AA Refused to sell me 1st Class Seat - terrible experience
Jan 17, 2020, 10:13 am
#31
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: New York, NY
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Book the CLT-LAS ticket at the current price
and ensure that this is completed before checkin closure time at 45 minutes before departure
and ensure that this is completed before checkin closure time at 45 minutes before departure
Jan 17, 2020, 10:15 am
#32
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My worst AA experiences are in PHL, could write a book about them - no surprise by reports of poor customer service, even for top tier elites. With that said:
What fare bucket was the OP's original ticket - if B (basic economy), then the OP was indeed SOL, better to have simply eaten the original ticket, started over if a better seat was desirable. In this case, I also question the way in which the OP "offered" to buy an F seat, agent likely questioned its sincerity, credibility, had a line of other customers to deal with. As the OP's first and only thread, I am highly skeptical.
What fare bucket was the OP's original ticket - if B (basic economy), then the OP was indeed SOL, better to have simply eaten the original ticket, started over if a better seat was desirable. In this case, I also question the way in which the OP "offered" to buy an F seat, agent likely questioned its sincerity, credibility, had a line of other customers to deal with. As the OP's first and only thread, I am highly skeptical.
Jan 17, 2020, 10:28 am
#33
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It's not an upgrade. It was the purchase of a new "impossible" ticket. The seat was doable, but only after the SB clears. We have no way of knowing the exact timing, how many people in line, or the specific ask. Anyone who has stood in line enough times knows can't miss the over half of the conversation which gets missed by stressed out passengers.
After clearing standby the agent refused to change his seat.
Jan 17, 2020, 10:34 am
#34
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No excuse for not allowing you to move seats. It almost sounds like the agent was trying to apply the basic economy rules to the ticket, but if you had been on a basic economy fare you wouldn't been given the benefit of the flat tire rule.
Jan 17, 2020, 10:50 am
#35
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Iirc, flat tire applies to BE too.
Jan 17, 2020, 10:57 am
#36
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Jan 17, 2020, 11:20 am
#37
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The gate for a routine domestic flight (staffed by 1-2 agents) is not the place for an extended transaction involving ticket sales. It is neither commercially feasible nor a good use of resources to do all of this at what one presumes is the last minute. If not the last minute, head off to a customer service desk and deal with it there.
The one issue which was remediable was moving OP's seat once he cleared standby and was assigned a seat. That is a "few keystrokes." Cancelling and rebooking e-tickets is not quite that simple.
The one issue which was remediable was moving OP's seat once he cleared standby and was assigned a seat. That is a "few keystrokes." Cancelling and rebooking e-tickets is not quite that simple.
Jan 17, 2020, 11:21 am
#38
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I feel like this sort of thing became more common after Basic was introduced. I notice BE passengers appear as "standby" on the public facing screens, so perhaps in the rigidity coded in (to make sure steerage passengers don't sneak into a reasonable seat), the GAs can no longer assist true standby passengers that were on MC (or even worse in F like this time), fares.
Jan 17, 2020, 11:31 am
#39
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I wonder if the OP was on a basic economy fare. I don't think it's specified. That might explain the lack of ability to upgrade with stickers. I'm not familiar with how willing agents are to make seating changes for BE passengers since you're not technically supposed to have a choice in seat (unless you pay, what, a day/week in advance? Does this extend to the airport?)
All this having been said, I really wouldn't be that upset about being on a half-empty flight from CLT to LAS. If the middle seat is empty next to me, I'm actually reasonably happy.
All this having been said, I really wouldn't be that upset about being on a half-empty flight from CLT to LAS. If the middle seat is empty next to me, I'm actually reasonably happy.
Jan 17, 2020, 11:49 am
#40
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It strikes me that heedless of all the rules, customer service is about aiding the traveller rather than hindering him further. Regardless of this "computer says No" mentality, the game changed when the customer sought to buy a First Class ticket. It is not rocket science for this to have been done by an agent, cancelling one and selling the other. It all sounds a bit like the old Iron Curtain countries where the easiest thing to say was "No" as then you do not have to do anything. Why the OP would want to pay $730 for a ticket unless he valued a bit of space and a free drink or two,; is beyond me but we all have our particular requirements.
Were I the OP, I would disregard some of the more mealy mouthed opening posts, (God know have none of us got caught in traffic accidents?) and complain to AA. It seems that whilst he may think that the application of these rules is asinine and intransigent in such an instance, he is not challenging that. It is the failure to sell him a F ticket. The only mistake was to tell the ticket desk that he was on Standby, had he just walked up and wanted to purchase the ticket no one would have been any the wiser. Since he seemed prepared to sacrifice the original ticket, it could just have been binned. There may well be aspects of this story that we do not know, but on the face of it even Ryanair would have come out better and at least sold him the dearest ticket possible.
