Talk to me about American Airlines

[sethschroeder]

What you said is the exact opposite of the quote you used: it includes passengers who received compensation and those who did not. Involuntary means that the airline chose you, voluntary means that you self-selected.

What? Voluntary does not mean self selected.... It ONLY means you did not get any compensation AND you did not qualify for being bumped under the 4 circumstances.

If the airline states "you are bumped from this plane" it then comes down to if they give money to you or not. If they give you money and you take it then its voluntary if you choose to not take the money (or if they dont offer it) then its involuntary.

 

[jec6613]

What? Voluntary does not mean self selected.... It ONLY means you did not get any compensation AND you did not qualify for being bumped under the 4 circumstances.

If the airline states "you are bumped from this plane" it then comes down to if they give money to you or not. If they give you money and you take it then its voluntary if you choose to not take the money (or if they dont offer it) then its involuntary.

Erm, nope. Parse what you posted earlier carefully.

If you are involuntarily denied boarding under most circumstances, you are automatically given twice your original ticket price up to $650, or the maximum voluntary offer, whichever is higher. You are always compensated, and the airline selected you (hence it was involuntary, or as I like to call it, you were voluntold). This is always included in the statistics as an IDB.

If you qualified for one of the four exceptions to the overseas rule, you are not automatically entitled compensation, but are still counted as an IDB. You may still be (and almost always are) compensated, and this is also an IDB.

If you are voluntarily denied boarding, that means you chose to take the offer. All passengers voluntarily bumped receive the highest offer given to the last passenger. If this is $50, so be it, rarely they get nothing. You are usually compensated, and you selected yourself (volunteered). This is included in the statistics as a VDB.

 

[sethschroeder]

Erm, nope. Parse what you posted earlier carefully.

If you are involuntarily denied boarding under most circumstances, you are automatically given twice your original ticket price up to $650, or the maximum voluntary offer, whichever is higher. You are always compensated, and the airline selected you (hence it was involuntary, or as I like to call it, you were voluntold). This is always included in the statistics as an IDB.

If you qualified for one of the four exceptions to the overseas rule, you are not automatically entitled compensation, but are still counted as an IDB. You may still be (and almost always are) compensated, and this is also an IDB.

If you are voluntarily denied boarding, that means you chose to take the offer. All passengers voluntarily bumped receive the highest offer given to the last passenger. If this is $50, so be it, rarely they get nothing. You are usually compensated, and you selected yourself (volunteered). This is included in the statistics as a VDB.

If you want to think these airlines accurately report this information thats fine. I have been there with the last boarding group of Delta where its "one of you won't be boarding we have $500 for you if you volunteer". Same with United boarding everyone but the last boarding group and offering 4 round trip tickets.

Air Canada, AA, and Southwest don't play those games like I have come across with Delta and United. Believe the stats if you want I am telling you what I have personally viewed in my travels. Who knows Southwest and AA might pull the same crap but I have not come across it personally so I can not comment on it.

Also this is the last I will worry about this thread. Not an AA fan or a United/Delta fan because their rows are two crammed in comparison to Southwest where I dont need to worry about the row in order to have enough leg room.

 

[crazymomof4]

Deleted. Found the answer!

 

[crazymomof4]

The more I read about AA (trying to educate myself) the more confused I get!

Basic Economy
Main Cabin
Main Cabin Extra
Premium Economy
Business
Flexible Fare
Fully Flexible Fare

DEAR LORD!

I'm not seeing most of these things when I use the flight search tool.
https://www.aa.com/booking/find-flights/awardIt only shows me how many miles "Main Cabin" would be and how many "First" would be. When/where do all these other options come into play?


Do they offer classes on how to navigate AA? Feeling stupid!

 

[jec6613]

The more I read about AA (trying to educate myself) the more confused I get!

Basic Economy
Main Cabin
Main Cabin Extra
Premium Economy
Business
Flexible Fare
Fully Flexible Fare

DEAR LORD!

