The case of my cancelled flight
Aug 27, 2018, 11:44 pm
#1
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The case of my cancelled flight
A while back I booked the following itinerary:
Jan 19: AA3346 PBC-DFW 0749/1044
Jan 20: AA1113 DFW-SJC 0920/1101
I have now received a change notification by e-mail and my booking is only showing the DFW-SJC sector.
I have checked Kayak and the AA flight from PBC is no longer for sale (also one day before and after), so obviously it's been canned.
Since it would appear that AA is no longer flying out of PBC, what are my chances of getting them to book me on UA4087 to IAH and then AA metal from IAH to the Bay Area?
I don't fancy making the trek up to MEX, which presumably would be at my own expense.
Jan 19: AA3346 PBC-DFW 0749/1044
Jan 20: AA1113 DFW-SJC 0920/1101
I have now received a change notification by e-mail and my booking is only showing the DFW-SJC sector.
I have checked Kayak and the AA flight from PBC is no longer for sale (also one day before and after), so obviously it's been canned.
Since it would appear that AA is no longer flying out of PBC, what are my chances of getting them to book me on UA4087 to IAH and then AA metal from IAH to the Bay Area?
I don't fancy making the trek up to MEX, which presumably would be at my own expense.
Aug 28, 2018, 1:17 am
#3
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As you and I suspected, they are only offering the original $170 back, leaving me to pay $297 for a UA flight to SJC, losing my prepaid hotel in Dallas and paying out for an extra night in the Bay Area.
Alternative is flying me from MEX (transport from PBC at own expense), getting me into DFW to late to do anything on the planned layover.
Thouroughly shAAfted. Worth a HUCA and speaking to a day-shift manager?
Alternative is flying me from MEX (transport from PBC at own expense), getting me into DFW to late to do anything on the planned layover.
Thouroughly shAAfted. Worth a HUCA and speaking to a day-shift manager?
Aug 28, 2018, 2:55 am
#4
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Ok - I now have 2 options (I've given up the day in Dallas in favour of getting to the Bay Area asap):
#1 : Rebook from MEX with AA.
1415 MEX-DFW 1654
1840 DFW-SJC 2016
This would involve a 2-hour bus from PBC-MEX, at my own risk of delays and missing the flight from MEX. Bus options are 0700 or 0900.
Cost to me: $16 for the bus.
#2 : Cancel AA and book UA:
0805 PBC-IAH 1027
1250 IAH-DEN 1419
1850 DEN-SJC 2031
Cost to me: $130 price difference for UA flight.
I have also checked flights to SFO & OAK and there's nothing better.
#1 : Rebook from MEX with AA.
1415 MEX-DFW 1654
1840 DFW-SJC 2016
This would involve a 2-hour bus from PBC-MEX, at my own risk of delays and missing the flight from MEX. Bus options are 0700 or 0900.
Cost to me: $16 for the bus.
#2 : Cancel AA and book UA:
0805 PBC-IAH 1027
1250 IAH-DEN 1419
1850 DEN-SJC 2031
Cost to me: $130 price difference for UA flight.
I have also checked flights to SFO & OAK and there's nothing better.
Aug 28, 2018, 4:59 am
#5
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The most direct routing is the best one, in your case you have a 3 part flight no matter how you look at it. No knowing the reliability and punctuality of the bus service, I would much rather prefer to have everything under one ticket in case of problems, so the UA would be my choice. The bus, while cheaper, has the highest risk associated with it, if there is a breakdown, flat tire, mechanical, and you are late to arrive MEX, AA can cancel the flight as they consider you a no show. Unless you can arrive a day earlier and spend the night in MEX prior to the flight.
Aug 28, 2018, 5:08 am
#6
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The risk associated with the bus was one thing I had thought of and you're absolutely right. I had already decided that if I were to take the bus option, it would be the 0700 due to associated risks.
Arriving the night before is not really an option as I only have 2 days in Puebla and this cluster has already cost me a day of my trip.
I think I'm probably just going to take the UA option, although it's a rat of a day's flying and more out-of-pocket expense.
Whichever way you cut it, I've been royally shafted and I'm less than impressed with AA's handling of this. What are the chances that they'll throw a few thousand miles at me to shut me up?
