AA TP stitch up
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: BA
Posts: 32
AA TP stitch up
I am a BA Gold Card holder and last August, through American Express Travel, I purchased an AA First class MIA/Lax/MIA for travel in February 2017.
The Invoice arrived the next day confirming First Class, P, seat number etc. The ticket was non refundable and was around 20% more than another First Class but refundable ticket I had purchased 3 years before, also through Amex and AA.
In February Amex contacted me to say that there was an AA schedule change but nothing significant, one flight was around 5 minutes later and the other around an hour. It didn't make much difference to me so I accepted the changes.
When I completed the trip I checked my BA account to see that the TP's had been added only to find that instead of the expected 420 for the two legs I had received just 210. This had been made up of 70 plus 140. I rang BA to point out the error and they said there was clearly something amiss and would deal with it. They asked for a copy of my Boarding Passes which I supplied.
A week or so later they said that AA had credited me with the correct number as the outward leg showed Class I and the return Class C. I pointed out that I had a First Class ticket please revert back to them. They did and told me that I had bought a Club ticket one way and an economy the other and that AA had upgraded both to First.
When I pointed this out to Amex they said it seems they had sold me a round trip Club ticket that was upgraded to First as a special offer. They stated they hadn't read the small print. This is notwithstanding their Invoice that I paid is clear in black and white First Class P.
I feel that I have been duped into buying a junk ticket at a First Class price without First Class benefits ie TP's
Amex are currently talking to AA, but I wonder if anyone here has had a similar experience and could offer any advice as to how I can get AA to honour the ticket I was sold?
Many thanks
The Invoice arrived the next day confirming First Class, P, seat number etc. The ticket was non refundable and was around 20% more than another First Class but refundable ticket I had purchased 3 years before, also through Amex and AA.
In February Amex contacted me to say that there was an AA schedule change but nothing significant, one flight was around 5 minutes later and the other around an hour. It didn't make much difference to me so I accepted the changes.
When I completed the trip I checked my BA account to see that the TP's had been added only to find that instead of the expected 420 for the two legs I had received just 210. This had been made up of 70 plus 140. I rang BA to point out the error and they said there was clearly something amiss and would deal with it. They asked for a copy of my Boarding Passes which I supplied.
A week or so later they said that AA had credited me with the correct number as the outward leg showed Class I and the return Class C. I pointed out that I had a First Class ticket please revert back to them. They did and told me that I had bought a Club ticket one way and an economy the other and that AA had upgraded both to First.
When I pointed this out to Amex they said it seems they had sold me a round trip Club ticket that was upgraded to First as a special offer. They stated they hadn't read the small print. This is notwithstanding their Invoice that I paid is clear in black and white First Class P.
I feel that I have been duped into buying a junk ticket at a First Class price without First Class benefits ie TP's
Amex are currently talking to AA, but I wonder if anyone here has had a similar experience and could offer any advice as to how I can get AA to honour the ticket I was sold?
Many thanks
#2
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
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Some of the detail is a bit odd, but on the face of it you should have got 280 TPs, 140 x 2. Both I and C get this level of TPs and is showing as such on the BA.com calculator. In the detail line of the transaction, can you look at both the fare buckets showing (e.g. C/A or I/B)?
The main change, however, is explained in this thread, AA First only gets 210 TPs on the longer Flagship flights, not the non Flagship services. These get 140 TPs instead, equivalent to business class travel.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...confirmed.html
Let me also welcome you to Flyertalk and the BA forum. I hope you will continue to participate here, the above thread would have given you advance warning on this change. Welcome on board CC999.
The main change, however, is explained in this thread, AA First only gets 210 TPs on the longer Flagship flights, not the non Flagship services. These get 140 TPs instead, equivalent to business class travel.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...confirmed.html
Let me also welcome you to Flyertalk and the BA forum. I hope you will continue to participate here, the above thread would have given you advance warning on this change. Welcome on board CC999.