Were I the OP, I would disregard some of the more mealy mouthed opening posts, (God know have none of us got caught in traffic accidents?) and complain to AA. It seems that whilst he may think that the application of these rules is asinine and intransigent in such an instance, he is not challenging that. It is the failure to sell him a F ticket. The only mistake was to tell the ticket desk that he was on Standby, had he just walked up and wanted to purchase the ticket no one would have been any the wiser. Since he seemed prepared to sacrifice the original ticket, it could just have been binned. There may well be aspects of this story that we do not know, but on the face of it even Ryanair would have come out better and at least sold him the dearest ticket possible.
Jan 17, 2020, 11:57 am
#41
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Even so, if this was 45 mins or less before departure, which it seems quite possible given standby passengers had been processed, it would be too late to check in for the flight on the new ticket, if purchased, anyway
Last edited by Dave Noble; Jan 17, 2020 at 12:03 pm
Jan 17, 2020, 12:57 pm
#42
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Or on the AA app -- if it can process seat changes less than two hours before departure time.
Jan 17, 2020, 1:56 pm
#44
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Ironically, I made a reservation on AS months ago, forgot I made it and rebooked the same flight with the same FF number. When I was checking my records 2 days before the flight I noticed the two identical itineraries with two different PNRs. Called AS and asked why they would let me double book. The agent said the system would have caught it eventually and canceled both flights. She graciously refunded the flight that I purchased second.
Jan 17, 2020, 1:59 pm
#45
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Due to accident on Penna Turnpike I was stuck in traffic for over 1 hr and I missed my check in window for PHL-LAS by a few mins and my seat was given to a standby pax. I won't even get into how horribly I was treated by every AA employee I came in contact with, and no one would believe me anyway it was THAT bad. But here is what's weird... they put me standby and I had to fly PHL-CLT-LAS. I'm Saphire/AA Platinum.
The flight from CLT-LAS was approx 50% empty and had 4 empty 1st class seat with no upgraders for them. At the gate I asked for exit row 23 (on the A321 it's the best coach seat nothing in front of it). The gate agent tells me "no" that standby cannot select seats. I'm stuck with the seat the computer spits out. Then she hands me my boarding pass. Last row, window seat. I ask if I can pay for the exit row as no one is currently in it. She again says "no". Now here is the kicker. I ask if I can buy one of the empty 1st class seats at the advertised rate of $730. She tell me "no - standby cannot upgrade". But I don't want to upgrade, I want to buy a new seat at full fare, here is my cc. Nope. Sorry. No.
Ok I call AA customer service. They cannot sell me a ticket as there is a 2 hour "processing time" for phone purchases and tickets have to be bought at ticket counter. Run down to the ticket counter. They verify there are 4 empty 1st class seats, no upgraders. Ok, sell one to me... nope. Standy cannot be changed. That includes a standby pax buying a new ticket. So the airplane flew with 4 empty 1st class seats.
Has anyone ever heard of such a stupid thing? Why in goodness name would a for-profit business, let alone a slim profit margin one like an airline, refuse to sell empty seats!?!? I cannot wrap my head around this. Who in their right mind turns away money? I would think that an airline would try to maximize the income on each flight. I was handing them $ and they were refusing it. I don't get it!
The flight from CLT-LAS was approx 50% empty and had 4 empty 1st class seat with no upgraders for them. At the gate I asked for exit row 23 (on the A321 it's the best coach seat nothing in front of it). The gate agent tells me "no" that standby cannot select seats. I'm stuck with the seat the computer spits out. Then she hands me my boarding pass. Last row, window seat. I ask if I can pay for the exit row as no one is currently in it. She again says "no". Now here is the kicker. I ask if I can buy one of the empty 1st class seats at the advertised rate of $730. She tell me "no - standby cannot upgrade". But I don't want to upgrade, I want to buy a new seat at full fare, here is my cc. Nope. Sorry. No.
Ok I call AA customer service. They cannot sell me a ticket as there is a 2 hour "processing time" for phone purchases and tickets have to be bought at ticket counter. Run down to the ticket counter. They verify there are 4 empty 1st class seats, no upgraders. Ok, sell one to me... nope. Standy cannot be changed. That includes a standby pax buying a new ticket. So the airplane flew with 4 empty 1st class seats.
Has anyone ever heard of such a stupid thing? Why in goodness name would a for-profit business, let alone a slim profit margin one like an airline, refuse to sell empty seats!?!? I cannot wrap my head around this. Who in their right mind turns away money? I would think that an airline would try to maximize the income on each flight. I was handing them $ and they were refusing it. I don't get it!
In all seriousness though, this pretty much perfectly sums up AA's woeful operations at this point. I suppose you needed to walk the TA through the whole process of, "okay, I'm aware I'm standby and cannot upgrade but now I would like you to cancel that ticket." When that is finished, "okay, now I would like to purchase a seat in F on the same flight."
PHL has the worst employees in the country with the one possible exception of EWR. I have actually had success sliding AA employees a $10 or $20 in PHL to help... get things done so to speak.
