American Airlines - Has This Happened To You

My question could apply to any airline and wondering if this happened to you.

I purchased First Class International Tickets for an American Airlines Flight.

Made my seat assignments.

Then checked about a week ago on my own and saw the assignments changed. When I looked at the diagram I thought the configuration changed. I didn't think much of it. But today the light bulb went off.

I went back to the American Airlines web site (we were sitting in the Admirals Club for a totally different flight which is why I think the light buib went off).

I realized that the aircraft changed and we will now be on one of the new Boeing 787 planes that American Airlines is taking possession of. This plane has no first class so we are now in business class.

So then I said to myself I purchased first class tickets and now am in business class.

So I called American Airlines and the person figured out the fare difference and after placing me on hold for about 10 minutes a credit has been issued.

Now if I didn't figure all of this out I would have arrived to the airport and if I didn't figure it out then I would certainly have figured it out when boarding the aircraft.

But shouldn't the airline have:

Contacted me to tell me that I am no longer in first class.

And just as importantly pro-actively issued me a credit for the difference between business class and first class?

Keith

My question could apply to any airline and wondering if this happened to you.

 

I purchased First Class International Tickets for an American Airlines Flight.

 

Made my seat assignments.

 

Then checked about a week ago on my own and saw the assignments changed. When I looked at the diagram I thought the configuration changed. I didn't think much of it. But today the light bulb went off.

 

I went back to the American Airlines web site (we were sitting in the Admirals Club for a totally different flight which is why I think the light buib went off).

 

I realized that the aircraft changed and we will now be on one of the new Boeing 787 planes that American Airlines is taking possession of. This plane has no first class so we are now in business class.

 

So then I said to myself I purchased first class tickets and now am in business class.

 

So I called American Airlines and the person figured out the fare difference and after placing me on hold for about 10 minutes a credit has been issued.

 

Now if I didn't figure all of this out I would have arrived to the airport and if I didn't figure it out then I would certainly have figured it out when boarding the aircraft.

 

But shouldn't the airline have:

 

Contacted me to tell me that I am no longer in first class.

 

And just as importantly pro-actively issued me a credit for the difference between business class and first class?

 

Keith

We had this happen several years ago, but with awards travel.

We had no clue until we boarded, as the seat numbers remained the same.

And AA *refused* to give us any refund/credit of the point/miles.

(We should have fought, but it was a very special trip, and we just didn't want to spoil it with a protracted struggle.)

We are still annoyed.

(And worse, one of our seats didn't recline. Returning, we had the same plane 2 weeks later, and it was still broken with the tape in the same place. Grrrr.)

We mostly use our many AA points for partner airlines (like JAL coming up :)).

Should have and did are two different things. There are lots of things the airlines should do but they don't. It is up to us as consumers to be proactive and check our flights for changes from time to time. Until this week I had not flown American in about 15 years. I was not thrilled to find out little has changed so I guess it will be another 15 years before I try it again....I know they all suck but American seems to take it to a higher level.

Yes, this has happened to me with AA earlier this year. I was on a paid F ticket LGA-RDU, the aircraft was changed to an aircraft with no F and there were no flights from any NYC airport with FC on the day I was travelling. I got a refund for the entire itinerary and rebooked in Y.

FWIW, The Points Guy recently tweeted about a similar experience with United. He had paid for F from Austin to New York and found out when he got to the airport that they had moved him from F to Econ and to add insult to injury, they put him in a middle seat! He ended up getting a refund plus some additional compensation and took a different airline home. So I guess it happens to everyone...of course not all of us can create quite the social network scene that someone like he can.

...But shouldn't the airline have:

 

Contacted me to tell me that I am no longer in first class.

 

And just as importantly pro-actively issued me a credit for the difference between business class and first class?

If you'd found out at the airport, they'd probably have given you three choices:

1. Go on the scheduled flight in business. Eventually you'd get the fare difference and maybe a few miles as a gesture.
   
2. Take a later flight in first and maybe get a few miles as a gesture.
   
3. Cancel the ticket for a full refund and maybe get a few miles as a gesture.
   

Don't expect anything more from the airline than eventual transportation from point A to point B - perhaps days after you planned. The only time anything will be done preemptively is if you do it. Check your reservation weekly.

Keith, this happened to me on an award ticket for a Crystal cruise this past Jan. I do check my flights for just this reason. I was booked in a new business lie flat seat but when I checked, the equipment had changed and I was is an old reclining seat. I had enough miles to move to first and did. AA did not informed me of the change. Flying has become an adversarial proceeding. Julia

But shouldn't the airline have:

 

Contacted me to tell me that I am no longer in first class.

