AA award flight on request, awaiting ticketing, cancelled without notification

[legroom]

Yes, but they DO ask you for the CC billing address (which is in Oz).

Would it work if we tell them a fib ?

I twice booked JL AA awards in the last month ringing the US number.On the first occasion when the agent (EXP desk so knowledgeable) asked if I had an Australian CC card I said as usual the zip is 04551.She saw through that little ruse-first time it has happened-and said I see you live in Australia so I will put this on hold and you must ring the Aussie number.Damn.As soon as I had rung the Aussie number it was ticketed.
So on the second occasion I told a little fib saying I lived in NYC(I do have a timeshare there but fortunately she didn't realise the street address I gave was for the Hilton on 6th) but a Maine zip.Ticketed within the hour.

 

[drron]

Yes, but they DO ask you for the CC billing address (which is in Oz).

Would it work if we tell them a fib ?

But a zero in front of my postcode turns it into a Maine address.
Works for AA.
Works for Amex.

 

[legroom]

But a zero in front of my postcode turns it into a Maine address.
Works for AA.
Works for Amex.

I understood the Segundo method but thought that was for 'street' address only.

For CC, I'd have thought there is some internal banking check so I've always used the Oz address which works for AA revenue fares and also previous AA/USDM redemptions ..... until this occasion.

? Wrong

 

[Nizar]

Yes, but they DO ask you for the CC billing address (which is in Oz).

Would it work if we tell them a fib ?

Certainly. I've purchased tickets through AA maybe 20 times and have always used a fake US based address. Then, to make it seem even more legit, when they ask for a phone number, I ask them if they would prefer my US phone number, and proceed to give them a number with a format that corresponds with the address that I've given.

How do I pull it off ? Real estate websites lol complete with the agents phone number. This method hasn't failed me. I've never even been to the US and own or timeshare no property there. According to AA I have around six or seven properties there lol.

So as far as I can tell even though the AA agents will insist on the address and phone number that "corresponds" to the credit card used, it is obvious that these details are not used in the verification process.

And when they say that that the name on the credit card must match the advantage account, then no problems, I give them what makes them happy. Meaning that when I use my brothers AA account to purchase miles and book flights, even though I use my credit card details, but when they ask for the name and the spelling I give them my brothers name in fact I always tell them "exactly as per the advantage account" and I would do the same even if the AA account was in my cats name lol (both my brother and my cat do not have any credit cards lol).

Obviously there is no verification done. The above is how I have purchased AA miles and flights in the past and has worked 100% of the time.

Hope that helps.

 

[legroom]

I have been too "square".

Just completed another AA redemption 30 min ago.

Fake address, zip code, tel.

Instant acceptance !

Thanks

Certainly. I've purchased tickets through AA maybe 20 times and have always used a fake US based address. Then, to make it seem even more legit, when they ask for a phone number, I ask them if they would prefer my US phone number, and proceed to give them a number with a format that corresponds with the address that I've given.

How do I pull it off ? Real estate websites lol complete with the agents phone number. This method hasn't failed me. I've never even been to the US and own or timeshare no property there. According to AA I have around six or seven properties there lol.

So as far as I can tell even though the AA agents will insist on the address and phone number that "corresponds" to the credit card used, it is obvious that these details are not used in the verification process.

And when they say that that the name on the credit card must match the advantage account, then no problems, I give them what makes them happy. Meaning that when I use my brothers AA account to purchase miles and book flights, even though I use my credit card details, but when they ask for the name and the spelling I give them my brothers name in fact I always tell them "exactly as per the advantage account" and I would do the same even if the AA account was in my cats name lol (both my brother and my cat do not have any credit cards lol).

Obviously there is no verification done. The above is how I have purchased AA miles and flights in the past and has worked 100% of the time.

Hope that helps.

 

[turtlemichael]

I've been waiting 24 hours for an AA award on QF to ticket. It was booked on line. Points are deducted and EF shows booked seats. But have I made a mistake? I used my Australian credit card and put the details in correctly, because I could. I thought that you only had to resort to El Segundo or other methods in phone bookings. Indeed, I've used correct details in other AA on line redemption bookings but when I was flying AA not a partner such as QF. Or am I just being a nervous nelly?

 

[serfty]

If the ticket is for QF travel originating in Australia for Domestic/SWP, and you don't use "El Segundo" apparently it can get flagged somehow and you need to call AA in [-]Brisbane[/-] Fiji to get it ticketed, but only after paying the additional tithe for using Mindpearl.

 

[turtlemichael]

If the ticket is for QF travel in Australia only, and you don't use "El Segundo" apparently it gets flagged somehow and you need to call AA in [-]Brisbane[/-] Fiji to get it ticketed, but only after paying the additional tithe for using Mindpearl.