#3
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,872
Further to the information in the linked thread, I don't know of any person who has managed to get the 210/60 TPs credited for flights taken after 11 January but booked before the change was announced last November. A few people tried to argue this with BA/AA but got nowhere. I don't think there is much point pursuing this unfortunately. As noted in the thread, this has all come about due to AA re-organising their selling classes.
Bear in mind that, apart from the TP, you received everything that you paid for and should have expected. You still flew in domestic first and received the domestic first service.
Bear in mind that, apart from the TP, you received everything that you paid for and should have expected. You still flew in domestic first and received the domestic first service.
#4
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Beijing
Programs: SK EBG, BAEC Gold
Posts: 932
*If* that is the case then you may have an argument for getting 210+140 TPs (perhaps in the AA great reclassification event your flight that was an "instant upgrade from business to first" on a 3-class flight was rebooked in one of the new business class code).
In any case is sounds as though you purchased one of the "instant upgrade" fares, which normally I think give the TPs and Avios for the upgraded cabin, though I do recall some reports where this has not happened. At a minimum you should push back for 140+140 TPs, as suggested above by CWS.
#5
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
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Notwithstanding the good advice above, the text quoted above suggests that possibly the OP was booked into the first cabin on a 3-cabin service (I think there are some MIA-LAX flights in that config).
*If* that is the case then you may have an argument for getting 210+140 TPs (perhaps in the AA great reclassification event your flight that was an "instant upgrade from business to first" on a 3-class flight was rebooked in one of the new business class code).
In any case is sounds as though you purchased one of the "instant upgrade" fares, which normally I think give the TPs and Avios for the upgraded cabin, though I do recall some reports where this has not happened. At a minimum you should push back for 140+140 TPs, as suggested above by CWS.
*If* that is the case then you may have an argument for getting 210+140 TPs (perhaps in the AA great reclassification event your flight that was an "instant upgrade from business to first" on a 3-class flight was rebooked in one of the new business class code).
In any case is sounds as though you purchased one of the "instant upgrade" fares, which normally I think give the TPs and Avios for the upgraded cabin, though I do recall some reports where this has not happened. At a minimum you should push back for 140+140 TPs, as suggested above by CWS.
I am not aware of AA just upgrading people to F as special offers - this sounds very odd. However if this was a "free" upgrade by AA to F on a three class plane I don't think the OP can expect F TP, and instead they are entitled to the TPs for the cabin they originally paid for.
Perhaps if the OP can post the original itinerary as ticketed that would go a long way to helping us understand the issue.
If this was a three class plane and booked as such the AA changes should have had no effect on the OP's booking. If the OP booked in to F originally with a F/A/P selling class on a three class domestic route they would have remained with the same selling class after the changes and received 210/60 TPs.
#6
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine
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C is not a commercial booking class on AA, as it is used for upgrades into business class. The OP should have been re-booked into I on both segments and gotten 280 TPs for the itinerary. Not sure why AA would rebook into C. I guess now AA believes that the OP booked and economy ticket and upgraded with miles.
#7
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: LCY is always preferred
Programs: BAEC Gold, IHG Silver, HHonors Gold
Posts: 1,023
I have asked BA on this issue, as my tickets for a trip just taken were bought last July, in A Class. I had to amend them due to a cancellation by BA anyway, so have some TPs due to the re routing, but I don't hold out much hope of getting the 140 TPs I would otherwise have got. The girl on the Gold line was not optimistic that they would honour the extras over the amendment of 100 TPs for the journey that went from over 2000 miles to 700. Will report back if I get the now unexpected TPs
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: BA
Posts: 32
The original booking was for a three Class service according to Amex. The Ticket I purchased was clearly a First Class ticket marked P which is First Class according to the AA website.
When I first purchased the ticket I looked up the TP's awarded for Mia/Lax/Mia in First and it was clearly 210 per leg. Why I should be settling for Club rates when I paid for First I don't know.
The Boarding passes clearly are marked Priority First but the lettering on it shows I going out and C on the return. I had no idea what they stood for and the the first time I noticed that was when BA asked for it to show AA.
