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Booking using bookaa.amadeus.com
Hello all,
I'm trying to book what I thought was a simple premium economy open-jaw trip US - Norway, but it has turned into a bit of a debacle. I'm able to piece together the flights I want with ITA Matrix as expected (AA on AA metal, AA on BA metal, AA on AY metal, and AY on AY metal (that 1 flight does not have a codeshare that I can find)), but when clicking through to the aa.com website, it immediately pops back with the usual "Choose a different flight or fare" error message, but a new to me "We modified your search. We didn't find a match, so we added nearby airports and all airlines to help with your search." message. I provided the exact flights and fare codes to an AA Agent, and at first they could price out the flight at what ITA gives me, but ran into an error with a Finnair flight not being confirmed. With a different combinations of flights that I was also able to get via ITA, the agent couldn't price the itinerary out at all despite the fare basis being the same, so I ended the call. Subsequently, I tried switching as many codes as possible to either BA or AY in an attempt to book with either airline directly, but doing so at least doubled the cost. Before doing a HUCA, I wanted to inquire your expert minds into this situation. That being said, ITA gives me link that points to i11l-services.aa.com, which redirects to bookaa.amadeus.com, and allows me to at least get to the payment page (albeit charging in a non-USD currency of my choosing). It is of my understanding that Finnair uses amadeus, so it might be able to book the flights that AA/Sabre can't. Is it a good idea to book through amadeus instead of aa.com? My questions are as follows: 1: I'm building in enough connection time that slight delays shouldn't be an issue, but is AA able to manage the booking in the event of a significant change pre-departure, as well as the respective operating airline during the trip? 2: In the event that I need to cancel the trip, are all the funds gone, or am I able to get them as AA credit (hopefully in USD), or is it issued in another way that must be booked through amadeus? 3: There is an entry point for my AA FF number. I presume all status benefits come through as expected, but should Loyalty Points and Miles accrue as if I booked on AA.com (after currency conversion and sans taxes, etc)? |
Originally Posted by S80
(Post 35093676)
Hello all,
I'm trying to book what I thought was a simple premium economy open-jaw trip US - Norway, but it has turned into a bit of a debacle. I'm able to piece together the flights I want with ITA Matrix as expected (AA on AA metal, AA on BA metal, AA on AY metal, and AY on AY metal (that 1 flight does not have a codeshare that I can find)), but when clicking through to the aa.com website, it immediately pops back with the usual "Choose a different flight or fare" error message, but a new to me "We modified your search. We didn't find a match, so we added nearby airports and all airlines to help with your search." message. I provided the exact flights and fare codes to an AA Agent, and at first they could price out the flight at what ITA gives me, but ran into an error with a Finnair flight not being confirmed. With a different combinations of flights that I was also able to get via ITA, the agent couldn't price the itinerary out at all despite the fare basis being the same, so I ended the call. Subsequently, I tried switching as many codes as possible to either BA or AY in an attempt to book with either airline directly, but doing so at least doubled the cost. Before doing a HUCA, I wanted to inquire your expert minds into this situation. That being said, ITA gives me link that points to i11l-services.aa.com, which redirects to bookaa.amadeus.com, and allows me to at least get to the payment page (albeit charging in a non-USD currency of my choosing). It is of my understanding that Finnair uses amadeus, so it might be able to book the flights that AA/Sabre can't. Is it a good idea to book through amadeus instead of aa.com? My questions are as follows: 1: I'm building in enough connection time that slight delays shouldn't be an issue, but is AA able to manage the booking in the event of a significant change pre-departure, as well as the respective operating airline during the trip? 2: In the event that I need to cancel the trip, are all the funds gone, or am I able to get them as AA credit (hopefully in USD), or is it issued in another way that must be booked through amadeus? 3: There is an entry point for my AA FF number. I presume all status benefits come through as expected, but should Loyalty Points and Miles accrue as if I booked on AA.com (after currency conversion and sans taxes, etc)? The answer to number two depends on the fare rules, and country of origin: if you’re originating in the United States, the credit should be in US dollars— if you’re originating in the European Union, your credit will be in euros and you will have to use that credit coming from the European Union again You’ll be able to put your frequent flyer number in the reservation on AA.com afterwards |
