External Reservation Handling Fee

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An External Reservation Handling Fee (ERHF) applies to changes to tickets that were originally purchased through external ticketing sources, such as traditional travel agencies, online travel agencies or other airlines and are subsequently changed through AA Reservations, airport ticket offices or AA Travel Centers. Customers who purchased tickets directly from American via AA.com, telephone reservations, airport ticket offices and Travel Centers are not assessed the External Reservation Handling Fee.

Note: Airport personnel refer to this handling fee as an Airport Service Fee and not an External Reservation Handling Fee. AA airport staff will follow the same guidelines for charging the fee when an itinerary change is made to an external reservation at the airport. Airport (ATO) and Travel Center fees are shown below.

AA airport (ATO) or AA Travel Center staff will not collect the fee for making seat assignments. The fee for making seat assignments directly with AA Reservations is $15.00 for tickets purchased through non-AA locations.

The ERHF was effective January 26, 2006 for U.S. (including Puerto Rico and USVI)/ Canada point of sale tickets and March 1, 2006 for UK/Europe point of sale tickets.

Tickets originally purchased through external ticketing sources in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico and USVI) and Canada:

Tickets originally purchased through external ticketing sources in the UK and Europe:

 The fee applies to:

• Voluntary itinerary changes processed by AA Reservations centers and at airport ticket offices (ATO) and AA Travel Centers (TC) for US/Canada/UK/Europe point of sale tickets originally purchased through traditional travel agencies, online travel agencies and other airlines, including oneworld and codeshare partners
• Domestic and international itineraries
• Changes made on/after January 26, 2006 regardless of ticketing date for US/Canada point of sale. Changes made on/after March 1, 2006 regardless of ticketing date for UK/Europe point of sale
• "Floating VCRs" which are VCRs that are no longer associated with an active PNR
• Changes involving a fare where no change fee/penalty is applicable and there is no difference in fare, as would be the case with many Unrestricted fares
• Assigning or changing seat assignments for those customers who purchase tickets through a ticketing source other than AA or AA.com (This fee is not collected by AA airport staff or AA Travel Centers).

The fee does NOT apply to:

• Tickets purchased from American via AA.com, AA Reservations and ATO/TC locations
• Executive Platinum AAdvantage members and anyone traveling in the same PNR of the Executive Platinum member
• AAirpass tickets
• Involuntary itinerary changes, i.e. schedule changes and off-schedule operations
• Customers ticketed using a government or military fare
• Customers completing an upgrade
• Same Day Confirmed Flight Changes
• Agency earned/free and reduced rate tickets which are booked and ticketed by the AA Ticket Redemption Center
• AA Transportation Vouchers may only be used as payment if there is a difference in fare   

Frequently Asked Questions:   

Why is American charging this fee?
This charge applies to reservations that were originally sold by third parties and is reflective of the handling required in changing an externally created reservation. Fees of this type are commonly charged by most agencies when changes are made after ticketing.

Does the fee apply to AAirpass transactions?
No. While AAirpass reservations may be booked by travel agencies, they are queued to AA for ticketing. Since agencies do not issue the initial ticket, the fee does not apply.  

Does the fee apply to Same Day Confirmed Flight Change transactions?
No. Same Day Confirmed Flight Change transactions must be handled by AA Reservations or at airport self-service machines or ticket counters, so the fee does not apply.

Does the fee apply if AA revalidates rather than reissues the agency ticket?
Yes. The fee applies to voluntary changes, regardless of whether AA revalidates or reissues the ticket.

Once AA reissues the ticket, will the fee apply to any subsequent reissues?
No.  

Does the fee apply to tickets purchased on AA.com?
No. The fee does not apply to tickets purchased directly from AA, via AA.com, AA Reservations, or ATO/TC.

If American changes the itinerary, will the fee apply?
No. The fee applies to voluntary changes and will not be applied when AA has a schedule change or cancellation.  

Does this fee replace the ticket change fee?
No. Customers who wish to change and confirm their itinerary must follow the applicable fare rules and pay any associated change fees and add collects, in addition to the External Reservation Handling fee.  

If the travel agency is closed, will AA waive the fee?
No. The fee is based on the type of transaction involved and is independent of the agency hours of operation. Customers may choose to wait to speak with their travel agent.  

Will the fee appear as a separate charge on the customer’s credit card statement?
If the change is made via AA Reservations, the fee will be a separate charge. A future enhancement will include the fee in the total charge.
For changes made at the ATO/TC, the fee will be included in the total charge to the credit card.  

Will AA accept an agency MCO as form of payment for the fee?
Yes.