Questions and Answers

Hi! My wife and two kids are flying to Sydney in December via Vancouver on American and Qantas biz from ORD. Unfortunately AA cancelled the direct AA flight to Vancouver from ORD so now they fly to Dallas at 515am then Vancouver with an 8hr stopover 🙁 American has plenty of paid availability on their direct flight LAX to SYD in biz. Will I have any chance of getting them to open up that availability so my family can fly ORD LAX SYD? I am a lowly AA platinum lol.

I doubt it. I recently flew the QF flight out of SFO. When I made the reservation (9 months in advance) the only connecting flights they made available were MEM-PHX-SFO with the first leg on a regional jet (though it did have F). There was the early pair of flights that left MEM at 7:30 AM and the late set of flights left at 2:30 PM. So that gave me either a 9 hour layover in SFO or a 3.5 hour layover (with no wiggle room if a flight was cancelled). They never made a flight out of DFW available. My friend who was flying from ORD to meet me in SFO never found F availability ORD-SFO. She eventually changed to an Alaska Air flight (for a $100 fee) just so she didn’t have to go premium economy (which she’d also had to buy up from the economy award ticket).

I set award alerts in Expert Flyer and never in that whole 9 months did F award space open up. So while anything can happen, I wouldn’t hold my breath.

I agree, it would be a tough thing to change. What time were they originally leaving Chicago? If it’s a drastic change from the new 515am departure, I’d stress that when you call.

It was originally 10am to Vancouver then 8hr layover. Now 515am with an extra stop.

On one hand, I think you have a case because that’s a 5 hour change. You would have to frame your argument/question to them around why leaving at 5am drastically changes your travel plans. You may not have luck switching to American though… why not ask for Qantas flight from Dallas or San Francisco?

Thanks for the reply’s!!!! I guess I thought American may have more chance as it’s an American reward and they’ll have more access to their own inventory.

I’m trying hard as I’m flying back on qf first with my boy the same day after finding some surprising qantas availability.

I just thought Qantas would be easier since their flights have 60+ business class seats versus American who only has 30.

Either way though, I’d just call and stress about the time change not working with your plans and ask what your options are. Then be prepared with your own solution depending what they say.

Thanks for the advice all!! I rang American, got a wonderful agent and she put my wife and two kids on ord to Syd via lax on American!! All in biz. 2hr stopover. Couldn’t believe it!! I really didn’t think it would be possible. The agent seemed pretty experienced. Didn’t have to talk to a supervisor or anything. Just unlocked the space. Lovely.

Awesome!