First AAward booking... Is it always that easy?

[grussellt]

I think it depends on the knowledge of the agent. I booked 2J to Europe in 2011 and had no problems and paid a $25 fee. In 2012 I booked 2Y SYD-LDH and copped a fee for $80 when I asked for the supervisor to do it. She assured me that was the standard charge. I have emailed AA for confirmation that this charge is valid (on top of normal $25 fee).

The plot thickens. I have just spent an hour on the phone to US AAdvantage. No-one (including 2 supervisors and the rates desk) can identify a reason for an $A80 charge for an award ticket handled over the phone with the US office. Apparently it was ticketed in Australia (it's an electronic ticket) so I have to ring and ask them. Has anyone else been charged this fee?

 

[grussellt]

According to the Australian ticketing office there is a new AA policy (commenced in December?) that if you use a credit card with an Australian billing address then, regardless of which AA office you ring to make a booking, you will be charged $A80 for the privilege. The Australian website now reads as follows:
"Reservations Service Charge:
AUD 80 reservations service charge may apply for tickets issued through reservation center."

The agent couldn't tell me if this would apply to online bookings but it appears it is not required for online miles purchases.

It's odd that AA staff in the US are not yet aware of this charge so we may have to go back to the El Segundo method.

 

[trooper]

As expected the next booking wasn't so simple... The agent refused/was unable to process a payment with an "International" CC... I didn't push too hard to get her to try....

Booking is "on hold"... record locater and Aussie AA phone number provided to complete the booking... we'll see how that goes.

 

[dfcatch]

As expected the next booking wasn't so simple... The agent refused/was unable to process a payment with an "International" CC... I didn't push too hard to get her to try....

Booking is "on hold"... record locater and Aussie AA phone number provided to complete the booking... we'll see how that goes.

Call back and use the El Segundo method.

The minute you have to call the Aussie number - you will be slugged the excessive fee.

 

[Hvr]

... or use the phonetic alphabet ... come to think of it I sometimes need to do that with some Qantas Agents ... :shock:

I know it but occasionally it becomes the frenetic alphabet.

Re booking AA award flights, I found when doing mine last year that if you have your flight numbers all lined up and a but of choice around days then you can guide the AAngel to what you want.

My main leg was HKG-JFK and once I had that flight booked I was able to add the SIN-HKG leg and complete my booking. Again had all of the possible flight numbers ready to roll off the tongue as required.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I managed to complete my booking on the phone with AA in the US using the El Segundo method.
Rang up with a NRT-LAX on hold at AA.com, fed the agent the flight numbers for HKG-NRT and LAX-ORD-MIA ( will eventually go LAX-MIA but no Z class availability at present).Took 10-15 minutes. She did ask if I would be paying with a US credit card which I replied in the affirmative and after a couple of small hitches with phone numbers it was "ticketed".
HKG-NRT-xLAX-ORD-MIA, two F MilesAAvers
Asia 2 connecting in Asia 1 to North America with gateway stopover in LAX
67.5K miles each ticket and $186 taxes and fees incl $25 pp telephone fee
The e-ticket arrived in my inbox 10 mins ago ( 4 hours from phone booking)

 

[trooper]

Well... this has all fallen in a heap for me tonight.... (Traps for young players)

Rang AA to book flights SYD-PEK for relatives.... Plenty of availability on JL...

BUT... SYD-NRT-PEK did not price at 70k return as I expected... (South Pacific to Asia 2)

Quoted 150k each... apparently transiting NRT is the problem (Which it likely wouldn't be on a USDM redemption which is what I am used to) and so I was quoted 45k plus 30k each way..

Having booked a one way South Pacific-Asia 2 a few days ago for myself - which led to this post starting - I (stupidly?) assumed I'd have no problem...

QF/CX availability is of course... coughpy by comparison...

Suggestions??? HAve the feeling that HUACA isn't going to help in this case...

 

[Keith009]

How are people finding CX availability in J? Do they open up availability at some specific point in time?

QF also seems unusually scarce compared to past experience using AA miles apart from SINBNE.

We've got 2 seats HAM-xHEL-xSIN-BNE booked on AY for the first 2 legs as that's all I can find. Rang up at T-331 at that. Would love to route via LHR or somewhere else to jump on CX, QF or BA if poss. Not all that enamoured with reviews of the AY product especially to SIN on the A340.

Then again I quite like HEL airport, nice and compact which makes for an easy connection.

Trip isn't till mid Sept.

 

[trooper]

I'm just off the phone having booked a SYD-SIN-HKG-PEK-HKG-BNE-SYD trip in J for two rellos..

SYD-SIN and HKG-BNE were by far the easiest to find...

MARVELLOUS agent.... (again)...Relatively new in the job.. and amazed that every flight I fed her HAD availability...:mrgreen:

For that I thank the AFF/FT communities!!!

No problem including KA flights... just as well actually... CX flights were thin on the ground to PEK...

