Watch Out: American Airlines Misleads You When Trying To Change Your Ticket
I’m looking at changing an American Airlines business class ticket. This is not a cheap ticket. It’s well over $3,000 one way. American’s website says it’s possible to do what I want,
- “FLAGSHIP available” (business class) – excellent!
- The cost? Minus $486 – get credit back, even better! Save $950 to drop down to coach, an incremental $414 savings, no thank you.
The problem? Click through, selecting FLAGSHIP at a ($486) cost and it turns out that American Airlines wants $1,034 to stay in business class. The $486 savings is actually to downgrade to premium economy.
American Airlines is lumping premium economy and business class together, and also offering a $400 upsell to access the Chelsea lounge at New York JFK. I often see ‘Business Plus’ at the $250 price point, still a lot, but could make sense if you were flying Tulsa – Dallas – Miami – New York JFK – Europe or vice versa and hit First Class Dining in Dallas and Miami and then Chelsea in New York.
Chelsea Lounge New York JFK
Chelsea Lounge New York JFK
Vasu Raja promised that every transaction would be possible as a “100% digital experience” by the end of 2023. I’m still waiting for the ability to confirm upgrades (with miles or systemwides). The only upgrades that were confirmable online – Business ExtrAA upgrades – were taken away as a benefit last year.
Meanwhile, American Airlines wants everyone to interact directly with them. They are penalizing travel agents, taking away access to sell the cheapest seats and even taking away mileage-earning from many customers who book through agents that don’t use American’s direct connection. Raja says that it’s cheaper and easier to book direct and this removes friction from the travel process, and helps companies lower cost. That just is not true.
American’s online technology doesn’t help guide the customer to make the best decisions. In this case, it misleads the customer – promising one thing, and offering another – bait and switch.
The airline’s website display is simply misleading here. A customer in business class, told that business class is available and a nearly $500 savings is available making a change into a premium cabin, would expect they’re being offered a new business class seat for less if they change. Instead American is displaying a lower cabin in order to offer a lower price. Caveat emptor!
