One-Way "Flex" Awards announced

[honu]

What's the longest international connection that doesn't become a "stopover" with these AAwards now? 6 hours or 23:59? What if the next segment is not scheduled to leave for > 6 or 24 hours?

[rrgg]

I assume AAnytime will have the same new restrictions even though full fare often allows a stopover? I guess it also seems odd that some revenue tickets allow a natural stopover but the equivalent award does not. For example QF allowing SYD.

[JonNYC]

Originally Posted by honu

What's the longest international connection that doesn't become a "stopover" with these AAwards now? 6 hours or 23:59? What if the next segment is not scheduled to leave for > 6 or 24 hours?

I have no reason to believe the overall routing rules have changed. It's certainly a possibility, but I haven't seen anything on that yet.

Originally Posted by rrgg

I assume AAnytime will have the same new restrictions even though full fare often allows a stopover? I guess it also seems odd that some revenue tickets allow a natural stopover but the equivalent award does not. For example QF allowing SYD.

Same answer, I haven't seen anything to indicate.

On either or both counts there may well be changes that we simply haven't seen yet. There are many references to the routing being based on routings that exist for paid fares (as in whatever fares partner carriers have filed, looking at a fare quote for a revenue ticket to determine valid connecting Cities) and MPM (and an allowable overage over same), but no mention yet that I see of mimicking the stopover rules (where applicable) of those fare. Until I do see that, my tentative, personal assumption is no.

I'll even go so far-- somewhat speculatively-- to say that there are some, more unusual routings (made unusual presumable due to non-award-availability on more direct routings at the time of booking) that were allowable as a "old" (2 days ago) awards that will now require 2 awards in some cases, even if no stopover is requested, on a one-way trip. Think "exceeding MPM (again, with a specified cushion on that amount)" or "no fare filed." This applies more to all-partner awards than all-AA awards. And, would be pretty rare for most users.

[JonNYC]

Edit to above post w/ more thoughts.

[JonNYC]

One other example I should have given above (as a partner-award that might trigger two awards under some circumstances) a flight between two places where the partner being used one has non-stop fares filed and a multi-segment trip is required due to award availability or other reasons.

[rrgg]

Originally Posted by JonNYC

I'll even go so far-- somewhat speculatively-- to say that there are some, more unusual routings (made unusual presumable due to non-award-availability on more direct routings at the time of booking) that were allowable as a "old" (2 days ago) awards that will now require 2 awards in some cases, even if no stopover is requested, on a one-way trip.

I don't mean to get into speculation but that would be a double whammy. Unusual routings can really help find an award in my experience.

[brp]

Originally Posted by JonNYC

On either or both counts there may well be changes that we simply haven't seen yet.

I know that Jon has said basically this same thing several times in this thread, and it really does seem to be the most prudent advice. This is a big change, and -extremely- new, so there are bound to be hiccups and glitches in both the system and the agents' understanding. It will probably take a little while before this gets completely sorted out and we can see if it is the negative change that it appears, on surface, to be for many of us. But I concur that it is still too early to tell if the negatives will stick.

Cheers.

[JonNYC]

Originally Posted by rrgg

I don't mean to get into speculation but that would be a double whammy. Unusual routings can really help find an award in my experience.

I can't accurately quantify what % of bookings we're talking about, but my guess is "miniscule."

Assuming I'm even reading it right, one would have to be seeking a routing that the partner's filed fares don't allow -or- exceeds the MPM for any such fare (by more than xx%) -or- the partner only files non-stop fares on that routing. IMHO, -most- unusual routings we could use before, we can still use (minus the stopovers, of course (absent tacking on another award.))

Any or all of this could be due to my faulty reading of the information. Although, I don't think so.

ALSO, *important* MANY, many even slightly complicated itins are "mis-pricing" presently (often showing "2 awards needed" when only 1 is) SO, -don't- go by some first-hand reports we may see over the next few days-- they will be inaccurate in terms of determining the new rules. This especially applies to itins that do not include N. America.

[JonNYC]

Originally Posted by brp

I know that Jon has said basically this same thing several times in this thread, and it really does seem to be the most prudent advice. This is a big change, and -extremely- new, so there are bound to be hiccups and glitches in both the system and the agents' understanding. It will probably take a little while before this gets completely sorted out and we can see if it is the negative change that it appears, on surface, to be for many of us. But I concur that it is still too early to tell if the negatives will stick.

Cheers.

Agreed, except, as far as I can tell the application of revenue-fare rules does seem to be a major and premeditated part of this and I -don't- expect that to change, as it's a foundation of the whole thing. The part I see the details on (as opposed to the parts with large omissions,) I don't expect to change, personally.
First example:
http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/comm...98-6-post.html

I haven't looked at what the MPM is LHR-JFK, but, assuming it's far less than LHR-xYVR-JFK.. we may see the end of that one.

Someone tell me what the MPM is on that and I'll conform if that award routing is now dead.

[JonNYC]

Originally Posted by JonNYC

First example:
http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/comm...98-6-post.html

I haven't looked at what the MPM is LHR-JFK, but, assuming it's far less than LHR-xYVR-JFK.. we may see the end of that one.

Someone tell me what the MPM is on that and I'll conform if that award routing is now dead.

MPM for LHR-JFK appears to be 4149.

LHR-xYVR-JFK is 7172.

Under the new rules:

• as I understand them
• unless they change
• unless there's some weird exception I'm not yet aware of

this award is not allowed. This one is not a temporary "pricing error."