Downgrade from I to Y 3 months prior to flight, compensation?
Apr 3, 2019, 5:43 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 71
Downgrade from I to Y 3 months prior to flight, compensation?
Hi, I had an original booking in business, return, JAX > MIA > PUJ.
out bound all in I, inbound PUJ > MIA I, MIA > JAX Y.
Now I check after getting a 'trip changed' email the outbound JAX > MIA is Y only.
No mention of a refund or anything from aa.
What should I expect when I call up/ what should I ask for?
Pretty annoyed about it as originally I wanted to be in business the whole way (cheap SCs and its a hectic time for me with a quick trip between weddings), and compromised on the last leg to be in Y for flight timings.
Any advice would be appreciated
out bound all in I, inbound PUJ > MIA I, MIA > JAX Y.
Now I check after getting a 'trip changed' email the outbound JAX > MIA is Y only.
No mention of a refund or anything from aa.
What should I expect when I call up/ what should I ask for?
Pretty annoyed about it as originally I wanted to be in business the whole way (cheap SCs and its a hectic time for me with a quick trip between weddings), and compromised on the last leg to be in Y for flight timings.
Any advice would be appreciated
Apr 3, 2019, 6:07 am
#4
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
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Posts: 50,262
You have not provided the dates or flight numbers so this is a bit of a guessing game, but at the current time, the 12:25 PM flight is an ERJ with Y only. If that is what you are booked on, your option would be to either ask AA to move you to the next flight (about 3 hours later) which does have an F cabin or to ask AA for a refund of the fare difference between F & Y for the segment. Depending on what you paid, that fare difference refund is likely to be quite small.
If you do opt for the second option make certain to request the refund and specify whether you want a credit for future use or a refund to your original form of payment and make sure to be clear that this is a refund not some form of customer service gesture.
If you do opt for the second option make certain to request the refund and specify whether you want a credit for future use or a refund to your original form of payment and make sure to be clear that this is a refund not some form of customer service gesture.
Apr 3, 2019, 6:13 am
#5
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine
Programs: Mucci, BA Gold, TK Elite, HHonors Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 7,691
You can ask to be moved to a flight with F availability or you can ask for a full refund and buy a new ticket. if you are on a through fare, there will be no fare difference as in the absence of the required booking classes in the premium cabin a full fare economy booking class can be used (Y). The through fare would not have been different had Y been booked originally. if you are not on a through fare and by 'Y' you mean the cabin rather than the booking class, there may be a refund of the fare difference should you accept the rebooking.
Apr 3, 2019, 7:11 am
#6
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 468
I had a segment that was changed from J to Y after an equipment swap. AA only flies there once or twice a day with the same aircraft so rerouting was not an option.
I grabbed the exit row in Y at the time of the change and about 6 weeks from departure I received a phone call out of the blue indicating AA giving me a partial refund for that segment and reissued the ticket.
It was more than I expected for a very short flight. Plus, I’m glad I changed my seat when I did as I would have been charged for that same seat after reticketing.
I grabbed the exit row in Y at the time of the change and about 6 weeks from departure I received a phone call out of the blue indicating AA giving me a partial refund for that segment and reissued the ticket.
It was more than I expected for a very short flight. Plus, I’m glad I changed my seat when I did as I would have been charged for that same seat after reticketing.
Apr 3, 2019, 9:51 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 71
The original far with Y each way was from memory a bit cheaper, so why wouldn't I be concerned.
I dont fly aa much, I don't know their policies and how they work. Thats the point of this forum.
Thanks u/Andriyko for the very helpful information that gives me a leg up to my issue.
I dont fly aa much, I don't know their policies and how they work. Thats the point of this forum.
Thanks u/Andriyko for the very helpful information that gives me a leg up to my issue.
Last edited by aztimm; Apr 3, 2019 at 12:32 pm Reason: removed deleted quote and related
Apr 3, 2019, 10:04 am
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,234
It is very unlikely that the original fare with Y on one short MIA-JAX segment would be any different than being in business class the entire way, OP's "memory" not withstanding.
Thus, technically, AA does not owe the passenger a fare differential.
That said, they could certainly calculate a pro-rated downgrade amount based on the distance of the segment and the full fare differential. JAX-MIA is about 13% of the total r/t distance (per GCM), so you could argue for 13% of the fare difference between coach and business. It's probably not much at all.
And as mentioned, the only other real options are to request a full refund, or find another itinerary that offers business the whole way.
Thus, technically, AA does not owe the passenger a fare differential.
That said, they could certainly calculate a pro-rated downgrade amount based on the distance of the segment and the full fare differential. JAX-MIA is about 13% of the total r/t distance (per GCM), so you could argue for 13% of the fare difference between coach and business. It's probably not much at all.
And as mentioned, the only other real options are to request a full refund, or find another itinerary that offers business the whole way.
Apr 3, 2019, 10:30 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 71
Thanks, 68usd refund coming my way. After MUCH insisting vs a voucher issuance.
They should be issuing such a refund automatically, not have to ring up, chase, and then insist, be transferred to supervisor, insist again, tell her that a voucher is useless (i've booked all my aa travel for the next 12 months already, am australian) tell her to go look at my overall years spend with AA etc. Then get an eTDS email even before she's told me shes giving me a refund. Thanks for the advice those who helped.
They should be issuing such a refund automatically, not have to ring up, chase, and then insist, be transferred to supervisor, insist again, tell her that a voucher is useless (i've booked all my aa travel for the next 12 months already, am australian) tell her to go look at my overall years spend with AA etc. Then get an eTDS email even before she's told me shes giving me a refund. Thanks for the advice those who helped.
Apr 3, 2019, 12:29 pm
#11
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Folks, if you don't have something positive to contribute to a thread...keep on reading. I try to at least skim through half the threads in the AA forum daily, but obviously I don't post to all of them.
If you see something that doesn't belong, such as an inappropriate comment from someone else...DO NOT REPLY. Use the little red caution triangle that is to the lower left of every post on FlyerTalk. This sends a message to all of the forum moderators, and someone will take a look.
Innappropriate, off-topic, and tit-for-tat posts in this thread will be summarily deleted.
Thanks!
aztimm