Quote:
Originally Posted by DKing
Thanks OMBUDSMAN
Yes it was flight 114 direct from LAX to EWR A320FAN
To answer your question OMBUDSMAN, I was booked in first class on the Newark flight which is a 2 cabin plane, since there was only 1 flight to Newark the rep said we would fly you into JFK. All JFK flights are 3 cabin planes. So I said fine, can they put me in business instead of first, they refused, they said we will put you in coach, I asked them so you want me to pay for a first class ticket to sit in coach when you confirmed that the new flight has the same type of ticket and fare class of ticket that i originally brought. Their answer, sorry we wont do it.
I ended up canceling their ticket, fighting with them to get a full refund on which they were trying to charge me a $25 fee to refund my money, and rebooking for the same fare on Continental.
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My recommendation is next time you are told that something is "do-able" by a telephone agent, insist that they note your reservation with what you requested and what was promised. Unfortunately you were either speaking to an agent who was clueless and/or didn't bother to check the rules or just wanted to tell you what you wanted to hear to get you off the phone.
AA has an upgraded product from LAX to JFK. As you mentioned they fly 3-cabin 767s vs the 2 cabin single-aisle aircraft on either the non-stop or connecting service to Newark. UA also has a similar service, branded as PS (for preferred service) from both LAX and SFO to JFK but not EWR. The base fare for both business and fist classes to JFK are several hundred dollars more than the run of the mill domestic first offered to EWR. The business seats are larger and have more legroom and the meal and beverage service is more like their international product as well. Also if you were booked in first to Newark the fare class was F whereas business class on the widebodies to JFK book into J class so when you were told the same fare class wasn't available (by the second agent) they were being factual. I'm not sure exactly how AA handles "downgrades" but to expect you to pay the same for a coach seat to JFK as you did for a first class seat to EWR is simply ludicrous. You should have been offered a refund for the difference with no questions asked.
Bottom line is it seems you were aware that AA offers upgraded service on the JFK non-stops and kudos for trying to get them to switch you to that flight without paying the difference in fare. Unfortunately it didn't work out as you had planned given the response from the first agent you spoke with but were you realistically expecting a different outcome?