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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 Mar 18, 2015, 9:20 pm
  #691  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Programs: AA EXP 9.9MM, HHonors Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 319
Originally Posted by cliburn
"This notice provides guidance to U.S. and foreign air carriers regarding compliance with the customer service rule that requires carriers to hold a reservation at the quoted fare for 24 hours without payment or allow a reservation to be cancelled within 24 hours without penalty (the “24- hour reservation requirement”)."
I know, from experience, the AA does not do the latter.
And as we see above, AA is allowing those who ticketed these reservations to cancel for a full refund, even though the fare rules state the ticket is non-refundable. Looks like they are complying with DOT.
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Old Mar 18, 2015, 9:26 pm
  #692  
 
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Originally Posted by iahphx
No consideration is necessary. In its infinite wisdom, the DOT has determined that airline passengers should be guaranteed their seats at the quoted price for 24 hours after booking. The airlines are given options on how to insure this provision. Most provide free 24-hour cancellations; AA provides free 24-hour holds.

This is significantly more protection than you get buying from Amazon, or almost any other online transaction. But the government requires it. You and I may both think the law should be different (I certainly do!), but it is what it is. And it's clear what it is.
Here is the law:
§ 259.5 Customer Service Plan.
(a) Adoption of Plan. Each covered carrier shall adopt a Customer Service Plan applicable to its scheduled flights and shall adhere to the plan's terms.
(b) Contents of Plan. Each Customer Service Plan shall address the following subjects and comply with the minimum standards set forth:
<snip>
(4) Allowing reservations to be held at the quoted fare without payment, or cancelled without penalty, for at least twenty-four hours after the reservation is made if the reservation is made one week or more prior to a flight's departure;
I'm not disagreeing with you that DOT has mandated that the airlines must offer either 24-hour hold or 24-hour cancel. If they enforce here, it will be on this sole basis, that AA failed to offer one of these two different options. And I think that is still open for debate, it's a wait-and-see issue what the DOT will do.

I think you are being either disingenuous or stupidly imprecise by continuing to broadly assert there is no legal difference between the two options. There are other DOT regs and an entire of body of contract law formed over centuries that says there are ENORMOUS differences between a promise made with no consideration exchanged versus payment+contract formation via ticketing.
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Old Mar 18, 2015, 9:30 pm
  #693  
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Originally Posted by iahphx
As to the second observation, unless it's somehow preempted, wouldn't there be a state contract claim for the folks who weren't allowed to ticket their held reservations? Before you place your hold, the website explicitly promises that it is GUARANTEEING your fare for 24 hours. Is that not worth the pixels its printed on?
That's above my pay grade, but I side with the argument that there is no binding contract without payment of consideration.
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Old Mar 18, 2015, 9:34 pm
  #694  
 
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Originally Posted by nowstime
My held ticket shows cancelled. Is it worth calling AA for issuing the ticket?
Yes, especially if it is still within 24 hours of you placing the hold. IMO, that's the only way to document that AA refused to let you purchase versus you decided not to purchase. Record the name of the employees you speak to, you may want to record the call if the law in your state allows.
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Old Mar 18, 2015, 9:37 pm
  #695  
 
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Originally Posted by janetdoe
Please do everyone here with tickets on hold a HUGE favor and report this in a DOT complaint. Complain that AA will not let you have 24 hour cancel on the same fare that they will not let people have 24 hour holds. I will personally buy you a beer the next time I see you. ^
Well...moot point. It took three calls, but I finally convinced a CSR to ask the ticketing desk to look closely at this fare and perhaps make an exception. They "looked into the matter" for 5 minutes or so, and then "agreed to issue full refund back to the OFP". Whew.

But I'll take the beer anyway.

Originally Posted by Rasalon
And as we see above, AA is allowing those who ticketed these reservations to cancel for a full refund, even though the fare rules state the ticket is non-refundable. Looks like they are complying with DOT.
Not without jumping through a variety of hoops, though perhaps things will get easier as more CSRs learn about these fares.
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Old Mar 18, 2015, 9:38 pm
  #696  
 
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So clearly im not gonna read through a ever growing 47+ page thread to see if anything i say has been said before but....

had 2x flights on hold, $0 base fares. looked today and had the red 'please call AA' message to book it. Agent told me my seat was gone, and they could seat me for ~$5,000, and that (her EXACT WORDS) "it says guarantee, we dont actually guarantee any seats". Which seems to be a blatant admission of a misleading/lying to customers. Why say Guarantee if its not actually guaranteed?
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Old Mar 18, 2015, 9:40 pm
  #697  
 
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Originally Posted by Bikeguy
My fare was $20. Was yours a $0 fare? And I get the whole fees and taxes thing mentioned above. Just looking for something different between the two.
Originally Posted by JonNYC
I'd then expect that one to be fully honored. $0 fares not being deemed not valid on their face, fares that had a base-- no matter how small-- being honored as long as ticketed during the period they were offered.
So $20 seems to be weekend surcharge that is added for Fri - Sun segments. I wonder if our $20 'base fares' are still treated by AA as $0 base fares (plus surcharges).
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Old Mar 18, 2015, 9:45 pm
  #698  
 
