AA redemption on QF domestic - errors

[Gold Member]

I’m very comfortable and familiar with making an AA booking using points for QF domestic flights. That includes the El Segundo method and other little tricks. But in the past few weeks I’ve noticed that no matter which flight I select (MEL-PER-MEL for example) for several months out, it throws up an Error just after the Passenger info and the subsequent seat selection page. Specifically, the error page states:

This page must have taken flight​

There are a few FT threads talking about the same problem going back over 4 years for all sorts of flight, not just partner QF flights. It appears to be a known temperamental bug within the AA.com booking engine for both paid and award flights. There doesn’t appear to be a fix other than to call and have an agent ticket it for you waiving call centre fees due to online issues. BUT, for us Aussies that means we need to call Fiji who will tack on an Australia redemption fee for each booking since the El Segundo method is not viable.

I have tried selecting different flights, multi-city, desktop/IOS App, logging in from US/AU regions, different accounts, different browsers etc, but I get the same error message each time.

I think I found a workaround which I’ve tested on different flights and it allows me to progress to the next page (payment options). The key is to select the small text hyperlink “Continue without seat Selection” located just below the obvious blue button labelled “Continue”. So it seems that the seat selection page input is the cause of the error.

Anyone else have experience with this problem?

 

[ZenFlyer]

I recently booked a total of 4 QF domestic flights using AA awards. The first time I got the message you are describing, and I finally had to call AA reservations to get it booked. The other three times it worked fine for me online. It's been a number of weeks since I booked all of them however, and I've also seen the FT threads you mention reporting similar issues.

Can you not call the US-based lines from Australia? Granted, you could conceivably call those and still get routed to an overseas center. I've personally had good luck with them recently, although I do have elite status with them, don't know if that's helped.

 

[aus_flyer]

What's the El Segundo method?

 

[Gold Member]

Can you not call the US-based lines from Australia? Granted, you could conceivably call those and still get routed to an overseas center. I've personally had good luck with them recently, although I do have elite status with them, don't know if that's helped.

You can, but they don’t accept Aussie credit cards. They will put the reservation on hold and redirect you to the Fiji call centre.

What's the El Segundo method?

For online bookings, use a legitimate address in the US (eg. Suburb called El Segundo nearby LAX) on the CC payment screen.

 

[luxury-lizard]

My approach after having various issues booking AA flights on other One World airlines is to HOLD the booking which you can do online the call to make the payment. The HOLD is good for about 3 days and you can check the booking online.

 

[dk4]

I think I found a workaround which I’ve tested on different flights and it allows me to progress to the next page (payment options). The key is to select the small text hyperlink “Continue without seat Selection” located just below the obvious blue button labelled “Continue”. So it seems that the seat selection page input is the cause of the error.

Anyone else have experience with this problem?

Interesting! And yes, had the same issue a few times over the years.

 

[Gold Member]

My approach after having various issues booking AA flights on other One World airlines is to HOLD the booking which you can do online the call to make the payment. The HOLD is good for about 3 days and you can check the booking online.

But you still have the problem of incurring the Australia tax by calling the Fiji call centre for payment, as the US agents can’t process Aussie CCs.

Also, and if memory serves, the Hold feature is only available at the payment screen. That’s after this problem has already popped up and thrown you out of the booking, so not a work around since you already got past the issue.

 

[justinbrett]

But you still have the problem of incurring the Australia tax by calling the Fiji call centre for payment, as the US agents can’t process Aussie CCs.

Not true. Just tell them you’re happy to charge the AU card in USD and that they don’t have to convert to AUD. It’s less work for them.

Then you pay the same as what you saw on the US site. I’ve done this several times including last week.

 

[Gold Member]

Not true. Just tell them you’re happy to charge the AU card in USD and that they don’t have to convert to AUD. It’s less work for them.

Then you pay the same as what you saw on the US site. I’ve done this several times including last week.

Did not know this. Always thought the issue was a combination of an Aussie CC and an Aussie address/postcode.

I wonder if this has changed recently in the last year or so, or if it’s always been available.