I'm not seeing most of these things when I use the flight search tool. It only shows me how many miles "Main Cabin" would be and how many "First" would be. When/where do all these other options come into play?


Do they offer classes on how to navigate AA? Feeling stupid!

Basic Economy, Main Cabin, and Main Cabin Extra all book into the same cabin: Economy (Y class). MCE is where you pay more (or get in for free on elite status) for extra legroom seats in the front of the cabin. Basic Economy has many more restrictions and doesn't earn you miles, basically like Frontier and Spirit do.

Premium Economy (W class) is 99% of the time on an international route, and even then mostly on other codeshare airlines. They're seats that are similar to domestic first class in size and amenities for international long haul.

Business (J class) (also called Flagship Business) is only on international and transcon sectors, and involves a lie flat seat.

First (F class) on domestic and some short international sectors is a comfortable recliner and frequently meals. On international and transcon sectors (where it's called Flagship First) it involves a very large lie flat and top notch service, as well as a private dining room at the airport.

Flexible and Fully Flexible refer to the restrictions around changing your flight - read the fine print to see what you get with each of those, but they allow you more flexibility in changing your flight. Sometimes, they're the only seats remaining available for a route.

 

[crazymomof4]

Basic Economy, Main Cabin, and Main Cabin Extra all book into the same cabin: Economy (Y class). MCE is where you pay more (or get in for free on elite status) for extra legroom seats in the front of the cabin. Basic Economy has many more restrictions and doesn't earn you miles, basically like Frontier and Spirit do.

Premium Economy (W class) is 99% of the time on an international route, and even then mostly on other codeshare airlines. They're seats that are similar to domestic first class in size and amenities for international long haul.

Business (J class) (also called Flagship Business) is only on international and transcon sectors, and involves a lie flat seat.

First (F class) on domestic and some short international sectors is a comfortable recliner and frequently meals. On international and transcon sectors (where it's called Flagship First) it involves a very large lie flat and top notch service, as well as a private dining room at the airport.

Flexible and Fully Flexible refer to the restrictions around changing your flight - read the fine print to see what you get with each of those, but they allow you more flexibility in changing your flight. Sometimes, they're the only seats remaining available for a route.

Thanks so much!

So I'm not seeing any other fare classes than Main Cabin (seat selections are MCE, Preferred and "Available") and First Class because on this particular flight the other types are not available (as they are on international routes, etc)?

When do I get to chose "Flexible" and "Fully Flexible".... at some point during the actual booking process? They are an upcharge, I assume?

Considering MCE bc my husband is 6'1" and has long legs (won't turn down the free alcohol either!). Wish I could know upfront how much extra per ticket that upgrade would be for our flight.

 

[pixiedustedme]

The more I read about AA (trying to educate myself) the more confused I get!

Basic Economy
Main Cabin
Main Cabin Extra
Premium Economy
Business
Flexible Fare
Fully Flexible Fare

DEAR LORD!

I'm not seeing most of these things when I use the flight search tool.
https://www.aa.com/booking/find-flights/awardIt only shows me how many miles "Main Cabin" would be and how many "First" would be. When/where do all these other options come into play?


Do they offer classes on how to navigate AA? Feeling stupid!

Donestic flights on AA have only Economy class and First class. Premium Economy & Business are for overseas international flights (& just a few specific transcontinental routes like JFK to LAX) on bigger aircraft.

Economy passengers are basically split into 3 categories in terms of their flight experience:
Basic: No frills/benefits, no seat selection, other restrictions on baggage, etc., most likely to get bumped. Imo all of these restrictions are not worth the minor price savings: flying Economy in general is already is no picnic without making it worse.

