zitozac

Last Monday, I was scheduled to fly ATL-PHX-SFO on an F saver award ticket. The flight out of ATL was delayed around 90 minutes, causing me to miss my connection in PHX on the last SFO flight of the night. Once we landed in PHX, I saw that I had already been rebooked on the first flight out the next morning to SFO, in Y instead of F. However, I also saw that a flight into SJC was delayed and they let me (and several others on the 1st flight) swap over. There were no F seats though and I was assigned a seat in Y. Honestly, I was just thankful to get to the SF area that night and more thankful that my bag made the reroute and short connection and was waiting on me in SJC. I'm wondering though if I am due any miles back for the downgrade from F to Y on one leg of a multi-leg itinerary. Thanks.

FlightNurse

Yes

Antarius

I am not sure.. as you chose a different airport in Y vs waiting for the next one in F? Although, I admit, I am not sure of the rules.

JDiver

Try.

But... AA can see your willingness / acceptance to fly Y now (vs a possibly lengthy layover to get a J seat) as a voluntary change on your behalf.

controller1

Isn't the mileage award price the same on a one-way regardless if only one of the two segments are in F? I assume OP flew ATL-PHX in F.

beachfan

If you don’t complain a lot (they keep track of that) then it’s worth a shot even though technically no mileage is due.

JDiver

In most of those instances those are mixed cabin Awards - Common, these days. But in this instance the OP had a Business award and was “busted” by OSO / IRIPS, was offered an alternative flight that was earlier and in coach. Much like an “instant upgrade”, AA can choose to see this as a voluntary change. I’ve had that occur - “tomorrow, we have an F seat (lodging and meal costs are on you, Mr. VAAlued PAAssenger,) but you can go out in coach on the next flight.” Four hours in Tiny Tots or overninght on my dime? I’m gone!

controller1

Interesting.

Prior to BTR receiving CRJ7 service, I had an award flight where segments 1 (outbound) and 4 (return) were in Coach, which was the only class available on the ERJ145. Both segments 2 and 3 were in F.

When the ERJ145s were replaced by the CRJ7, I called reservations and asked about being placed in F on those two segments. I was placed in F and no additional mileage was required as I was told the price in miles was the same.

JJeffrey

Why was the ATL-PHX flight delayed? If due to mechanical issues or something else that was AA's fault, then I wouldn't focus on the downgrade so much as missing your connecting flight and being rerouted to a different airport. Send a complaint to AA customer relations and you're likely to get 5k-10k miles your way for the delay alone.

zitozac

Thanks for the responses. As mentioned in the OP, the flight that I was automatically rebooked on for the following day was also downgraded from F to Y. I did fly F from ATL-PHX. I never complain, and honestly as mentioned I was just happy to get to the SF area the same night, even with the extra expense of an Uber ride from SJC to SFO. However, if I am due some miles for not flying the whole itinerary in the cabin booked I'd love to get them back, even if it is a measly few thousand.

On a somewhat related note, how often are you all successful in having an agent proactively protect you on later flights when it looks like you might miss your connection? I have had the agents through Twitter do this a handful of times over the last few months when it looks like my first flight may cause me to miss my connection and they always do it without any kind of issue. However, when I called and tried to have a phone agent do it, I was explicitly told that it was against company policy and she would not risk her job to do it. I told her that was fine but I just was looking for clarification as the team through Twitter had literally done it for me just a few weeks ago, and did it for me as soon as I hung up with the phone agent.

JDiver

That is exactly as it should be if there’s now the class and space. Quite different from the situation described by the OP, and different than mine, of course.

The issue is further muddied because some agents are wrong when they decline to protect or put us on the next flight when it has the seats available we purchased with money or miles, as mentioned by zitozac. (Ive been Platinum since 1986, until I became EXP in 2002. I’ve had agents protect me, even carry my upgrade over to BA in the day when flying BA USA-UK earned no miles.

I’ve also been badly treated, such as the time I knew my SAT-DFW flight was sufficiently delayed I’d miss my connection. I called the EXP Desk, whereupon I was told 1) I was protected on the next flight to SMF in F, 2) stop in at the Club to pick up my new Boarding Pass. The Club agent scolded me, telling me I should have come to the Club for a seat and BP when I landedinstead of getting lunch, and the EXP Desk had done nothing for me (I was making the call up) until I showed her the call on my phone abd firmly pushed back. That’s when I was told F was full until the following afternoon, as was coach, but there were two coach seats to SFO that afternoon - I took those abd rented a car on my own dime. I also complained to AA, for any good that might have had. Whilst there are some knowledgeable AA agents, even at the EXP level there are some ignorant and uncaring agents who are willing to make up the rules as they go along. Sad.

Often1

Had OP stayed on the rebooked flight, he would have been due a refund of the mileage difference. That is 0. As he voluntarily changed to another destination, he is due the same. That is 0.

I would not overthink this one. Simply drop AA a note advising that due to a late arrival, you misconnected and could only be rebooked into Y. Ask for something as a customer service gesture and you may see a few miles.

controller1

Thanks. That's helpful....

ijgordon

platbrownguy

I get so many conflicting (and passionate!) statements about this from agents. I've had gate agents vigorously tell me no, there's no way to protect, it CAN'T be done, system won't allow it. That was 10 days ago in DFW when DFW-MCO was delayed and I wanted a backup seat on a later flight that ended up leaving earlier. I've had Admirals Club agents tell me OF COURSE we'll protect you, here's how it works, no boarding pass for the new flight obviously but if your original flight gets messed up you're going to be fine. I've had phone agents go either way. But unlike most other issues it seems like everyone is quite sure they're "right" on this. All I know is the system clearly does work just fine because I've been protected on alternate flights (including CLT-IAH just this past weekend) and it appears to be no trouble at all. Definitely a HUACA type situation.