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[PREM FARE GONE] AA DCA-PEK sub-$450 a/i rt in J

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Old Mar 17, 2015, 9:24 pm
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Last edit by: Server
*Update 28/10/2015*
American Airlines has sent out a batch of emails offering customers two options. None of which earns miles and does not address DOT's old guidelines.

We have yet to here from DOT.

Here is a copy of the letter:

Thank you for your patience in our responding to your complaint regarding the cancellation of a reservation for travel to China which you placed on hold earlier this year.

The reservation you placed on hold was for an extremely low fare offered by American in error, and the mistaken fare was offered for only a few hours. Because the fare was offered in error, we cancelled those reservations, such as yours, that had been made but not ticketed.

In our view, given the fact that the fares American offered for China travel in those few hours were so low that it was obvious they were offered in error (a fact widely acknowledged in the social media posts which prompted many of those who reserved the fares to do so), we were justified in cancelling those reservations that were made but not ticketed, and accordingly will not honor the fare associated with your cancelled reservation. However, we will offer to you two options for reduced rate travel to China, one for business class and one for coach class. The two options are as follows:

Option A – Business Class: We offer you a $1,500 discount on any roundtrip business cabin fare to Shanghai or Beijing.
  • Reservation must be booked by AA and operated entirely by AA (including AA’s regional partners).
  • Travel may not be upgraded, by upgrade certificate, AAdvantage status, or any other means, to a higher class of service.
  • Travel will not be eligible to earn AAdvantage miles or Elite Qualifying Miles or points, and will not count as Elite Qualifying segments in the AAdvantage program.
  • Travel may be ticketed immediately and must be completed within one year of the date of this letter.
  • Travel to PEK or PVG should originate and end in the same U.S. airport(s) as in the original PNR with the same passenger(s) (or subset of passengers) traveling as were listed in the cancelled PNR.
  • Must be ticketed within six weeks of the date of this letter.

Option B – Main Cabin: We offer you the opportunity to receive a $0 fare basis main cabin fare to Shanghai or Beijing, subject to taxes and fees of approximately $450 (varies slightly by routing)..
  • Reservation must be booked by AA for any Q or O class fare to PEK or PVG, and operated entirely by AA (including AA’s regional partners).
  • Travel may not be upgraded, by upgrade certificate, AAdvantage status, or any other means, to a higher class of service.
  • Travel will not be eligible to earn AAdvantage miles or Elite Qualifying Miles or points, and will not count as Elite Qualifying segments in the AAdvantage program.
  • This offer is subject to Q or O class inventory availability for travel outbound starting November 15, 2015.
  • Travel must be completed within one year of the date of this letter.
  • Travel to PEK or PVG should originate and end in the same U.S. airport(s) as in the original PNR with the same passenger(s) (or subset of passengers) traveling as were listed in the cancelled PNR.
  • Must be ticketed within six weeks of the date of this letter.

If you would like to accept one of these offers, please contact American Airlines at the following number to make your flight reservation.



When and where are you traveling? - edit below

March
27-March-2015 -- 30-March-2015 (NYC)-DCA-ORD-PEK heatheresq FIRST (apparently)!
30-March-2015 -- 02-April-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK transparent
31-March-2015 -- 03-April-2015 ICN-PEK-ORD-DFW timid_trnchcoat, Y only


April
01-April-2015 -- 05-April-2015 DCA-BOS-ORD-PEK-HKG-DFW-DCA thegrailer
02-April-2015 -- 07-April-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK Soddon
03-April-2015 -- 07-April-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK jetsarefast2
03-April-2015 -- 10-April-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK fly2nrt
04-April-2015 -- 07-April-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK cocobird
07-April-2015 -- 10-April-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK/PEK-ORD-DCA DiscoverCSG
07-April-2015 -- 16-April-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK learingtofly2015

08-April-2015 -- 12-April-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK IWontRegretThis
09-April-2015 -- 13-April-2015 IAD-DFW-PVG/PVG-LAX-IAD Tblack15 Confirmed 2x EQPs; had no elite status
10-April-2015 -- 13-April-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK andrewwm