It is MEL-JNB?

 

[serfty]

It is MEL-JNB?

Sorry - maybe it's for travel originating in Oz and not involving North America.

Anyhoo - El Segundo is still where it's at for me.

 

[turtlemichael]

Sorry - maybe it's for travel originating in Oz and not involving North America.

Anyhoo - El Segundo is still where it's at for me.

Thanks serfty. Well, lesson learned for next time. I sucked it up and handed over the $80.00 (well $80,.00 x 2). :shock: In the overall scheme of things it is not a big deal as I have tickets MEL-SYD-JNB in J for less than $1300 each which is still a very good bargain. Now I have to work out how to get us home two weeks after Christmas.

 

[legroom]

I've been waiting 24 hours for an AA award on QF to ticket. It was booked on line. Points are deducted and EF shows booked seats. But have I made a mistake? I used my Australian credit card and put the details in correctly, because I could. I thought that you only had to resort to El Segundo or other methods in phone bookings. Indeed, I've used correct details in other AA on line redemption bookings but when I was flying AA not a partner such as QF. Or am I just being a nervous nelly?

This happened to me a few weeks ago.

Had to wait 3-4 days for the Oz agent to call me to confirm my CC and then whacked with the $80 fee.

The next booking was US fee when I gave the booking agent an US zip code when she asked for the CC billing address.

Worked a treat !!

I now have a bookmarked US address, zip code and phone number at the ready - plucked from Google !

 

[ChasingDaylight]

:shock: I booked two lots of flights recently not involving the USA - DRW-SYD-AKL and then WLG-SYD-DRW. Neither of which used the El Segundo method and went straight to ticketed. Odd!

 

[turtlemichael]

Following up the recent comments above, I'm wondering if anyone has had success using the El Segundo or 5 digit postcode method for a booking made on-line, rather than by phone, for Aus-xx_ ?

 

[Mark3000]

I booked online recently on the U.S. site and had problem with credit card so called the Aust number. They tried to add the $80 fee per passenger for 4 passengers without even telling me. I realized the cost was a lot higher and asked why and only then did she tell me. I said it wasn't fair to add that since I had done all the booking online and she reluctantly removed it.

 

[turtlemichael]

Well here is something a bit out if the ordinary. As I reported above I booked an AAward on QF (Aus-jnb) on-line using a properly identified Oz credit card. Miles were taken almost instantly but the status sat on pending for over 24 hours. I phoned AA Brisbane/Fiji/Philippines who arranged the ticketing at the sum of AUD160.00. 36 hours later the same operator called back and said there was a mistake. Ticketing had advised her that the ticket should have issued when the miles were deducted "but something went wrong" and I therefore should not have been charged the service fee which would be refunded in "10-14 days".

 

[Keith009]

Well here is something a bit out if the ordinary. As I reported above I booked an AAward on QF (Aus-jnb) on-line using a properly identified Oz credit card. Miles were taken almost instantly but the status sat on pending for over 24 hours. I phoned AA Brisbane/Fiji/Philippines who arranged the ticketing at the sum of AUD160.00. 36 hours later the same operator called back and said there was a mistake. Ticketing had advised her that the ticket should have issued when the miles were deducted "but something went wrong" and I therefore should not have been charged the service fee which would be refunded in "10-14 days".

That is good to know. So the policy seems to be that for redemption bookings which were originally completed online (with credit card details provided that is, not just a held booking), but cannot be ticketed for whatever reason, the service fee should not be charged.

 

[RooFlyer]

Rather than giving a US address & phone number (real or fake), does anyone know if a Canadian address / phone # works like US?

 

[turtlemichael]

That is good to know. So the policy seems to be that for redemption bookings which were originally completed online (with credit card details provided that is, not just a held booking), but cannot be ticketed for whatever reason, the service fee should not be charged.

That would appear to be the case Keith but I'd like someone else's experience to confirm.

 

[ChasingDaylight]

That would appear to be the case Keith but I'd like someone else's experience to confirm.

I have had similar previously - for whatever reason, the AA website didn't like my postal code (0810/0800 for DRW) when trying to redeem miles. Kept throwing up errors for just this one card whereas I could use my NZ one fine (post code beginning 50**) but wanted to use my 28 Degrees card. Skyped them in the US, spoke to the tech department who couldn't fix it but thought it may be something to do with my DRW postal code. Booking fee waived and told to ring the Aus number/Fiji call centre who confirmed they could see in the notes that the fee was to be waived.

 

[scheps]

......on-line using a properly identified Oz credit card. Miles were taken almost instantly .

ummm my miles did not get deducted immediately. Also, i put in proper australian details. I hope i havent shot myself in the foot.

Also under the cost column on the right with the tax just below, the miles cost shows 0. That's got me a bit concerned.