Oneworld separate ticket interline changes

[madrooster]

AA are also no longer through-checking bags on different PNRs:https://ssc.aa.com/prmportal_enu/Ag...ugh Checked Baggage with Separate Tickets.pdf

Interestingly AA have reverted the PDF back to the previous copy in the above URL. Probably leaked a tad early?

 

[pagingjoan]

Interestingly AA have reverted the PDF back to the previous copy in the above URL. Probably leaked a tad early?

Dare we hope? Fingers crossed....

 

[codash1099]

Interestingly AA have reverted the PDF back to the previous copy in the above URL. Probably leaked a tad early?

Bugger. Just changed flights ($$) to give me more buffer time between AA->QF!. At least it will mean I can go straight to a lounge in SFO and may even crack entry to the CX lounge since I'll now be plenty early.

 

[codash1099]

Interestingly AA have reverted the PDF back to the previous copy in the above URL. Probably leaked a tad early?

This also, dated May 2016:

Changes to itineraries for Customers holding separate tickets:

AA to/from Non-oneworld ® Carrier
Schedule Irregularity procedures and AA Conditions of Carriage do not apply to separate tickets
purchased by the customer as part of their journey. Example: customer holds a ticket from ABQ-ORD-ABQ on
AA (001 ticket stock) and a separate ticket on another carrier for continuing travel from ORD.
If the AA flight is late or cancelled, AA has no responsibility for onward travel on a separate ticket for travel
on a non-oneworld carrier. Advise customers who may be affected that they will need to work separately
with the other airline for assistance.

AA to/from AA or a oneworld® Carrier
If a customer is holding separate tickets on AA or another oneworld carrier, customers holding separate
tickets where travel is on oneworld airlines should be treated as through ticketed Customers. In the event
of a disruption on the originating ticket, the carrier responsible for the disruption will be required to reroute
the customer to their final destination. The ticket stock of the second ticket must be of a oneworld carrier,
eligible under the Endorsement Waiver Agreement. You may contact AA Reservations 1-800-433-7300
(U.S. and Canada) or outside the U.S. and Canada, reference Worldwide Reservations Numbers
for additional information if the separate ticket is for travel on a oneworld carrier.

https://ssc.aa.com/prmportal_enu/AgencyReferenceFiles/Booking and Ticketing Index.pdf#page=6

 

[CaviAck]

Interesting comment within that article:

If I had the time between now and my flight, I'd be inclined to challenge the airlines at the ombudsmen level. As far as I am aware, there has been no general announcement of the change, and certainly not to pax who may be holding tickets that could be affected.

Unless these rules/exceptions were written into the ticketing rules/contract when you bought the ticket, good luck getting any ombudsmen to force the airline to throughcheck.

This also, dated May 2016:

https://ssc.aa.com/prmportal_enu/AgencyReferenceFiles/Booking and Ticketing Index.pdf#page=6

And? That makes that policy valid back in May, it's now August, if a new policy has been published since then, the new one will stand. These rules/policies are creating exceptions not standards.

 

[codash1099]

Unless these rules/exceptions were written into the ticketing rules/contract when you bought the ticket, good luck getting any ombudsmen to force the airline to throughcheck.



And? That makes that policy valid back in May, it's now August, if a new policy has been published since then, the new one will stand. These rules/policies are creating exceptions not standards.

The last quote was current yesterday. Sure they may change in the future, but for the moment....

 

[CaviAck]

The last quote was current yesterday. Sure they may change in the future, but for the moment....

Yes that is correct for the moment that is correct, so if you're flying today it'll apply. But who knows what will happen tomorrow.

 

[pagingjoan]

Yes that is correct for the moment that is correct, so if you're flying today it'll apply. But who knows what will happen tomorrow.

I don't know what will happen tomorrow - but I can sadly report that on 5 and 6 September, the AA check in agents responded with "Computer says NO".

On the first attempt, we were asking to check bags through from AA flight 1, to AA flight 2, on separate PNRs.
The second was from AA flight 2 (above) to a QF flight, also on a separate PNR, travelling in F (QF and AA) and with OW Emerald status.

The first attempt was really just to test the waters, as we could manage the refusal without too much inconvenience. The second, however, would have meant being stuck with bags at an airport with no Left Luggage service (like most, if not all in the US), from early in the day until check-in opened for a late night flight. That one was certainly worth fighting for.