Agent said something interesting.. that foreign CC's could only be processed... for elites. Interesting if true.

So.. calling Brisbane tomorrow...

Data point. My buddy's booking from upthread... When HE called he claims to only have been charged the taxes + $25...

No extra $80..... so we'll see.

After the JL disaster... Happy little Vegemite here....

 

[DC3]

... Agent said something interesting.. that foreign CC's could only be processed... for elites. Interesting if true ....

This is from 2008 and refers to anyone who is AA Executive Platinum:

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ntage/paying-aust-credit-card-aa-11948-2.html

Note that platinum advantage members can already use Australian billing
address credit cards through AA customer service. Just make sure you
call the US number (which from australia is dialled as 0011 1 800 843 etc)
and if they ask, remind them that it's a platinum benefit.

I've done about a dozen transactions through the US plat desk with
various Australian Amex's in the last 2 months.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I'm just off the phone having booked a SYD-SIN-HKG-PEK-HKG-BNE-SYD trip in J for two rellos..

SYD-SIN and HKG-BNE were by far the easiest to find...

MARVELLOUS agent.... (again)...Relatively new in the job.. and amazed that every flight I fed her HAD availability...:mrgreen:

For that I thank the AFF/FT communities!!!

No problem including KA flights... just as well actually... CX flights were thin on the ground to PEK...

Agent said something interesting.. that foreign CC's could only be processed... for elites. Interesting if true.

So.. calling Brisbane tomorrow...

Data point. My buddy's booking from upthread... When HE called he claims to only have been charged the taxes + $25...

No extra $80..... so we'll see.

After the JL disaster... Happy little Vegemite here....

The agent I booked with asked if I had a US credit card otherwise she could only hold the booking not take payment.
Using the "El Segundo" method as detailed elsewhere for online bookings and YUPP's I was able to get the agent to ticket my booking. She did seem a little puzzled that my cell phone had an Aussie number

 

[grussellt]

I'm just off the phone having booked a SYD-SIN-HKG-PEK-HKG-BNE-SYD trip in J for two rellos..

SYD-SIN and HKG-BNE were by far the easiest to find...

MARVELLOUS agent.... (again)...Relatively new in the job.. and amazed that every flight I fed her HAD availability...:mrgreen:

For that I thank the AFF/FT communities!!!

No problem including KA flights... just as well actually... CX flights were thin on the ground to PEK...

Agent said something interesting.. that foreign CC's could only be processed... for elites. Interesting if true.

So.. calling Brisbane tomorrow...

Data point. My buddy's booking from upthread... When HE called he claims to only have been charged the taxes + $25...

No extra $80..... so we'll see.

After the JL disaster... Happy little Vegemite here....

There is a note in FAQ's under use of International Credit Cards:

†Use of credit cards from Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa may be limited to Top Tier AAdvantage and oneworld customers.

The use of "may" suggests there is some flexibility in the process.

 

[trooper]

Lots of good news here.. for MY personal bookings at least..where I'll be keen to try the "El Segundo"...

After doing all the work to set up these trips for others however I think it only fair that they do something...:mrgreen:

Calling the Brisbane office to pay/finalise seems "fair"...and to be honest..with the cost of the miles, and the LOW taxes/fees charged even an extra $80 doesn't alter the fact that these are killer redemptions... (IMO,YMMV!)

 

[dfcatch]

If you mention an Aussie CC they will send you to the BNE number for payment and they WILL slug you the additional fee.

Not to mention that they are generally all round useless so even if you have money to throw away - I still don't recommend them.

When booking over the phone:

1/ Always use the US number
2/ Yes Ma'am! I have a US card

 

[trooper]

I would amend that comment (from purely personal experience..YMMV) to be "Useless for anything BUT finalising an itin built/booked with the US call centre"!

We've had no trouble JUST doing that with the Brisbane Office... Latest booking had $137 in fees plus the $80..

Still pretty amazing is all I'm saying...:shock::mrgreen:

For my OWN next booking I will certainly be following dfcatch's sequence!!!!

 

[naggi]

Quick question,

Will AA hold seats with insufficient mileage in the account so that miles can be topped up later?

 

[Princess Fiona]

Quick question,

Will AA hold seats with insufficient mileage in the account so that miles can be topped up later?

Yes 5 day hold

 

[dfcatch]

Yes 5 day hold

As long as you do the hold through AA in the US.

If you call the Aus number they will only hold for 1 day.

 

[froggerADL]

†Use of credit cards from Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa may be limited to Top Tier AAdvantage and oneworld customers.

That would suggest that QF WP (oneworld emerald) won't be charged the fee.

 

[DC3]

That would suggest that QF WP (oneworld emerald) won't be charged the fee.

Then wait for the AA agent's reaction when you try to tell them of this. "I'm sorry, sir. I am unable to accept a non-US issued credit card". But, but, but .... "I'm sorry, sir. I am unable to accept a non-US issued credit card".