How to Get Agent Who Knows How to Change Award That Has Partner Flights
Jul 10, 2023, 10:44 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Largo, FL
Posts: 1,272
How to Get Agent Who Knows How to Change Award That Has Partner Flights
I have read that AA saver award seats are still in the system and indeed they appear on a ba.com award search. However have called 3 times now and each agent claims can only cancel and reissue to make changes to the AA flight that is part of the trip. There are business class award seats on partners involved that would be unlikely to reappear as available for awards if the entire reservation is cancelled. Any suggestions as to what to do or when to call? Just keep calling and playing the roulette wheel until I get a knowledgeable agent?
Jul 10, 2023, 11:28 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,268
AA changed the rules recently. You can't change AA awards anymore.
You either cancel and hope that they come back, or fly the original itinerary.
You either cancel and hope that they come back, or fly the original itinerary.
Jul 10, 2023, 11:47 am
#3
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: AA Executive Platinum/Million Miler, Marriott Titanium Elite-Lifetime, Hilton Gold
Posts: 3,217
I have read that AA saver award seats are still in the system and indeed they appear on a ba.com award search. However have called 3 times now and each agent claims can only cancel and reissue to make changes to the AA flight that is part of the trip. There are business class award seats on partners involved that would be unlikely to reappear as available for awards if the entire reservation is cancelled. Any suggestions as to what to do or when to call? Just keep calling and playing the roulette wheel until I get a knowledgeable agent?
Jul 10, 2023, 6:46 pm
#5
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: AA Executive Platinum/Million Miler, Marriott Titanium Elite-Lifetime, Hilton Gold
Posts: 3,217
I remember a few on here said that, but I can’t find any reference to it from an official AA source. If someone else does, please post it.
Jul 10, 2023, 7:08 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,268
Jul 10, 2023, 7:22 pm
#8
Join Date: Mar 2019
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 100
Called last weekend to drop the AS segment of an AS+JL partner award.
At first the agent said must cancel + redeposit and hope inventory re-appears.
I asked the agent to double-check and when she came back she was able to drop the AS segment and re-ticket with just the JL segment (without needing to cancel and redeposit).
The agent said that it would be impossible to add back the Alaska segment once I dropped it. I don’t know if that is policy, but I didn’t push back.
I don’t have any recent experience changing/adding/removing AA segments on awards or awards containing AA segments.
At first the agent said must cancel + redeposit and hope inventory re-appears.
I asked the agent to double-check and when she came back she was able to drop the AS segment and re-ticket with just the JL segment (without needing to cancel and redeposit).
The agent said that it would be impossible to add back the Alaska segment once I dropped it. I don’t know if that is policy, but I didn’t push back.
I don’t have any recent experience changing/adding/removing AA segments on awards or awards containing AA segments.
Jul 10, 2023, 7:34 pm
#9
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Washington, D.C.
Programs: AA, but I play the field
Posts: 1,440
Paging MatthewLAX -- are you able to shed any further light on this issue?
Jul 12, 2023, 5:42 am
#11
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: MIA, VIE and DPS
Programs: DL Plat 1MM, AA EXP 3MM, SQ Krisflyer Gold, UA Silver, Marriott LTT, HH Gold
Posts: 1,132
I was able to change SIN-DOH-JFK-MIA (QR, QR, AA) to DPS-DOH-JFK-MIA when the DPS-DOH segment became available - was in April. Obviously didn't change the AA segment - but I was able to change it. It was priced as two awards since seemingly one isn't supposed to fly west bound from DPS but use non-existent eastbound flights for awards.
Oct 17, 2023, 8:14 am
#12
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 2,509
Edit: I'll be the datapoint. The next agent knew exactly what I was asking for and took care of it within 2 minutes of my request, which included looking it up, confirming it had no AA segments, dropping the first, and telling me the credit I'll get back on my card as a result of it. Now for the hoping and praying it goes from On Request to Ticketed.
Last edited by lowfareair; Oct 17, 2023 at 10:01 am
Oct 17, 2023, 9:27 pm
#13
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: NYC, SLC, LAX
Programs: AA EXP, UA Plat
Posts: 3,952
I have successfully modified a segment on a 3-leg combined QF-QR award, but it required at least 10 calls and the agent definitely...let's say bent some policies to get it done.
I would not recommend expecting to find someone to do this for you.
Dropping a leg, on the other hand, should be considerably easier (based on the intel I gathered in the past experience) and shouldn't take more than a few agents to find someone who knows how to do that. I believe dropping a segment (in a no-AA ticket) is actually allowed per policy.
I would not recommend expecting to find someone to do this for you.
Dropping a leg, on the other hand, should be considerably easier (based on the intel I gathered in the past experience) and shouldn't take more than a few agents to find someone who knows how to do that. I believe dropping a segment (in a no-AA ticket) is actually allowed per policy.
Oct 18, 2023, 8:52 am
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,268
Any recent experience with this? Trying to drop an intra-Europe segment of a Europe to Middle East award (no AA). First agent insisted it couldn't be done without cancel/replace (and zero inventory available), so trying to confirm if people have done it recently before I try several rounds of HUCA.
Edit: I'll be the datapoint. The next agent knew exactly what I was asking for and took care of it within 2 minutes of my request, which included looking it up, confirming it had no AA segments, dropping the first, and telling me the credit I'll get back on my card as a result of it. Now for the hoping and praying it goes from On Request to Ticketed.
Edit: I'll be the datapoint. The next agent knew exactly what I was asking for and took care of it within 2 minutes of my request, which included looking it up, confirming it had no AA segments, dropping the first, and telling me the credit I'll get back on my card as a result of it. Now for the hoping and praying it goes from On Request to Ticketed.
Another datapoint: I changed an award on an all QR itinerary; same route, different time for 1 of the flights. No issues at all.
Oct 18, 2023, 9:27 am
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
Any recent experience with this? Trying to drop an intra-Europe segment of a Europe to Middle East award (no AA). First agent insisted it couldn't be done without cancel/replace (and zero inventory available), so trying to confirm if people have done it recently before I try several rounds of HUCA.
Edit: I'll be the datapoint. The next agent knew exactly what I was asking for and took care of it within 2 minutes of my request, which included looking it up, confirming it had no AA segments, dropping the first, and telling me the credit I'll get back on my card as a result of it. Now for the hoping and praying it goes from On Request to Ticketed.
Edit: I'll be the datapoint. The next agent knew exactly what I was asking for and took care of it within 2 minutes of my request, which included looking it up, confirming it had no AA segments, dropping the first, and telling me the credit I'll get back on my card as a result of it. Now for the hoping and praying it goes from On Request to Ticketed.
If you are trying to do something like this, does it matter if it's a multi-partner award or not? I could see it being an issue with a single partner due to possible married segment issues. But with multiple partners this should not matter (right?)