent about this topic, and her position was essentially that we passengers should have know to revisit our reservation to re-select our seats.
Dec 6, 2018, 4:32 pm
#218
Join Date: Nov 2015
Programs: AAdvantage EXP, Marriott Ambassador (LT Titanium)
Posts: 94
I didnt realize that benefits earned by spending tens of thousands of dollars equated to “paying nothing”. I wonder if my systemwides were also obtained by paying nothing?
Dec 6, 2018, 5:09 pm
#219
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: ORD (formerly SAN)
Programs: Hilton Diamond; IHG Platinum; Bonvoy Gold; AA Platinum Pro and United Premier Silver (DH = AA EXP)
Posts: 1,929
Dec 6, 2018, 5:39 pm
#220
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: PHL, NYC
Programs: AA PLT, DL SLV, UA SLV, MR LTT, HH DIA
Posts: 10,067
Happened to me last week (737 old config to new config). I had 14F booked (exit row window),. When I was looking at the seat map a few hours before the flight to try and move to an aisle I saw that 14F was no longer the exit row and I immediately knew what happened. I was able to move back to 17B (formerly 15B). Not ideal to be in a middle seat but the legroom was decent.
Row 7-9, 14-15 are MCE on the old config and 8-10, 16-17 are the new config MCE rows. Row 7 is completely absent. How are those row 7 passengers handled?
Sadly, all that's owed to someone displaced out of an MCE seat is a refund if they paid for it. AA is only obligated to transport you safely in your paid for coach seat. Assignments are not guaranteed.
Row 7-9, 14-15 are MCE on the old config and 8-10, 16-17 are the new config MCE rows. Row 7 is completely absent. How are those row 7 passengers handled?
Sadly, all that's owed to someone displaced out of an MCE seat is a refund if they paid for it. AA is only obligated to transport you safely in your paid for coach seat. Assignments are not guaranteed.
Dec 6, 2018, 6:28 pm
#222
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: CA
Posts: 304
You didn't pay for these benefits. You just added an alphanumeric string to whatever AA flights you decided to add it to. Pretty sure that costs nothing.
Dec 6, 2018, 6:34 pm
#223
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Long Beach, CA
Programs: AA PLTPRO, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 3,559
Same thing happened to me last week. I tweeted AA and got a worthless, meaningless reply.
Dec 6, 2018, 6:54 pm
#224
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR/SPG LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus
Posts: 31,008
I'm curious what compensation you were expecting? Do you expect compensation when MCE is sold out? When you don't get an upgrade? When a flight has no SWUs available? For all other when available/capacity-based benefits that aren't available at any particular time.
People who paid cash would be refunded that cash.
Dec 6, 2018, 8:16 pm
#225
Join Date: May 2008
Location: PHL (kinda, no airport is really close)
Programs: AA Exp, but not sure for how long. Enterprise Platinum woo-hoo!
Posts: 4,550
Everyone has different priorities, but most of my flights are 4-6 hours and I plain wouldn't fly if I wasn't in MCE. Say I was really hungry for veal and I walked into an Italian restaurant and they said they were out of veal. I don't expect to be reimbursed for my expenses in getting to/from the restaurant, but I'd expect to be able to walk out without paying, not be told "You came here for dinner, you're paying for dinner no matter what you eat."
We all understand that airlines operate under conditions most other industries don't, but that shouldn't mean we have to buy whatever product they have available at the moment. To me personally, MCE and misery class (my name for Y with pitch under 33" - I also use "Torture class" for pitch under 30") are not the same product and they should let me change flights, re-route, or get a refund. Of course, personally if I saw any kind of change I'd be all over it like ants at a picnic and do my own reaccomodation if possible.
We all understand that airlines operate under conditions most other industries don't, but that shouldn't mean we have to buy whatever product they have available at the moment. To me personally, MCE and misery class (my name for Y with pitch under 33" - I also use "Torture class" for pitch under 30") are not the same product and they should let me change flights, re-route, or get a refund. Of course, personally if I saw any kind of change I'd be all over it like ants at a picnic and do my own reaccomodation if possible.