What happened
American priced business class to Delhi at 7,000 miles when multi-city award search billed only the first segment, then voided the tickets weeks later. Return Pacific business from Australia cost 10,000 miles a person. Italy ran 12,500 miles each way.
View from the Wing reports the error circulated in private groups over the September 19 weekend and that 1,000 to 2,000 tickets may have been issued. American largely closed the path around September 20, though it worked again in spots from September 27. Bookings included partner first class such as Etihad First Apartment to the Maldives.
American's contract of carriage claims a 72-hour window after it learns of a mistake fare to cancel and notify the passenger. Cancellations came weeks later. View from the Wing's author lost 18 tickets on October 9. One DOT complaint cites a September 26 call and an October 5 cancellation notice. At least one passenger was repriced to Europe business at 57,500 miles each way.
Error awards are gone, and anyone canceled after the 72-hour window is left to DOT complaints and whether leftover tickets survive.
- Numbers
- 7,000 miles: lowest reported business-class award, to Delhi
- 10,000 miles: business class home from Australia per person
- 12,500 miles: business class to Europe
- 24,500 miles: Australia outbound business class per person
- 18 tickets: author's tickets American canceled
- 72 hours: American's stated window to cancel after discovering a mistake fare
- 1,000 tickets: low end of estimated tickets issued on the error
- 2,000 tickets: high end of estimated tickets issued on the error
- 57,500 miles: each-way Europe business class one passenger was offered instead
- Where
- Delhi, Australia, Europe, Italy, Maldives
- Takeaway
- There is nothing left to book; anyone canceled after the 72-hour window can only watch DOT complaints and whether remaining tickets are honored.