Air Fare drops for Fall LAX to Bonaire and REFUND on AA

[AlanWald]

Recently American Airlines dropped the Roundtrip Airfare for LAX to Bonaire (via San Juan) end of October from US$611 to US$540 (may be less on AA.com)

There is little known policy is that for those who purchased the ticket in advance at a higher price (only on INTERNATIONAL Flights) can call American Airlines and get a refund of the difference between the current lower price and the price they paid. We first found about this when someone from out group paid US$920 for the flight back in January and the next day the rest of us got it for $611 and he was given a refund of the difference after he called. Hard to believe (especially for American Airlines) but it is true.

Have you LOCATOR number and AAdvantage (Frequent Flyer Club number) number handy when you call and ask for INTERNATIONAL reservations. The reservations operator should indicate to you that normally the computer will make a charge to you when making a voluntary change and that he or she will put you on hold while they get authorization to override the fee. If they don't ask them about avoiding the change fee.

You have to call, there is no way to this on the web. They will send your a confirming email and then credit your credit card or whatever you used to pay. Less busy if you call late at night.

In the US toll free Live operator English 1-800-433-7300 7 days a week 24 hours a day.

Remember this is only for INTERNATIONAL flights.

If you are booking the flight for the first time, do it via the web site, they charge US$10 for booking a new ticket on the phone. If you are not a member of their frequent flyer club (which Code shares with Qantas, Air Pacific and others) join before flying otherwise you will lose the miles. I only found out that Air Pacific code shared with American Airlines after a flight to Fiji and missed out on 5500 miles. And these alliances do change, so always double check before flying.

 

[AlanWald]

Unfortunately the airfare jumped back up to $600, but I did get my $71 refund, it took six days to credit my account, but it was no problem to get the refund.


Never be afraid to ask, the worst they can say is no.


I always ask about better seats with more leg room at the airport even if I already have a seat assignment . This is especially a good idea when you have to go the transit desk anyway (e.g. when flying from Manado to Singapore, the machine was broken in Manado and they could not make boarding passes for the connecting flight to the US from Singapore). Often seats with extra leg room are held to the last minute. The seat I got was one of those rows where they usually put the baby cribs that attached to the wall, they have extra room

Also, on a long flight if you book a special meal in advance on a big plan like a 747 you will be served first.

 

[Dive California]

Recently American Airlines dropped the Roundtrip Airfare for LAX to Bonaire (via San Juan) end of October from US$611 to US$540 (may be less on AA.com)

Continential has flights to Bonaire for $467, thru Houston...easier than San Juan...

 

[AlanWald]

At the time we booked Continental's flights were much more expensive but its good to know they came down as well.

 

[WallDiver77]

At the time we booked Continental's flights were much more expensive but its good to know they came down as well.

Geeze, I wish I could have gotten tickets at that price!!!! Last JUne, I paid $987.00 (X3 !!!) for Continental tickets to Bonaire FrOM ABQ (Albuquerque) via Houston.

Yes, ....... it was worth it.

 

[AlanWald]

In the future, call up Continental, maybe they have a similar policy to American Airlines, though it may only apply to what the current fare is (in other words, it may be of no value if the price isn't currently down). It can't hurt to ask. Airlines are very sensitive to losing business nowadays. Don't forget to tell them divers love Bonaire and you like to go EVERY year.


To show you how wacky prices can be here is the price history for my flight in the past few weeks (tracked using YAPTA.com which once you enter the exact flight data will constantly check for changes to indicate a good time to buy or to try for a refund, every airline has different rules and they may change so ask)
Date Time Price Per Person

07/30/07 05:02 AM price changed $641.20
07/29/07 03:52 PM price changed $737.20
07/24/07 03:00 AM price changed $611.20
07/21/07 12:31 PM price changed $571.20
07/20/07 08:41 PM price changed $735.20
07/20/07 09:55 AM price changed $571.20
07/18/07 12:37 AM price changed $601.20
07/15/07 12:28 PM price changed $571.20
07/11/07 12:27 PM Purchase price $541.00
$541 is my final cost. I doubt that it will go that low again because I noticed that they changed my seat numbers, no problem, when I looked at the seating chart I saw the flight was getting pretty full

Also another tip, check the airlines web site for prices. I got an airfare on Singapore and Silk Air for March 2007 LAX to Manado, Indonesia for $1123 at Singapore Air's web site which was $700 cheaper than the same exact flight thru Expedia. My friend who is a VP of a major ticket agency told me that my price was $45 better than what it cost his company wholesale and they buy tons of tickets daily.

 

[Firedive]

One more tip: many airlines, including American, change fares and release additional seats at midnight on Wednesdays.

 

[AlanWald]

And generally the midnight in question would be wherever the home office computers are located I would assume. So, for example Delta is in Atlanta.

Seats released may include 24 hour reservation holds not used by individuals and longer holds by travel agents if this still practice still exists, in Nepal travel agents in the 1990s had holds on seats for months in advance of actual domestic flights making it almost impossible to book three months in advance, but possible a few days in advance after the unsold reservations got released)

If anyone has any specification questions on the inner workings of prices/reservations I can ask my ticket agency VP friend.

Often peak seasons have little to do with dive destinations when passing through major airports e.g. if you fly thru Singapore ( LAX-Singapore Peak seems to be March 31-Mid-Sept) to Manado or Bali you can go just before the peak or just after and the diving is still good. Also flying mid-week is generally a bit cheaper and easier to get seats. Read the fare rules.

And in many cases a one stop is significantly cheaper than non-stop to the same destination as the non-stops tend not to be discountable and fill up faster.

This is the case on Singapore Airlines LAX to Singapore then on to Manado. Everyone has to stop in Singapore, the non-stop from LAX to Singapore is more expensive than the one stop (LAX-Tokyo-SIN) but you all get to Manado at the same time.

I like the one hour stop in Tokyo to get out the plane and walk around and more time (at night) on the ground at Singapore plus it is about $300 cheaper and if you are lucky, all your seatmates get off at Tokyo and you have the row to yourself for the last leg to Singapore

 

[MikeM_scuba]

08/13 got round trip Newark - Bonaire non-stop for $358 taxes included.
Continetal airline. Check prices for October, they are still low.
Good luck