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[PREM FARE GONE] AA: GIG/GRU- multiple locations (HKG/LAX/MIA/SFO ETC) ~$200 Y ~$360

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Old Aug 31, 2015, 9:17 am
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Last edit by: footastic
Sequence of events:

American Airlines (AA) Brazil website misprices revenue tickets in initial calculation on purchase page. Repricing the same reservation by changing billing country resulted in the correct price, even when reverting to Brazil.

Vast majority of tickets appear to have gone unticketed for ~1 week. It appears that tickets were issued manually, not automatically.

AA states repeatedly and to several outlets that they will unconditionally honor all fares.

AA begins cancelling tickets. Subsequently, they send out cancellation emails implying that the "country of residence" was misrepresented. Of course, this is not the case, as AA never actually asks for the "country of residence" but the billing address which includes the country of the billing address.

Since AA repeatedly and publicly stated that they would unconditionally honor the tickets, even when specifically asked about it, many purchasers relied upon AA's representations and made non-refundable plans. DoT regulations require airlines to reimburse purchasers who relied upon mistake fares to make non-refundable plans. It may be worth writing into the US Department of Transportation (DoT) to complain about AA's handling of the situation and ask for compensation even without having non-refundable reservations, because AA went to great lengths to assure purchasers that tickets would be unconditionally honored.

DoT air travel complaint form: http://airconsumer.dot.gov/escomplaint/ConsumerForm.cfm

DoT air travel complaint mailing address:
Aviation Consumer Protection Division, C-75
U.S. Department of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Ave, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20590

DoT air travel complain phone line information:
You may call the ACPD 24 hours a day at 202-366-2220 (TTY 202-366-0511) to record your complaint. Calls are returned Monday through Friday, generally between 7:30 am and 5:00 pm Eastern time.

As mentioned by classyflyer and posted by pb9997, if your flight had some kind of legal nexus within Brazil, their consumer protections should apply to your ticket. Here is the contact information for the relevant consumer protection agencies within Brazil. Please be clear in your communication and REMEMBER TO SUBMIT YOUR COMMUNICATIONS IN PORTUGESE.

To translate your communications before submitting them:
http://translate.google.com

www.reclameaqui.com.br
Quote from pb9997: "This site is known to be the most popular, most viewed upon by companies who care about reputation; Though not official, it has proven to be the most respected by consumers and corporations, who may delay answers on their own channels but do take care to have teams focused on answering for this public site. Information written, from both parties, is public."

www.consumidor.gov.br
Quote again from pb9997: "This is the official PROCON site where consumers and companies present their complaints and arguments. It is official, additional care ought to be taken.

I would highly suggest following the order presented; With the first site the company has room to assess impact, prepare an amiable answer and protect their public reputation.

On the second site... well, it's official and what is written by both parties is the basis to act afterwards in a court of law. Ideally the complaint presented should have the Law that explains why a consumer has been impacted and the expected remedy, according [sic] to the Law."

As of 9/8/15 - Individuals who had tickets cancelled in the first round (8/28) have yet to see refunds post to credit cards.

Feel free to update this Wiki with more complete information.
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[PREM FARE GONE] AA: GIG/GRU- multiple locations (HKG/LAX/MIA/SFO ETC) ~$200 Y ~$360

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Old Aug 21, 2015, 2:19 pm
  #256  
 
Join Date: May 2015
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Originally Posted by blind1985
That one looks like it's O fare. So economy correct?
Got excited and didn't see the fare class. Oh well.
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Old Aug 21, 2015, 2:20 pm
  #257  
 
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Originally Posted by DLinYUL
I don't think you can base anything off that particular case. It seems to be a Brazilian asking about a ticket ex-Brazil to Israel (possibly on all AA-metal via PHL).
Yep yep.. I trusted without verifying... and then I verified
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Old Aug 21, 2015, 2:22 pm
  #258  
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Originally Posted by DLinYUL
I don't think you can base anything off that particular case. It seems to be a Brazilian asking about a ticket ex-Brazil to Israel (possibly on all AA-metal via PHL).
I agree.. the responses about the error fares are all in Portuguese..
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Old Aug 21, 2015, 2:25 pm
  #259  
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Originally Posted by Chuvash
It would be interesting to have the point of view of a Brazilian lawyer on this one. Since they apparently did the math and found that it would be cheaper to honor those fares, thus avoiding a legal dispute in Brazil/Chile, I am tempted to believe that under Brazilian regulations booking~Ticket, otherwise they would have just canceled the pending bookings.

Furthermore, wouldn't tickets purchased on the Brazilian site, possibly with a Brazilian IP address, be considered purchased in Brazil? Even if the traveler isn't a Brazilian Resident.


