Increased AA availability phone booking?

[Panache]

In our Xmas vacation plans, SO and I needed a flight from Bogota, Colombia back to IAD/DCA for Jan 2. On BA, LAN was showing Business availability only, and then on AA.com, connections back to DC in business involved 2 stops, with no economy avaiable. I don't like blowing business class miles for short 2-3 hour flights each, but that was all I could find.

We called to book the business class routing today, and when I gave the CSR the tortuous 2 stop journey back to DCA, she was flummoxed as to why we didn't want the nonstop. Agent found economy availability in LAN and (several!) nonstop connections to DCA the following day that weren't showing online. She was friendly and effective.

So, guess with AA always book by phone?

 

[italdesign]

I had it happen once. I wrote it off as simply the space had become available by the time I called. Let's see if it happens more.

 

[smittytabb]

In our Xmas vacation plans, SO and I needed a flight from Bogota, Colombia back to IAD/DCA for Jan 2. On BA, LAN was showing Business availability only, and then on AA.com, connections back to DC in business involved 2 stops, with no economy avaiable. I don't like blowing business class miles for short 2-3 hour flights each, but that was all I could find.

We called to book the business class routing today, and when I gave the CSR the tortuous 2 stop journey back to DCA, she was flummoxed as to why we didn't want the nonstop. Agent found economy availability in LAN and (several!) nonstop connections to DCA the following day that weren't showing online. She was friendly and effective.

So, guess with AA always book by phone?

I have had that experience as well but assumed since I was EXP it was just that. It never hurts to call. Indeed, I have had good luck with calling after I have a plan and they find something better.

 

[Panache]

Does the same apply to United? I'm trying to find a leg DCA-MCO on Dec 23 but it isn't showing anything, and I did double check on aeroplan.

 

[smittytabb]

Does the same apply to United? I'm trying to find a leg DCA-MCO on Dec 23 but it isn't showing anything, and I did double check on aeroplan.

Haven't booked on United in awhile (well since the devaluation). I cleared out my account and haven't looked back. But, their website was always better in terms of accurate inventory than AA. Not sure if that is still the case or not.