Post purchase mileage increase issue
Nov 19, 2018, 6:12 pm
#16
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The the DFW-SYD-BNE-AKL in 1 continuous trip, without a stopover?
Not a very efficient route, as many QF SYD AKL flights per day.
SYD-BNE-AKL will be business class as no F on those routes with QF. And may be on B737
Route Map--->Great Circle Mapper
Not a very efficient route, as many QF SYD AKL flights per day.
SYD-BNE-AKL will be business class as no F on those routes with QF. And may be on B737
Route Map--->Great Circle Mapper
Nov 19, 2018, 6:26 pm
#17
Join Date: Dec 2004
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OK. I might be grateful to get the extra segment at all (for no extra charge). Being in Y for AUS-DFW does not sound like a big enough deal, but I can see that it is a huge deal for the OP.
In some cases, when it's their "fault" e.g. flights are rescheduled so as to cause a misconnect, AA can and will open up extra SAAver inventory. An individual agent error is not the same thing as a reschedule, but potentially the OP can keep trying until someone agrees to open up an award seat (ask specifically for SAAver to be opened up---this is not something that frontline agents can do, they will have to be encouraged to go up the food chain). For me, the time spent on the phone would not be worth the hassle.
In any case I would not keep describing it as a price increase. It is an involuntary voluntary downgrade.
In some cases, when it's their "fault" e.g. flights are rescheduled so as to cause a misconnect, AA can and will open up extra SAAver inventory. An individual agent error is not the same thing as a reschedule, but potentially the OP can keep trying until someone agrees to open up an award seat (ask specifically for SAAver to be opened up---this is not something that frontline agents can do, they will have to be encouraged to go up the food chain). For me, the time spent on the phone would not be worth the hassle.
In any case I would not keep describing it as a price increase. It is an involuntary voluntary downgrade.
Nov 19, 2018, 6:38 pm
#18
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OK. I might be grateful to get the extra segment at all (for no extra charge). Being in Y for AUS-DFW does not sound like a big enough deal, but I can see that it is a huge deal for the OP.
In some cases, when it's their "fault" e.g. flights are rescheduled so as to cause a misconnect, AA can and will open up extra SAAver inventory. An individual agent error is not the same thing as a reschedule, but potentially the OP can keep trying until someone agrees to open up an award seat (ask specifically for SAAver to be opened up---this is not something that frontline agents can do, they will have to be encouraged to go up the food chain). For me, the time spent on the phone would not be worth the hassle.
In any case I would not keep describing it as a price increase. It is an involuntary voluntary downgrade.
In some cases, when it's their "fault" e.g. flights are rescheduled so as to cause a misconnect, AA can and will open up extra SAAver inventory. An individual agent error is not the same thing as a reschedule, but potentially the OP can keep trying until someone agrees to open up an award seat (ask specifically for SAAver to be opened up---this is not something that frontline agents can do, they will have to be encouraged to go up the food chain). For me, the time spent on the phone would not be worth the hassle.
In any case I would not keep describing it as a price increase. It is an involuntary voluntary downgrade.
Regardless, if let it go for one time cause it's a short flight, next time AA will do it for a longer. Agents said they are prohibited now by AA from asking for space to be opened.
The one agent who was really trying to help did come up with a solution, albeit an awful one. Book me AUS-PHL and PHL-DFW as F saver was open on both those.
The sad thing is even the first bad agent agreed that I'm entitled to F AUS-DFW, they just refuse to do anything to fix it.
Nov 19, 2018, 6:56 pm
#19
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You are entitled to book into 1st class if there is U class availability - if not, then there s no entitlement
If you had booked 1st class, been issued a ticket in 1st class and then the airline came and said - oh we now want extra points - that would be a post issue price increase
In this case , you are not entitled to 1st class since it wasn't booked and there is no availability
You have a few choices that I can see
(a) drop the economy sector and find alternative transport to DFW
(b) drop economy sector and rebook it for 45k points
(c) accept economy for the short sector
The number of points charged is correct for the itinerary that has been booked
If you had booked 1st class, been issued a ticket in 1st class and then the airline came and said - oh we now want extra points - that would be a post issue price increase
In this case , you are not entitled to 1st class since it wasn't booked and there is no availability
You have a few choices that I can see
(a) drop the economy sector and find alternative transport to DFW
(b) drop economy sector and rebook it for 45k points
(c) accept economy for the short sector
The number of points charged is correct for the itinerary that has been booked
Nov 19, 2018, 6:58 pm
#20
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I hate flying Y, but I do have to giggle. I fly LAX-LAS a lot, similar in length to AUS-DFW, and I'm pretty sure I could survive a Y flight in an aisle seat.
But I do have to giggle that they can fly you AUS-PHL-DWF in F, but not AUS-DFW. Who creates these routings and availabilities? It's nuts. N-V-T-S nuts.
But I do have to giggle that they can fly you AUS-PHL-DWF in F, but not AUS-DFW. Who creates these routings and availabilities? It's nuts. N-V-T-S nuts.
Nov 19, 2018, 6:59 pm
#21
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I hate flying Y, but I do have to giggle. I fly LAX-LAS a lot, similar in length to AUS-DFW, and I'm pretty sure I could survive a Y flight in an aisle seat.
But I do have to giggle that they can fly you AUS-PHL-DWF in F, but not AUS-DFW. Who creates these routings and availabilities? It's nuts. N-V-T-S nuts.
But I do have to giggle that they can fly you AUS-PHL-DWF in F, but not AUS-DFW. Who creates these routings and availabilities? It's nuts. N-V-T-S nuts.
Nov 19, 2018, 7:11 pm
#22
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45k additional is the price because the only inventory available for AUS-DFW is full rate.