EDIT: Apparently it's for everybody (twitter): The American'll be honoring all error rates so that everyone has a positive experience and continue to fly with us.
The law is pretty clear down here. If you get to the payment page a receive a reservation code, they have to honor it. The fines they would get would be astronomical. KLM got sued for the fares they didn't honor last year and they had to pay everyone that didn't get to fly the actual cost of the tickets at regular price, plus a hefty fine.
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Old Aug 21, 2015, 2:25 pm
  #260  
 
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secret flying is recommending calling AA to confirm tickets, but they are citing a Brazilian twitter. Anyone try calling from the states?
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Old Aug 21, 2015, 2:28 pm
  #261  
 
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Originally Posted by blind1985
secret flying is recommending calling AA to confirm tickets, but they are citing a Brazilian twitter. Anyone try calling from the states?
Nope. I'm still following the FT rules of "never call the airline". If I end up going to the Chicago Seminars in October, I do not want to be thrown in the pillory!
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Old Aug 21, 2015, 2:29 pm
  #262  
 
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http://www.melhoresdestinos.com.br/e...das-ontem.html

Good news! American Airlines has just sent us an official note stating that will honor the tickets that were bought in error your site yesterday! The company confirms that it was a mistake, but still will keep the tickets! The note is very short, but puts end to uncertainty of many readers who bought the tickets and did not know until now if they could travel!

"American will honor the incorrect rates offered yesterday to some international markets. We expect customers to enjoy their experience with American and return to use our services in the future. "

Several readers, in fact, have already received their tickets issued via email and confirmation of the passage of the debt on their credit cards.

-------------------

This language seems to clarify that they will honor the fares overall, but still not enough to break out the champagne, I would say.

If they meant that they were only honoring for South Americans, I would think the language would be:

"American will honor in some international markets the incorrect rates offered yesterday. We expect customers to enjoy their experience with American and return to use our services in the future. "
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Old Aug 21, 2015, 2:30 pm
  #263  
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
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Originally Posted by FlyerJT
Nope. I'm still following the FT rules of "never call the airline". If I end up going to the Chicago Seminars in October, I do not want to be thrown in the pillory!
K, yea, that site surprised me by saying that.
blind1985 is offline  
Old Aug 21, 2015, 2:31 pm
  #264  
 
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Originally Posted by blind1985
secret flying is recommending calling AA to confirm tickets, but they are citing a Brazilian twitter. Anyone try calling from the states?
Weird... Usually the rule is not to call. Can anyone think of any plausible reason why a US resident would need to call AA's US reservations department?
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Old Aug 21, 2015, 2:32 pm
  #265  
 
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Originally Posted by IancoleTX
Good news! American Airlines has just sent us an official note stating that will honor the tickets that were bought in error your site yesterday! The company confirms that it was a mistake, but still will keep the tickets!
They have been ensuring to include "error" on many of the announcements/tweets. I'm wondering if this is to establish cause later for allowing no EQP/EQM down the road.
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Old Aug 21, 2015, 2:32 pm
  #266  
 
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Originally Posted by IancoleTX
http://www.melhoresdestinos.com.br/e...das-ontem.html

Good news! American Airlines has just sent us an official note stating that will honor the tickets that were bought in error your site yesterday! The company confirms that it was a mistake, but still will keep the tickets! The note is very short, but puts end to uncertainty of many readers who bought the tickets and did not know until now if they could travel!

"The American will honor the incorrect rates offered yesterday to some international markets. We expect customers to enjoy their experience with American and return to use our services in the future. "

Several readers, in fact, have already received their tickets issued via email and confirmation of the passage of the debt on their credit cards.

-------------------

This language seems to clarify that they will honor the fares overall, but still not enough to break out the champagne, I would say.
Agreed. Everything is trending positive but until my bookings go from "Ticket Pending" to "Ticketed," I'm not even breaking out the club soda.
DLinYUL is offline  
Old Aug 21, 2015, 2:36 pm
  #267  
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 89
Originally Posted by FlyerJT
They have been ensuring to include "error" on many of the announcements/tweets. I'm wondering if this is to establish cause later for allowing no EQP/EQM down the road.
"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth", is what my grandpappy always said.
IancoleTX is offline  
Old Aug 21, 2015, 3:02 pm
  #268  
 
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Anyone without a Brazil origin get a ticket yet?
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Old Aug 21, 2015, 3:18 pm
  #269  
 
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Did anyone try to pay a "ON HOLD" ticket (US Depart to GIG)
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Old Aug 21, 2015, 3:20 pm
  #270  
 
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I paid a on-hold ticket yesterday late night and it went through.... as in, I now have a "Ticket Pending". This was US-Brazil ticket
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