On the second check-in, the agent ran into a block on her screen, which sent her in search of a sheaf of written documentation that outlined the changed conditions that have been discussed in this thread. She was sympathetic and quite cross about the changes but was unable to over-ride the system. When I gently persisted and explained (several times) that we would not be able to re-check the bags until many hours after we arrived and would be confined to the airport for the best part of a day, she called in a Supervisor, who appeared to be unaware of the changes, but read through the documentation and agreed that it had come into effect only a few days before.

I reiterated the impact on our travel plans and also pointed out that our original booking had been made long before the changed conditions. She eventually agreed to "break all the rules" and found a way to over-ride the system "just this once". We were suitably grateful and appreciative!

Both the original agent and the Supervisor were highly critical of the changes, and stressed that they would apply even to AA-to-AA flights on different PNRs and both said that they hoped there would be sufficient outcry from passengers, to force a reversal of the change. The agent specifically asked that we write to AA (not QF) to voice our displeasure.

So, while we had a satisfactory outcome on this occasion, that won't be the case generally.

The implications for future travel, including long haul bookings we have already made, are quite significant, and will most likely involve some overnight stays in circumstances where we would have flown on immediately. The risk of missing flights while going through Customs and Immigration, collecting bags, re-checking and going though Security and Immigration again, will be just too high. And there will be no protection for such missed flights. (Often, on our itineraries, there would be few options for onward flights on the same day.)

At least this time, the Supervisor's assistance meant that we managed a lovely day of art and food before our onward QF flight that evening.

And we are forewarned for future flights. At least those of us here on AFF are forewarned. Others won't be so fortunate.
What a mess!

 

[Princess Fiona]

I don't know what will happen tomorrow - but I can sadly report that on 5 and 6 September, the AA check in agents responded with "Computer says NO".

On the first attempt, we were asking to check bags through from AA flight 1, to AA flight 2, on separate PNRs.
The second was from AA flight 2 (above) to a QF flight, also on a separate PNR, travelling in F (QF and AA) and with OW Emerald status.

The first attempt was really just to test the waters, as we could manage the refusal without too much inconvenience. The second, however, would have meant being stuck with bags at an airport with no Left Luggage service (like most, if not all in the US), from early in the day until check-in opened for a late night flight. That one was certainly worth fighting for.

On the second check-in, the agent ran into a block on her screen, which sent her in search of a sheaf of written documentation that outlined the changed conditions that have been discussed in this thread. She was sympathetic and quite cross about the changes but was unable to over-ride the system. When I gently persisted and explained (several times) that we would not be able to re-check the bags until many hours after we arrived and would be confined to the airport for the best part of a day, she called in a Supervisor, who appeared to be unaware of the changes, but read through the documentation and agreed that it had come into effect only a few days before.

I reiterated the impact on our travel plans and also pointed out that our original booking had been made long before the changed conditions. She eventually agreed to "break all the rules" and found a way to over-ride the system "just this once". We were suitably grateful and appreciative!

Both the original agent and the Supervisor were highly critical of the changes, and stressed that they would apply even to AA-to-AA flights on different PNRs and both said that they hoped there would be sufficient outcry from passengers, to force a reversal of the change. The agent specifically asked that we write to AA (not QF) to voice our displeasure.

So, while we had a satisfactory outcome on this occasion, that won't be the case generally.

The implications for future travel, including long haul bookings we have already made, are quite significant, and will most likely involve some overnight stays in circumstances where we would have flown on immediately. The risk of missing flights while going through Customs and Immigration, collecting bags, re-checking and going though Security and Immigration again, will be just too high. And there will be no protection for such missed flights. (Often, on our itineraries, there would be few options for onward flights on the same day.)

At least this time, the Supervisor's assistance meant that we managed a lovely day of art and food before our onward QF flight that evening.

And we are forewarned for future flights. At least those of us here on AFF are forewarned. Others won't be so fortunate.
What a mess!

What a mess indeed !!!
I have a QF-BA booking next weekend which I'm hoping will be ok to check bags through.
I managed to get my TA to put it on the same PNR although the BA ticket is on their ticket stock.
I'll report back what eventuates at SYD when I try to check the bags through.

 

[pagingjoan]

What a mess indeed !!!
I have a QF-BA booking next weekend which I'm hoping will be ok to check bags through.
I managed to get my TA to put it on the same PNR although the BA ticket is on their ticket stock.
I'll report back what eventuates at SYD when I try to check the bags through.