11-April-2015 -- 19-April-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK thyeri
13-April-2015 -- 16-April-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK bchips
13-April-2015 -- 16-April-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK cbuckhouse
Confirmed 2x EQPs; had Platinum status

14-April-2015 -- 22-April-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK-ORD-DCA fijaircan
15-April-2015 -- 21-April-2015 IAD-DFW-... elliottishere
16-April-2015 -- 21-April-2015 ...-DFW-PVG elliottishere
22-April-2015 -- 27-April-2015 DCA-ORD-PEKChucksterace
22-April-2015 -- 01-May-2015 DCA-ORD-PEKtn8
26-April-2015 -- 29-April-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK-ORD-DCA MarkP24
26-April-2015 -- 29-April-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK-ORD-DCA FriendlySkies
26-April-2015 -- 01-May-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK-ORD-DCA miffsc
26-April-2015 -- 01-May-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK-ORD-DCA travelsavant
26-April-2015 -- 03-May-2015 IAD-DFW-ORD-PEK-ORD-MIA-IAD Fredd and Mrs. Fredd
27-April-2015 -- 01-May-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK-ORD-DCA MsSTL
27-April-2015 -- 01-May-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK-ORD-DCAlakers6902
27-April-2015 -- 05-May-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK smikih
27-April-2015 -- 06-May-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK-ORD-DCA the_happiness_store
29-April-2015 -- 09-May-2015 IAD-DFW-ORD-PEK-DFW-IAD Brituchenite



