AA flight change nuisance

[docjames]

Looked at flights in J to YVR. Sale on QF came on, so booked to LAX with onward on AA - had ~2hr30m connection in each direction.

AA flight changes come through less than a week after booking - now 45min connect in LAX outbound, 7hr 55m inbound. Neither great.

Offered Westjet or Rouge in Y (!) as option with better connection times. Or AA/US with ~12hr connection outbound (!).

TA currently negotiating other options - I suggested via DFW but AA at this stage only agreeing to Y to DFW then J to YVR. Not acceptable.




Major nuisance as what was booked was perfect but now hopeless.

I'm guessing there are lots of schedule changes on AA at the moment (presumably merger related) so thought i'd start a thread for those affected by AA shcedule changes.

(Mods feel free to move to AA forum if more appropriate.)

 

[clazman]

I haven't read a good review of AC Rouge yet..... they get slammed big time

 

[Himeno]

Is this all on one ticket?
Can you get the QF flight to DFW, then on to YVR?

 

[eric2011]

I'm guessing there are lots of schedule changes on AA at the moment (presumably merger related) so thought i'd start a thread for those affected by AA shcedule changes.

(Mods feel free to move to AA forum if more appropriate.)

I have had 2 flights in April changed, 1 on AA and 1 on US. Both changes were due to the amalgamation according to AA. Changes were handled excellently by AA when I had to ring them

 

[eric2011]

I haven't read a good review of AC Rouge yet..... they get slammed big time

I have no problems with AC rouge in the past and another one during May this year. Economy may be a bit rough but J class, IMO is good

 

[serfty]

Your agent should be on top of this, but for changes greater than 90 minutes your options with AA for free changes are considerable.

Schedule Change - Rule 240/80 - Schedule Irregularity

 

[docjames]

Your agent should be on top of this, but for changes greater than 90 minutes your options with AA for free changes are considerable.

Schedule Change - Rule 240/80 - Schedule Irregularity

Thanks Serfty, that's great, I have a fabulous TA (once managed to get a refund out of Cubana!) so I don't doubt they are all over it.

Schedule change is 2 hrs earlier, meaning 45min connection.

I'm not sure in that table exactly what they mean by "B inventory", but I wonder if part of the issue is that the DFW flight has F/A/P availability but the originial was booked in I (business) so the DFW flight reverts to Y instead of up to F (as no J fares on that leg).

Will see how we go.

Happy for others to document their experiences with AA schedule changes.

I had one other change on PHL-DFW back in october but it was only an hour earlier ex-PHL and had no implications with my connections to DFW-LAX-MEL so just went with it without hassle.

Canada is one of oneworld's weaker places.


You'd think they'd maintain a mct to the inbound QF flights for YVR......

 

[serfty]

B class is for when you were originally booked in economy.

Since you are in a premium cabin it is even better - look further down ...

http://www.aa.com/i18n/agency/Booking_Ticketing/Reaccom/rule_240_80.jsp#cdn

 

[Himeno]

You'd think they'd maintain a mct to the inbound QF flights for YVR......

Most QF LAX-YVR pax are put on WS or AS codeshares.

 

[docjames]

B class is for when you were originally booked in economy.

Since you are in a premium cabin it is even better - look further down ...

Schedule Change - Rule 240/80 - Schedule Irregularity

But i think my issue is the best connection is via DFW but it's F/A/P fare and i'm in I with no J cabin on the DFW aircraft.

The DFW-VYR leg is ok with I inventory.

They can accomodate me on US with ~7hr connection, or Rouge with ~4hr connection - i dont really want to fly Rouge (reputation) or have a 7hr connection hence I'd prefer LAX-DFW-YVR but I dont think they'll put me into F.

 

[Himeno]

But i think my issue is the best connection is via DFW but it's F/A/P fare and i'm in I with no J cabin on the DFW aircraft.

The DFW-VYR leg is ok with I inventory.