Best of luck!
Good work on getting the PNR extended. I had not thought to try that - but then again, I was my own TA, so it was probably above my pay grade.
If your bookings are now on the same PNR, it is difficult to see how the through-check could be refused?
Admittedly, I haven't seen the wording of the BA changed terms.
As I said, best of luck, anyway.

 

[codash1099]

I've had it confirmed by both QF and AA that the policy applies to all from Sept 1, regardless of when, and under what conditions, the booking was made. There must be a legal case there!

For future flights to the US, QF will miss out on my bookings, since, for me, the best way is now to book with AA. Using QF is too limiting because of limited code shares within the US and the fact that you can only earn J status credits on QF flights.

Another case of shooting themselves in the foot.

BTW this reference (https://ssc.aa.com/prmportal_enu/AgencyReferenceFiles/Booking and Ticketing Index.pdf#page=6) is still on the AA site.

 

[CaviAck]

I've had it confirmed by both QF and AA that the policy applies to all from Sept 1, regardless of when, and under what conditions, the booking was made. There must be a legal case there!

For future flights to the US, QF will miss out on my bookings, since, for me, the best way is now to book with AA. Using QF is too limiting because of limited code shares within the US and the fact that you can only earn J status credits on QF flights.

Another case of shooting themselves in the foot.

BTW this reference (https://ssc.aa.com/prmportal_enu/AgencyReferenceFiles/Booking and Ticketing Index.pdf#page=6) is still on the AA site.

No there isn't, there is no legal case here. Interlining is not and never was part of the contract when you buy a ticket.

As for future flights, if interlining is crucial, use a TA to book under one PNR. That way you can still get the best of both carriers and allow interlining.

 

[codash1099]

No there isn't, there is no legal case here. Interlining is not and never was part of the contract when you buy a ticket.

As for future flights, if interlining is crucial, use a TA to book under one PNR. That way you can still get the best of both carriers and allow interlining.

Now you're just picking on me

 

[CaviAck]

Now you're just picking on me

No intention to pick on you but you make it so easy by saying the same thing over and over again, I'm just pointing out the errors

But yeah, I know the new rules suck but as the game evolves, so do we! Find a nice TA and they should be able to book multiple tickets onto the one PNR.

 

[bosox76]

Mrs B and I have flights next week to the US. Booked our QF tickets via QF website during the double SC period then our AA tickets via AA.com. Obviously we have 2 PNR's. Is there anyway we can get these combined into a single PNR? Can QF act as our "TA" and add the AA flights under the QF PNR or vice versa? I did call AA and they've added our QF tickets (the 081 number) into their system in case we get delayed out of SYD. I'm assuming this is not the same as organising a single PNR. Would that be correct?

 

[madrooster]

You can't merge PNRs so unfortunately you'll need to collect and re-tag.

 

[bosox76]

Bummer. What I figured. Not sure if contacting AA will have helped if we do get delayed but at least I tried something. Fingers crossed it runs on time.

 

[ftm]

Mrs B and I have flights next week to the US. Booked our QF tickets via QF website during the double SC period then our AA tickets via AA.com. Obviously we have 2 PNR's. Is there anyway we can get these combined into a single PNR? Can QF act as our "TA" and add the AA flights under the QF PNR or vice versa? I did call AA and they've added our QF tickets (the 081 number) into their system in case we get delayed out of SYD. I'm assuming this is not the same as organising a single PNR. Would that be correct?

You would have always needed to collect your bag on arrival in the US, so in that direction there's no change. The risk is still the same now as it was pre change, should things run late out of Sydney. You would only ever have been protected if the AA flights were booked into the same ticket as QF.

 

[bosox76]

Not entirely true. Yes we always had to collect our bags but then it was just a bag drop and off to security. Now we have to checkin at AA before going to security. Just adds a little extra time. Plus previously even if on sep tickets when the QF flight was delayed and I missed my connections AA automatically rebooked me. Not sure if they will now do that. Hence my call to them to notify them that I'm actually arriving into LAX that morning. Don't want them cancelling my ticket because they think I'm a no show.

 

[serfty]

... You would only ever have been protected if the AA flights were booked into the same ticket as QF.

Until this year AA would have protected a QF/AA misconnect even on separate PNR'S.