Agency News May 2008

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Silverjet Passenger Policy on AA

May 30, 2008

American Airlines will offer the following for passengers originally ticketed to travel on Silverjet between LON-EWR:

• Waive the advance purchase requirement on premium published fares for Silverjet passengers booked to travel outbound between 31 May, 2008 and 30 June, 2008.
• Offer valid until Friday 06 June, 2008
• Passengers must produce a valid Silverjet ticket and must travel on the same day as originally booked.
• Offer applicable for travel between Stansted (STN)* and Heathrow (LHR) to New York (JFK)

American Airlines flies 5 times daily from London Heathrow (LHR) to New York (JFK) and daily from London Stansted (STN)* to New York (JFK).

*STN-JFK service ends 02 Jul, 2008.

Agencies are not authorized to waive advance purchase rules without proper approval. Contact AA Reservations or Sales Support for specific guidelines.

Infant Electronic Ticketing

May 28, 2008

American Airlines American Airlines and American Eagle now support infant electronic ticketing on wholly-AA / Eagle operated flights.  Codeshare operations, train services or interline itineraries will not be supported initially.  Various GDS will implement the new infant electronic ticketing option during the early weeks of June.  Please check with your GDS for more information on infant electronic ticketing functionality for AA / American Eagle flights.

Schedule Change for AA Flight Reductions

May 28, 2008

AA announced this week that non-stop flights will be eliminated in a number of markets, including ORD-EZE, ORD-HNL, and BOS-SAN.  AA will run the schedule change process on May 31, 2008 for flights September 3, 2008 and beyond, and impacted PNRs will be updated with the flight changes.  Agencies should process the schedule change using routine protection procedures.

Changes to Fees

May 21, 2008

The following fees will increase effective Wednesday, May 21st:

• Oversized bags - changing from $100 to $150
• Domestic Ticket Change Fee - From $100 to $150
• International Ticket Change Fee - from $100 - $200 to $150 - $250
• Reservations Service Fee - from $15 to $20
• AAdvantage Award Ticket Fee - from $15 to $20
• External Reservation Handling fee - from $15 to $20
• Airport Service Fee - from $20 to $30
• Travel Center Service Fee - from $20 to $30
• Pet In Cabin Fee - from $80 to $100
• Checked Pet Fee - from $100 to $150
• Unaccompanied Minor Fee - from $75 to $100

Revision To Collection Of Change Fees

Effective for tickets issued on or after May 21, 2008, change fees will be collected based upon the fare component that is being changed. This applies whether the fare is a one way fare or half of a roundtrip fare. This is for travel wholly in the U.S. and/or transborder Canada. Example:

DFW - SEA GA14DNR - $150.00 change fee
SEA - LAX V14C50N - $ 50.00 change fee
LAX - DFW QA14DNR - $150.00 change fee

The customer only wants to make a change to the SEA-LAX flight. In this case, the customer would only pay a USD $50.00 change fee. If they wanted to make a change to both the SEA-LAX flight and the LAX-DFW flight, then they would pay a USD $150.00 change fee because that is more restrictive.

This procedure also applies to OA flight changes. If the SEA-LAX flight was on AS and that was the only flight being changed, then the change fee for the AS fare component would be collected.

Non-Refundable to Refundable Transactions

May 21, 2008

Effective May 21, fare rules have been changed to allow a non-refundable fare ticket to be applied to the purchase of a refundable fare ticket. Once the value of a non-refundable fare ticket has been applied to the purchase of a refundable fare ticket, only the original non-refundable amount remains non-refundable and the original non-refundable amount must be shown in the endorsement box. This applies to both wholly unused and/or partially used non-refundable fares. If there is a residual between the original non-refundable fare and the new ticket, the ASC fee may be taken from the residual and an MCO issued for the remainder. This policy applies for tickets issued on/after May 21, 2008.

First Checked Bag Fee

May 21, 2008

Customers who purchase domestic economy class tickets on or after May 12, 2008 but before June 15, 2008 may check one bag for free and check a second bag for $25 each way.  Customers who purchase domestic economy class tickets on or after June 15, 2008 will be charged $15 each way for the first checked bag and $25 each way for the second checked bag.  Our carry-on policy of one personal item (such as a purse or laptop bag) plus one bag remains in place. 

Questions?

