Thank you, MathMusic. However, my question was mostly about how those benefits play with the extras fees in basic economy; I'm not sure whether everything you mentioned applies to BE as well.

There are no seat-selection benefits associated with elite status on AA Basic Economy fares. Elites do, however, still get free checked baggage, and access to priority check-in lines.

Premium Econ seats and plane change
 

In Feb I'll be flying from DFW to OGG in a Premium Economy seat. I've read that it's not uncommon for the flights to Maui to have equipment changes. What happens if the plane is swapped out to one that doesn't have a PE section? Would I be downgraded to basic econ and issued a refund in the price difference? Would a refund be sent automatically or would I have to request (or beg for) one through customer service? If there was no availability in economy but there was in First, would I be upgraded?

Hi there,
Booked a LHRMIALHR J Class ticket back in December 2018 for travel in a few weeks time.
As I am One World Emerald booked Seat 4A on the 77W in mini cabin on both flights. Noticed in last few days that I have been "bumped" from Seat 4A back to 6J in rear cabin.
What could explain this being done? Whilst not the end of the world I would at least appreciate an explanation, and AA phone reservations are unable to properly give me a straight answer.

Yea, a phone agent definitely will not be able to give you an answer, that's a dead end road for sure.

Pretty much one of two scenarios are most likely:

1) Equipment swap: you booked a long time ago and AA has been making seasonal changes to some LHR service, going between the 77W and 772 in certain markets. It's possible your flight went from 77W to 772 to 77W etc. and your seats were shuffled by the computer in the process.

2) FAM: Air Marshall's can poach your seat, aisle seats toward the front of the cabin are where they have to sit. If your flight has remained a 77W, and you've been keeping an eye on your reservation but just noticed the switch a few weeks before the flight, then this is the most likely scenario.

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...er-thread.html

Thanks JJeffery. It has remained a 77W AFAIK since first booking the ticket so scenario 2 is most likely.

Newbie AA SWU question. Sorry if this is very obvious.

If I am booked on AA metal with a JL code, can a friend still apply an SWU to my booking?

Short answer is no, must be AA metal and AA flight number.

​​​​​​Thank you for the quick answer.

Not the best of answers from my perspective. But hey, will know to book an AA code next time..

Is there any deadline for requesting original routing credit?

I had a three segment itinerary that got shortened to two segments due to IROPS, but in the process one of my upgraded segments got rebooked in Full J (so more EQM). I think that i will probably re-qualify on segments however instead of miles, but I would hate to come up short at 29 segments at the end of the year. Most of my flights for the rest of the year are probably three segments each way so ending the year at 29 is a possibility. On the other hand I don't want to give back any EQM if I don't have to.

So if come December it looks like I would be at 29 segments would they go back to a flight in july and grant ORC?

I have mixed luck flying as gold on BE. Gate agents will not give you MCE for free like you can with regular economy, you also cannot fly standby for free or even pay the fee if you want to. In the beginning I used to have some luck at the admirals club asking to move to MCE, but I believe the last time they told me their system no longer allows them to.