Jorj, this is an update on the American Airlines-maybe-going-bankrupt danger to one's FF miles conversation I had with you after I saw you discussing that subject...
I was worried about it because we have 122,000 AA FF miles I definitely didn't want to lose.
I'm thinking maybe this would be of interest to others with AA FF miles going idle, and being, possibly, at risk.
I called up AA and had a friendly talk with an agent about the subject. He said he thought it would be okay, said good things were happening, etc. Of course I know he wouldn't exactly feel free to say "Yes, we're about to go under, your FF miles are going to be toast."
But we did have a friendly chat about the sacrifices the pilots and others were making, and extending to his own salary cut, his mortgage payments, his two old cars that keep breaking down, his two dogs' vet bills...
At the end of this conversation, which I suppose he was inclined to have because i called at an off hour when they weren't busy, he said something extra. He advised me to get ticketed for whatever trip we were planning immediately, even if I did it "eleven months ahead." The reason he offered was so that I could get "good flights," but he hadn't said this until after our friendly chat.
So later I thought...hmmmm... I wonder if this was a little hint. That maybe those who were already ticketed might be in a different status in the event of a Chapter 11 than those whose FF miles were sitting in their accounts.
So... I just booked a nine day Venice trip in September. I'm guessing that if AA goes under, their already-ticketed passengers will be taken care of by other airlines.
Who knows? Can't hurt. The most I risk is the $20. cancellation fee for the hotel reservation (which I also just made.) |