Q. Do all customers have to pay to check a bag? A. No.   Please see exceptions below. Q. How much will it cost to check more than two bags? A. For flights within the United States the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Canada: $100 per piece for the 3rd, 4th and 5th checked bags $200 per piece for the 6th checked bag and any additional pieces

Q.	If I am traveling with my child on my lap (so I only have one ticket), and I check one bag and my child’s car seat, do I have to pay a second bag fee for the car seat?
A.	No. When traveling with a child, checked car seats and strollers will continue to be free. Other items checked as baggage will be considered as part of your checked baggage allotment and fees would apply.
Q.	If I am medically disabled and need to check my wheelchair or medical equipment in addition to my suitcase, do I need to pay a checked bag service fee?
A.	A wheelchair may be checked and will not be part of your checked bag allowance (or assessed a fee) if it is strictly for mobility purposes or is required to make a living. Other medical equipment that is checked as baggage will be considered as part of your checked baggage allotment and fees would apply.
Q.	If I check one bag and a pair of skis, do I have to pay a second bag service fee?
A.	Yes, sports equipment counts toward your baggage allowance and you would be charged a second bag service fee in addition to the first checked bag fee. All travel baggage (including but not limited to skis, golf clubs, boxes, suitcases, etc.) count toward your baggage allowance.
Q.	Can I pay for my checked bags at curbside check-in and the ticket counter?
A.	Yes.

Q. If I am an AAdvantage Executive Platinum®, AAdvantage Platinum®, or AAdvantage Gold® member when I purchase my ticket but no longer hold AAdvantage elite status as of the date of travel, does the fee apply? A. The checked bag service fee determination will be made at time of check in and will be based on your status at that time.

Q.	If I obtain an upgrade to Business or First Class after checking in and paying for a checked bag, will I be refunded the checked bag service fee?
A.	No. The service fee is based on your status and class of ticketed cabin at time of check in.
Q.	Does this bag policy apply to American Eagle flights? What about AmericanConnection® flights?
A.	Yes, this policy applies to American Eagle and AmericanConnection flights.

The following customers will not be charged a service fee to check a bag provided the bag is within the weight allowance:

• For the first checked bag, customers who buy a ticket before June 15, 2008, or who fly before June 15, 2008
• For the second checked bag, customers who purchased a ticket before May 12, 2008
• Customers traveling on an international itinerary to destinations beyond the U.S., the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, or Canada
• Customers who purchase full-fare tickets in Economy Class
• Customers who purchase Business or First Class tickets
• Customers flying on AA codeshare flights not operated by American Airlines, American Eagle or AmericanConnection®
• Customers traveling on government or military fares
• Military passengers on active duty
• AAdvantage Executive Platinum®, AAdvantage Platinum® or AAdvantage Gold® members
• oneworld Alliance Emerald, Sapphire or Ruby members
• Customers flying on the same reservation as an AAdvantage Executive Platinum, AAdvantage Platinum or AAdvantage Gold member or oneworld Alliance Emerald, Sapphire or Ruby member regardless of frequent flier status or fare type (not applicable to group bookings)
• AAnytime® Economy Class AAdvantage award tickets, MileSAAver(SM) or AAnytime First and Business Class AAdvantage award tickets
• First and Business Class upgrades confirmed prior to check in
• AAirpass travel

Special Meals From DME and To DEL

May 19, 2008

Due to provisioning issues, AA is unable to provide special meals on flights from Moscow for the first weeks of the new operation, beginning June 2, 2008.  AA booking tables have been updated to prohibit special meal orders from DME until further notice.  AA is able to provide special meals on flights to DME. 

AA now supports KSML special meal requests on eastbound ORD-DEL flights; however, KSML meals on flights from DEL are not available. 

Fake PNR Names

May 19, 2008

AA Revenue Management uses both automated and a manual processes to cancel bookings with suspect, fake or fictitious names.  Agents are reminded that speculative and fraudulent bookings, including the use of fake or fictitious passenger names, are a violation of AA policies.

New Service to Moscow

May 19, 2008

AA will begin daily service between Chicago and Moscow (DME) on June 2.  Flight 158 will leave Chicago at 5:15PM and arrive Moscow at 12:15PM the following day.  Flight 159 will depart Moscow at 2:40PM and arrive Chicago at 4:25PM.  The route will be served by 777 aircraft.