arlflyer

Wasn't the quoted figure from an investor day some time ago that 85% of AA's passengers fly once a year? Understandably, then, the majority of people aren't going to be experts on the most efficient way to do things, nor will they know all the tricks.

jliehr

samwise6222

I feel like airport agents have greater power than phone agents (not sure if it's true or not).

One time I was doing JFK-LAX-SYD flight with the following schedule:

Days 1 - 3 Sydney
Days 4 - 9 Perth
Days 10 - 14 Melbourne.

My JFK-LAX got cancelled, and the phone agents told me that the earliest that they could book me was 3 days after. But after 15 minutes of brainstorming with the Admirals Club agent, she was able to book me JFK-LAX-SYD-PER that departed 3 days later, and change the return ticket from MEL-LAX-JFK to SYD-LAX-JFK that was 3 days after.

tldr;
I had JFK-LAX-SYD, MEL-LAX-JFK ticket. JFK-LAX ticket got cancelled. Airport agent rebooked me into JFK-LAX-SYD-PER, SYD-LAX-JFK all pushed back by 3 days. To make everything better, the entire ticket was rebooked into J fare, which IIRC got me 66,000 EQM.

Doubt phone agents could pull that off.

Score8

I've been told specifically that in-airport agents have way more leeway than a typical phone agent. I'm guessing that maybe a CK agent has similar rule-breaking ability.

flyer0123

I think airport agents have more options available than phone agents. I once had my family traveling from SFO on an international trip with a connection at MIA. Got a phone message saying the flight is delayed and will leave only next day morning, before even we left for airport. Called the EXP line and the agent offered either to switch to same flights next day or take another flight that will make them overnight at a different International airport. The agent said he cannot offer accommodation, but suggested that we go to the airport and talk to the airport agents and they can provide better options. So we took the 1 hour drive to the airport and the agent there was able to put my family on to an early morning flight with overnight at the international airport including accommodation at the airport hotel for the overnight. Then since it was already late in eh evening, I asked him if he could provide accommodation at SFO as well for that night and he had no problem in doing that. Overall it worked out well, but it sure couldn't be done on phone and saved me the trouble of finding hotel rooms to overnight in a different country and other details

jvel

Walked past that line at as well and it was truly horrendous. Maybe they just wanted the AA snack cart...

golfingboy

AA needs to drop the (stupid) same routing requirement across the board. Once they do then customers will be far more empowered to proactively rebook through the app or online when trips go pear shaped.

Until then we have very little choice but to depend on an agent to help us.

MiamiAirport Formerly NY George

If there isn't an AC or the AC isn't opened I pull up the app and see what routings are available. I check the seat maps albeit they aren't always accurate. I'll get a couple of options and call. I always get my routing. Unfortunately the once a year traveler probably doesn't know the hub and route system so they are going to likely get hosed whether they call or wait in line for 3 hours. No agent, whether in person or on the phone is going to research options. They are going to give you whatever the computer screen indicates, which you can almost bet will be the worst for the flyer. But it amaze me that people while standing in line for 2 hours wouldn't Google American Airlines Customer Service Number and attempt to call.

arc727

This is so true (and I'm guessing the kiosks at those "rebooking centers" are probably just as bad). One time I had a delayed flight that would cause a misconnect, and the app kept showing me flights for the next day. Turns out, there was a later flight the same day that still had plenty of open seats. Fortunately, the origin flight was out of a small airport, so there was no wait to talk to the agent.

If I had a choice, I'd rather talk in-person to an agent as opposed to using the app or a kiosk, especially for connecting flights. However, it obviously doesn't hurt to do both simultaneously, as has been previously mentioned.

golfingboy

Yes, in order to change your routing you have to have an agent do it for you, the app only allows you to change to options with the same routing change when a travel waiver is in effect. Similar to the same day confirmed feature.

If AA got rid of the same day routing restriction then a whole lot more options would open up on the app that we can change on our own.

AA loves to follow UA/DL and if they asked me if I could pick one thing I want them to copy UA/DL this would be my answer.

AAdamE

Cant the Admirals Club agents rebook you? I don't understand why anyone flying on AA frequently wouldn't have a membership and just go there if the AA elite line had a long hold.

MADPhil

Many people do have a membership for exactly that reason.

MiamiAirport Formerly NY George

That's why I pay for an AC membership. The Centurion lounge isn't going to jack for you. AC staff is more likely to call and try to get you a seat if they are somehow locked out from doing so. Not to mention you can go and relax with a drink while they do the re-route/re-issue and print BPs.

SamOF

Does AA have call center agents with airport access? On Delta, there are special irops call centers where the agents use the airport agent systems rather than the res agent systems, and tend to act more like airport agents than res agents.

enviroian

I imagine 98% of the people in that crazy line don’t even know what the AC is let alone be a member.