May
01-May-2015 -- 14-May-2015 DCA-DFW-PVG-ORD-DCA Novemurr+2
06-May-2015 -- 10-May-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK edbyu +1
07-May-2015 -- 10-May-2015 DCA-ORD-PVG iadp
08-May-2015 -- 11-May-2015 DCA-DFW-PEK Golfingboy washeelers747 +2
08-May-2015 -- 11-May-2015 DCA-DFW-PEK-DFW-IAD a330300
08-May-2015 -- 12-May-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK-ORD-DCA smoneyxc
08-May-2015 -- 12-May-2015 IAD-DFW-... eap
09-May-2015 -- 12-May-2015 ...-DFW-PEK-DFW-IAD eap
09-May-2015 -- 13-May-2015 ...DCA-DFW-PEK-ORD-DCA Bonaventure
10-May-2015 -- 16-May-2015 IAD-DFW-PEK Kidorki
11-May-2015 -- 14-May-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK medichill
12-May-2015 -- 19-May-2015 DCA-DFW-PEK party_boy
12-May-2015 -- 23-May-2015 DCA-DFW-PEK-ORD-DCA rexid
13-May-2015 -- 24-May-2015 DCA-DFW-PEK-DFW-DCA hoosiereph+3
13-May-2015 -- 20-May-2015 IAD-DFW-... travisair
13-May-2015 -- 16-May-2015 IAD-ORD-PEK Long Train Runnin
14-May-2015 -- 17 May-2015 IAD-DFW-PEK Bigguyinpasadena
14-May-2015 -- 20-May-2015 ...-DFW-PEK travisair
14-May-2015 -- 17-May-2015 IAD-DFW-PEK roastpuff
14-May-2015 -- 17-May-2015 DCA-DFW-PEK Robert
14-May-2015 -- 18-May-2018 DCA-DFW-PEK Cachris69
14-May-2015 -- 17-May-2015 DCA-ORD-PVG iadp
14-May-2015 -- 26-May-2015 DCA-DFW-PEK-ORD-DCA AJollyLife (Birthday on the 23rd! )
15-May-2015 -- 18-May-2015 DCA-DFW-HKG-PEK-HKG-DFW-DCA Bonaventure
15-May-2015 -- 18-May-2015 DCA-DFW-PEK alexj7
15-May-2015 -- 18-May-2015 DCA-DFW-PEK andrewwm
15-May-2015 -- 18-May-2105 DCA-ORD-PEK-DFW Madone59
16-May-2015 -- 21-May-2015 DCA-DFW-PEK-ORD-DCA davidyyz
16-May-2015 -- 19-May-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK schwimmair
16-May-2015 -- 24-May 2015 DCA-DFW-PEK-DFW-DCA keepssmile
17-May-2015 -- 21-May-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK tzvilev
17-May-2015 -- 23-May-2015 DCA-DFW-PEK-ORD-DCA tommya
17-May-2015 -- 27-May-2015 IAD-DFW-PEK-DFW-IAD krazieman
18-May-2015 -- 21-May-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK-ORD-DCA ben1979
18-May-2015 -- 21-May-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK-ORD-DCA DS
18-May-2015 -- 22-May-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK-ORD-DCA miffsc
19-May-2015 -- 22-May-2015 DCA-DFW-PEK-ORD-DCA Bonaventure
19-May-2015 -- 30-May-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK-DFW-DCA transparent
20-May-2015 -- 26-May-2015 IAD-DFW-... elliottishere
20-May-2015 -- 24-May-2015 DCA-DFW-PEK thepla
20-May-2015 -- 28-May-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK cvg-aa
21-May-2015 -- 26-May-2015 ...-DFW-PVG elliottishere
21-May-2015 -- 24-May-2015 DCA-DFW-PEK/PEK-ORD-DCA awaite01
21-May-2015 -- 24-May-2015 DCA-DFW-PEK/PEK-ORD-DCA smitty06 and shynate
21-May-2015 -- 01-Jun-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK-ORD-DCA Tobypie
22-May-2015 -- 25-May-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK tsz
22-May-2015 -- 25-May-2015 DCA-ORD-PVG PaceLaw2012
22-May-2015 -- 25-May-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK alexj7
22-May-2015 -- 25-May-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK onfo
22-May-2015 -- 27-May-2015 DCA-DFW-PEK-ORD ghzhammer
23-May-2015 -- 26-May-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK jetsarefast2
23-May-2015 -- 31-May-2015 DCA-DFW-PEK-ORD-DCA bqkali
23-May-2015 -- 31-May-2015 DCA-DFW-PEK-ORD-DCA blootch
23-May-2015 -- 31-May-2015 IAD-DFW-PEK-DFW-IAD FlyingChuck
24-May-2015 -- 27-May-2015 IAD-DFW-PEK northshorepa
24-May-2015 -- 27-May-2018 DCA-DFW-PEK Cachris69 +1
24-May-2015 -- 28-May-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK Bikeguy+1
24-May-2015 -- 28-May-2015 DCA-DFW-... Server
25-May-2015 -- 28-May-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK-ICN-DFW-DCA Bonaventure
25-May-2015 -- 28-May-2015 ...-DFW-PEK-ORD-DCA Server
25-May-2015 -- 28-May-2015 DCA-DFW-PEK-ORD-DCA ben1979
25-May-2015 -- 28-May-2015 DCA-DFW-PEK-DFW-IAD bartmas777
26-May-2015 -- 29-May-2015 CMH-DCA-ORD-PEK paramenace
27-May-2015 -- 01-Jun-2015 DCA-DFW-PEK-DFW-DCA platinumTA
28-May-2015 -- 01-Jun-2015 IAD-DFW-PEK anchor79
28-May-2015 -- 01-Jun-2015 DCA-DFW-PEK-ORD-DCA flying for gold elite
28-May-2015 -- 01-Jun-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK-DFW-DCA cfegeley
29-May-2015 -- 01-Jun-2015 DCA-ORD-PEK-ORD-DCA Mrp Alert
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[PREM FARE GONE] AA DCA-PEK sub-$450 a/i rt in J

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Old Nov 4, 2015, 7:03 pm
  #1906  
 
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Weird. I see no such letter from DOT on their website regarding a settlement.
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Old Nov 4, 2015, 7:06 pm
  #1907  
 
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Links

The agreement is also referenced in this story, but I haven't been able to find a copy on dot.gov

http://qz.com/541572/a-pricing-glitc...han-1-million/

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Old Nov 4, 2015, 7:16 pm
  #1908  
 
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I would've expected that AA would mention that this was a settlement with the DOT in their letter.
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Old Nov 4, 2015, 7:25 pm
  #1909  
 
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Originally Posted by PITgetawayflyer
I would've expected that AA would mention that this was a settlement with the DOT in their letter.
How can this be a settlement if it is entirely against DOT regulation?
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Old Nov 4, 2015, 11:32 pm
  #1910  
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Yes, this is BS, how is this a settlement, the economy ticket is $450 with no miles and upgrades and with other restrictions when you can actually find it for around $550-650 from your home airport with regular miles and upgrade options. Who, how, and under what rationale was this negotiated with the DOT, if that really happened.

