A Schedule Irregularity is an unplanned disruption, delay, or cancellation which usually occurs on the day of departure but can occur up to three days (72 hours) before departure. This includes, but is not limited to, mechanical delays, ATC (Air Traffic Control), crew legality, and weather. Generally, the carrier causing the disruption will protect the customer and exchange the ticket.
Whenever possible, for AA/001 Ticket Stock, Travel Agency Partners should follow the Irregular Operations/IROPS guidelines below and reissue the customer’s ticket at the time of rebooking up to 2hrs prior to the departure time when the customer has not been accommodated, or if the customer prefers alternate protection.
Note: AA disruptions on OA Ticket Stock must be handled by AA Reservations, Airport Personnel, or the validating carrier. Agencies are unable to assist in these circumstances.
American has automated re-accommodation systems that will assist customers when irregular operations occur. Dynamic Rebooking is offered to eligible customers to help seek alternative flight options during irregular operations (IROPS). Customers will be able to rebook their PNRs, update ticket information and check-in for their new, reaccommodated flights.
Our Automated Reaccommodation tool proactively rebooks customers impacted by flight cancellations and delays and exchanges tickets.
It is important to note that even after American has exchanged the ticket, the agency still has the ability to utilize the Saleslink – INVOL service request to protect their client on an alternate flight.
Saleslink – INVOL Reissue – Service Request allows Travel Agency Partners to bypass contacting American while verifying our Irregular Operations (IROPS) guidelines. This request only applies when American has already reissued the ticket and now your customer prefers an alternate flight(s).
Note: SalesLink automation exclusively applies to flights rebooked on AA.
When the customer is ticketed on AA/001 Ticket Stock and an irregular operation occurs, Travel Agency Partners should follow priority guidelines below to rebook an alternate flight. This includes rebooking when protection is not acceptable to the customer
Alaska (AS) flights: rebook within 48 hours of the impacted flight but no later than 6 hours of new flight departure time
5. Rebook an alternate oneworld Prime flight as follows:
| FREQUENT FLYER STATUS MEMBERS | BOOKING REQUIREMENTS |
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Non-AAdvantage members can instantly enroll online on aa.com or via the mobile app and add their number to the reservation.
IMPORTANT:
♦ Rebooking within two (2) hours of departure is prohibited
♦ Basic Economy ticketed fares are included in the rebooking guidelines and must be protected in "B" inventory
♦ For customers ticketed in a premium cabin, if the upper ticketed cabin is not available, rebook in the lower cabin
♦ Monitor the record for OA protection when another carrier operates the affected flight
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Please Note: · Rebooking on AA*/codeshare is prohibited for IROPS/INVOL protection · For OA Prime flights, you must: o Ensure you receive the OA Record Locator prior to reissue o Re-add the Secure Flight Passenger Data (DOCS/SFPD) as well as any Special Service Requests (SSR) |
Maintaining Length of Stay
When the customer's AA or JB operated flight is affected by a schedule irregularity that causes their replacement flight to be booked a day earlier or a day later than original length of stay, the customer may change their continuing or return travel dates to maintain the original length of stay prior to the re-accommodation for AA/AA* flights per the following guidelines:
· When the customer has been reaccommodated by automation, the agency can adjust the return up to 24 hours prior to departure, maintaining the original ticketed inventory, same origin, same destination, and operating carrier
New ticket Endorsement Box must include the Waiver Code: INVOL
INVOL is the only annotated verbiage required on the new ticket and supersedes the required verbiage for the ticketed fare.
· If you choose to include the original fare ticket endorsement verbiage, INVOL should appear at the start of the endorsement/restrictions text on the new ticket. For example:
ENDORSEMENTS/RESTRICTIONS-
INVOL/ NONREF/FAREDIF/CXL BY FLT TIME
When the customer is ticketed on other airline ticket stock, Travel Agency Partners should follow the guidelines below:
· Monitor your record for AA protection when the affected flight was an American Airlines operated flight
· Monitor the record for OA protection when the affected flight was operated by another carrier
· Contact AA Reservations for protection and reissue assistance:
o AA Reservations 1-800-433-7300 (U.S. and Canada)
o Outside the U.S. and Canada, reference Worldwide Reservations Numbers
When customers are ticketed to/from a MAC airport or an airport with a Co Terminal, Travel Agency Partners may rebook on AA Prime to/from the alternate Airport as indicated below:
Once the agency has accepted and reissued the ticket for the schedule irregularity, the agency may exchange again by annotating INVOL in the Endorsement Box under the following conditions:
Instant Upsell Handling Procedures
Travel Agency Partners may use the procedures shown below for customers who purchased an Instant Upsell (IU) for their ticketed flights directly from American on aa.com or via the AA Mobile App. The Instant Upsell is issued as an EMD with a separate document number therefore it does not affect the ticket issued by the agency. These upgrades are booked in either F, J, or W inventories and can be identified by the following SSR in the PNR:
• OTHS AGENCY RETAINS CONTROL OF TKT FOR REISSUES
• OTHS INSTANT UPSELL ANCILLARY EMD ISSUED 001xxxxxxxxxx
When a Schedule Irregularity / IROPS occurs, automation may rebook the customers in the upgraded cabin when available and reissue the affected coupons.
