Waitlisted for Business Class question & 90 minute connection okay?
May 3rd, 2013, 03:14 PM
#1
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Waitlisted for Business Class question & 90 minute connection okay?
I posted this query on the Lounge initially and realized I would probably have better luck here instead - duh! So, once again:
I'm wait listed for a Business Class upgrade (currently holding a ticket in economy) using miles+fee combo on AA round trip from Chgo-Paris outbound, return Lyon-Heathrow-Chgo mid October and wonder if any of you Fodorite frequent flyers know what I can expect in wait time before being notified (fingers crossed) of an available upgrade? I booked the ticket in mid April.
Also, the BA leg from Lyon to Heathrow allows only 90 minutes to get to the AA terminal for the return segment to Chicago. Is this doable? I usually request a wheelchair or the motorized service when at Heathrow due to walking limitations.
Thank you for any help given!
I'm wait listed for a Business Class upgrade (currently holding a ticket in economy) using miles+fee combo on AA round trip from Chgo-Paris outbound, return Lyon-Heathrow-Chgo mid October and wonder if any of you Fodorite frequent flyers know what I can expect in wait time before being notified (fingers crossed) of an available upgrade? I booked the ticket in mid April.
Also, the BA leg from Lyon to Heathrow allows only 90 minutes to get to the AA terminal for the return segment to Chicago. Is this doable? I usually request a wheelchair or the motorized service when at Heathrow due to walking limitations.
Thank you for any help given!
May 5th, 2013, 05:35 PM
#4
I'm a little puzzled. Are you already ticketed for the return flight? If so I wonder what your date is, because I can't find a LYS-LHR-ORD schedule that has that short a connection at Heathrow. The shortest "legal" connection I can see is 2h 50m, which is more than ample to get from T5 to the far reaches of T3.
But maybe I'm looking at the wrong dates. 90 minutes for that connection would be the bare minimum, and if you had any mobility issues I'd contact AA and have them see if there was a later Chicago flight or an earlier Lyon flight.
But maybe I'm looking at the wrong dates. 90 minutes for that connection would be the bare minimum, and if you had any mobility issues I'd contact AA and have them see if there was a later Chicago flight or an earlier Lyon flight.
May 6th, 2013, 06:42 AM
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Gardyloo
I'm ticketed 10/31/13 on BA Flight 6633 Lyon to Heathrow - 7:00 am-7:45 am (assume a hour time difference/later in England)
Connecting to AA Flight 87 Heathrow to ORD - 9:15 am - 1:10 pm
What would you recommend?
I'm ticketed 10/31/13 on BA Flight 6633 Lyon to Heathrow - 7:00 am-7:45 am (assume a hour time difference/later in England)
Connecting to AA Flight 87 Heathrow to ORD - 9:15 am - 1:10 pm
What would you recommend?
May 6th, 2013, 07:09 AM
#6
Ah, I think maybe your other thread said "mid-October" so that got into my head; I didn't look at the end of the month. (The schedule you have doesn't even come into effect until the 27th.)
So, what would I do? I'd contact AA right away and explain your mobility issues and concerns, and ask if it's possible to reschedule you to the next AA flight to Chicago, AA 47 departing at 1:15 PM (arr. Chicago 4:50 PM). (By the way your Lyon departure is on AA 6633, a codeshare operated by BA as flight BA 365. You won't find any AA counters at Lyon.)
One of the advantages of making this change is that the chances of your upgrade clearing may well be slightly improved, as AA 47 is operated with a 777, while the earlier flight (AA 67) is operated with a 767. The 777 is a bigger plane with more business class seats (also first class if any business pax want to be upgraded) so mathematically the chances go up slightly that you'll get the u/g. There's really no way of knowing how that will go, but since you requested the u/g so soon I'd expect the odds are good.
Hopefully AA will understand your concerns and won't whack you with a change fee, but if they want to and you don't want to pay it, then you really need to focus on getting help at Heathrow.
I misspoke earlier and didn't realize that the Lyon flight is one BA took over from BMI when BA bought BMI last year. The Lyon flight is scheduled to use Terminal 1 at Heathrow, not T5. The transfer from T1 to T3 is shorter (same process - go to "flight connections" when you land) so it <i>might</i> be a little quicker overall. However, often AA uses gates at the far reaches of T3, so the travel time from the security point at T3 to the actual gate can be quite long, making assistance even more important if time is short. Hopefully this will all be moot because AA will make the change for humanitarian reasons (I know, ha ha) and your upgrade will clear and you'll be able to enjoy the exotic pleasures of the Admirals Club at T3 while you wait for your silver sky chariot.
(Well, that's if you regard jug coffee, old digestive biscuits and cheese cubes as exotic.)
So, what would I do? I'd contact AA right away and explain your mobility issues and concerns, and ask if it's possible to reschedule you to the next AA flight to Chicago, AA 47 departing at 1:15 PM (arr. Chicago 4:50 PM). (By the way your Lyon departure is on AA 6633, a codeshare operated by BA as flight BA 365. You won't find any AA counters at Lyon.)
One of the advantages of making this change is that the chances of your upgrade clearing may well be slightly improved, as AA 47 is operated with a 777, while the earlier flight (AA 67) is operated with a 767. The 777 is a bigger plane with more business class seats (also first class if any business pax want to be upgraded) so mathematically the chances go up slightly that you'll get the u/g. There's really no way of knowing how that will go, but since you requested the u/g so soon I'd expect the odds are good.
