Booked AA using Avios, Schedule Change - Cancel Options
Oct 14, 2019, 6:44 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: Aeroplan, Amex AeroPlat
Posts: 977
Booked AA using Avios, Schedule Change - Cancel Options
Booked AA flights for three incl. a kid for February originally with 2 hour layover in PHL. Canada to US. Got an email regarding AA schedule change, the layover is now 1 hour, still legal, but with a kid in tow, we don’t like our chances, esp. given that the second leg flight lands at the destination around 9PM.
Can we call BA to ask for cancellation without the cancellation fee? I have since rebooked us on a different flight with 3 hour layover at CLT. Much safer.
Can we call BA to ask for cancellation without the cancellation fee? I have since rebooked us on a different flight with 3 hour layover at CLT. Much safer.
Oct 14, 2019, 8:39 am
#2
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
BA is unlikely to make a change or refund the tickets when the arrival time remains the same and MCT is not violated. If you had been on AA-marketed tickets, AA might have done so as a courtesy, but even then a bit iffy.
Even with a kid, I don't consider a domestic connection of 60 minutes at PHL anything to worry about (presuming that you are arriving from a Pre-Clearance station in Canada). You have 45 minutes to make it from inbound to departure gate, even if the kid needs to make a "technical" stop.
There is also nothing which prohibits you from calling AA. However, as it is not the ticketing carrier, it is almost certain to refer you to BA.
Even with a kid, I don't consider a domestic connection of 60 minutes at PHL anything to worry about (presuming that you are arriving from a Pre-Clearance station in Canada). You have 45 minutes to make it from inbound to departure gate, even if the kid needs to make a "technical" stop.
There is also nothing which prohibits you from calling AA. However, as it is not the ticketing carrier, it is almost certain to refer you to BA.
Last edited by Often1; Oct 14, 2019 at 10:43 am
Oct 14, 2019, 1:50 pm
#3
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges and Environmentally Friendly Travel
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London, UK
Posts: 22,212
With an enforced schedule change you may rebook flights to create a longer, more relaxed connection free of charge. The free cancellation option kicks in when the overall journey time (from origin to final destination) increased by 120 mins or more
Oct 14, 2019, 2:05 pm
#4
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ashtead, Surrey
Programs: BAEC G, VS G, Marriot Plat
Posts: 55
Try contacting the AA Twitter team, they've been very helpful in the past even with stuff that you'd think would have been beyond their remit. Try a bit of charm and be clear what you want, i.e. find a flight with availability and give them the number. Best of luck.
Oct 14, 2019, 2:25 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: Aeroplan, Amex AeroPlat
Posts: 977
Obviously if nothing goes wrong, 1 hour connection is fine even with a kid. However this is February and PHL we are talking about and a wise traveler with a 3-yo should not bank on everything going smooth...
Oct 14, 2019, 2:31 pm
#6
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,968
This is a BA ticket tho so I don’t see how AA can help?
Oct 14, 2019, 2:58 pm
#7
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: BA Blue, EI Silver, Honours Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,209
The OP has already rebooked, so it’s a bit academic.
1 hour sounds close, but ok. The thing to keep in mind that if the OP did have the IRROPS he’s worried about the marketing/ticketing carrier becomes irrelevant as the ticket would be under airport control. AAgents are very flexible with IRROPS situations and have a lot of autonomy.
1 hour sounds close, but ok. The thing to keep in mind that if the OP did have the IRROPS he’s worried about the marketing/ticketing carrier becomes irrelevant as the ticket would be under airport control. AAgents are very flexible with IRROPS situations and have a lot of autonomy.
Oct 14, 2019, 3:51 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: Aeroplan, Amex AeroPlat
Posts: 977
The OP has already rebooked, so it’s a bit academic.
1 hour sounds close, but ok. The thing to keep in mind that if the OP did have the IRROPS he’s worried about the marketing/ticketing carrier becomes irrelevant as the ticket would be under airport control. AAgents are very flexible with IRROPS situations and have a lot of autonomy.
1 hour sounds close, but ok. The thing to keep in mind that if the OP did have the IRROPS he’s worried about the marketing/ticketing carrier becomes irrelevant as the ticket would be under airport control. AAgents are very flexible with IRROPS situations and have a lot of autonomy.
My priority is to avoid that in the first place.
Oct 14, 2019, 8:54 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,540
The title mentions avios. My experience with aa is they are not that flexible on award ticket. I think the op would have had a stronger chance asking for a free of charge change to the routing via clt that they booked rather than book separately and ask for a fee free refund which I do not think is very likely in this case.
Oct 15, 2019, 1:25 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,048
Booking partner rewards often throws up issues such as this one. The ffp (BAEC) can't do a lot because they are limited to award space offered by the partner (without an over-and-above effort to liaise with the partner airline). The operating carrier doesn't care as it's not their ticket (yet).
Considering that the new itinerary is still legal and in many respects an improvement on the original, it's hard to argue anything other than an OP wants to make a voluntary change, and therefore is subject to the cancellation/change policy of the ticket. Can't hurt to ask BA for a full refund though...
Considering that the new itinerary is still legal and in many respects an improvement on the original, it's hard to argue anything other than an OP wants to make a voluntary change, and therefore is subject to the cancellation/change policy of the ticket. Can't hurt to ask BA for a full refund though...
Oct 15, 2019, 3:36 am
#11
Join Date: Jun 2003
Programs: BA, IHG, 5C
Posts: 4,413
The rules that matter are the most generous of BA's as agent (basically vol refund for £35) or AA's as marketing airline for schedule change. As far as I can see, AA will give you the choice of a refund or rebooking in revenue bucket if the schedule change is 60 minutes or greater, so are those times quoted exactly: is it 60 minutes.
If the refund is available under AA terms, you might need to call or tweet AA to confirm this is the case.
If the refund is available under AA terms, you might need to call or tweet AA to confirm this is the case.
Oct 15, 2019, 5:38 am
#12
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
The rules that matter are the most generous of BA's as agent (basically vol refund for £35) or AA's as marketing airline for schedule change. As far as I can see, AA will give you the choice of a refund or rebooking in revenue bucket if the schedule change is 60 minutes or greater, so are those times quoted exactly: is it 60 minutes.
If the refund is available under AA terms, you might need to call or tweet AA to confirm this is the case.
If the refund is available under AA terms, you might need to call or tweet AA to confirm this is the case.
1. Prior to the day of travel, it is the ticketing carrier, e.g. BA which handles rebooking.
2. On the day of travel, it is the operating carrier, e.g. AA which handles rebooking.
Oct 15, 2019, 8:29 am
#13
Join Date: Jun 2003
Programs: BA, IHG, 5C
Posts: 4,413
2. Are you agreeing or disagreeing with me? For clarity, I'm saying the AA guidelines apply though BA will have to process the refund - naturally since it's avios.
Oct 15, 2019, 2:57 pm
#14
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,968
The rules that matter are the most generous of BA's as agent (basically vol refund for £35) or AA's as marketing airline for schedule change. As far as I can see, AA will give you the choice of a refund or rebooking in revenue bucket if the schedule change is 60 minutes or greater...
Oct 15, 2019, 3:07 pm
#15
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: London
Programs: Gold at BA, Hilton and Radisson.
Posts: 592
Edit: he can ask, but, I’m 99% sure AA do not have this power. Much like a TA etc... .