Main Cabin: Standard economy passengers who aren't basic, yet who also aren't paying extra for the more spacious seats in the economy section (which are up front & by the emergency exits). Main cabin passengers do get to select seats in advance, and can earn mileage points, etc,

Main Cabin Extra: You're still booking the flight via "Main Cabin", but you select seats in the "Main Cabin Extra" part of the plane (front part of economy & emergency exit rows) for an extra charge per seat. Those seats have a little more legroom. Otherwise you're a regular Economy passenger.

First Class: Complimentary bag check, seats in the more comfortable & front of plane first class section, priority check-in at airport, priority baggage handling, you for sure won't get bumped & you'll get priority help if you need to reroute day of due to flight delay/cancellation, more refreshments, including meals on flights of a certain length (which meal, if any, is indicated in the flight details secton when you're looking at the flights online), better service in-flight than in Economy, dedicated bathroom up front for first class only.

 

[pixiedustedme]

Thanks so much!

So I'm not seeing any other fare classes than Main Cabin (seat selections are MCE, Preferred and "Available") and First Class because on this particular flight the other types are not available (as they are on international routes, etc)?

When do I get to chose "Flexible" and "Fully Flexible".... at some point during the actual booking process? They are an upcharge, I assume?

Considering MCE bc my husband is 6'1" and has long legs (won't turn down the free alcohol either!). Wish I could know upfront how much extra per ticket that upgrade would be for our flight.

Flexible tickets are much more expensive. Flexible economy tickets can cost more than non-flexible first class. Flexible is typically designated clearly during the initial flight search- it isn't an add-on.

You can find the Main Cabin Extra cost (this varies by seat & flight) by going through the motions of booking the flight & selecting the seats. Payment is not until the very end, so you can find out the total cost before committing yourself.

 

[crazymomof4]

Flexible tickets are much more expensive. Flexible economy tickets can cost more than non-flexible first class. Flexible is typically designated clearly during the initial flight search- it isn't an add-on.

You can find the Main Cabin Extra cost (this varies by seat & flight) by going through the motions of booking the flight & selecting the seats. Payment is not until the very end, so you can find out the total cost before committing yourself.

Thank you very much! You guys put it in much more easy to understand language than those writing online articles/blogs on the subject!

 

[jec6613]

Thanks so much!

So I'm not seeing any other fare classes than Main Cabin (seat selections are MCE, Preferred and "Available") and First Class because on this particular flight the other types are not available (as they are on international routes, etc)?

When do I get to chose "Flexible" and "Fully Flexible".... at some point during the actual booking process? They are an upcharge, I assume?

Considering MCE bc my husband is 6'1" and has long legs (won't turn down the free alcohol either!). Wish I could know upfront how much extra per ticket that upgrade would be for our flight.

That's correct, the bulk of AA's domestic fleet is a 2-cabin configuration, the only 3 cabin domestic are the A321T configuration used for transcon (JFK-LAX and JFK-SFO). Flexible and Fully Flexible are actually chosen during the initial selection. To the left of the dates there's a toggle, "Lowest Fare," and, "Flexible."

They don't show you the MCE pricing ahead of time because it depends on too much and is different for different customers and different demand markets. Also, in a few configurations there can be multiple prices, usually when they're using an international aircraft on a domestic flight (this happens sometimes due to aircraft repositioning). FWIW, the highest price I've ever seen is $63 for a transcon MCE upgrade.

Also, if you're Gold, then starting at 24 hours out you can move your seat into MCE for no charge. If you're Platinum or higher, the seats are free.

 

[crazymomof4]

Also, if you're Gold, then starting at 24 hours out you can move your seat into MCE for no charge. If you're Platinum or higher, the seats are free.

First time AA flyer. Just got my AAdvantage cc last month.
I'm whatever color newbies are....... Green?

 

[jec6613]

First time AA flyer. Just got my AAdvantage cc last month.
I'm whatever color newbies are....... Green?

Only if there's a lot of turbulence!

 

[_19disnA]

I find airline online reviews fairly useless since as others have already stated, you tend to get either the chronic complainers or someone with one bad experience and then they post everywhere they can about what a terrible airline it is.

