What to expect from a Trip in Vain?
 

Mod's please move if there's a better spot for this. I did not find a great fit.

The story -

• Scheduled PHL - ORD on 11/11/2019. Weather canceled my mid AM flight
• Rebooked on shortest connection through CVG - Interesting to learn that Cincinnati Airport is not actually in Ohio
• Land in CVG and then go standby for earlier flight, canceled, next flight canceled, my flight canceled
  • Next available into ORD the next day (they wouldn't force me on) was ~5PM arrival - too late for my meeting
• EXP line tells me nothing they can do, wait in line at customer service (HUCA)
• Get someone to route me back to PHL on second flight next day ~8:15 departure
• Rolling delays on 8:15 AM outbound to PHL, finally takes off at ~10
  • Pilots claimed they did not have access to the plane early enough it was in the hanger
• Back in PHL around 11:30 AM

Questions:

1. Do i get credit for the flights to / from CVG (I don't really need it already re-qualified, mostly curious)
2. Do I get reimbursed as trip in vain, person at the EXP desk said yes, but i have nothing in writing (Traveling on OPM)
3. I had to overnight in CVG - I assumed I was on the hook for that, so paid (Again OPM)
4. Is any of this (other than reimbursement) worth following up on with AA?

The few times I've claimed trip in vain, was right at the beginning of trip, so no trip taken at all. Regarding your questions, here my thoughts,

1) If TIV, technically you shouldn't get credit, but don't be surprised if you do if your FFN was in the reservation.
2) Reimbursed, yes, but only for the ticket cost. Best to do double check with AA, as nowhere in your story detail is there any mention of you communicating TIV to AA or EXP rep
3) Carrier (AA) is not responsible for any expense you suffered due to a weather, only for mechanical situations, if you are a High Valued Customer, you "might" get some love by AA, but that is not always a guarantee. Does OPM card has any insurance for this type of situation?
4) Follow up in case OPM does not see any refund on ticket. Check my comment on #2 .

Me, I would not have risked a connection flight, seeing that if a mainline plane was canceled, there would have been a high chance that regional plane would also have been canceled. Always check your options and make sure they are feasible.

Thanks for the reply
Point 2 - I made the TIV determination when they couldn't get me into ORD until too late the next day. I told them ~8PM
3, that was kind of my thought, and I don't want to complain just for the sake of it. I know they can't control the weather
Regarding the switch, yea - this was totally a bad move on my part. If things had worked well, it would have gotten me in ~3 hours earlier than rolling to next avail PHL-ORD (I have no idea if that flew as planned).

My experience with a TIV is that they have given either a refund or the ORC - but not both - and I had to request what I wanted after. It probably varies a bit based on the situation but in your case if you take the refund don't expect the EQMs. The two times I took the EQMs I needed them but if I didn't I would have taken the refund.

1. Trip in vain means that AA should return you to your point of origin and refund the ticket to its original form of payment. Doubtful that AA will both refund and issue ORC, but it does not hurt to ask.

2. AA has no responsibility for the overnight and meal costs because the delay was not within its control. Should be an easy claim under travel insurance, although you could first submit to AA to see what happens (why bother?)

If this was an employer paid trip, I would have all of this handled by the TA, except the ORC.

OP pretty clearly isn't asking about ORC. He's asking about getting credit for the flights he actually flew—and the answer is you'll likely get and keep credit for those flights, whatever the internal rules on ORC are.

While the acronym does not fit, if the underlying ticket is refunded, OP will lose the credit for those flights and will require manual intervention to obtain credit.

Same difference in the end.

That's not what's happened the two times I've had a TIV, and I've never heard a report of this.

On what basis do you think the OP will lose credit for the flights that have posted once the ticket is refunded?

Thanks, I wasn't really intending to ask - but interestingly the miles for the Outbound & Return just posted (weirdly the OB in R as double EQM).

Regarding that, i am not going to bother - it's not worth my time to submit for meals / hotel. I have turned over to the corporate TA the TIV - figure let them sort it out. I dont see any rhyme or reason to the EQD that posted (and the RDM either) but figure that once the TA works out TIV with AA that it will be pulled anyway. I will post back when I know what happens with that.

I got them, it remains to be seen if I get to keep them :)