Change of destination flying Etihad on AA awards ticket

[hb13]

Gooday,

I have my sister and brother booked on an AA award ticket to fly BNE-AUH-CAI in September (they are booked on seperate tickets).

They are flying in business class, on Etihad.

There has been a change in plans and we need to drop the AUH-CAI leg. The issue is that I don't want to pay $300 U.S. to change the routing just because I want to drop a leg.

Is there anyway around this at all that someone can help me with.

Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[ChasingDaylight]

Is a simple 'no-show' an option - i.e just don't take the flight an advise EY once in AUH that you won't be boarding?

 

[hb13]

Is a simple 'no-show' an option - i.e just don't take the flight an advise EY once in AUH that you won't be boarding?

Thanks for the quick response - I actually did think of that, however they have a significant amount of luggage which isn't carry on - so I don't think you can just not check that through to your final destination?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks for the quick response - I actually did think of that, however they have a significant amount of luggage which isn't carry on - so I don't think you can just not check that through to your final destination?

how long is the layover in AUH? If it is a significant amount of time, they can ask for the bags to be short-checked ('we have clothes and gifts for our family in AUH' will suffice)

 

[Mattg]

I believe with AA awards that they will make changes for no fee (other than the difference in taxes - which may mean a partial refund), provided the number of miles required for the new itinerary is the same or more. If the new routing requires less miles, they will refund the taxes and difference in miles but will charge a $150 fee or thereabouts for doing so.

 

[Hvr]

Is this a one way ticket? If so then no problems not boarding the final leg, but do advise the staff as soon as you get off that an emergency has arisen and you cannot continue.

However, if it is a return ticket the remainder of the travel will probably be cancelled without notice.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I believe with AA awards that they will make changes for no fee (other than the difference in taxes - which may mean a partial refund), provided the number of miles required for the new itinerary is the same or more. If the new routing requires less miles, they will refund the taxes and difference in miles but will charge a $150 fee or thereabouts for doing so.

AA allows free changes provided you don't change the origin or destination. (You can change intermediate points.) As this would be a change in destination, the fees would apply.

 

[Mattg]

AA allows free changes provided you don't change the origin or destination. (You can change intermediate points.) As this would be a change in destination, the fees would apply.

I have changed the origin/destination on an AA award twice and the fee was waived both times as the miles required for the new routing were either the same or greater.

However I do believe a fee applies if fewer miles are required for the new routing. The fee is for the re-instatement of the difference in miles.

 

[serfty]

you wet in luck ...the rules are clear ...

 

[Doggy]

you wet in luck ...the rules are clear ...

So it sounds like it's worth a try for the OP.

Would like to hear the result if that's the option chosen.

 

[hb13]

Good Evening All,

I want to firstly take this opportunity to thank everyone who has responded to help me out.

I have just got off the phone with AA and there wasn't even a mention of any additional fees for the destination at all. I requested that I would like to "simply drop the last leg" and the agent said no problems, did and then told me the re-issued tickets would be emailed to me in 24 hours.

Just to let you all know however, the agent actually advised that I don't even have to do anything and I could just advise my siblings to "miss the last leg" and not worry about anything else, which I found quite interesting. I opted to have the tickets re-issued purely because my siblings want to fly on a different date and we are trying to see if any availability opens up closer to the date of departure.

 

[Doggy]

Good Evening All,

I want to firstly take this opportunity to thank everyone who has responded to help me out.

I have just got off the phone with AA and there wasn't even a mention of any additional fees for the destination at all. I requested that I would like to "simply drop the last leg" and the agent said no problems, did and then told me the re-issued tickets would be emailed to me in 24 hours.

Just to let you all know however, the agent actually advised that I don't even have to do anything and I could just advise my siblings to "miss the last leg" and not worry about anything else, which I found quite interesting. I opted to have the tickets re-issued purely because my siblings want to fly on a different date and we are trying to see if any availability opens up closer to the date of departure.

Good news. Good to know.

AA is so reasonable with these things.