When flying, I would mostly look first for airlines that travel non-stop to your destination (depending where you live, more then one departure airport may be feasible). When comparing prices, make sure you have included ALL costs (seat assignments, luggage, carryons, etc.) so the comparison is valid. If you have a certain airline you would NEVER travel (plenty of older threads on that topic), just knock them off of your list.

If you don't travel frequently, good to know the seating/boarding practices of each airline. For example, some people hate Southwest due to boarding in sections without a pre-assigned seat, while others have no issue with that. Many people prefer to sit near the front of the plane since you are able to exit faster upon arrival. If that doesn't matter to you, then not much point in paying extra to sit near the front and/or have a larger seat. To avoid paying checked baggage fees, many people now drag their luggage onto the airplane which means it will take longer to exit upon arrival. Some infrequent travelers seem surprised there is no place to stow their luggage on many of the smaller aircraft.

 

[jec6613]

When flying, I would mostly look first for airlines that travel non-stop to your destination (depending where you live, more then one departure airport may be feasible). When comparing prices, make sure you have included ALL costs (seat assignments, luggage, carryons, etc.) so the comparison is valid. If you have a certain airline you would NEVER travel (plenty of older threads on that topic), just knock them off of your list.

Some other costs to include that most people don't think about: airport parking or transportation fees if you're choosing different area airports or even different terminals within the same airport, additional food and beverage costs if an airline does not serve them to you, paid WiFi fees, and onboard entertainment (e.g. renting a movie to watch on the plane vs using the IFE system).

And always look at the first class pricing as well if the airline offers it, it can actually save money over flying coach if the perks work well for you. One money saving perk to consider besides the obvious (more bags and onboard food) is that you arrive rested after a long flight, which means you will frequently be able to immediately drive once you've landed, and that can reduce your airport transportation costs or increase convenience or both. Another benefit offered on some routes is meal service at the airport, so if you're taking a 10:30 PM to 7:00 AM flight from LAX to JFK, you can arrive at the airport a bit early, be fed dinner, and then have breakfast on arrival, saving at least $20 per person.

Many people prefer to sit near the front of the plane since you are able to exit faster upon arrival.

You're also more likely to have space in the overhead boarding first, and if you are prone to airsickness the front is less susceptible to turbulence and is quieter than the back of the aircraft. On the 717, MD-80/90, and some regional jets, the back where the engines are mounted can be deafening.

 

[crazymomof4]

Some other costs to include that most people don't think about: airport parking or transportation fees if you're choosing different area airports or even different terminals within the same airport, additional food and beverage costs if an airline does not serve them to you, paid WiFi fees, and onboard entertainment (e.g. renting a movie to watch on the plane vs using the IFE system).

And always look at the first class pricing as well if the airline offers it, it can actually save money over flying coach if the perks work well for you. One money saving perk to consider besides the obvious (more bags and onboard food) is that you arrive rested after a long flight, which means you will frequently be able to immediately drive once you've landed, and that can reduce your airport transportation costs or increase convenience or both. Another benefit offered on some routes is meal service at the airport, so if you're taking a 10:30 PM to 7:00 AM flight from LAX to JFK, you can arrive at the airport a bit early, be fed dinner, and then have breakfast on arrival, saving at least $20 per person.

You're also more likely to have space in the overhead boarding first, and if you are prone to airsickness the front is less susceptible to turbulence and is quieter than the back of the aircraft. On the 717, MD-80/90, and some regional jets, the back where the engines are mounted can be deafening.

True about timing flights/layovers well... When flying coast to coast (for us NJ to CA) we actually like to have at least a 2 hr layover, and we try to look for layovers that coincide with a meal time. We even go so far as to look at the menus at the layover airport restaurants, starting with those closest to the gates/terminals we will be using and anything in between. Personally a non-stop 5+ hour flight is not appealing to me. We all enjoy getting off the plane, taking a bathroom break, freshening up a bit, eating then re-boarding.