With number 2, check the fare rules; it may well be that it is non refundable and no credit offered or may be refundable with a penalty rather than having any credit
Where are you flying from and to? |
Originally Posted by donotblink
(Post 35093862)
The answer to number one is clearly yes
The answer to number two depends on the fare rules, and country of origin: if you’re originating in the United States, the credit should be in US dollars— if you’re originating in the European Union, your credit will be in euros and you will have to use that credit coming from the European Union again You’ll be able to put your frequent flyer number in the reservation on AA.com afterwards
Originally Posted by Dave Noble
(Post 35093895)
With number 2, check the fare rules; it may well be that it is non refundable and no credit offered or may be refundable with a penalty rather than having any credit
Where are you flying from and to? It's a Premium Economy fare with the long haul segments in P, and short haul in Y, H, and K. Departing ORD - OSL and returning BGO - ORD. The fare basis that ITA gives for both outbound and return is PHN4T1S5. I'm not exactly worried about a refund back to the original form of payment, just a trip/flight credit that I can use towards future trip(s) with AA departing the US. Here is what ITA gives under Category 16: Penalties: CANCELLATIONS ANY TIME TICKET IS NON-REFUNDABLE IN CASE OF CANCEL/NO-SHOW/ REFUND. NOTE - IN THE CASE OF THE DEATH OF THE PASSENGER/ OR A TRAVELING COMPANION/THE SERVICE CHARGE MAY BE WAIVED OR THE TICKET REFUNDED. VISIT AA.COM FOR DETAILS. ------------------------------------------------ FOR TRAVEL AGENCY BOOKINGS MADE IN MEXICO / THE CARIBBEAN / CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA - AA WILL ASSESS A USD 50.00 FEE ON ANY UNTICKETED RESERVATION NOT CANCELLED BEFORE DEPARTURE. ------------------------------------------------ WHEN COMBINING FARES THAT HAVE CANCELLATION FEES THE HIGHEST CANCELLATION FEE OF EACH CANCELLED PRICING UNIT APPLIES -WITH THE FOLLOWING EXCEPTION- WHEN COMBINING A REFUNDABLE FARE WITH A NON- REFUNDABLE FARE THE ENTIRE PRICING UNIT WILL BE NON-REFUNDABLE. ------------------------------------------------ TICKET HAS NO VALUE UNLESS TICKETED FLIGHTS ARE CANCELLED PRIOR TO TICKETED DEPARTURE TIME. CHANGES ANY TIME CHANGES PERMITTED FOR REISSUE/REVALIDATION. NOTE - A CHANGE IS A ROUTING / OR DATE / OR FLIGHT MODIFICATION. CHANGE IS PERMITTED WITHIN TICKET VALIDITY OF ORIGINAL TICKET. TICKETS MUST BE REISSUED FOR ALL VOLUNTARY CHANGES. -------------------------------------------------- WHERE THIS FARE IS COMBINED WITH ANOTHER FARE THE PENALTY CONDITIONS OF THE CHANGED FARE COMPONENT WILL APPLY. -------------------------------------------------- CALCULATION OF REISSUES //CHANGES BEFORE OUTBOUND DEPARTURE// WHEN THE FIRST FARE COMPONENT IS CHANGED THE ITINERARY MUST BE REPRICED USING CURRENT FARES IN EFFECT ON THE DATE THE TICKET IS REISSUED. ----- WHEN THERE ARE NO CHANGES TO THE FIRST FARE COMPONENT BUT OTHER FARE COMPONENTS ARE CHANGED THE ITINERARY MUST BE REPRICED USING HISTORICAL FARES IN EFFECT ON THE PREVIOUS TICKETING DATE OR CURRENT FARES IN EFFECT ON THE DATE OF TICKET REISSUE WHICHEVER IS LOWER. -------------------------------------------------- //CHANGES AFTER DEPARTURE// THE ITINERARY MUST BE REPRICED USING HISTORICAL FARES IN EFFECT ON THE PREVIOUS TICKETING DATE. ----- WHEN THE NEW ITINERARY RESULTS IN A HIGHER FARE THE DIFFERENCE WILL BE COLLECTED. ----- WHEN THE NEW ITINERARY RESULTS IN A LOWER FARE NO REFUND WILL BE MADE HOWEVER THE DIFFERENCE IN FARE WILL BE RETURNED TO THE PASSENGER IN THE FORM OF A NONREFUNDABLE TRAVEL VOUCHER WHICH MAY BE APPLIED TOWARDS THE PURCHASE OF A TICKET VALID FOR TRANSPORTATION GOVERNED BY AA. ----- REISSUES/EXCHANGES NOT ALLOWED TO EOU/ERU FARE TYPES. |
Looking at the penalties for PHN4T1S5, it is a non-refundable fare but changes can be made free of charge.
There is no provision for holding a flight credit |
Originally Posted by S80
(Post 35094347)
...Departing ORD - OSL and returning BGO - ORD...
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To anyone finding this from Google - from my experience, any flight linked from ITA Powertools to AA.com that comes up as unbookable is also unbookable via bookaa.amadeus.com, although Amadeus will actually try to ticket it.
