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My Flight Tomorrow is Under Airport Control (downgauged and oversold in F and Y)

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My Flight Tomorrow is Under Airport Control (downgauged and oversold in F and Y)

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Old Feb 2, 2020, 10:37 pm
  #16  
 
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Originally Posted by discountsae
What does FAM stand for?
Federal Air Marshall
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Old Feb 2, 2020, 10:39 pm
  #17  
 
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Originally Posted by discountsae
What does FAM stand for?
Federal Air Marshall -- which can displace one from a seat without warning.


FAM was the solution for a mystery during one flight ex-BOS: cybernet jr and I were upgraded but placed in 2A and 2D. We were the very first to board, yet discovered two men sitting in 2B and 2C. I explained to cybernet jr that we couldn't sit together until people in row 1 or 3 could both switch -- but keep his eyes open and compare notes at the end of the flight. FAM thanked me at the end of the flight for handling the situation well (and not giving away their identity) Cybernet jr expresses amazement that he didn't notice that they were FAM. (there were other mid-flight clues that I won't go into here.)

Last edited by cyberjet; Feb 2, 2020 at 10:45 pm
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Old Feb 2, 2020, 11:42 pm
  #18  
 
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Originally Posted by cyberjet
Federal Air Marshall -- which can displace one from a seat without warning.


FAM was the solution for a mystery during one flight ex-BOS: cybernet jr and I were upgraded but placed in 2A and 2D. We were the very first to board, yet discovered two men sitting in 2B and 2C. I explained to cybernet jr that we couldn't sit together until people in row 1 or 3 could both switch -- but keep his eyes open and compare notes at the end of the flight. FAM thanked me at the end of the flight for handling the situation well (and not giving away their identity) Cybernet jr expresses amazement that he didn't notice that they were FAM. (there were other mid-flight clues that I won't go into here.)
Interesting. Thanks for clarifying. I heard FAM often fly because specific people are on the flight and observe "targets" behaviors. I wonder who is the person that needs FAM supervison...
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Old Feb 3, 2020, 3:38 am
  #19  
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Why is AA downgauging flights?
Due to the suspension of flights to Mainland China, there should be plenty of spare capacity sitting around.
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Old Feb 3, 2020, 4:22 am
  #20  
 
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Originally Posted by warakorn
Why is AA downgauging flights?
Due to the suspension of flights to Mainland China, there should be plenty of spare capacity sitting around.
So due to them not flying 787s to China ATM, you expect them to have a 787 ready at DCA for if/when a 738 goes tech?
JJeffrey, dls25 and writerguyfl like this.
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Old Feb 3, 2020, 6:55 am
  #21  
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Originally Posted by Djokison
So due to them not flying 787s to China ATM, you expect them to have a 787 ready at DCA for if/when a 738 goes tech?
Obviously that's unrealistic, but a downgauge between a short-haul hub and a long-haul hub just begs for trouble, especially when they're not seeking volunteers to be bumped inside of 24 hours.
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Old Feb 3, 2020, 8:43 am
  #22  
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While the DCA-PHX aircraft can be the old America West birds which are a sub-par experience in both F & Y, this was likely a good move. Although AA does not always practice its policy, downgrades are in reverse order, not by seat. But, unless he was in a top fare bracket, just being booked into F(J) as a Gold might not help with an overbooking of 7. However, as a Gold, extraordinarily unlikely that OP would be denied boarding outright..
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Old Feb 3, 2020, 9:07 am
  #23  
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Originally Posted by discountsae
What does FAM stand for?
The FlyerTalk glossary (found under, "Help," then, "Glossary," at the top of every page on FlyerTalk) can be handy as well:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/glos...tterSelected=F
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Old Feb 3, 2020, 9:14 am
  #24  
 
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Originally Posted by warakorn
Why is AA downgauging flights?
Due to the suspension of flights to Mainland China, there should be plenty of spare capacity sitting around.
A 787 cannot land/takeoff or fit in any of the gates at DCA. AA is already short on narrowbodies due to the 737MAX situation - they probably had to cancel another flight to free up this A319.
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Old Feb 3, 2020, 9:15 am
  #25  
 
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Originally Posted by discountsae
What does FAM stand for?
Federal Air Marshall. They get to bump anyone.
ETA: should have noticed the OP was bottom of page 1!
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Old Feb 3, 2020, 3:09 pm
  #26  
 
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The equipment change thing has happened to me twice. so now I always choose 2C on paid F, just in case.
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Old Feb 3, 2020, 4:21 pm
  #27  
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Originally Posted by BOS TO DCA
Obviously that's unrealistic, but a downgauge between a short-haul hub and a long-haul hub just begs for trouble, especially when they're not seeking volunteers to be bumped inside of 24 hours.
As it's a down gauge normal VDB/IDB rules don't apply.
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Old Feb 3, 2020, 8:46 pm
  #28  
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Originally Posted by flyerCO
As it's a down gauge normal VDB/IDB rules don't apply.
Yeah, I fully expect that AA screwed a lot of pax over. But maybe there was enough connecting traffic to reaccommodate on other routings.
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Old Feb 3, 2020, 9:26 pm
  #29  
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Originally Posted by dls25
A 787 cannot land/takeoff or fit in any of the gates at DCA. AA is already short on narrowbodies due to the 737MAX situation - they probably had to cancel another flight to free up this A319.
I think he knows that. His post was in jest.
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Old Feb 3, 2020, 10:16 pm
  #30  
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Originally Posted by warakorn
Why is AA downgauging flights?
Due to the suspension of flights to Mainland China, there should be plenty of spare capacity sitting around.
For the same reason they don’t operate CLT-AVL with a 777 just because one happens to be available.
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