This is pretty black and white based on the rules, either you honor both tickets and holds, or neither.
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Old Nov 5, 2015, 6:30 am
  #1911  
 
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Calm down. Did the dot ever say it was a settlement? No. Did AA? Possibly. My guess is whomever the reporter spoke with was from AA and AA said something along the lines of "based on the dot rules we have come up with a settlement for those affected" I wouldn't put much weight on this article as it did not come from the dot
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Old Nov 5, 2015, 12:31 pm
  #1912  
 
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PDF

It's a settlement.

http://www.regulations.gov/#!documen...2015-0002-0012

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Old Nov 5, 2015, 12:35 pm
  #1913  
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
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oh, I didn't see that
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Old Nov 5, 2015, 12:43 pm
  #1914  
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
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Originally Posted by citsfo
oh, I didn't see that
It was a update to the article in the link that I posted. Never would've looked there otherwise. Nothing posted to dot.gov yet either.
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Old Nov 5, 2015, 1:23 pm
  #1915  
 
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Originally Posted by PITgetawayflyer
So who here was quoted in the settlement post examples from the forums ?

Well that's it. With the impending new regulations from DOT based on the United and this airfare ruling, we'll likely be seeing less airfares similarly not honoured. It was fun while it lasted, next time be a little more discrete heh!
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Old Nov 5, 2015, 1:47 pm
  #1916  
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This settlement was so bad all around, the "logic" and the analysis used, the "settlement" they reached, the "justice" it provided, the "deterrence" it will have for future violations, the quotes they used, the 8 months it took them to reach it, just terrible. Someone should probably challenge this.
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Old Nov 5, 2015, 3:38 pm
  #1917  
 
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[PREM FARE GONE] AA DCA-PEK sub-$450 a/i rt in J

Chicago to Beijing on sale I believe for $550 RT with miles... Sorry AA but no deal
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Old Nov 5, 2015, 6:45 pm
  #1918  
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I had my China tickets "on hold" and had them cancelled. I can't find any email stating my entitlement to the offer. Anyone else in this boat contacted the airline for more info?

The offer obviously isn't entirely satisfactory because AA did have a legal obligation to honor tickets on hold -- at least as the regulations existed at the time. It was also ridiculous to treated ticketed pax differently from "hold" pax. Of course, you can argue we were simply taking advantage of a pricing mistake, and other online merchants don't honor such offers, and life isn't fair. Whatever: it is what it is.

Now that we have the offer -- and I'm not holding out a lot of hope for a better deal -- the question is whether it's worth anything. If there are really hundreds of dollars of "fees" involved, it's obviously worth almost nothing. If there's a way to get it to price like a coach award ticket, there is some value. Has anyone experimented with this yet?
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Old Nov 5, 2015, 7:15 pm
  #1919  
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 355
Originally Posted by iahphx
I had my China tickets "on hold" and had them cancelled. I can't find any email stating my entitlement to the offer. Anyone else in this boat contacted the airline for more info?

The offer obviously isn't entirely satisfactory because AA did have a legal obligation to honor tickets on hold -- at least as the regulations existed at the time. It was also ridiculous to treated ticketed pax differently from "hold" pax. Of course, you can argue we were simply taking advantage of a pricing mistake, and other online merchants don't honor such offers, and life isn't fair. Whatever: it is what it is.

Now that we have the offer -- and I'm not holding out a lot of hope for a better deal -- the question is whether it's worth anything. If there are really hundreds of dollars of "fees" involved, it's obviously worth almost nothing. If there's a way to get it to price like a coach award ticket, there is some value. Has anyone experimented with this yet?
Consider filing a petition for review. If anyone else is interested, pm me, as we only have 10 days.
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Old Nov 5, 2015, 7:40 pm
  #1920  
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Ooops! Didn't realize it was already posted!
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