EXP Desk problem
Mar 19, 2018, 8:06 pm
#1
Original Member
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1998
Location: los angeles
Programs: Hyatt Courtesy card. Delta 2MM Diamond. AA platinum pro
Posts: 1,898
EXP Desk problem
i apologize for not being able to find a thread about this.
I have several trips booked JFK - LAX in discount J that were at 11:30. The flight time was changed to 11:00. I called the EXP desk to change to the 12:00 flight. To my amazement over 50 % of the agents refused to put me on the 12:00 flight saying the same fare code wasn’t available and the change was less than 60 minutes. I have been EXP for about 20 years and cannot recall that kind of refusal before with a schedule change.
I have several trips booked JFK - LAX in discount J that were at 11:30. The flight time was changed to 11:00. I called the EXP desk to change to the 12:00 flight. To my amazement over 50 % of the agents refused to put me on the 12:00 flight saying the same fare code wasn’t available and the change was less than 60 minutes. I have been EXP for about 20 years and cannot recall that kind of refusal before with a schedule change.
Mar 20, 2018, 8:30 am
#3
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP
Posts: 11,329
i apologize for not being able to find a thread about this.
I have several trips booked JFK - LAX in discount J that were at 11:30. The flight time was changed to 11:00. I called the EXP desk to change to the 12:00 flight. To my amazement over 50 % of the agents refused to put me on the 12:00 flight saying the same fare code wasn’t available and the change was less than 60 minutes. I have been EXP for about 20 years and cannot recall that kind of refusal before with a schedule change.
I have several trips booked JFK - LAX in discount J that were at 11:30. The flight time was changed to 11:00. I called the EXP desk to change to the 12:00 flight. To my amazement over 50 % of the agents refused to put me on the 12:00 flight saying the same fare code wasn’t available and the change was less than 60 minutes. I have been EXP for about 20 years and cannot recall that kind of refusal before with a schedule change.
This is how we got the term HUCA. Fortunately there are more great EXP agents than not. I hope the bad ones get weeded out.
Mar 20, 2018, 9:10 am
#4
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 1,727
Are you sure you got an authentic EXP agent? Sometimes, when call volume is high, calls get routed to the next available agent, EXP or not. They may answer as EXP, as that should be showing on their phone. If they refuse, ask specifically if they are on the EXP desk, you may be surprised you got routed elsewhere.
This is how we got the term HUCA. Fortunately there are more great EXP agents than not. I hope the bad ones get weeded out.
This is how we got the term HUCA. Fortunately there are more great EXP agents than not. I hope the bad ones get weeded out.
Mar 20, 2018, 10:14 am
#5
Join Date: May 1998
Location: australia
Posts: 5,762
I rang the 'EXP Desk' immediately after the recent schedule change as I had been rerouted from LAS-PHL-JFK to LAS-LAX-JFK resulting in a 1hr 10 min later arrival. The LAX connection was only 34 mins which had me worried but I had enough padding at JFK for my separate ticket connection to an RJ flight so that the 1hr 10 min delay did not matter.
The 'EXP Agent' would not put me on the direct LAS-JFK flight as there was no N bucket availability and assured me that 34 mins connection time in LAX was fine. I reluctantly accepted the schedule change.
Fast forward to yesterday and I am checking my reservations and notice that I am now arriving in JFK 2 hrs 30 mins later than originally scheduled. Without any notice they took me off the 9am LAX-JFK flight and put me on the 10.30am flight. The 34 min connection which was OK to AA 2 weeks ago now seems to be no longer OK.
There was no N bucket availability on any of the LAX-JKF flights but that didn't stop them unilaterally rebooking me onto those flights. It seems lack of a particular fare bucket availability is only a problem when the customer wants to change a rescheduled flight not when AA want to do it
Barring any other significant delay I am still OK for my RJ connection but when they do wholesale schedule changes they could be a bit more flexible about rebooking for the passenger's convenience rather than their own convenience.
