Bpat777 From United States of America, joined Nov 1999, 329 posts, RR: 0 Posted (9 years 9 months 3 weeks 4 days 16 hours ago) and read 1661 times:
I used a 25,000 award ticket for a trip from LGA-HOU in August..I checked everyday for 2 weeks to see if the nonstop 5:45pm flt would open up for an coach award ticket because I need to work until 12noon..Finally I chose an outbound segment that takes me from LGA-BNA(2.5 layover)-DFW (1 hr layover)-HOU..I leave LGA at 1:30p and arrive HOU at 9:18pm..Well this afternoon I check the award seats for the same days and low and behold the 5:45pm nonstop is now available for an award ticket in coach..I was on the phone for 1 hr trying to get AA to rebook me to the nonstop flt without a $100 fee..I think $100 is so unfair because its the same day of travel and the same city pair..They offered me standby at no charge but I don't like to standby for later flts because I don't want to risk being stranded without a seat..All LGA or HOU needs is a thunderstorm and the real problem starts..I had 100,000+ miles before this ticket and was a gold advantage member this time last year..Any suggestions on how to get on the nonstop without paying $100...That fee seems unfair under the circumstances..I lost an AA ticket earlier this year due to the new rules requiring passengers to rebook their flt before the departure date of loose the value of the ticket..What upset me about that was a rep told me she would have allowed me to rebook the the ticket minus $100 of course if she had answered my call..So because I got someone that goes by the book I lost $300..I got a courtesy waiver on both DL and UA within the last 8 mths..AA you have 2 strikes with me...One more and your out the door..
Tekelberry From United States of America, joined May 2003, 1459 posts, RR: 5 Reply 1, posted (9 years 9 months 3 weeks 4 days 15 hours ago) and read 1519 times:
Elwood64151 From United States of America, joined Feb 2002, 2477 posts, RR: 7 Reply 3, posted (9 years 9 months 3 weeks 4 days 15 hours ago) and read 1489 times:
Tekelberry: He just said he doesn't want to. But that's only because he doesn't want to fly SB later, and can't fly earlier.
Actually, if I were you, I'd start earning miles on another airline. AirTran, Delta, United, US, and other all have rewards credit cards, and with AirTran's you need only spend (I think) $12,000 before you get a free ticket. That seems like a lot, until you consider that US's is $25,000.
Too bad AA is in such bad shape that they're going to piss off their FFs to save a few bucks.
Cheers!
Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it in summer school.
AA737-823 From United States of America, joined Mar 2000, 5333 posts, RR: 11 Reply 4, posted (9 years 9 months 3 weeks 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 1426 times:
I don't think I take Elwood's attitude at all. Keep in mind, while reading my post, that I am NOT a huge AA fan anymore.
Those are the rules, like them or not. However, AA should not have a problem changing you over. That's ridiculous.
But I will counter the suggestion of earning with a different airline. Like Delta, United, and US don't screw their FF's too? There are horror stories from all of them. I imagine that AirTran probably has a similar rule- no changes.
I see your anger and sympathize. BUT- they wouldn't bend the rules for me (they took a first class upgrade AWAY from me, AFTER they had already issued it) so they won't bend the rules for you either.
N951U From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 5, posted (9 years 9 months 3 weeks 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 1375 times:
Elwood,
Just where are you pulling this $25,000 for a free ticket stuff from?
General accepted value of a mile is $0.02. Anybody spending $1 per mile is buying full fare and is going to rack up bonuses quickly, usually double miles, so they'd get to the award ticket threshold faster.
Sllevin From United States of America, joined Jan 2002, 3376 posts, RR: 7 Reply 6, posted (9 years 9 months 3 weeks 4 days 13 hours ago) and read 1304 times:
I tend to feel that change fees for tickets are too high.
But, given that, I do feel that the change fee for the award flight should be no different from a revenue flight. If anything, it should be higher, because, without the fees, people will willy-nilly "lock up" award space without any specific penalty if they change their mind.
You could have simply not ticketed until the flight you wanted opened up. Instead, you may have forced someone else who would have been happy with that flight to have to totally alter THEIR plans.
Again, it's more an issue of discouraging "opportunistic ticketing" than raising revenue.
AA has perhaps THE best award availability of any airline. Just last week, for example, I got SFO-LAX-DUB-SNN-DUB-LAX-SFO in business, for THIS October 1st, for the basic 90,000 miles, on the precise dates I wanted. Did the same thing last year as well. You can't complain about that!
Sponsor Message: 
From United States of America, joined Nov 1999, 329 posts, 
From , joined Dec 1969, posts, 
Printer friendly format 