Agent quoted 110k plus approx $120 for AUS-DFW-SYD-BBE-AKL. AUS-DFW was sold to me as F. There was NO accepting of a "voluntary" downgrade. Agents I have talked have acknowledged that there was no documentation about this segment being accepted in anything but F. They've all agreed I was sold this entire thing as a F itinerary with all segments in F. No one at American has disputed I was sold AUS-DFW in F. The issue is they keep insisting that to put me in F I must pay an additional 45k miles. Their response has been that we acknowledge you should be in F, have no way to place you in F without charging you, and that since it was an agent error I should just accept it.
Agent quoted 110k plus approx $120 for AUS-DFW-SYD-BBE-AKL. AUS-DFW was sold to me as F. There was NO accepting of a "voluntary" downgrade. Agents I have talked have acknowledged that there was no documentation about this segment being accepted in anything but F. They've all agreed I was sold this entire thing as a F itinerary with all segments in F. No one at American has disputed I was sold AUS-DFW in F. The issue is they keep insisting that to put me in F I must pay an additional 45k miles. Their response has been that we acknowledge you should be in F, have no way to place you in F without charging you, and that since it was an agent error I should just accept it.
Maybe I'm missing something, which is certainly very possible. I just don't see how the other agents could definitively know the first agent erred unless there is some documentation that proves it. Does their system show that she tried to book it in F but it failed and she booked it in Y and that normally under those circumstances there is also a check box that says "customer agreed to it" and she didn't check it?
Nov 19, 2018, 7:15 pm
#23
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I'm kind of curious how that works. How do the other agents know what the intention was? Are there notes that they are reading that say something to the effect "customer called to add AUS-DFW in F and I booked it for them"? If so, it would seem relatively straightforward to escalate and get F. OTOH, if there is simply a record of the agent adding the segment and sAAver Y was what was added to keep the original pricing, how would the other agents know that you didn't accept that? Not saying you did, but how would they know that the whole thing, including AUS-DFW was in F? They can see DFW onward in F but they can't see AUS-DFW in F because it isn't. I could see them agreeing that the whole thing in F prices the same if sAAver is available. In other words, "yes you paid the right cost for F all the way".
Maybe I'm missing something, which is certainly very possible. I just don't see how the other agents could definitively know the first agent erred unless there is some documentation that proves it. Does their system show that she tried to book it in F but it failed and she booked it in Y and that normally under those circumstances there is also a check box that says "customer agreed to it" and she didn't check it?
Maybe I'm missing something, which is certainly very possible. I just don't see how the other agents could definitively know the first agent erred unless there is some documentation that proves it. Does their system show that she tried to book it in F but it failed and she booked it in Y and that normally under those circumstances there is also a check box that says "customer agreed to it" and she didn't check it?
Nov 19, 2018, 7:41 pm
#24
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The agents read the notes. The notes indicate i asked to add AUS-DFW in F. Also if one accepts a voluntary downgrade like this they note the PNR to notate that passenger accepted the downgrade. (To prevent a passenger from calling back and saying I was supposed to be in F)
The hangup seem to be inventory. AUS-PHL-DFW would have made it a five segment award, when only 4 are allowed. They were able/willing to override the system to do that, if I wanted. What they couldn't do is override the system if saver inventory wasn't available.
The hangup seem to be inventory. AUS-PHL-DFW would have made it a five segment award, when only 4 are allowed. They were able/willing to override the system to do that, if I wanted. What they couldn't do is override the system if saver inventory wasn't available.
Nov 20, 2018, 12:55 pm
#26
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Just got done talking with DOT. Contrary to everyone here, the DOT is contacting American because they do view it as a post purchase price increase. They also agreed that regardless, that as i was told i was in First class, placing me in economy would be a deceptive practice.
We'll see what happens. Regardless of which way it goes I'll report back.
We'll see what happens. Regardless of which way it goes I'll report back.
Nov 20, 2018, 2:48 pm
#27
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Nov 20, 2018, 9:17 pm
#29
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How so? Contact DOT, DOT says yes it appears to be a violation and we'll get in touch with AA. It most likely won't be resolved before I depart.
I'm just shocked at number of users that think it is perfectly fine to sell you a seat in F, and not give it to you. Sad thing is reservations agrees this isn't allowed. The RM department is the one refusing to fix this. This is what is truly aggravating. AMERICAN employees say they must fix this, but one department is refusing to do anything.
This isn't a case of they accidentally changed the rate in system from 110k to 11k and I should've known that the pricing was incorrect. 110k is the correct price for F all the way. In fact they're breaking the fare by asking for 45k additional. I've purchased AUS-AKL. To put me in F on AUS-DFW they breaking it into AUS-DFW and DFW-AKL fares.
I'm just shocked at number of users that think it is perfectly fine to sell you a seat in F, and not give it to you. Sad thing is reservations agrees this isn't allowed. The RM department is the one refusing to fix this. This is what is truly aggravating. AMERICAN employees say they must fix this, but one department is refusing to do anything.
This isn't a case of they accidentally changed the rate in system from 110k to 11k and I should've known that the pricing was incorrect. 110k is the correct price for F all the way. In fact they're breaking the fare by asking for 45k additional. I've purchased AUS-AKL. To put me in F on AUS-DFW they breaking it into AUS-DFW and DFW-AKL fares.
Nov 20, 2018, 10:07 pm
#30
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Seriously, AUS-DFW is a 1 cocktail flight that goes up and right back down - you were able to get an award seat on QF F on DFW-SYD which is not an easy score. Set an EF alert for U space on the AUS-DFW and hope it opens up before the flight and if it does call to have yourself rebooked, if it doesn't open up...as someone who generally refuses to fly Y even I'd suck it up and "suffer" the 30 minutes of MCE. I cannot fathom calling the DOT over this.