American Airlines Booking Questions(s).. for a noob!

[Auslad88]

Hi

I will be in the USA throughout December this year and into January next year and I have a question about a flight I booked in American Airlines.

The flight I booked is AA572 which is Chicago O’Hare to New York, JFK. The fare type is “main cabin” and aircraft is a 737. The status of the ticket purchase is also “confirmed” when i check in the online booking section of their website.

I have heard many rumours about American Airlines overbooking their flights and I’m starting to get a little bit concerned about this, only because the flight is for the 19th of December, and being close to Xmas, i don't want to find myself stuck!

Is there a chance this may affect me? Even thought my ticket and seat is confirmed on the “manage my booking” section of their website? Would it be beneficial to try and upgrade this ticket to first class and pay extra just to secure the booking further?

I can’t get my head around how an airline can take money for a ticket and give the green light so to speak, but when you arrive it can be overbooked? Or should I book on another airline? I’m not sure if these rumours are true, but I want to be as prepared as possible – don’t really want to be stuck in Chicago on my own without travel to NYC. It would ruin the trip

I would appreciate any advice as I haven’t travelled overseas before. Also, if someone can clarify what “instant upgrade” fare is.

Thanks in advance!!!

 

[harvyk]

Hi Auslad

Your right, AA do overbook their flights, but it's pretty much standard practice on US based airlines.
I wouldn't get too worried about it, just make sure you get to the airport with plenty of time to spare as I believe it tends to be the last to check in rather than the first. The bigger concern is winter around ORD and JFK and getting snowed in, but unfortunately there is little you or the airlines can do about that. Again, arriving at the airport nice and early can give you more options if something like snow is going to cause you a problem.

Have fun.

 

[Auslad88]

Hi Auslad

Your right, AA do overbook their flights, but it's pretty much standard practice on US based airlines.
I wouldn't get too worried about it, just make sure you get to the airport with plenty of time to spare as I believe it tends to be the last to check in rather than the first. The bigger concern is winter around ORD and JFK and getting snowed in, but unfortunately there is little you or the airlines can do about that. Again, arriving at the airport nice and early can give you more options if something like snow is going to cause you a problem.

Have fun.

Thank you i appreciate your reply ! the flight isnt until 1pm and i will be at the airport at least 2 hours before as i have transfers prepaid for.

 

[serfty]

Forget "confimed".

Where did you book your flight? if on AA.com does it show "Status: Ticketed - <date>" and do you have an option showing:

› Email Itinerary ¦ Send to Calendar Ê Print Itinerary & Receipt

 

[Auslad88]

Forget "confimed".

Where did you book your flight? if on AA.com does it show "Status: Ticketed - <date>" and do you have an option showing:

Hi Serfty,

It says:

[TABLE="class: tableTripSummary"]


[TR]

[TD="class: textBoldlarge"]Trip status: Confirmed
[/TD]
[/TR]

[TR]

[TD="class: space"][/TD]
[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]• Your trip is confirmed and the reservation is guaranteed.


[TABLE="class: tableFlightConf"]


[TR]

[TD="class: space"][/TD]

[TD="class: space"][/TD]

[TD="class: space"][/TD]
[/TR]

[TR]

[TD="class: textBold flight"]Flight 1[/TD]

[TD="class: textBold, width: 83%, colspan: 2"]Wednesday, December 19, 2012 [/TD]
[/TR]

[TR]

[TD="class: textColorBold"] Confirmed[/TD]

[TD="colspan: 2"]
[TABLE="width: 100%"]


[TR]

[TD="colspan: 3"]
[TABLE="width: 100%"]


[TR]

[TD="class: textBold, width: 15%"]Departure:[/TD]

[TD="class: nowrap"]13:00[/TD]

[TD="width: 90%"]Chicago, USA - O'Hare International, terminal 3 [/TD]
[/TR]

[TR]

[TD="class: textBold"]Arrival:[/TD]

[TD="class: nowrap"]16:10 [/TD]

[TD]New York, USA - John F Kennedy, terminal 8 [/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]

[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]

[/TABLE]



Thats all it says.. I'm assuming it is suppose to say Ticketed?

 

[serfty]

Where/how did you book it?

 

[Auslad88]

Where/how did you book it?

sorry i forgot to answer that. I booked directly through the American Airlines website back in March this year - BUT the funny thing i just checked the email that AA sent me on 27th of March and it says Ticketed on the email: but not on the website!!!???


[TABLE="width: 669, align: center"]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 3"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 3"][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] Status:[/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] Ticketed[/FONT][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 3"] [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][TABLE="width: 200, align: left"]
[TR]
[TD="width: 4, bgcolor: #00007C"]

[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #00007C"][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Your Itinerary[/SIZE][/FONT][/TD]
[TD="width: 4, bgcolor: #00007C"]

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[TABLE="width: 669, align: center"]
[TR]
[TH="bgcolor: #afc8e7"][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Carrier[/FONT][/TH]
[TH="bgcolor: #afc8e7"][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Flight
Number[/FONT][/TH]
[TH="bgcolor: #afc8e7, colspan: 2"][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Departing[/FONT][/TH]
[TH="bgcolor: #afc8e7, colspan: 2"][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Arriving[/FONT][/TH]
[TH="bgcolor: #afc8e7"][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Booking
Code[/FONT][/TH]
[TH="bgcolor: #afc8e7"][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Meals[/FONT][/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH="bgcolor: #e4f0ff, align: center"][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]City[/FONT][/TH]
[TH="bgcolor: #e4f0ff, align: center"][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Date & Time[/FONT][/TH]
[TH="bgcolor: #e4f0ff, align: center"][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]City[/FONT][/TH]
[TH="bgcolor: #e4f0ff, align: center"][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Time[/FONT][/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="bgcolor: #ffffff, align: center"][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-2]