The 'EXP Agent' would not put me on the direct LAS-JFK flight as there was no N bucket availability and assured me that 34 mins connection time in LAX was fine. I reluctantly accepted the schedule change.
Fast forward to yesterday and I am checking my reservations and notice that I am now arriving in JFK 2 hrs 30 mins later than originally scheduled. Without any notice they took me off the 9am LAX-JFK flight and put me on the 10.30am flight. The 34 min connection which was OK to AA 2 weeks ago now seems to be no longer OK.
There was no N bucket availability on any of the LAX-JKF flights but that didn't stop them unilaterally rebooking me onto those flights. It seems lack of a particular fare bucket availability is only a problem when the customer wants to change a rescheduled flight not when AA want to do it
Barring any other significant delay I am still OK for my RJ connection but when they do wholesale schedule changes they could be a bit more flexible about rebooking for the passenger's convenience rather than their own convenience.
Last edited by 3544quebec; Mar 20, 2018 at 10:22 am
Mar 20, 2018, 10:38 am
#6
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Here and there
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,551
I rang the 'EXP Desk' immediately after the recent schedule change as I had been rerouted from LAS-PHL-JFK to LAS-LAX-JFK resulting in a 1hr 10 min later arrival. The LAX connection was only 34 mins which had me worried but I had enough padding at JFK for my separate ticket connection to an RJ flight so that the 1hr 10 min delay did not matter.
The 'EXP Agent' would not put me on the direct LAS-JFK flight as there was no N bucket availability and assured me that 34 mins connection time in LAX was fine. I reluctantly accepted the schedule change.
Fast forward to yesterday and I am checking my reservations and notice that I am now arriving in JFK 2 hrs 30 mins later than originally scheduled. Without any notice they took me off the 9am LAX-JFK flight and put me on the 10.30am flight. The 34 min connection which was OK to AA 2 weeks ago now seems to be no longer OK.
There was no N bucket availability on any of the LAX-JKF flights but that didn't stop them unilaterally rebooking me onto those flights. It seems lack of a particular fare bucket availability is only a problem when the customer wants to change a rescheduled flight not when AA want to do it
Barring any other significant delay I am still OK for my RJ connection but when they do wholesale schedule changes they could be a bit more flexible about rebooking for the passenger's convenience rather than their own convenience.
The 'EXP Agent' would not put me on the direct LAS-JFK flight as there was no N bucket availability and assured me that 34 mins connection time in LAX was fine. I reluctantly accepted the schedule change.
Fast forward to yesterday and I am checking my reservations and notice that I am now arriving in JFK 2 hrs 30 mins later than originally scheduled. Without any notice they took me off the 9am LAX-JFK flight and put me on the 10.30am flight. The 34 min connection which was OK to AA 2 weeks ago now seems to be no longer OK.
There was no N bucket availability on any of the LAX-JKF flights but that didn't stop them unilaterally rebooking me onto those flights. It seems lack of a particular fare bucket availability is only a problem when the customer wants to change a rescheduled flight not when AA want to do it
Barring any other significant delay I am still OK for my RJ connection but when they do wholesale schedule changes they could be a bit more flexible about rebooking for the passenger's convenience rather than their own convenience.
Mar 20, 2018, 11:16 am
#7
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Join Date: May 1998
Location: los angeles
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Posts: 1,898
Mar 20, 2018, 1:17 pm
#8
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: The FT AA forum, until it no longer wants me.
Programs: CK or bust
Posts: 1,913
Or they only looked at it without re-validating the segments as that would have thrown a warning. I don't know if just viewing n itinerary from an agent perspective would actually show invalid MCTs.
Mar 21, 2018, 7:16 am
#10
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: SoCal
Programs: AA EXP, HHonors LTDia, Marriott Plat
Posts: 639
This is a prime example of HUACA, Hang Up and Call Again. There is no way I'd accept a 35 min connection at LAX. Or DFW, CLT, and other airports that flight changes have dropped me into.