AA needs to fix their paper Voucher program
 

Last summer I got a nice $1000 voucher for volunteering to get bumped. Everyone could use a nice $1000 in free travel, right? Well using it has turned into a bit of a headache. First, just to redeem the damn thing is such an archaic process. You can book online, but then you have to call them, and then mail it in and hope it doesn't get lost. Luckily, that went fine and we got everything booked. Now, come the day of travel one segment got cancelled/delayed due to weather probably and the system auto re-booked us. However, in doing so it somehow assigned myself two tickets, my wife a ticket, and my step-son no ticket at all. This was caused due to the voucher being used and their IT system being terrible from what I can see and am being told. Never again am I taking a paper voucher! Still on hold and seeing if we can actually travel today or not.

I went through something similar with a paper voucher, waiting days for the coveted "ticketed" status.

I won't accept a voucher if offered a bump. It's not worth the hassle.

Thank you for sharing this. Immediately share your story on twitter and send them a DM as well - it is the fastest way to get this handled.

The paper voucher thing in 2019 seems like its terrible by design, and unethical. I've had them issue me electronic vouchers (that can be used at checkout and can't be lost) before so the whole paper thing is ridiculous. While it doesn't help in your case, you can actually complete your booking at the airport if you are really worried about it getting lost in the mail. I know for some folks that does not seem like the best option but if the trip is less stressful than losing the voucher it is an option.

They dont need to fix it. They need to eliminate it.

We redeemed a set of paper vouchers recently and it was such a PITA.

It’s time to go electronic. They already have the capability in place with e-gift cards.

At the end of the day if they become so easy to use then the voucher redemption rate will go up thereby taking away some potential revenue for AA.

Exactly. AA knows that a certain number of paper vouchers will get lost or destroyed by accident. I immediately use mine and turn them in the day of travel at the airport.

I've never seen paper vouchers......only the e-Vouchers you can redeem in the booking path on AA.com. Why don't they just do e-vouchers for everything?

because that's how US Airways used to do it.

I agree that the company is in no hurry to switch to all electronic because of loss/spoilage (benefits the company.)

I used a paper voucher for tickets to a cruise/vacation and it sat in "ticket pending" status for months.
I finally tweeted about it and miraculously it was ticketed the next day.

I go to the airport and get it ticketed. I am not spending my money, although minimal, mailing in the stupid voucher with the potential of it getting lost in the mail. The other annoying part about redeeming them is that you can't combine other forms of payment with it.

LAA used paper vouchers. They are given out for VDBs. I'm never had issues using them with other forms of payment if the voucher didn't cover the entire flight(s) costs. I've had that experience when I've mailed them. The ticket continues to show "pending." It's why I turn them in at the airport. It takes me all of 5 minutes to decide when and where I will use them. Now if I can only get the VDBs to get the vouchers.

I just burned a paper voucher that was nearly expiring from a flight change 1 year ago. I was so shocked at the cumbersome steps I had to take in order to redeem that stupid thing. Any modern company should be very embarrassed for having such an antiquated method of payment. Wow.

Echo this. I always use the AAngels in the Admiral's Club to redeem mine.

It's the same 1980 looking paper voucher from Sabre that AA has always had.

LUS has lots of warts, but this and other system messes are squarely on LAA.

+1 that going to airport is the easiest way to redeem since they'll ticket you right there. If you can't get to the airport right away, you can also place a 24 hour hold online, then call in and have them place a special extended hold on your itinerary (for free), giving you time to get to the airport sometime in the next week or two.