Hopefully AA will understand your concerns and won't whack you with a change fee, but if they want to and you don't want to pay it, then you really need to focus on getting help at Heathrow.
I misspoke earlier and didn't realize that the Lyon flight is one BA took over from BMI when BA bought BMI last year. The Lyon flight is scheduled to use Terminal 1 at Heathrow, not T5. The transfer from T1 to T3 is shorter (same process - go to "flight connections" when you land) so it <i>might</i> be a little quicker overall. However, often AA uses gates at the far reaches of T3, so the travel time from the security point at T3 to the actual gate can be quite long, making assistance even more important if time is short. Hopefully this will all be moot because AA will make the change for humanitarian reasons (I know, ha ha) and your upgrade will clear and you'll be able to enjoy the exotic pleasures of the Admirals Club at T3 while you wait for your silver sky chariot.
(Well, that's if you regard jug coffee, old digestive biscuits and cheese cubes as exotic.)
May 6th, 2013, 06:26 PM
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Gandyloo
Thank you for your very detailed and informative reply. I did call AA as you suggested to see about rescheduling to the 1:15 departure but it seems AA is fresh out of humanity at present, as I was informed the change fee they require is $275, not an insignificant amount when added to the base fare, upgrade charge+miles. The agent I spoke with repeatedly assured me that it is a "legal" connection and with wheelchair assistance I would be able to make the 9:15 flight. I said I would think about it and call back. Argh!
Thank you for your very detailed and informative reply. I did call AA as you suggested to see about rescheduling to the 1:15 departure but it seems AA is fresh out of humanity at present, as I was informed the change fee they require is $275, not an insignificant amount when added to the base fare, upgrade charge+miles. The agent I spoke with repeatedly assured me that it is a "legal" connection and with wheelchair assistance I would be able to make the 9:15 flight. I said I would think about it and call back. Argh!
May 7th, 2013, 06:06 AM
#8
I'm sorry that they weren't able to see fit to change you. Yes, it is a "legal" connection but it's right on the cusp.
This makes it more important that you get help at Heathrow. I'd recommend you study these web pages so that you can get help asap on landing from Lyon.
http://www.heathrowairport.com/heath...ial-assistance
http://www.heathrowairport.com/heath...-international
Best of luck on the upgrade clearing, too!
This makes it more important that you get help at Heathrow. I'd recommend you study these web pages so that you can get help asap on landing from Lyon.
http://www.heathrowairport.com/heath...ial-assistance
http://www.heathrowairport.com/heath...-international
Best of luck on the upgrade clearing, too!
May 7th, 2013, 04:44 PM
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Gardyloo
Again, my thanks for the prompt reply and the links which I have just read through. The 75 minute "if all goes well" scenario for connection time scares the bejeebers out of me. I should have known better to have accepted this reservation in the first place. Ah well, I had an off day and certainly will learn from this.
I was on a flight to Berlin a few years back, also with a connection at Heathrow on AA. The requested wheelchair with attendant was a "no show". After deplaning out on the field and being assured by an AA flight attendant that all I needed to do was walk the short distance into the terminal where there would be a wheelchair with attendant waiting, I was shocked to find no such thing, only a lower level connecting series of hallways between terminals. There was no desk, no airline personnel to request help from and I walked/limped for what seemed miles before reaching a BA desk (this was also a AA code share combo) where I was able to obtain a wheelchair, finally, to get me to the departure gate for my connection. Oh yes, and the wheel chair attendant shook me down, yelling into the back of my head to be generous with his tip as we trundled along.
I'm an adventurous senior lady with double knee replacements who has traveled the world solo. I'm not afraid of a challenge and I'm not a whiner. But there are good and bad days when mobility does become difficult. So, my plan is to try one more time with AA to see if I can get a more empathetic agent and plead my case. Otherwise, I'm tempted to cough up the bucks for the change fee and be done. Then hold my breathe for the upgrade.
Again, my thanks for your great well of knowledge/advice and willingness to share it.
Again, my thanks for the prompt reply and the links which I have just read through. The 75 minute "if all goes well" scenario for connection time scares the bejeebers out of me. I should have known better to have accepted this reservation in the first place. Ah well, I had an off day and certainly will learn from this.
I was on a flight to Berlin a few years back, also with a connection at Heathrow on AA. The requested wheelchair with attendant was a "no show". After deplaning out on the field and being assured by an AA flight attendant that all I needed to do was walk the short distance into the terminal where there would be a wheelchair with attendant waiting, I was shocked to find no such thing, only a lower level connecting series of hallways between terminals. There was no desk, no airline personnel to request help from and I walked/limped for what seemed miles before reaching a BA desk (this was also a AA code share combo) where I was able to obtain a wheelchair, finally, to get me to the departure gate for my connection. Oh yes, and the wheel chair attendant shook me down, yelling into the back of my head to be generous with his tip as we trundled along.
I'm an adventurous senior lady with double knee replacements who has traveled the world solo. I'm not afraid of a challenge and I'm not a whiner. But there are good and bad days when mobility does become difficult. So, my plan is to try one more time with AA to see if I can get a more empathetic agent and plead my case. Otherwise, I'm tempted to cough up the bucks for the change fee and be done. Then hold my breathe for the upgrade.
Again, my thanks for your great well of knowledge/advice and willingness to share it.
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