AA EXP denied boarding on paid ticket over allegations about FF account

Folks here might want to check out a thread in the AA forum on TOBB that was started two days ago by tonytifao. This has attracted a lot of attention and about 360 posts.

The executive summary is that a six year EXP received an email on Friday evening saying his account was suspended while AA investigates, apparently focusing on an award ticket for his wife and two other award tickets given to other people, with different last names and addresses. He called EXP desk who could not tell him much except that his planned flight to the USA from Brazil over the weekend was OK. At the airport, he was denied boarding and no one was available to explain or do anything. He's returned to post updates and seems to be a five year member with only a couple dozen posts. He did succeed in traveling to the USA on AA yesterday and has been communicating with their audit/fraud department.

This is also discussed briefly on travelingbetter.com. If anyone finds his posts on airliners net, it would be interesting to have links.

I just popped over here to see if anyone had a take on the fact that the thread is locked AND the OP is suspended from FT. I'm not a "black helicopter" guy but I have some opinions on the direction FT in general is heading. Wonder what's up. Hard to believe that's the mods just pull the plug and leave it at that...

I believe the thread was locked not because of the OP's complaints but because the thread had devolved into lots of ad hominem attacks, rampant speculation, and side conversation about other airlines (UA/CO/DL/US).

I've been following the story and can't help but laugh at how fun(ny) TOBB can be. Generally speaking, I agree with what most of the posters on TravelingBetter have been saying: the paid ticket should have been honored, and while no company is perfect AA doesn't take the freezing of an account lightly and probably had good information on which to base that decision.

As with most "AA locked my account, I'm being investigated!" threads, we won't hear AA's side of the story and the OP probably won't be coming back to tell us how things ended up. Most particularly in this case since he's now suspended on FT.

I get the "caught selling eVIPs/miles false outrage" part of the whole saga should it be true, but being denied boarding on a paid ticket I just don't understand at all. I guess AA can choose to ban him from flying on their airline, but to do it at the airport seems extreme.

This is probably all speculation but if I was a guessing man I'd say AA figured if he was allowed to fly on a paid ticket, with his FF account suspended, then it would be yet another fight later about "where are my miles from my paid trip" type of thing.

Although I don't see anything in the AA CoC that would allow them to deny you boarding based on some dispute over your AAdvantage account.

Made an interesting read.

What really scares me is how people are willing to believe that anyone who posts something that may be considered to be negative about a program are so quickly labelled trolls or liars accused of not telling the full story. On the other hand it also scares how quickly people want to bring in the lawyers for what can be simple misunderstandings or mistakes. If it is an error why not sit back and wait for a few days to see how AA offer to resolve it.

AA deserves to become insolvent with such "customer service".

I can see the validity in your sentiment but disagree a bit. I understand the skepticism they've demonstrated, perhaps not always vocalized in the best way, but understand it. There's a long history of these types of posts that have ended in the OP disappearing or being guilty.

It's always best to advise people in these situations to be honest and direct with AA about how they used the SWUs and miles. Other than that, it's between them and AA.

Welcome to MP flagstaff.

Must disagree with your assessment, though. AA has customer service foul ups and customer service shining moments, just like any other airline. You'll find similar stories about UA/CO/DL/US stepping on customer toes in a variety of situations. AA's money problems are related to other issues entirely and situations like this won't be steering me away from them just yet.

I have followed the story over there since it started and I have to say I don't think this is the same as the other situations as DestinationDavid has pointed out. Here, the OP consistently gave updates on the situation and what was happening. It was not the case of an OP complaining and then disappearing.

What did the OP do to get suspended from FT anyway? Posting about how he wanted to sue or take it to the media (because no one else has ever done that )?

Also, the conversation didn't devolve too much into other airlines, there were maybe 5-10 posts (max) on other airlines, but the rest were still debating the original topic.

That's one of the pluses/minuses (depending on how you view things) of FT: they have mods and they don't explain their decisions. We'll just have to wonder.

