American Airlines cancelled my flight and booked me 18 days later. What to do?

[ben]

Sometimes other competing airlines will honor a ticket out of professional courtesy.
You might check other airlines flying out of BA. e.g., Delta, United, Ar. Ar.,LAN, Copa…
I did it once at the airline counter right at the airport but that was years ago.

No way that’s going to happen here.
Leaving aside that it happens very rarely in general, it’s also the case that all airlines here are swamped with people looking to rebook.

Also you might have to alter your final destination.
Instead of SFO or SAN you might have to settle for DFW or MIA and then find alternate transportation.
Good luck.

The final destination is not really the issue.
There is no real problem with domestic flights, you’ll get a connection pretty easily.
The problem is a flight from Argentina to anywhere in the US.

 

[Fiscal]

I have a flight to Miami direct from EZE on the 19th or 20th. I hope it doesn't get cancelled.

 

[¡Sencillamente yo!]

I have a flight to Miami direct from EZE on the 19th or 20th. I hope it doesn't get cancelled.

Fiscal - The Gods will not challenge you anymore than you can take! (You seem like a nice person who can't get a break, so I am hoping everything is uneventful for you.)

 

[gsd]

I booked my flight with AA through DFW in July based on following information. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/AAL996/history/20210528/2255Z/SAEZ/KDFW#flightPageActivityLog
Hopefully it is accurate.

 

[gsd]

if you search in google for "aa996" and then toggle Thu, Jun 10 it says canceled.

 

[gsd]

4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 23, 25, 27, 29 y 30 de junio; desde Buenos Aires a Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW).

 

[chris]

4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 23, 25, 27, 29 y 30 de junio; desde Buenos Aires a Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW).

I don't believe that website is accurate. If AA know in advance that a flight has not been authorised they aren't going to sell a ticket.

 

[jblaze5779]

I don't believe that website is accurate. If AA know in advance that a flight has not been authorised they aren't going to sell a ticket.

The problem is is that they don't know until the last minute due to the geniuses in charge of the flight authorization schedule.

 

[chris]

The problem is is that they don't know until the last minute due to the geniuses in charge of the flight authorization schedule.

Who is in charge of the flight authorisation schedules? And why is that information posted on some website NOW and not given to AA? Makes no sensel

 

[antipodean]

Who is in charge of the flight authorisation schedules? And why is that information posted on some website NOW and not given to AA? Makes no sensel

AA gets the information around the same time the media does - when the Argentine government (ANAC, the body in charge of civil aviation, after consulting with Ministry of Health and others) grants its approval. Sometimes the approvals come in bit by bit rather than all at once - meaning until it’s actually declined, airlines will continue to sell it.

In the small print flights are often sold “subject to governmental approval” or similar in the terms of carriage you agree to when buying a ticket. It is common practice industry and worldwide for airlines to sell seats that are not guaranteed to operate, but are hopeful of getting permission from the relevant authorities to operate as scheduled. For this reason last year we saw Argentina completely ban all scheduled commercial international flights because so many people were stranded and the government argued that capacity into Argentina needed to be reduced for sanitary reasons. Now that ban is gone, airlines are free to sell what they want but it’s buyer beware since approvals are revised every few weeks by the Argentine government who is about as predicable and dependable as ... Argentina ;-)