Aug 31, 2015, 9:17 am
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.
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.
[PREM FARE GONE] AA: GIG/GRU- multiple locations (HKG/LAX/MIA/SFO ETC) ~$200 Y ~$360
Aug 30, 2015, 9:25 am
#917
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,047
I don't think DOT's new guidance gives airlines the rights to retroactively cancel 'mistake' fares they decided to ticket.
Imagine the consequences of such a right - airlines arbitrarily canceling 'cheaper' tickets a week before flights in order to open up availability to high paying corporate flyers.
A disaster waiting to happen.
Imagine the consequences of such a right - airlines arbitrarily canceling 'cheaper' tickets a week before flights in order to open up availability to high paying corporate flyers.
A disaster waiting to happen.
But then under this scenario, the airline would also have to make everyone whole on nonrefundable costs associated with their itineraries. Could the higher corporate fares ever be worth both the PR disaster and the costs of making every displace passenger whole?
Aug 30, 2015, 9:30 am
#918
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 355
I don't think DOT's new guidance gives airlines the rights to retroactively cancel 'mistake' fares they decided to ticket.
Imagine the consequences of such a right - airlines arbitrarily canceling 'cheaper' tickets a week before flights in order to open up availability to high paying corporate flyers.
A disaster waiting to happen.
Imagine the consequences of such a right - airlines arbitrarily canceling 'cheaper' tickets a week before flights in order to open up availability to high paying corporate flyers.
A disaster waiting to happen.
I agree, it is bad form for AA social media to claim they're honoring everything and then go back and pick and choose which fares to cancel. I wonder if this means we can book deep discount fares speculatively, pay in BRL, and cancel without penalty if we decide not to fly.
Aug 30, 2015, 9:32 am
#919
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: SAT
Programs: AA EXP BA Gold, TK Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, AS 100K, QR PLT, SAS Gold, IHG Spire, AMR
Posts: 5,898
I don't think DOT's new guidance gives airlines the rights to retroactively cancel 'mistake' fares they decided to ticket.
Imagine the consequences of such a right - airlines arbitrarily canceling 'cheaper' tickets a week before flights in order to open up availability to high paying corporate flyers.
A disaster waiting to happen.
Imagine the consequences of such a right - airlines arbitrarily canceling 'cheaper' tickets a week before flights in order to open up availability to high paying corporate flyers.
A disaster waiting to happen.
DOT and the airline lobbyists are pretty chummy these days
Aug 30, 2015, 9:37 am
#920
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 13
Thanks for your introduction to the search function. Don't have time to read a 400 page thread.
Did United make a public announcement that they were going to honor these tickets, and also deliberately spend a week deciding whether or not to honor them before ticketing?
Did United make a public announcement that they were going to honor these tickets, and also deliberately spend a week deciding whether or not to honor them before ticketing?
Aug 30, 2015, 9:46 am
#921
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 355
UA never said they would honor, but they did ticket them and spend a couple weeks before the DOT came out with the update on mistake fares/website manipulation and UA came out and said they were cancelling.
Aug 30, 2015, 9:48 am
#922
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 355
I'm with you... the DOT and AA/UA must be in bed with each other.
Aug 30, 2015, 10:09 am
#923
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 82
Quote:
Originally Posted by Deltahater
Well, you are entitled to your opinion, but re-read the official statement by the DOT. Are you aware of the Great Dane?
DOT and the airline lobbyists are pretty chummy these days
He doesn't have time to search or read through a 400 page thread.
I'm with you... the DOT and AA/UA must be in bed with each other.
Originally Posted by Deltahater
Well, you are entitled to your opinion, but re-read the official statement by the DOT. Are you aware of the Great Dane?
DOT and the airline lobbyists are pretty chummy these days
He doesn't have time to search or read through a 400 page thread.
I'm with you... the DOT and AA/UA must be in bed with each other.
Aug 30, 2015, 10:14 am
#924
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: Delta Diamond/ Hyatt top tier(lifetime)
Posts: 652
This is a big grey area. I am honestly shocked that they would risk Brazil transport and DOT potential fines. We saw Brazil back ex Brazil travel with the KLM mistake.
My one remaining ticket is still alive. I booked using Brazil corporate housing address and card.
My one remaining ticket is still alive. I booked using Brazil corporate housing address and card.
Aug 30, 2015, 10:34 am
#926
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: Delta Diamond/ Hyatt top tier(lifetime)
Posts: 652
All three of mine that cancelled ticketed automatically. However I had to call regarding one and they resolved an issue. The last one (required a few calls to get issued) is still alive right now.
Aug 30, 2015, 10:48 am
#927
Join Date: May 2013
Location: west coast best coast
Programs: TINDER GOLD, STARBUCKS GOLD, COSTCO EXECUTIVE!!
Posts: 3,989
Is there a DOT section that covers an airline saying they will honour a fare at the agreed price, and then backpedal and take that offer back? There is real consequence for doing this since the airline said that they would honour the ticket, and the public would reasonably act on said information.
Can we have a consolidated list of sources quoting that AA was going to honour all tickets from the Thursday fiasco?
Can we have a consolidated list of sources quoting that AA was going to honour all tickets from the Thursday fiasco?
Aug 30, 2015, 10:49 am
#928
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: SAT
Programs: AA EXP BA Gold, TK Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, AS 100K, QR PLT, SAS Gold, IHG Spire, AMR
Posts: 5,898
AA is required to reimburse you for non-refundable expenses you incurred in association with your trip that you booked AFTER AA ticketed your flights.
Where the line is between associated with your trip and too far removed, I guess we will learn when people submit their claims to AA and then the DOT.
Aug 30, 2015, 10:51 am
#929
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: SAT
Programs: AA EXP BA Gold, TK Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, AS 100K, QR PLT, SAS Gold, IHG Spire, AMR
Posts: 5,898
Let me save you time. Don't read this thread, don't post in this thread. It's win win for everybody.
Aug 30, 2015, 10:59 am
#930
Join Date: May 2013
Location: west coast best coast
Programs: TINDER GOLD, STARBUCKS GOLD, COSTCO EXECUTIVE!!
Posts: 3,989
Also I would be fine with a 24 hour rule for airlines being able to cancel tickets. It is especially silly that these tickets were issued last week and all this week and only now are they starting to cancel.
BA also has done the same thing. The more time that elapses, the more consumers they are screwing over because plans are being made under the belief that the ticket is good to fly.