Terrible Experience at LAX, Unable to Apply Upgrades, Told to Take Another Flight
Jun 11, 2019, 7:24 am
#16
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Join Date: Sep 2006
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It's hard to know why the agent took so long to fix the issue and why the stickers couldn't be withdrawn when the OP claims he could see them in his account. Normally 2 hours should be sufficient, I probably would have gone for closer to 3 hours given this is exactly what can happen. I'm thinking since the companion was not on the same PNR that was problematic.
Jun 11, 2019, 7:38 am
#17
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Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: New York City + Vail, CO
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The line was surprising long for a Monday evening at LAX, there were only a handful of people behind the counter. I think we waited ~45 minutes or so in the priority line and then it took a while for the supervisor to get over to the desk when the agent got stuck.
We leveraged the "assistance" of another airline to get airside, the method we used can't be discussed on FlyerTalk because it may or may not violate the contract of carriage for that particular airline.
We leveraged the "assistance" of another airline to get airside, the method we used can't be discussed on FlyerTalk because it may or may not violate the contract of carriage for that particular airline.
Jun 11, 2019, 7:58 am
#18
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The line was surprising long for a Monday evening at LAX, there were only a handful of people behind the counter. I think we waited ~45 minutes or so in the priority line and then it took a while for the supervisor to get over to the desk when the agent got stuck.
We leveraged the "assistance" of another airline to get airside, the method we used can't be discussed on FlyerTalk because it may or may not violate the contract of carriage for that particular airline.
We leveraged the "assistance" of another airline to get airside, the method we used can't be discussed on FlyerTalk because it may or may not violate the contract of carriage for that particular airline.
Jun 11, 2019, 8:40 am
#19
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
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The line was surprising long for a Monday evening at LAX, there were only a handful of people behind the counter. I think we waited ~45 minutes or so in the priority line and then it took a while for the supervisor to get over to the desk when the agent got stuck.
We leveraged the "assistance" of another airline to get airside, the method we used can't be discussed on FlyerTalk because it may or may not violate the contract of carriage for that particular airline.
We leveraged the "assistance" of another airline to get airside, the method we used can't be discussed on FlyerTalk because it may or may not violate the contract of carriage for that particular airline.
Some of the cloak and dagger stuff on FT, from people posting anonymously, kinda cracks me up sometimes.
Regards
Jun 11, 2019, 8:48 am
#20
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Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: New York City + Vail, CO
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I do not think the other airline cares that much--not sure it's particularly relevant how I got airside and I like to abide by FlyerTalk rules. I only bring it up because another poster questioned that statement.
Jun 11, 2019, 8:55 am
#21
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: AA PLT, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,405
Right? Like clearly the poster bought a refundable F or J ticket on another oneworld airline departing that same day. This isn't exactly a revolutionary discovery. I doubt the other airline would care but I don't think it would be that hard to figure out.
Jun 11, 2019, 9:14 am
#22
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I did not buy an F or J ticket, and I did not use a OneWorld carrier. I had access to the Flagship lounge because I was flying LAX -> JFK in R.
Jun 11, 2019, 9:19 am
#23
Join Date: Aug 2012
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Jun 11, 2019, 10:59 am
#24
Join Date: Nov 2013
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Glad you made the flight, I would have thought 2hrs with priority is sufficient as well, but I was amazed (not in a good way) at how slow LAX "priority" was when I was last there - and I didn't need a supervisor just a doc check for China!
Jun 11, 2019, 11:45 am
#25
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We all know exactly what he did anyway, why does he need to say more?
Jun 11, 2019, 11:55 am
#27
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Southern California
Programs: AA EXPlat, 2.4MM; HHonors Diamond
Posts: 580
All that matters is that the stickers are in your account at the time of check-in. The fact that the OP purchased the stickers after the upgrade cleared is irrelevant.
That said, I fly with separate PNR companions frequently and there are seemingly always issues at check-in for the companion when upgrading. AA's computers always get confused and try to pull stickers from the companions account, etc. Its an easy fix for an airport agent but you do frequently have to check-in with an agent, irrespective of how many stickers you have or if you bought them before or after the upgrades clear, etc.
It's easy to play Monday morning QB and say "you should've arrived earlier" however I'm with the OP on this one, arriving 2 hrs before should be plenty as an EXP in business, even with an (easy) issue to sort out. Sounds like LAX was a zoo.
That said, I fly with separate PNR companions frequently and there are seemingly always issues at check-in for the companion when upgrading. AA's computers always get confused and try to pull stickers from the companions account, etc. Its an easy fix for an airport agent but you do frequently have to check-in with an agent, irrespective of how many stickers you have or if you bought them before or after the upgrades clear, etc.
It's easy to play Monday morning QB and say "you should've arrived earlier" however I'm with the OP on this one, arriving 2 hrs before should be plenty as an EXP in business, even with an (easy) issue to sort out. Sounds like LAX was a zoo.
And while I'm here, I also report that our FAs have been outstanding.
Jun 11, 2019, 12:01 pm
#28
Join Date: Sep 2000
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Word to the wise: AA and the airport in general is a cluster$($&@ in summer. Have all your ducks lined up well in advance of getting to the airport. I once checked in a car with about 2.5 hours of time before departure. Between the traffic on century boulevard, slow checkin times, and other delays, I've missed that flight. Missed another one as well owing to a loud group of chummy folks traveling together - asking for all sorts of waivers and reroutes which caused a 1:15 arrival prior to flight to wind up being well within the 45 minute cut off.
A) don't travel with bags and check in on line, B) get there three hours ahead of time if you are checking bags or if there are -any- irregularities in your ticket (or a companion's ticket), or C) fly out of SNA, BUR, LGB, ONT, etc.
A) don't travel with bags and check in on line, B) get there three hours ahead of time if you are checking bags or if there are -any- irregularities in your ticket (or a companion's ticket), or C) fly out of SNA, BUR, LGB, ONT, etc.
Jun 11, 2019, 12:05 pm
#29
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If it is the case that upgrading companions on separate PNRs usually causes issues at check in no matter how many upgrades the sponsor has in their account, then that is an issue on AA. However, irrelevant though it may be to you and others, I still think there is a reasonable difference in terms of expecting things to go wrong when you have the required number of upgrades in your account at the time the upgrade occurs versus when you don’t.
As for Monday QB’ing, I am not saying OP should have gotten to the airport earlier. I think 2 hours is generally reasonable. But I don’t see how it’s AA’s fault that OP’s reasonable actions turned out to be unreasonable in this particular circumstance. To me, this is a learning lesson, not an instance that justifies demanding AA somehow pay.
But hey, I am glad OP has supporters, even if I am not one of them.
2 hours is more than twice the minimum check in time. What if the OP showed up 3 hours before and this happened? Then should they have showed up 4 hours before?
Jun 11, 2019, 12:12 pm
#30
Join Date: Sep 2002
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How bad was precheck TSA line? I don't have bagts to check but am flying out of the remote terminal to SFO on a 9:40 AM flight. I expect to arrive by 7:50AM (already allowing for some traffic)..