 

[jec6613]

True about timing flights/layovers well... When flying coast to coast (for us NJ to CA) we actually like to have at least a 2 hr layover, and we try to look for layovers that coincide with a meal time. We even go so far as to look at the menus at the layover airport restaurants, starting with those closest to the gates/terminals we will be using and anything in between. Personally a non-stop 5+ hour flight is not appealing to me. We all enjoy getting off the plane, taking a bathroom break, freshening up a bit, eating then re-boarding.

You might want to look taking the hike over to JFK to grab AA Flagship Business Transcon service, it's tailor made to solve your issues with a 5+ hour nonstop. For one thing, it's not that expensive, usually only a $100 or so upcharge per person over economy, but you get a seat the converts into a bed, real meals served on the plane at meal times, plus a meal at each end in the Flagship Lounge (which is much better than the more ordinary Admiral's Club), and private shower rooms at either end of the trip to freshen up. And of course it cuts 4+ hours off of the journey time compared to a connecting flight with a 2 hour layover.

For me personally it's changed how I fly to the west coast, so instead of having a travel day I usually take an evening flight outbound after the workday (landing later that evening in LAX) and an overnight return, and since I get most of a night's sleep on the return, and can shower at the airport and go to work that same day, so even for a weekend jaunt I can get a full Saturday and Sunday in California and not miss a single day of work.

 

[crazymomof4]

You might want to look taking the hike over to JFK to grab AA Flagship Business Transcon service, it's tailor made to solve your issues with a 5+ hour nonstop. For one thing, it's not that expensive, usually only a $100 or so upcharge per person over economy, but you get a seat the converts into a bed, real meals served on the plane at meal times, plus a meal at each end in the Flagship Lounge (which is much better than the more ordinary Admiral's Club), and private shower rooms at either end of the trip to freshen up. And of course it cuts 4+ hours off of the journey time compared to a connecting flight with a 2 hour layover.

For me personally it's changed how I fly to the west coast, so instead of having a travel day I usually take an evening flight outbound after the workday (landing later that evening in LAX) and an overnight return, and since I get most of a night's sleep on the return, and can shower at the airport and go to work that same day, so even for a weekend jaunt I can get a full Saturday and Sunday in California and not miss a single day of work.

Wow! That sounds amazing!!! Really lovely!
We live in NJ but South Jersey, practically ON the banks of the Delaware River and just a hop on the bridge and over to PHL. So close to PHL that we are on the depart and approach patterns (depending on what day) ... planes flying low and over our house every 7 mins or so during the day! So it's super convenient for us to use that or TTN which is up 95 a bit but an easy drive. JFK is 2 hour drive w/o traffic and I probably don't have to tell you that North Jersey can be a traffic nightmare!

 

[jec6613]

Wow! That sounds amazing!!! Really lovely!
We live in NJ but South Jersey, practically ON the banks of the Delaware River and just a hop on the bridge and over to PHL. So close to PHL that we are on the flight pattern... planes flying low and over our house every 7 mins or so during the day! So it's super convenient for us to use that or TTN which is up 95 a bit but an easy drive. JFK is 2 hour drive w/o traffic and I probably don't have to tell you that North Jersey can be a traffic nightmare!

Yep! We do the 2 hour drive (without traffic) from quite a ways into CT to use the service though, cutting across Long Island to do it. You can hop a train into Penn and there's inexpensive van service to JFK - back in the 1960's, you could even come into the Pan Am building and they'd helicopter you over to JFK for your flight if you flew first class, but those days are sadly over. Personally, I'd rather take that extra drive up front than add to the in-transit time.

 

[gharter]

Not sure what we will do now. They just cancelled the second leg of our return flight. The only one that night.
No good options, but trying to piece the flight back together.
Their solution was to put the second leg of our flight hours before the first leg. Not sure how they thought that would work.