They can accomodate me on US with ~7hr connection, or Rouge with ~4hr connection - i dont really want to fly Rouge (reputation) or have a 7hr connection hence I'd prefer LAX-DFW-YVR but I dont think they'll put me into F.

Is it possible to change MEL-LAX (?) to MEL-SYD-DFW, then AA DFW-YVR?

AA often makes a lot of changes each time they update their timetables - normally over the weekend. I've had a lot of time changes with AA, but normally only a few minutes either way. Have gotten much more changes to flight numbers or flight operator.

 

[serfty]

It's getting a bit complicated - originally, what was the routing, what were the booking classes and marketing carrier for each segment.

I may have misread and thought there was an AA (001-) ticket in there - I guess it's plated on Qantas?

 

[AV8]

I have had 2 flights in April changed, 1 on AA and 1 on US. Both changes were due to the amalgamation according to AA. Changes were handled excellently by AA when I had to ring them

I am in a similar situation as eric2011 for my April paid F s/c flights - eticket issued and 2 legs would have misconnected due to amalgamation - rang USA AA and changed carrier to US & stopovers to different cities - all good except for 50 less s/c's.

 

[docjames]

Qf stock Mel-lax-Mel (081)
AA stock lax-YVR-lax (001)

All segments booked in I fare bucket.

 

[Mattg]

I have 6 flights with AA coming up next month. Of those, 5 have been changed on me so far including one flight where they ceased to operate the route entirely. I ended up having to change to the next day and re-route via New York (the flight is DFW-YUL) which is quite an inconvenience for me.

 

[serfty]

Qf stock Mel-lax-Mel (081)
AA stock lax-YVR-lax (001)

All segments booked in I fare bucket.

Well I see your problem clearly now - there's no First to/from YVR on AA.

Surely a request could be put in for dispensation for accomodation in a First cabin - there really is no difference in the hard or soft product.

 

[docjames]

Well I see your problem clearly now - there's no First to/from YVR on AA.

Surely a request could be put in for dispensation for accomodation in a First cabin - there really is no difference in the hard or soft product.

Which is basically how I've put it to the TA but with Xmas/NY an answer out of AA is slow coming.

Hopefully an answer soon, but travel is months away so no big hurry.

 

[docjames]

OK AA manager back from leave this week. TA has been in negotiations but has hit brick wall.

Unfortunately the situation as it currently stands:

Connecting from QF93 (sched arr 0710)

Options presented by AA:
- AA consider it J class (as AC only have J to canada) - and wont reroute to DFW in F. Will reroute via DFW in Y then J to YVR (yes, I know it's the same product as F but they aren't interested).
- Happy to accommodate on ~ 2030hr flight (was 0955 now 0755 hence 2hrs change)
- Happy to accommodate on next day 0755am flight (overnight at my expense)
- Happy to accommodate on westjet (1155a departure) which has better connection (all Y class, nominal refund - although i don't doubt the refund will end up less than if i'd just bought a Y class fare on westjet
- happy to offer credit to be used within 12 months (unlikely to have work travel to US in next 12 months - wonder if i can use to book .



Thoughts?


AA view it as a 2hr schedule change and it's not their problem i'm inbound on QF (so much for sticking with oneworld). Whilst strictly true to some degree, i'm pretty pissed they have no leeway to accommodate me in F on the DFW flight.

The long connection isn't ideal (I already have a 7hr connection in LAX on the return leg - was 2hr prior to schedule change).

Would love some constructive input on this one.


So obviously next time it's either don't book AA and or book all through QF but that doesn't help me at this juncture. And hot tip - wont be booking AA next time.:evil:

 

[gwynne]

I'm sure you could use an AA voucher to book a codeshare domestic flight within Australia? Sounds like best value.

 

[docjames]

I'm sure you could use an AA voucher to book a codeshare domestic flight within Australia? Sounds like best value.

This i'm not 100% sure of but will be a question i'm asking - i think (based on discussion and phrasing of TA earlier) it was for use on AA metal.