19 years of EXP , had surgery this year and AA will not grant me an extension
 

Hi , I have been Executive Platinum every year since 1999 , even made concierge Key a few years ago . I am a 3 million miler and was fiercely loyal to American. This year I broke my shoulder in February , had a replacement surgery in March and was unable to fly for a few more months. I still managed to spend 12k and flew 50 000 miles or so . I called the Exp Desk several times mid year to see what I could do and they told me just call back towards the end of the year and we will find a resolution.
So I reached out yesterday to advantage customer service where someone made a report detailing my issue and said I could expect a decision in the next few weeks.
Today I got a call from an executive platinum liaison who said , he had decided not to offer me an extension of my status .. When I asked if I could speak with his supervisor , he said he was the final voice . However if I call him back in January he may offer me a challenge of which the terms as still to be determined.
Frankly I am flabbergasted that they have no flexibility and that my past loyalty seems to count for nothing .. I was not expecting that at all .. oh well ..
Anyone else has similar experiences or any suggestions ??

I suggest you fly someone else. Ridiculous that they can't make an exception for someone who has been loyal for so long.

I wonder how OPs situation would have played out pre-merger?

Not that AA really cares, I would never take the word of someone who says they are the "final voice"
If its that important to you to stay with AA (which after 19 years of EXP) it seems like it is.. I would go up the laddar
Remember there is always someone above him.

Take it to twitter! Things go up the food chain much faster.

I know US Airways used to grant exceptions for things like this...but it doesn't sound like AA does that sort of thing.
Towards the end, US started charging with the, "Buy-up to Preferred," but the prices were nothing like what AA charges today for the, "Boost."

1. What will you qualify for at this point?
2. Have you checked the "boost" offer?
3. What would it take to get you to EXP? E.g., is it practicably doable?

Now that AA, DL, and UA all offer "boost" buy-ups (while the term used differs), they have all become wholly intransigent.

While people on FT tend to assess public outrage a bit differently than the real world, imagine the story of someone who says, "I just paid $3,000 for a "boost" to EXP and sat next to someone who got it as a freebie. I want my money back."

That is a tough love example, but the reality is that the public and those who control the corporate contracts which keep the legacies flying, don't even know what EXP vs. General means.

Did you send them a Dr's note? If not, do so now with a request to revisit. Also reiterate that you will conitnue your previous flying pattern in 2019 and would like to contnue to do so on AA.

The OP clearly stated that they "still managed to spend 12k and flew 50 000 miles or so." That would leave an approximate gap in EQM of 50,000 which is a pretty tall order for the remaining ~12'ish days of the year.

Regards

If you're a corporate traveler, you might take this to your travel management team. While they aren't likely to advocate one way or the other, they may at least be able to get the story in front an account manager who is empowered to take some action,

Loyalty works one way- $$$$$$$$

When the pendulum swings the other way...

I understand but if someone sat next to me and said they were out of commission for 5 months due to an injury and surgery and American was nice and made a one time exemption after 19 years , I would be happy for that person and it would increase my loyalty to American. I honestly think the fact that I am based in Dallas plays a role in their decision. Now matter how disappointed I am in American , I will have to fly them occasionally and I think they know that. I bet you if I was based in NY , Houston or Chicago they would have made an effort to retain me as a very frequent client
I prefer the Marriott and SPG system , I made lifetime platinum premier elite after 10 years and 1000 nights .

They have a record as I called them several times throughout the year to see what I could do

AA's concern is probably that if they establish another category of qualifying for EXP as being having a medical issue in the prior year, it would open the floodgates. People have no problem getting doctor's letters for emotional comfort animals; I imagine the number of elite maladies would increase exponentially.

If the OP has time and some $ to burn and a STRONG desire to spend a lot of time on planes, it COULD be done. I haven't checked specific dates, but of the open fares i've seen from the MR forums, something like this:

JFK-LHR-BEG-LHR-JFK: 9,022 EQM (AA Y, try to upgrade with a waitlisted SWU?)
when OP gets to BEG on the first half of this itin, QR has a sale for something around $1.6-1.8k roundtrip in J for
BEG-DOH-PVG-DOH-BEG: 19,303 EQM @ 1.5x for QR J
then when he gets to PVG, get a cheap flight across to HKG and see if there's avail on the AA J ~$1,900 ex-HKG to MEX/CUN flight
HKG-DFW-CUN-MIA-LAX-HKG: 38,568 EQM
upon returning to HKG, pop back over to PVG and take the back end of the QR flight, then when you get to BEG pick up the other ticket back to JFK then to wherever you live.

66,893 EQM. IF the avail is there should be $4-4.5k all in.