Arriving the night before is not really an option as I only have 2 days in Puebla and this cluster has already cost me a day of my trip.
I think I'm probably just going to take the UA option, although it's a rat of a day's flying and more out-of-pocket expense.
Whichever way you cut it, I've been royally shafted and I'm less than impressed with AA's handling of this. What are the chances that they'll throw a few thousand miles at me to shut me up?
Aug 28, 2018, 5:23 am
#7
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I guess the other option is to have an extra day in Puebla, travel up to MEX in the evening and take the early morning direct UA MEX-SFO, on the day I would have been flying DFW-SJC.
Aug 28, 2018, 6:13 am
#8
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That sounds like the best plan to me. Cuts out a stop and less risk with the evening positioning. And a night in Mexico should be a lot cheaper than a night in the Bay Area.
Aug 28, 2018, 7:57 am
#9
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In the end I went for a slightly different solution.
I have now ended up with:
19 Jan: 0805 PBC-IAH 1027
20 Jan: 0940 IAH-SJC 1158
This gets me out of PBC only a few minutes later, preserves my layover day (I love 23-hour layovers - they give a chance to break up travel days and see a new place at no cost), and gets me to SJC only an hour later. Extra out-of-pocket cost is virtually nothing, factoring in cheaper layover accommodation.
The only difference is my bonus day is in Houston instead of Dallas. As I've been to Houston before, I'll probably grab a rental car and buzz down to Galveston.
When life gives you lemons...
I have now ended up with:
19 Jan: 0805 PBC-IAH 1027
20 Jan: 0940 IAH-SJC 1158
This gets me out of PBC only a few minutes later, preserves my layover day (I love 23-hour layovers - they give a chance to break up travel days and see a new place at no cost), and gets me to SJC only an hour later. Extra out-of-pocket cost is virtually nothing, factoring in cheaper layover accommodation.
The only difference is my bonus day is in Houston instead of Dallas. As I've been to Houston before, I'll probably grab a rental car and buzz down to Galveston.
When life gives you lemons...
Aug 28, 2018, 8:53 am
#10
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Sorry guys! I just realised how alarming this thread heading could be! I should have put "disappearing booking" or "disappearing ticket".
Mods, please change.
Mods, please change.
Aug 28, 2018, 9:26 am
#11
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Aug 28, 2018, 9:54 am
#12
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Aug 28, 2018, 1:12 pm
#13
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Unless there's a special event going on there then, I don't see why it should be necessary to book prepaid that far ahead.AA historically does late December schedule changes only around the end of September / beginning of October, and sometimes those schedule changes are very major. So even if you couldn't have predicted the route being cancelled outright, you should have known that the schedule might change so much (perhaps the schedule dropping that day of the week, for example) that the Dallas hotel would no longer work for you. And it's not yet late September, and your flight is even later than late December.
Aug 28, 2018, 2:34 pm
#14
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I don't understand why you booked a prepaid a hotel in Dallas already for January. Unless there's a special event going on there then, I don't see why it should be necessary to book prepaid that far ahead.
AA historically does late December schedule changes only around the end of September / beginning of October, and sometimes those schedule changes are very major. So even if you couldn't have predicted the route being cancelled outright, you should have known that the schedule might change so much (perhaps the schedule dropping that day of the week, for example) that the Dallas hotel would no longer work for you. And it's not yet late September, and your flight is even later than late December.
Unless there's a special event going on there then, I don't see why it should be necessary to book prepaid that far ahead.AA historically does late December schedule changes only around the end of September / beginning of October, and sometimes those schedule changes are very major. So even if you couldn't have predicted the route being cancelled outright, you should have known that the schedule might change so much (perhaps the schedule dropping that day of the week, for example) that the Dallas hotel would no longer work for you. And it's not yet late September, and your flight is even later than late December.
Sep 1, 2018, 1:49 pm
#15
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Well, AA is now sending me a $100 voucher, valid for one year from the date of issue, which seems a fair enough resolution.
I assume that this means I have to make a booking within one year, but not necessarily travel within one year from now?
For example, I could make a booking in August 2019 for a flight in, say, January 2020?
I assume that this means I have to make a booking within one year, but not necessarily travel within one year from now?
For example, I could make a booking in August 2019 for a flight in, say, January 2020?