Bearing in mind the Amex Invoice clearly states First Class and the letter P and my instructions were for the purchase of a First Class ticket, with all the normal benefits, how can AA treat it in any other way? If I was looking for a ticket that was an upgrade ticket without the normal benefits I wouldn't have expected to pay full price.
As far as I am concerned I have been mislead by Amex and AA and I am extremely disappointed with both of them.
When I first purchased the ticket I looked up the TP's awarded for Mia/Lax/Mia in First and it was clearly 210 per leg. Why I should be settling for Club rates when I paid for First I don't know.
The Boarding passes clearly are marked Priority First but the lettering on it shows I going out and C on the return. I had no idea what they stood for and the the first time I noticed that was when BA asked for it to show AA.
Bearing in mind the Amex Invoice clearly states First Class and the letter P and my instructions were for the purchase of a First Class ticket, with all the normal benefits, how can AA treat it in any other way? If I was looking for a ticket that was an upgrade ticket without the normal benefits I wouldn't have expected to pay full price.
As far as I am concerned I have been mislead by Amex and AA and I am extremely disappointed with both of them.
#9
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
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I can see it was 3 class at the time of booking, but was it 2 class at the time of flying? If so then 140 is now correct, 70 I still don't understand. If it was 3 class at the time of flying then different logic applies.
#11
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#12
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,546
Looking at Expert Flyer, the only flight each day LAX-MIA which is operated using a 777 is AA1088 and from MIA to LAX is AA275
AA295 and AA68 are operated using 2 class A321s which , since January, book using business and economy booking classes
When you booked back in August, AA used 1st and Economy booking classes. The schedule change notification should have indicated the new classes
The earning is correct for flights on 2 class operated service since January
AA calls it 1st class ( and shows as such on passes still ) but books it into business inventory. Lower earnings but , conversely, cheaper for award bookings
AA295 and AA68 are operated using 2 class A321s which , since January, book using business and economy booking classes
When you booked back in August, AA used 1st and Economy booking classes. The schedule change notification should have indicated the new classes
The earning is correct for flights on 2 class operated service since January
AA calls it 1st class ( and shows as such on passes still ) but books it into business inventory. Lower earnings but , conversely, cheaper for award bookings
#13
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: BAEC (Gold), SPG (Lifetime Plat), Star Alliance, One World, Virgin (Gold)
Posts: 211
My concern CC999 is the invoice Amex issued to you, was not representative of what was purchased. Were the flights you were changed onto of equal or lesser value?
#14
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,546
Prior to January, AA used 1st class booking classes ( such as F,A and P ) for 1st class whether it be a 2 class operated service or 3 class
In January, all 2 class flights had the 1st class changed to J,D and I classes. These earn as business class when crediting to BA
The price , whether booking in F/A/P or J/D/I is the same and the product provided is the same. No misrepresentation by American Express. American Express is not responsible for what BA credits to its FF scheme
If the person was booked on a 777 operated service sold as 3 class and was booked in 1st class on that, then that wouldn't have been impacted by the change. The flight the OP was booked on does not seem to have been one where 3 classes are offered
if it was previously a 3 class service and flight was changed to one with only 2 classes, there would be some refund due for fare difference - there are v few 3 class services between MIA and LAX
There is a fairly long thread already covering AA's change of use of booking classes and impact on BA earning
#15
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: BAEC (Gold), SPG (Lifetime Plat), Star Alliance, One World, Virgin (Gold)
Posts: 211
"They did and told me that I had bought a Club ticket one way and an economy the other and that AA had upgraded both to First."
If the original invoice stated First, class P, that is what was purchased, with the associated benefits. If the product was changed to a lesser product, passenger should either receive what was originally purchased (T/P included) or receive a refund for the reduced benefits.
I wonder how his travel insurance would have viewed the free "upgrade" had new flights needed to be arranged due to xyz.. circumstances.
If the original invoice stated First, class P, that is what was purchased, with the associated benefits. If the product was changed to a lesser product, passenger should either receive what was originally purchased (T/P included) or receive a refund for the reduced benefits.
I wonder how his travel insurance would have viewed the free "upgrade" had new flights needed to be arranged due to xyz.. circumstances.