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Originally Posted by legalalien
So $20 seems to be weekend surcharge that is added for Fri - Sun segments. I wonder if our $20 'base fares' are still treated by AA as $0 base fares (plus surcharges).
They definitely label it as a fare in the Reservation Details

Fare Amount
Adult
1 × $40.00 USD
$40.00 USD
Taxes & Carrier-Imposed Fees
Taxes
$92.00 USD
Carrier-Imposed Fees
$350.00 USD
Price and Tax Information
Flight Subtotal
$482.00 USD
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Old Mar 18, 2015, 9:46 pm
  #699  
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Originally Posted by legalalien
So $20 seems to be weekend surcharge that is added for Fri - Sun segments. I wonder if our $20 'base fares' are still treated by AA as $0 base fares (plus surcharges).
I would think that has to be paid fare, unless I'm missing something.
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Old Mar 18, 2015, 9:49 pm
  #700  
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Originally Posted by legalalien
So $20 seems to be weekend surcharge that is added for Fri - Sun segments. I wonder if our $20 'base fares' are still treated by AA as $0 base fares (plus surcharges).
It is not really a weekend surcharge, just simply a slightly higher fare basis.

In the end, I am somewhat confident they are going to honor every single ticketed PNR regardless of what is the base fare.

I think by COB tomorrow DFW time, things will be official on the ticketed front. The held ones will have to wait and see what the DOT says.
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Old Mar 18, 2015, 9:49 pm
  #701  
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Originally Posted by golfingboy
It is not really a weekend surcharge, just simply a slightly higher fare basis.

In the end, I am somewhat confident they are going to honor every single ticketed PNR regardless of what is the base fare.

I think by COB tomorrow DFW time, things will be official on the ticketed front. The held ones will have to wait and see what the DOT says.
I agree with this assessment.
vasantn is online now  
Old Mar 18, 2015, 9:50 pm
  #702  
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
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Originally Posted by Mohef
They definitely label it as a fare in the Reservation Details

Fare Amount
Adult
1 × $40.00 USD
$40.00 USD
...
Originally Posted by JonNYC
I would think that has to be paid fare, unless I'm missing something.
I'd love to see justification for unilaterally voiding itineraries with M-Th segments only and leaving ones with at least one Fri-Sun segment intact. That would be even more arbitrary, no?
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Old Mar 18, 2015, 9:58 pm
  #703  
 
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Originally Posted by golfingboy
It is not really a weekend surcharge, just simply a slightly higher fare basis.
Ah, I see. Like the currently in effect IJX5C8S1 and IJW5C8S1.

Originally Posted by golfingboy
In the end, I am somewhat confident they are going to honor every single ticketed PNR regardless of what is the base fare.

I think by COB tomorrow DFW time, things will be official on the ticketed front. The held ones will have to wait and see what the DOT says.
I agree with your assessment. Then again, I'm biased.
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Old Mar 18, 2015, 9:59 pm
  #704  
 
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Originally Posted by iahphx
As to the second observation, unless it's somehow preempted, wouldn't there be a state contract claim for the folks who weren't allowed to ticket their held reservations? Before you place your hold, the website explicitly promises that it is GUARANTEEING your fare for 24 hours. Is that not worth the pixels its printed on?
Outside of any possible DOT enforcement based on the 24-hour hold, I believe the answer is 'No, there's not really a remedy'. Without paid consideration, there is basically no contract, thus no remedy at contract law.

Maybe some states would consider it false advertising or fraud... had you not had AA's guarantee, you would have bought the ticket from a third-party OTA. So AA kept you from buying from a competitor by giving you a written offer that you could purchase within 24 hours, and then reneged on its offer. That's probably a stretch, but it's the only possible non-DOT recourse I can envision.
Originally Posted by legalalien
Well...moot point. It took three calls, but I finally convinced a CSR to ask the ticketing desk to look closely at this fare and perhaps make an exception. They "looked into the matter" for 5 minutes or so, and then "agreed to issue full refund back to the OFP". Whew.
Wow, I bet there are 10 FTers who had held tickets who would have each paid you $50 not to call back and get a reconsideration, but instead to file a DOT complaint about AA refusing to refund.

Last edited by janetdoe; Mar 18, 2015 at 10:39 pm
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Old Mar 18, 2015, 10:02 pm
  #705  
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Originally Posted by legalalien
I'd love to see justification for unilaterally voiding itineraries with M-Th segments only and leaving ones with at least one Fri-Sun segment intact. That would be even more arbitrary, no?
Their argument (regardless of if it has any merit or not) rests not on days of the week but on if it was a $0 fare or not.
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