flying_geek

Yesterday the flying_geek clan was supposed to fly VIE-LHR-MIA. BA cancelled the morning flight about 17 days out - AA did not notice and when I noticed it was 13 days before departure. AA still didn’t know and when I called the EP line they said the flight was still operating. I asked them to look at the original BA flight (Non AA flight number) and they then agreed that the morning flight was cancelled. I pointed out that they had not notified me 14 days in advance and that EC261 should apply. I doubt the agent fully knew what that was - but after checking with a supervisor claimed that I would be provided with a hotel after landing in London.
While I had severe doubts that I would find anyone from AA at 6:30PM I didn’t feel like arguing that.

so we know had a 5pm flight on the 1st and then LHR-MIA on the 2nd.

We arrived almost two hours before scheduled departure only to find out that we had no coupons associated with the reservation (actually, my wife’s ticket was fine, but my son and I had no coupons. Also, our tickets were still having the LHR-MIA flight on the 1st on the ticket while the reservation was for the 2nd. But the actual ticket was only valid Nov 1st)
With 105 minutes before departure, this didn’t seem a huge concern. I called AA while the agent spoke to a BA supervisor trying to get this sorted out. Around 55 minutes before departure AA had fixed my son’s ticket (though I seemingly have a 2nd credit card charge for it now) but mine was still completely in limbo. At 48 minutes before departure the agent got some code from a BA supervisor to override something and let us check in.
Needless to say there was nobody from AA in LHR to be found and some BA agent who told me that I didn’t even really have a ticket for a BA flight to get to LHR and that BA can’t do much for me. ]
So we just went to the Marriott at the airport, spent the night, I spent another 30 minutes on the phone with AA while they fixed the ticket(s). It was mainly done by the rate desk - but seemingly “they were a big mess”.

EC261 is a little harder to interpret these days. But I think in any case I think they should have to pay for the hotel, meal and taxi rides. Convincing AA of that might be a different story.

I’d also be fine with something of somewhat higher value to me that might be easier for them. Like I’d take an SWU back - $400 in travel credit, 40K miles or something along those lines.
It is unclear to me if the 600 Euro rule applies during Covid - in which case I think I should get a little more.

Thoughts? And how (and who) to best reach out to about this?

Shouldn’t matter much, but the ticket was a cheap Y ticket with SWUs applied to the TATL segment

ISTFlyer

The €600 compensation would not apply due to COVID.

Though AA is responsible to pay for your hotel, meals, and transportation to/from the hotel as they still have the duty of care.
You could first write to AA about this, if they answer something negative or offer a voucher instead, think about the situation.
If you are OK with miles and vouchers rather than getting cash, you could accept their offer; if you would like a cash refund do not take the voucher or miles and write a complaint to the Austrian governmental body that is responsible for EC261/2004 claims.

carlosdca

Did you receive an email confirmation with the new itinerary?
Did you check on AA.com if the new itinerary showed up for everybody as agreed with the agent?

flying_geek

Yes, the new itinerary had shown up and I was able to select seats (and in the case of AA meals) for the correct flights. The BA locator worked as far as seeing and selecting seats was concerned.

So turns out my sons ticket was not issued before at all. We had booked the flights at the beginning of October. One locator - my wife’s and my ticket were issued the day I “bought” the flights. My son’s seemingly was never ticketed until right before departure.

Strange how many things went wrong here.

ISTFlyer

Assuming that you're currently onboard.
I wish you a pleasant flight.

flying_geek

Thank you. Flight is a little busier than my previous TATL flights. Two non-revs in F (otherwise empty), and I think 14 in J, been told there are about 40 in Y. So far my by far busiest TATL flight durinhg covid