 

And just as importantly pro-actively issued me a credit for the difference between business class and first class?

 

Keith

It wasn't first class for us, it was Main Cabin Extra, but a flight and equipment change moved us to standard economy seats. We did receive an email regarding the flight change, but no mention of the equipment, or seat class change, other than a footnote, which stated a refund would be issued if MCE seats weren't available. Even after checking the seating online, it didn't register that we were no longer in MCE seating until the refund hit the credit card. It was at that point that I called them, and ultimately changed flights.

I have no idea how much time had passed, between the changes being made, and us being notified. Best advice is, you have to stay on top of it yourself.

Here is a recent article on American downgrading someone from first to economy and didn't even give them a full refund:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/travel/sc-trouble-american-airlines-refund-travel-0927-20160919-story.html

I booked through 1800flyeuorpe business class tickets to Barcelona Spain. They were all first class as the flights do not have a separate business class section.

I got rearranged to different flights on two of the legs but still first class. Now you are making me nerves, so I went to look on American and so far they are OK and all still First Class.

We fly in 10 days on the 27th. Wish us luck.

Yes, it's always wise to check all of this ahead of time.

I usually focus on the flight numbers, times and seat assignments. What I noticed on mine was that the seat changed and at first didn't really think about it and did see that the seat plan changed. Then that light build did go off and I realized that with an equipment change there could be more to it and yes the new aircraft will have just business and coach.

If I didn't figure this out certainly I would have figured it out the day we boarded but then would have to deal with the price difference after we returned home from the trip. In a situation like this I would have expected the airline to proactively address this as I purchased first class and was now given business class.

For me going forward I will continue to check the airline sites periodically after I book the flights but will not only focus on flight times but also class of service.

Keith

What route was this on? Are you sure you were on a three class international configured plane then switched to a two class international configured plane. If you were switched from a 787-8 to a 787-9 then you really arent being downgraded.

What route was this on? Are you sure you were on a three class international configured plane then switched to a two class international configured plane. If you were switched from a 787-8 to a 787-9 then you really arent being downgraded.

We were on a three class flight and had first class and it changed to a two class flight? It's a 787-9.

Anyway once I discovered this and followed up we did get a nice credit.

Keith

I booked through 1800flyeuorpe business class tickets to Barcelona Spain. They were all first class as the flights do not have a separate business class section.

 

I got rearranged to different flights on two of the legs but still first class. Now you are making me nerves, so I went to look on American and so far they are OK and all still First Class.

 

We fly in 10 days on the 27th. Wish us luck.

Sounds like, since you say there is not a separate business section, this is really a 2-class plane. Are you flying MIA-BCN? I've got the AA site up now. The flights MIA-BCN are 2-class, with "Main Cabin", aka Economy, and "Business". No First Class, as that is only available on 3-class international flights or 2-class domestic flights. Example: you are flying from somewhere else in Florida to MIA, then on to BCN. You booked the entire trip in the best available class. "Elsewhere" to MIA would be in "First", MIA to BCN would be in "Business." Also, your tickets booked through a 3rd party - is that a consolidator? Do you have the exact booking code or are you just going by what they said? Have you gone to the AA website instead of your 3rd party provider to see exactly what it has for your reservation?

We were on a three class flight and had first class and it changed to a two class flight? It's a 787-9.

 

Keith

Sounds like, since you say there is not a separate business section, this is really a 2-class plane. Are you flying MIA-BCN? I've got the AA site up now. The flights MIA-BCN are 2-class, with "Main Cabin", aka Economy, and "Business". No First Class, as that is only available on 3-class international flights or 2-class domestic flights. Example: you are flying from somewhere else in Florida to MIA, then on to BCN. You booked the entire trip in the best available class. "Elsewhere" to MIA would be in "First", MIA to BCN would be in "Business." Also, your tickets booked through a 3rd party - is that a consolidator? Do you have the exact booking code or are you just going by what they said? Have you gone to the AA website instead of your 3rd party provider to see exactly what it has for your reservation?

American's 787-9s do have Premium Economy, in addition to Business, MCE and Economy. I'm flying in it tomorrow! It is actually closer to domestic FC than to coach, as it is 7-abreast instead of 9, with 19" wide seats instead of 17 or 18 and a 38" pitch instead of 30" or 31".

But it's Premium ECONOMY, not Business or First Class. I'm still not comfy with the separate PE as a class.

Anyway, on the AA website, the flights MIA-BCN only had Economy and Business as choices, not PE or First class.