Flight change required? MCT @ LAS

[Cheesy]

I have a QF status run booked in April SEA-PHX-LAS-MIA-CLT-AUA, and received a itinerary change notification from AA. My connection at LAS is now a mere 33 minutes (2132-2205), which I'm presuming that even with HLO will be ridiculously tight. The email didn't give me any options to change it and there is no option to change online, so I'm guessing that I'll need to phone up and request earlier flights for SEA-PHX-LAS. Unless of course someone can convince me that 33 minutes will be enough time ... :shock:

Has anyone faced a similar problem and any issues with changing the flights via the call centre?

 

[_TheTraveller_]

Looks like its 2 minutes short of the legal MCT. There shouldn't be an issue with them changing the flights but they might change your route.

[COLOR=#000000]STANDARD.D/D...D/I...I/D...I/I.
[/COLOR]ONLINE    .35  1.00  1.00  1.00
OFFLINE   .35  1.00  1.00  1.00
** OR * ARE ALL
AA-AA DD SUP   FLT    1 - 5999 - FLT 6000 - 9099 
AA-AA DD SUP   FLT 6000 - 9099 - FLT    1 - 5999 
AA-AA DD SUP   FLT 6000 - 9099 - FLT 6000 - 9099 
AA-AA DD   .30 
**-AA DD  1.00 ALL  - FLT    1 - 5999 TRM 3  - 1  
**-AA DD   .45 
AA-** DD   .45 
**-** DD  2.00 INTER LAS - VGT 
[COLOR=#000000]**-** DD  2.00 INTER VGT - LAS[/COLOR]

 

[docjames]

Your options may depend on the scale of the time change.

What was the original connection?

 

[Cheesy]

Original connection was 2132-2235 (1:03)

 

[docjames]

This thread may be enlightening about options.

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....dvantage/aa-flight-change-nuisance-65190.html

Annoyingly the linked page no longer exists.

 

[Cheesy]

Thanks for that docjames. Anecdotally it seems AA may not be willing to change, but I will give them a call later and see what they can do. I have found earlier flights with P inventory available, so whether they are willing to change based on the fact that it no longer meets the MCT we'll see.

 

[snabbu]

IME I've never had a problem changing AA flights after the schedule change notifications. Generally on runs I'll try and allow 2 hours between flights, or there about, as missing a connection will normally have a huge knock on effect.

If I booked a pair with a 90 minute connection, then a schedule change arrived in my inbox which reduced that connection to say 45 minutes (and still falling withing the MCT) I've always called up and had them change it to something more suitable to me.

I couldn't count how many time this has happened and never have I had an issue. YMMV.

 

[docjames]

IME I've never had a problem changing AA flights after the schedule change notifications. Generally on runs I'll try and allow 2 hours between flights, or there about, as missing a connection will normally have a huge knock on effect.

If I booked a pair with a 90 minute connection, then a schedule change arrived in my inbox which reduced that connection to say 45 minutes (and still falling withing the MCT) I've always called up and had them change it to something more suitable to me.

I couldn't count how many time this has happened and never have I had an issue. YMMV.

Works well if you are travelling on route with high frequency or decent alternatives.

 

[serfty]

Work out your preferred options before you call - then empower the agent to enact them.

This can give guidance:

https://ssc.aa.com/prmportal_enu/AgencyReferenceFiles/Schedule Change.pdf

 

[Cheesy]

Phoned the AU based number for reservations, and the lovely Cassandra handled it in no time. Despite the system telling her that the connection time was valid when she could see it wasn't, the flights were changed without any hassle - or fees for that matter! I had my alternates ready, but she was on top of it without even asking.

 

[Cheesy]

I've now had a second schedule change come through for later portion of my status run, and although I eventually got some success it was a bit harder this time. My original flights were DCA-ORD-MIA-JAX in P, and were changed to DCA-CLT-MIA-JAX with the final sector now in whY - meaning a loss of 80 SC's.

I rang reservations in an attempt to have this changed back to original routing and class (with new flight numbers at the ready), and was told that as the ticket had been issued twice already that I would have to accept the rerouting and downgrade and that nothing could be done. After a calm extended show of disappointment and querying, followed by another refusal, the operator (Anne) then "spoke to her supervisor", came back and advised that she will change the flights to those that I gave her - something to do with being OWE perhaps, or maybe just my polite line of questioning? After a few more minutes of holding and 17 minutes in total, it was crisis over.

Now hopefully that is the end of it, and I can look forward to my first US status run.