FlyerTalk Forums - When does AA pay / reimburse lodging / hotel in misconnects / OSO / IROPS (“IRROPS”)?

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When AA may issue you a voucher or reimburse you for lodging

When the issue is the responsibility of AA, the airline may provide a voucher or vouchers for lodging, meals and transportation, under the best of circumstances. These may not be to a convenient or nearby property. If you’re stuck at DFW, you probably won’t be staying at the Hyatt properties, for example. You may find, after waiting in a queue, you’re handed a voucher for the local “Notell Motel “, which neither offers a shuttle nor dining other than during very restricted hours, because AA has a contract with them for passengers in this circumstance. (AA vouchered us into the MIA DoubleTree Club some time ago - a total, grotty, filthy, roach-infested dump that was closed soon after - the six of us there should have been compensated for that abominable stay.)

It’s also possible they may tell you they’re out of vouchers. Have the delay and cause - very useful if AA us at fault and you’ve been told the flight is cancelled or delayed for a mechanical condition, lack of crew, etc. - documented in your PNR, and proceed as below.

If you are inconvenienced and there’s a lengthy reaccommodation or voucher queue, you may want to call AA through your status telephone number. If your flight is affected and it’s not a airport wide issue, and you’re at a hub like DFW, you might ask if there’s a reaccommodation desk nearby and go there.

If it’s an airport-wide issue, that’s a more serious problem. Try to call AA while you stand in queue. In case if hours-long disruption, in hubs such as DFW they might provide cots, blankets, snacks, etc. See The Guide to Sleeping in Airports”link below.

Alternatives:

If you have a higher end credit card (or travel insurance policy - some are even available as annual policies), you may just prefer calling your predilection hotel chain booking number and requesting the nearest hotel with a room and shuttle. You may want to inquire abit getting a “distressed passenger rate” to boot.

If you’re pretty sure the airline will reimburse you because the circumstances are so clear - and more likely you have status and are good at dealing with AACS, book it as a above.

In both cases, document as well as you can. If you can get an employee to enter an OSI (other service information) note into your PNR (passenger name record, the airline’s itinerary ) to note the reason for your inconvenience and anything you’re promised (such as a voucher for future travel), so much the better.

To contact AA for reimbursement, compensation, etc. contact AA Customer Relations.

When will AA likely not reimburse or voucher me for lodging?

When AA generally will not issue you a voucher or reimburse you for lodging (possibly might anyway if you’re a valuable customer such as Concierge Key - influencer of travel).

AA will generally not be responsible for lodging etc. when the conditions are beyond its control - most commonly, as a result of weather, even if the weather affected your aircraft at another location causing your current issue, including crews timing out as a result of such delays. The chain can be lengthy.

From the AA Conditions of Carriage (link):

Force majeure event means:

Any condition beyond American's control including, but without limitation, meteorological conditions, acts of God, riots, civil commotion, embargoes, wars, hostilities, disturbances or unsettled international conditions - actual threatened or reported. Also, because of any delay, demand, circumstances or requirement due, directly or indirectly to such conditions; or
Any strike, work stoppage, slowdown, lockout or any other labor related dispute involving or affecting American's service; or
Any government regulation, demand or requirement; or
Any shortage of labor, fuel or facilities of American or others; or
Any fact not reasonably foreseen, anticipated or predicted by American

See above for alternatives.

Note that though your inconvenience might de due to a “force majeure”event, you might still gain some compensation from AA.

Resources

FlyerTalk AA forum master threads:

Contacting American Airlines Customer Relations & Complaint, Issues

IROPS "IRROPS" - OSO, Weather, etc. Affecting AA Flyers

IDB / Involuntarily Denied Boarding on AA & Compensation (master thread)

AA Bump Rates; compensation for VDB / Voluntary Denied Boarding (master thread)

FAQ: TCP, "Linking" / link / merge itineraries / PNR

Questions for 2018 about, guide to, listing of, compensation

EC261 / EC 261/2004 complaints, compensation and AA (applicable for European Community carriers and to AA when your flight originated in, and is disrupted in, Europe).

Lost baggage /luggage delay, loss, damage - advice, compensation, etc.

Other resources:

AA Conditions of Carriage (the rules that govern your travel with AA that AA imposes on you, sometimes called a “contract if adhesion”).

The Guide to Sleeping in Airports Lists best areas in airports around the world to catch some kip, and Lists public or paid access lounges.