AMERICAN AIRLINES[/SIZE][/FONT][/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #ffffff, align: center"][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-2]572[/SIZE][/FONT][/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #ffffff, align: center"][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-2]ORD Chicago[/SIZE][/FONT][/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #ffffff, align: center"][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-2]Dec 19, 2012
01:00 PM[/SIZE][/FONT][/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #ffffff, align: center"][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-2]JFK New York[/SIZE][/FONT][/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #ffffff, align: center"][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-2]Dec 19, 2012
04:10 PM[/SIZE][/FONT][/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #ffffff, align: center"][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-2]N[/SIZE][/FONT][/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #ffffff, align: center"][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-2]Food for Purchase

[/SIZE][/FONT][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

[serfty]

Does your email have a ticket number on it? (Starts with 001... for AA tickets)

 

[casanovawa]

Well i used my Australian AMEX credit card to pay for a flight MIA-CUN in January of this year through AA.com and when i got to the airport to take the flight they told me that my seat was reserved BUT not paid for... Seems they don't accept non-US credit cards and they reckon they would've sent me an email shortly afterwards saying that i needed to pay for it some other way, which i don't recall receiving... When i asked if i could pay for it at the airport she said yes, but because the sale fare time period had passed she wanted to charge me US$400 instead of the original US$100 when i thought I had booked and paid for it...

So I would just double check that you have paid as well... Other US airlines were fine to allow foreign credit cards to pay for the ticket but AA must be 'special'!!!

 

[Auslad88]

Does your email have a ticket number on it? (Starts with 001... for AA tickets)

i believe so...

[TABLE="width: 630"]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"][TABLE="width: 100%"]
[TR="bgcolor: #B0C7E7"]
[TD="width: 93"]Carrier[/TD]
[TD="width: 50"]Flight Number[/TD]
[TD="colspan: 2"]Departing[/TD]
[TD="colspan: 2"]Arriving[/TD]
[TD="width: 95"]Booking
Code[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="bgcolor: #D6E2F0"]
[TD="width: 100"]City[/TD]
[TD="width: 90"]Date & Time[/TD]
[TD="width: 100"]City[/TD]
[TD="width: 90"]Time[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]

American Airlines[/TD]
[TD]572[/TD]
[TD]CHICAGO OHARE[/TD]
[TD]xx_ xxDEC
1:00 PM[/TD]
[TD]NEW YORK JFK[/TD]
[TD]4:10 PM[/TD]
[TD] N[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="bgcolor: #EEF2FB"]
[TD="colspan: 2"] <name>[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Economy[/TD]
[TD]Seat 24F[/TD]
[TD]Food For Purchase[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

[TABLE="width: 630"]
[TR]
[TD="width: 100%"][TABLE="width: 100%"]
[TR]
[TD="width: 30%"][TABLE="width: 100%"]
[TR="bgcolor: #B0C7E7"]
[TD="width: 100%"]PASSENGER[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="bgcolor: #EEF2FB"]
[TD="width: 100%"]<PAX name>[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[TD="width: 24%"][TABLE="width: 100%"]
[TR="bgcolor: #B0C7E7"]
[TD="width: 100%"]TICKET NUMBER[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="bgcolor: #EEF2FB"]
[TD="width: 100%"]0011234567890
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[TD][TABLE="width: 100%"]
[TR="bgcolor: #B0C7E7"]
[TD="width: 100%"]FARE-USD[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="bgcolor: #EEF2FB"]
[TD="width: 100%"]101.40[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[TD][TABLE="width: 100%"]
[TR="bgcolor: #B0C7E7"]
[TD="width: 100%"]EQUIV FARE-AUD[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="bgcolor: #EEF2FB"]
[TD="width: 100%"]99.00[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[TD][TABLE="width: 100%"]
[TR="bgcolor: #B0C7E7"]
[TD="width: 100%"]TAX/FEE/
CHARGE[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="bgcolor: #EEF2FB"]
[TD="width: 100%"]18.00[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[TD][TABLE="width: 100%"]
[TR="bgcolor: #B0C7E7"]
[TD="width: 100%"]TICKET TOTAL[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="bgcolor: #EEF2FB"]
[TD="width: 100%"]117.00[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[TABLE="width: 100%"]
[TR]
[TD]

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[TABLE="width: 100%"]
[TR="bgcolor: #B0C7E7"]
[TD="align: left"]Payment Type: American Express xx_xx_xx_XXnnnn[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]Total: 117.00[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

[serfty]

With 1) a ticker number, and 2) your Amex being charged you should be fine.

 

[Auslad88]

With 1) a ticker number, and 2) your Amex being charged you should be fine.

thanks for that! I guess i should be fine but you never know until the time comes! ha. !

Thanks for your advice

 

[Auslad88]

Well i used my Australian AMEX credit card to pay for a flight MIA-CUN in January of this year through AA.com and when i got to the airport to take the flight they told me that my seat was reserved BUT not paid for... Seems they don't accept non-US credit cards and they reckon they would've sent me an email shortly afterwards saying that i needed to pay for it some other way, which i don't recall receiving... When i asked if i could pay for it at the airport she said yes, but because the sale fare time period had passed she wanted to charge me US$400 instead of the original US$100 when i thought I had booked and paid for it...

So I would just double check that you have paid as well... Other US airlines were fine to allow foreign credit cards to pay for the ticket but AA must be 'special'!!!

sorry i didnt see your post!. Yes, i dont really want to be told at chicago that i haven't paid. Its definatley came off my credit card but interesting contradiction from what the email e-ticket says to what the website says, so i might have a look around at other airlines and see what they offer just as a back up!