Rebooking Procedures
· Rebook the customer for the same origin/destination in the Instant Upsell inventory already purchased
o If same inventory is not available, you may downgrade to lower cabin in the lowest available inventory
· May rebook using Multiple Airport Cities or Co-terminals
· Waitlisting for Instant Upsell cabin is not applicable
· If AA has already reissued the affected coupons, follow SalesLink INVOL Reissue procedures noted within this document for AA to reissue the ticket for the newly booked flight.
Note: Advise the customer to submit a refund request for the IU EMD number(s) via AA Refunds website
Endorsement Box Requirement for Instant Upsell:
· When rebooking the customer due to Schedule Irregularity/IROPS guidelines, Agency is responsible for exchanging the ticket
· Special Waiver Code Required: INVOL/IU
o INVOL/IU must appear in the Endorsement Box of the new ticket or be subject to a debit memo
ANAC procedures do not apply for Irregular Operations (IROPS). Please follow normal Irregular Operations/IROPS guidelines
oneworld Re-accommodation
When customers are holding separate ticket(s) on AA to/from a oneworld carrier in the same PNR, they should be treated as through ticketed customers.
In the event of a disruption on the originating ticket, the carrier responsible for the disruption is required to reroute the customer to their final destination.
Travel Agents will need to contact AA Reservations for protection and reissue assistance.
· AA Reservations 1-800-433-7300 (U.S. and Canada)
· Outside the U.S. and Canada, reference Worldwide Reservations Numbers
Other Airline
When the customer is traveling on a separate ticket, to/from a non-oneworld or other airline, in the same or separate PNR’s, IROPS procedures and AA Conditions of Carriage do not apply to the separate ticket purchased by the customer as part of their journey.
Flight is cancelled
If a customer's American or AA*/codeshare flight validated on 001 has been canceled due to a schedule irregularity, which normally occurs on the day of departure, but can occur up to 72 hours prior to the schedule departure, and no other alternate flights are acceptable, Travel Agency Partners may refund a nonrefundable ticket(s) through normal ARC/BSP processing per the guideline below:
All Ticket Types:
· Refund to Original Form of Payment – Allowed
o Customer must have been Holding Confirmed (HK) at the time of the cancellation
· Travel Agent to Process Ticket Refund to Original Form Of Payment (FOP) using Waiver Code: SCRFND
· Refer to Travel Agency Refund Processing for more information
Note: If the Revenue/Published/Basic Economy or Bulk/Opaque ticket has been EXCH by AA as an INVOL the refund request must be submitted on American's refund website.
Flight is delayed
If a customer's American or AA*/codeshare flight validated on 001 has been delayed due to a schedule irregularity, which normally occurs on the day of departure, and no other alternate flights are acceptable, Travel Agency Partners may refund through normal ARC/BSP processing as indicated below:
For a nonrefundable or refundable (with a cancellation fee) ticketed fare:
You may refund to the original form of payment as long as your customer was Holding Confirmed (HK) at the time of the delay and:
· The delay was 90 minutes or greater
· The delay caused a change from a non-stop to now a connecting flight
o no time restraint applies
· The delay caused or would have caused a misconnect
Process the Ticket Refund to the Original Form of Payment (FOP) using Waiver Code: SCRFND
· Refer to Travel Agency Refund Processing for more information
Note: If the Revenue/Published/Basic Economy or Bulk/Opaque ticket has been EXCH by AA as an INVOL the refund request must be submitted on American's refund website.
Travel Agency Refund Processing Instructions
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Once the agency has accepted and reissued the ticket for the Schedule Irregularity with INVOL in the endorsement box on the new ticket, and the customer decides not to travel: · Refund is permitted as long as the original schedule irregularity qualifies under any of the guidelines above and the customer was Holding Confirmed (HK) at the time of the change and/or cancellation
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U.S. agencies processing through ARC |
International IATA agencies processing through BSP |
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Process refund through your GDS/System
If unable to refund through your GDS/System, you may process in your ARC/IAR Refund Detail Screen: · Input the waiver code: Ø SCRFND
· For assistance, contact the ARC Help Desk at
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Process refund through your GDS/System
If unable to refund through your GDS/System, you may submit a BSP Refund Application (RA): · Input the Reason for Refund and the waiver code: Ø SCRFND
· For instructions on how to access IATA and use BSPLink, contact the local IATA/BSP office
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Updated: October 2023