I think it was a bit more than 5-10 posts, especially considering mods there often remove/delete posts as they deem them inappropriate, so it's hard to get a solid number as they come and go so quickly.

There was still a lot of accusations and personal infighting going on between those invested in the thread, too. A controversial thread that kept slipping off topic with lots of personal attacks flying back and forth? Perfect storm for a FT moderator to shut down. I'm surprised it went as long as it did, and I think it's mostly because the OP was keeping the thread updated as you mentioned.

Those who are defending "poor Tony" might want to take a peek at the some most recent posts on TB.
(while you wipe the eggs of your face)

FTers have long (and good) memories. That tidbit seems to give the suspension some shape.

Link?

This community, in some ways, seems to get smaller...WE are here, there, and everywhere...

I think newbluesea is referencing this post: LINK.

This thread in general is good reading: LINK. Those interested specifically on convesation surrounding the most recent FT posts, the topic starts at post #43.

Not sure why anyone would have to wipe egg off their face.

The truth is none of us likely know all the facts and never will. Did I think that there was more to Tony's story than he posted - without a doubt, to me he seemed very eager to constantly raise the compensation question. Did I feel that gave me the right to call him a liar - no way and even in view of the further information provided it does not.

Just because another poster suggests Tony has a history indicating why he might be suspended that does not change the way I feel because I don't know the other person either. He has no greater credibility with me than Tony does.

Did Tony's post make me think that AA were total morons, I was never going to fly with them again - Hell no. I choose to judge based on my personal experience. If there were 10 posts on the same day claiming the same facts I might start to think what is going on.

I still do not think that this case justifies anyone making the assumption that a complainer is a liar or a troll.

So the informed (and perhaps likely true) speculation is OP was brokering eVIP's. I get that. AA should go after him hard, lock and drain his account, and even ban him from the airline if they see fit. BUT to deny a passenger to board a RETURN flight on a PAID ticket? Wow - pretty major screw-up IMO.

Re: FT. My guess (based on TB talk) is they suspended him due to having more than one FT account. Locking the thread outright is a whole additional matter and is LAME. The thread hadn't gotten anywhere near as derogatory/inflammatory as many I've seen.

They also don't explain or reveal any Mod rules or if Mods receive any compensation of any kind from airlines, hotels, etc. They're very quiet on that point.

Perhaps related to the odd appearance of a newly registered user on that thread named "IBuyAAeVIPs"?

Overall I don't see the issues as being so dramatic. "Tony" admittedly broke the rules. He was busted while away from his home base. OK, I understand. SO... Tough... We know the rules. We break them and are caught. OK!
As one who tries to follow the rules I sympathize with AA mor than I do with Tony.

Imagine that!

Well, as a lawyer I often see people judge before the facts, and even when the facts are presented we should take a lot of care because we are always talking about another person, that has rights!! We can give our opinions freely, but its always good to try not to speak about personal stuff or even curse the author! That's what I think regardless of his actions in the Aadvatange program!

I read with interest the "connection" that was made on TB between the OP's claim of consistently using his eVIP's, and post from the same OP, from the not-so-distant past noting that, late in the expriation year, he has all 8 unused. Simlarly intriguing was the alleged absence of any at AA that could remedy, if necessary, the denied boarding in a timely manner. And similarly intriguing was AA's locking of the person's account. Whether that was due to Tony's account being suspect, or a transaction that Tony undertook with a suspect person (knowingly, or unknowingly) we may never know.....

The moderators on FT understandably cannot disclose the reasons for their suspension of the OP. The OP and AA may understandably be the only ones who know the full t & c's of nvewhatever the outcome is of the OP's complaint and AA's investigation.

The true "end of the story" may never be known.....

I believe this sort of thing is occasionally seen by non-lawyers as well.

You're right, but it's a rare thing, since most of people don't have the "innocent till proven guilt" concept on their heads!!