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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
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
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 29, 2015, 1:28 pm
  #856  
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Multiple locations
Programs: AAdvantage ExPlat LT Gold, BA Silver, Aegean Star Gold
Posts: 5,038
Same issue three tickets just vanished, two from GIG and one ex NYC.
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Old Aug 29, 2015, 1:52 pm
  #857  
 
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EDIT: [deleted by author]

Last edited by JamilD; Aug 29, 2015 at 2:11 pm
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Old Aug 29, 2015, 2:09 pm
  #858  
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 82
Originally Posted by jfkeze
Same issue three tickets just vanished, two from GIG and one ex NYC.
same happen to me. my jfk-gig get cancelled. Finally it is time for me to call AA BR.
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Old Aug 29, 2015, 2:09 pm
  #859  
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What did you say to get them to reinstate? They are saying no to me?
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Old Aug 29, 2015, 2:10 pm
  #860  
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: BRU, AMS
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Posts: 485
Oh what is this now? Why would they run everything manually and then cancel...

Checked my reservations, both still alive.
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Old Aug 29, 2015, 3:16 pm
  #861  
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: BOS
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Originally Posted by tymoon25
Oh what is this now? Why would they run everything manually and then cancel...

Checked my reservations, both still alive.

That's because they ticketed reservations that were purchased with foreign credit cards. They were only supposed to ticket those that were purchased with Brazilian cards.

I got extremely lucky with the EXP desk in reinstating one of my 3 reservations. A second call to get the other 2 reinstated resulted in the agent quoting an internal memo (she read the full thing to me) that basically said that they should direct consumers to an email they would receive from Consumer Relations after cancellation (I never received any such email). I believe the title of the memo was Currency Exchange Mistake Fares or something similar.

After that interaction, I decided to call the Brazilian office. I got them to reinstate the other 2 tickets, but immediately after a supervisor canceled the tickets.

Last edited by emcat; Aug 29, 2015 at 3:40 pm Reason: The 2 reinstated tickets from the Brazilian office are now canceled.
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Old Aug 29, 2015, 3:17 pm
  #862  
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: IAD
Programs: AS MVP, SPG Gold, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
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This is the statement they just sent me after complaining on Twitter. Doesn't seem right for them to cancel a week later after manually ticketing days after the mistake was made and publicly saying they would honor.

"American Airlines is honoring the overwhelming majority of fares that were the result of a technical error in currency exchange rates. After reviewing the bookings, a small number have been canceled based on how the person portrayed his/her country of origin."
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Old Aug 29, 2015, 3:26 pm
  #863  
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 845
Originally Posted by jdscott
This is the statement they just sent me after complaining on Twitter. Doesn't seem right for them to cancel a week later after manually ticketing days after the mistake was made and publicly saying they would honor.

"American Airlines is honoring the overwhelming majority of fares that were the result of a technical error in currency exchange rates. After reviewing the bookings, a small number have been canceled based on how the person portrayed his/her country of origin."
I guess the majority of the tickets were booked by non Brazil residents. So is it really a small number of tickets, or are they looking for specific ones, such as with code share partners?

When is one really safe with the tickets? Are they done cancelling tickets now?
B747forever is offline  
Old Aug 29, 2015, 3:33 pm
  #864  
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Not sure... Doesnt look like these can be trusted as AA does not appear to be standing behind them? I dont know why they put through the effort to make statements saying they would be honored then ticket them - only to cancel them? If you are not going to honor make the statement initally before folks book non refundable travel arrangements =\

Originally Posted by B747forever
I guess the majority of the tickets were booked by non Brazil residents. So is it really a small number of tickets, or are they looking for specific ones, such as with code share partners?

When is one really safe with the tickets? Are they done cancelling tickets now?
footastic is offline  
Old Aug 29, 2015, 3:39 pm
  #865  
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP/2mm, SPG Gold
Posts: 424
Originally Posted by B747forever
When is one really safe with the tickets? Are they done cancelling tickets now?
The Brazilian supervisor said they just begun. Also, good luck!
emcat is offline  
Old Aug 29, 2015, 3:46 pm
  #866  
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 845
Originally Posted by emcat
The Brazilian supervisor said they just begun. Also, good luck!

Would changing the address on the CC to an Brazilian one work, and just give them that if they cancel the ticket?
B747forever is offline  
Old Aug 29, 2015, 3:49 pm
  #867  
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 845
If AA starts cancelling all these tickets, it will make them look worse than UA. Seriously, after they went out telling that they will honor all fares, they shouldnt just be able to reverse that a week later and cancel the tickets. What if I already have booked nonrefundable hotels and other arrangements?
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Old Aug 29, 2015, 3:49 pm
  #868  
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Rep i spoke with at EXP said as it stands once the ticket is cancelled they cannot reinstate. Also spoke to BR ans they simply said No the price on this fare is now ~11000 BRL. As I do have a card with a Brazil address availible I specifically asked this.



Originally Posted by B747forever
Would changing the address on the CC to an Brazilian one work, and just give them that if they cancel the ticket?
footastic is offline  
Old Aug 29, 2015, 3:51 pm
  #869  
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: IAH
Programs: SPG Platinum, Hyatt Diamond, IHG Gold Ambassador, Marriott Gold
Posts: 519
Wow!!!

Both of mine haven't been ticketed (even though one is paid for) and now I really regret not forcing AA BR rep to update card on unpaid ticket to a Brazilian one last night. As I posted a few pages ago, she said we shouldn't touch reservation while it's in the middle of being processed or something like that.

Good luck to everyone!!!
Rusdude is offline  
Old Aug 29, 2015, 3:58 pm
  #870  
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Programs: AA Exp
Posts: 836
Hah, just bought positioning flights as AA confirmed they would honor the fare... This is just ridiculous...
gnargel is offline  


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