Need Advise with American Airlines Please

We have booked our flights from Boston to St. Maarten on AA. Sat Jan 28 to Sat Feb 11. I just opened an email from AA informing us they have changed our flight down to a Friday NIGHT flight to Charlotte arriving at 9:30 PM. Then leaving Charlotte the NEXT MORNING at 7:30 AM to St. Maarten. We can not fly out Friday Night as now scheduled. PLUS they expect us to sleep in a airport for the night? What are my options before I call AA demanding a chamge. We fly Jet Blue every year but because the price is over $1000.00 per person we decided to fly AA. HELP!!!!!!!!! Thanks <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />

AA change flights all the time, it's ridiculous. However, every time we have called AA the customer service reps have worked really hard to accommodate our needs, including changing from a 1 stop flight to a direct flight for our upcoming trip to Mexico at no charge. Good luck!!
P.S.
It helps if you have looked at alternative flight times so you can request that to the rep right away when you speak to him/her.

They have done similar things to us. (US Air never did!) Call them up and because your flight changed you will get a refund or have them rebook you on a better flight. I usually research other airlines/or AA flights before calling. Great luck to you!

Yes, definately check what other flights are available before you call so if they offere you something you don't like (ie Miami vs NY) you can ask "what about flight # via_____.

These AA changes are why we now fly Jet Blue from Boston.

Because the airline changed your flight there should be no change charge to choose the flight that suits you better. Best of luck.

Airfarewatchdog

You can check flights on airfarewatchdog

It looks like there are plenty of flights from BOS to SXM --even via CLT that day. Go to the AA web page, look up available one way flights to SXM, then call AA and politely request your desired flights, reminding them they changed your flights, if necessary.

MY experience is their computers automatically re-assign flights in cases like this, but thy are willing to re-book you on more reasonable flights, without additional charges.

Agree with this post absolutely. AA has changed our flights many times and they've always been very good about cleaning up the messes their computer generated seating creates. One time they even allowed us to change airport routings to accommodate us.

Knowing your possibilities before you call is a good idea and I've always found a pleasant approach (as opposed to a demanding one......) will usually get me the results I'm looking for. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Get your refund and book a direct flight on Jet Blue

As others have said, research what other options are available for you, both on AA and on other airlines. Then call them up and POLITELY, as Pat said, ask to be changed to what you would prefer at this point. If they do not get you where you want to be with flights, ask for a supervisor. Since THEY changed your flights, quite significantly, you are entitled to ALL your money back, if you want to book on another airline. They are motivated to NOT give you your money back, so they will do things that they would not normally do without a fee, such as changing dates or even changing the point of origin of your flights. And as I said, if you do find flights on another airline cheaper, just dump AA and go with the other airline. Best wishes!

Don't know where you live in Mass., but you may want to consider an alternate airport such as Providence, Bradley, or the like when you prepare to speak to an agent.

Endorsing Carol's advice: AA has been making changes all through their schedule The reservation agent will be familiar with the accomadation that you are requesting. I use Google Flight https://www.google.com/flights to identify all available routing/options before engaging with AA>. Good luck!~

As previously stated they do this all the time without really considering the consequences. They changed our flight in December so that we had an hour to clear customs and make our connecting flight in Charlotte on a Saturday night. We called them up and they rebooked us to a later connection without any problems.

We live in RI and have stopped using the airport because no direct (non-stop) flights anywhere except Orlando. Worth the drive to Boston. We stay over at a park/fly hotel or use an off site parking (used to be Pre-Flight).

No nonstop from there to Miami or Charlotte? That's surprising.

I think a funny story - My last US Air trip to SXM (two years prior to the merger) we purchased when the flights became posted and our flights changed 17 times leading up to about 30 days prior to when we were departing. When I checked with them by phone to make an adjustment to their last change US Air informed me that they would no longer show the changes online because they reached a point where there had been to many updates so for any future changes I would have to call in to check if there were changes. We went with the flow and other than a night in Philadelphia on the way back all was good.

I have always had luck with the airlines getting changes made to work in my favor using my most polite and patient voice. The few times the first call did not work I have called back a second time after what I would guess that the previous shift has ended. Somehow it always works out, and hopefully all will be good in 22 days when we start our journey from Portland Oregon.

For all those east coasters having to deal with a direct or short connecting flight to get to SXM, as is the motto from the Portland Timbers - "No pity from the Rose City"
<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

Same thoughts here from the Seattle area. Just getting there or back the same day is an all day adventure. AA has always been there for us even with the anticipated schedule changes.

There's an AA PVD-CLT-SXM we use. Maybe they're close enough to BOS to make it worthwhile for the nonstop?

I just got our connecting flight to Charlotte moved up by 2 hours. Now we leave at 5:30 AM from Charleston. In all fairness to American in could be caused by St. Martin moving up landing times. I would call American ASAP.

You have gotten some excellent advice. Most of us have experienced something similar to your airline change notice. This year we booked in August for Dec/Jan vacation. Fares dropped $300/ticket. Contacted airline and got the "tough response ($200 change fee)" Following day called again and got an incredibly fair resolution (upgraded seats, $vouchers). Research plus polite, calm but firm approach pays off.