AA Oversold Business class on our flight this week, we lost award seats
May 21, 2019, 2:20 pm
#91
Join Date: Aug 2012
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I was gonna say - if I was OP I would take this option in a heartbeat. I wonder if AA would either reimburse the cost of the train ticket either in cash or as a voucher for future use. I would guess not, but I sure as hell would ask.
On an unrelated note, is it just me or do we read stories like this somewhat regularly? Meaning folks who've redeemed miles for J tend to be the first ones involuntarily downgraded. I'm sure AA has no problem overselling J because the folks paying top dollar aren't going to be the ones downgraded. Pretty shady practice by AA (if that's indeed what they're doing), but not at all surprising.
On an unrelated note, is it just me or do we read stories like this somewhat regularly? Meaning folks who've redeemed miles for J tend to be the first ones involuntarily downgraded. I'm sure AA has no problem overselling J because the folks paying top dollar aren't going to be the ones downgraded. Pretty shady practice by AA (if that's indeed what they're doing), but not at all surprising.
May 21, 2019, 2:27 pm
#92
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Booked two sAAver business seats back in December departing this Wednesday DTW - PHL - EDI. Picked our seats at time of reservation, have since picked our meals. Logged in today to find that we no longer have seats assigned. Called AA and they said that the flight somehow got oversold and that "there was a schedule change that opened up your seats for someone else to book". Talked to an initial agent and then the "booking supervisor". No biz availability left, nor any the day before. No availability on partners for them to transfer us to on original date or the day before. Have been told the best course of action is to either have them move us to economy now or show up at the airport and "see what happens". (With the implication that getting moved down a class at the airport would come with better compensation) Has anyone had a similar situation? Resolution?
May 21, 2019, 2:37 pm
#93
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OP, since your new on may not know Jon, their isn’t anyone I’d rather have look into it for me than JonNYC.
May 21, 2019, 2:43 pm
#94
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On an unrelated note, is it just me or do we read stories like this somewhat regularly? Meaning folks who've redeemed miles for J tend to be the first ones involuntarily downgraded. I'm sure AA has no problem overselling J because the folks paying top dollar aren't going to be the ones downgraded. Pretty shady practice by AA (if that's indeed what they're doing), but not at all surprising.
I do think though that the fact the OP is on award tickets is part of the reason AA isn't trying to fix it in advance.
May 21, 2019, 2:45 pm
#95
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@curranch90 - to the extent you're comfortable with the idea, PM me your reservation locator and your last name, someone curious to take a look.
May 21, 2019, 3:07 pm
#98
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You could see it as that when FlyBE can be had for about £35 but if you buy the day before then some trains can be had for half the anytime price so if OP ends up on a MAN flight then an online train ticket purchase would be a good idea. You can pay £150 for the train if you want First class but you do get tea and a biscuit as well as more space. At least starting from Manchester Airport gives you a chance at a seat!
May 21, 2019, 3:14 pm
#99
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I'm having trouble maintaining contact with the OP via the PM system here (probably the new user thing mentioned above) and need some additional info..
Edit to add, disregard, contacted
@curranch90-- on the chance that you run out of PMs, I can be contacted at https://twitter.com/xJonNYC
You show as booked in business on that flight, so, in answer to your question, under no circumstances should you, in advance, accept economy, you don't need to. I'm separately trying to find out the status of those seats, why they are blocked on these flights, etc. But you are most certainly entitled to business class transportation as everyone else has pointed out, hoping to find out more soon.
Edit to add, disregard, contacted
@curranch90-- on the chance that you run out of PMs, I can be contacted at https://twitter.com/xJonNYC
You show as booked in business on that flight, so, in answer to your question, under no circumstances should you, in advance, accept economy, you don't need to. I'm separately trying to find out the status of those seats, why they are blocked on these flights, etc. But you are most certainly entitled to business class transportation as everyone else has pointed out, hoping to find out more soon.
Last edited by JonNYC; May 21, 2019 at 3:30 pm Reason: got PM
May 21, 2019, 3:19 pm
#100
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The cases I've seen with J oversold, when it came down to it, the person chosen is the person originally assigned the seats that went missing (such as when a FAM takes 2A, the person in 2A gets booted, no matter how they paid for the ticket). In the OP's case, they were in 4A and 4B and those happen to be the seats that are blocked on every upcoming PHL-EDI flight.
I do think though that the fact the OP is on award tickets is part of the reason AA isn't trying to fix it in advance.
I do think though that the fact the OP is on award tickets is part of the reason AA isn't trying to fix it in advance.
Are they simply blocking these seats for pilot rest? If so, why was OP ever able to select them to begin with?
May 21, 2019, 3:45 pm
#101
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I wonder if anyone can explain why 4A/B is consistently showing as blocked for this and other 757 routes. I randomly checked a BSB-MIA and MIA-UIO flight next week (both 757) and it also shows 4A/B as blocked on both.
Are they simply blocking these seats for pilot rest? If so, why was OP ever able to select them to begin with?
However, I have no explanation for why they were ever/recently available for an international 757 like this if that's the case.
On this flight business is technically oversold by 2 so usually they compensate and reroute somehow but usually try to take volunteers first, but it's looking like the OP will have to scribble down some of the best info from the thread and get this done at the airport. Can't see any harm in calling tonight too (I mean they can clearly see that the flight is oversold and seats will not miraculously open up, barring a cancellation), but, best I can tell, airport is where it will need to happen.
Still waiting for one other person to get back to me.
Last edited by JonNYC; May 21, 2019 at 4:01 pm
May 21, 2019, 3:54 pm
#102
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You could see it as that when FlyBE can be had for about £35 but if you buy the day before then some trains can be had for half the anytime price so if OP ends up on a MAN flight then an online train ticket purchase would be a good idea. You can pay £150 for the train if you want First class but you do get tea and a biscuit as well as more space. At least starting from Manchester Airport gives you a chance at a seat!
May 21, 2019, 4:01 pm
#103
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I would not count on an AA counter agent issuing an e-FIM to UA to beat a downgrade which can be "cured" with a miles refund.
I certainly would not count on it if I took the position that there is no way I am flying Y, but I do want to travel.
May 21, 2019, 4:14 pm
#104
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This is no longer the case. While AA has not confirmed it, there is a good deal of reporting here as to internal policy guidance issued by AA regarding when it will rebook within OW, and other alliances. As I recall, this does not fit those patterns, all of which are based on status, fare basis, and class of service.
HOWEVER, this is an overbooking of an individual flight-- different thing.
May 21, 2019, 4:27 pm
#105
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This is one of the last international flights out of PHL -- the PHL-MAN and PHL-EDI ... so wouldn't be too confident about misconnects. And, it is even in the back.
Also, going through LHR really isn't a good option although the AA/BA 747 code share has two J seats available. Looks like all the morning flights from LHR to Edinburgh are sold out.
Assuming no misconnects, PHL-MAN would be the best option.
Curious -- does AA have the ability to provide a train voucher?
Also, going through LHR really isn't a good option although the AA/BA 747 code share has two J seats available. Looks like all the morning flights from LHR to Edinburgh are sold out.
Assuming no misconnects, PHL-MAN would be the best option.
Curious -- does AA have the ability to provide a train voucher?