From what I can figure out, and the multiple agents I've spoken with over the past 2 days, AA is displaying phantom inventory on all Finnair codeshare US-HEL and prime flight numbers HEL-ARN/OSL/BGO (at least that's only what I've searched) in Premium Economy (despite there being availability in the P bucket per EF). I this might have something to do with Finnair's ongoing Premium Economy sale, as it is available for what appears to be cheaper than Economy. When the fare can be ticketed, it can't be combined with another premium economy fare that ITA displays, only an economy fare, which also wildly increases the price while decreasing the overall service. I've given up on trying to find a combination that works, no more sunk cost fallacy, and have booked the BA codeshares via LHR, and will book with Finnair directly to get to/from GOT, which I was trying to avoid.
Originally Posted by tjcxx
(Post 35095554)
Are you by any chance doing the train from Oslo to Bergen? I did this last October, but followed up with the bus trip from Bergen to Stavanger (complete with two ferries), and then the train back to Oslo from Stavanger (less spectacular than the Bergensbanen but still very scenic). Therefore I just needed a return flight to Oslo.
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Originally Posted by S80
(Post 35096354)
To anyone finding this from Google - from my experience, any flight linked from ITA Powertools to AA.com that comes up as unbookable is also unbookable via bookaa.amadeus.com, although Amadeus will actually try to ticket it.
Now to just hope that the first payment doesn't actually post, which is never guaranteed with AA. |
Not really able to answer your (OPs) question but basically doing this same itinerary via the new 787P in a few weeks. We were able to get 57.5k AA miles each way in business and are super excited! We're doing the Oslo to Bergen train and are super stoked as it looks amazing from what we've seen.
Not sure if you have hotels booked but I was shocked how much value I got using Choice Rewards. I found the major brand hotel points (Marriott/Hilton/Hyatt) tough to use but Choice had some of the cities we are visiting nicest hotels available for 15k to 20k points. 9 nights of hotels in Oslo/Bergen/Copenhagen was either $4,500 cash or 160k points. Cleaned out my hubby's Cap1 points but he wasn't planning on renewing his Venture X so figured a good way to burn those points. Have a great trip and good luck in your planning! |
Originally Posted by S80
(Post 37199752)
...Being that BookAA put a pending charge on my card (in EUR) and I got a PNR this time, I gave it a few hours and then called into AA - they said they did not charge my card and requested payment again, this time in the correct USD amount that ITA Matrix had provided, and had it ticketed...
Now to just hope that the first payment doesn't actually post, which is never guaranteed with AA. I have done this dozens of times with AA, BA, AS, IB with no issues... Payment was accepted and locator code given, but not BA locator on same itinerary. No email confirmation either. After an hour on phone with AA here in Portugal, the CSR says he cannot cancel as it was a third party, and Alaska Visa won't drop pending charge immediately. We are supposed to wait a few days for it to drop - not liking the smell of this $8k+ just hanging in the breeze... |
Originally Posted by blue bear
(Post 37532167)
I am having this exact issue right now: searched for flight on Google flights, booked on AA link but it actually was "bookaa.amadeus.com".
I have done this dozens of times with AA, BA, AS, IB with no issues... Payment was accepted and locator code given, but not BA locator on same itinerary. No email confirmation either. After an hour on phone with AA here in Portugal, the CSR says he cannot cancel as it was a third party, and Alaska Visa won't drop pending charge immediately. We are supposed to wait a few days for it to drop - not liking the smell of this $8k+ just hanging in the breeze... |
Originally Posted by blue bear
(Post 37532167)
IWe are supposed to wait a few days for it to drop - not liking the smell of this $8k+ just hanging in the breeze...[/color]
(a) nothing went through and the authorisation will drop off naturally dependant on how long that card maintains authorissations for or (b) actual payment is taken and a ticket is issued There is no risk that I can see to the $8000 , since no actual charge has yet been applied to the account |
Originally Posted by Dave Noble
(Post 37532864)
It isn't hanging in the breeze - either
(a) nothing went through and the authorisation will drop off naturally dependant on how long that card maintains authorizations for or (b) actual payment is taken and a ticket is issued There is no risk that I can see to the $8000 , since no actual charge has yet been applied to the account It took 8+ hours but did sort itself out, though the BA locator was still not shown. Good thing too as the prices went up a bit. Interesting thing was that neither CSR knew of Google Flights and referred to them as "travel agents". I find more often than not Google finds better/affordable timetables than the given airlines own website. I would not mind learning more about the mechanics of this... |
8 hours is not a long time ime with AA to issue a ticket
(b) was what I expected to happen since AA had created a PNR and infomed you of the locator Have you tried the AA record locator on the BA site? |
Originally Posted by Dave Noble
(Post 37532927)
8 hours is not a long time ime with AA to issue a ticket
(b) was what I expected to happen since AA had created a PNR and infomed you of the locator Have you tried the AA record locator on the BA site? I did get a BA locator code and it works. The AA code does not. |
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