American Airlines started a test that eliminates this key feature. How it impacts travel
American Airlines got rid of its 24-hour hold feature for some customers as part of a two-week test, a spokesperson for the company told the Charlotte Observer.
The test will evaluate how customers use the 24-hour hold feature, but the company declined to comment on why the evaluation is taking place.
As stated on the American Airlines website, the feature grants potential customers the capability to hold seats on a flight for a period of 24 hours which allows them to decide if they actually want to book the ticket.
After the 24-hour period is complete, the customer must either pay for the seats or allow the seats to be released for purchase by someone else.
Gary Leff, an air travel specialist and founder of ViewFromTheWing.com, suggested that the test could be a way for American Airlines to collect data pertaining to the feature’s effects on ticket sales and call volume.
“Once you hold a reservation, American Airlines hasn’t built the capability to pay with a credit from a prior trip through their website. So customers hold itineraries, and then have to call reservations to pay for the ticket,” Leff told the Observer.
“They seem to want to understand whether eliminating the hold feature leads to fewer calls to reservations, shorter hold times, and lower costs of ticket sales,” he said. “They do not seem inclined to simply fix the website to allow payment with a trip credit of a reservation that’s been placed on hold.”
An American Airlines spokesperson told the Observer that during the test, the elimination of the feature will be random. This means that some customers will have access to the feature while others will not.
However, AAdvantage members won’t be affected by the two-week trial. According to its policy, AAdvantage members who have award tickets can hold reservations for five days if booked 15 to 331 days before departure, or one day if booked one to 14 days before departure and up to two hours if booked within 24 hours of a departure.
The company is unsure whether the change will be permanent after the trials are completed, the spokesperson said.
American Airlines still offers its 24-hour refund policy which is separate from the 24-hour hold feature and allows customers to get a full refund for their canceled trip.
“Customers whose travel plans change after they purchased a ticket with American can receive a full refund if they cancel the ticket within 24 hours of purchase. We continue to evaluate our product offerings to customers on aa.com and understand customers may need flexibility when booking travel plans,” the company wrote in a statement to the Observer.
Despite American’s inquiry into the usefulness of the feature, Leff said he sees the benefit in continuing to offer the 24-hour reservation hold capability.
“American has been more generous than competitors in allowing these holds, even after indicating six years ago they were going to eliminate the feature,” Leff said. “Hopefully, for passengers, American will restore this functionality that helps to set them apart.”
This story was originally published September 15, 2022 at 2:51 PM.
