American Cancels Deep-Discount Business-Class Awards

American Airlines canceled a batch of unusually cheap business-class award tickets after travelers had made plans around them. The airline had issued seats to Europe for 12,500 miles, Australia for 10,000 miles and Delhi for as little as 7,000 miles. Some itineraries included partner flights, including Etihad’s First Apartment service to the Maldives. The booking glitch affected multi-city searches on American’s website and app for about a month.

The cancellations came well after the airline says it discovered the pricing problem. One traveler reported that 18 tickets across six reservations were canceled on October 9, roughly 20 days after American learned of the error. American’s own carriage terms and international tariff describe a 72-hour window for voiding mistaken fares and notifying passengers. Travelers said the airline instead offered a choice between paying the current mileage cost and abandoning the trip. At least one passenger secured a Europe itinerary for 57,500 miles each way.

The episode has prompted complaints to the Department of Transportation. It also highlights the risk attached to mistake fares: airlines sometimes honor them, but travelers may begin arranging holidays before a carrier makes its decision. For affected passengers, replacement awards may cost far more, and some canceled partner segments may no longer be available.