KVS tool: ANA method shows award availability; Aeroplan method/agent does not.
Apr 22, 2016, 6:44 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan SE AND 1MM, HHonors Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Platinum , L'Accor Platinum
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KVS Tool: Award Availability seen on NH booking method, but not Aeroplan
For a few dates in August, I can see some award availability (business or economy class) on OZ between ICN and HKT (or back) when using the NH booking method, but not when using the AC booking process on the KVS tool (nor can I see any awards when going to the Aeroplan web site).
I have not yet gone to the Aeroplan agent yet - but should AC have equal access compared to NH, when looking at OZ award seats? - hopefully, the Aeroplan agent will be able to get me award seats on these particular flights.
For the Aeroplan access between these 2 cities, I only see award availability on TG, but via BKK.
I have not yet gone to the Aeroplan agent yet - but should AC have equal access compared to NH, when looking at OZ award seats? - hopefully, the Aeroplan agent will be able to get me award seats on these particular flights.
For the Aeroplan access between these 2 cities, I only see award availability on TG, but via BKK.
Apr 22, 2016, 6:49 pm
#2
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Programs: UA*1K MM SK EBG LATAM BL
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Apr 23, 2016, 6:55 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan SE AND 1MM, HHonors Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Platinum , L'Accor Platinum
Posts: 9,581
Reviewing the availability for several dates in late August for the ICN-HKT route in both economy and business class; there are some dates available through Aeroplan, but a greater number of dates available through the ANA award site. So I do not think, at least on this route, that this is the case of seasonal blackouts.
PS-as per the UA thread, is there some way to find out "fare rules" for Aeroplan bookings?
PS-as per the UA thread, is there some way to find out "fare rules" for Aeroplan bookings?
May 1, 2016, 11:07 am
#4
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Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Is there an Aeroplan Help Desk for Star Alliance Awards?
I found some Star Alliance segments with award availability via the ANA award booking method, but not via the Aeroplan award booking method or Aeroplan web site.
I followed the process of the KVS tool - spoke to the agent, asked her to look at the individual segment. I talked about the principles stated below. She spoke to her colleagues, who were no aware of the principles listed below any more than she was. She knew nothing about "long selling" Being a Sunday, she could not get through a supervisor. She stated she was not aware that there was an Aeroplan help desk for partner/Star Alliance awards. She said it was not listed as one of her responsibilities to call the other airline about award availability (in this case Asiana).
She stated to her knowledge, all Aeroplan agents were trained to book Star Alliance awards, and that that know had any more knowledge and experience or abilities to deal with such awards, then her colleagues sitting next to her or herself. So she could recommend anyone at Aeroplan I could talk to.
So what should I do next? Does anyone have an Aeroplan contact who has the expertise and knowledge about these issues who can help me? Is there a Aeroplan Star Alliance help desk? Is there an Aeroplan resolutions desk?
KVS excerpt below:
Q 32: What should I do if the KVS Tool shows award seats available, but the Agent claims otherwise?
•A: Here are some suggestions:◦Make sure that the Agent is checking availability segment-by-segment (i.e. instead of saying "I would like an NYC-SYD award", provide the Agent with each individual flight details, e.g. "TG793/JFK-BKK + TG401/BKK-SIN + SQ221/SIN-SYD").
◦For partner awards, make sure that the Agent is using the correct Airline Code (e.g. if you simply ask for "LAN" [LA], the Agent will probably not search for Availability on LAN Argentina [4M]).
◦For partner awards, also make sure that the Agent is checking the correct Award Booking Class.
◦Call back and try a different Agent (repeat as necessary).
◦Request to speak to a supervisor (repeat as necessary).
◦Advise the Agent that you know for a fact that there is award availability on the flight(s) in question and ask that they do a "Long Sell".
Note: "Long Selling" means booking a flight by manually entering the flight number, flight date, origin, destination, Booking Class, and the number of seats required. It can be used in situations, where Availability has already been confirmed externally (e.g. using the KVS Tool or by calling the other airline directly). The other airline will then respond to the booking request with a definitive "Yes" or "No".
◦Ask the Agent to call their partner/alliance Help Desk or the partner carrier directly for assistance.
◦If the Agent cannot see the flight at all and the flight departs very early (e.g. 03 am) or very late (e.g. 23:50), the Agent needs to specify a departure time in their system, or request Availability for the preceding/following date.
◦If multiple Methods support Award Availability for the airline in question, be sure to verify Award Availability using the most authoritative Method:
Methods in the Award Booking Classes table are listed in the order of preference, starting from the most authoritative.
◦If you are redeeming US DM miles, the Agent may need to use an alternative reservations system/"screen" when booking Awards on certain partner carriers.
Q 32: What should I do if the KVS Tool shows award seats available, but the Agent claims otherwise?
•A: Here are some suggestions:◦Make sure that the Agent is checking availability segment-by-segment (i.e. instead of saying "I would like an NYC-SYD award", provide the Agent with each individual flight details, e.g. "TG793/JFK-BKK + TG401/BKK-SIN + SQ221/SIN-SYD").
◦For partner awards, make sure that the Agent is using the correct Airline Code (e.g. if you simply ask for "LAN" [LA], the Agent will probably not search for Availability on LAN Argentina [4M]).
◦For partner awards, also make sure that the Agent is checking the correct Award Booking Class.
◦Call back and try a different Agent (repeat as necessary).
◦Request to speak to a supervisor (repeat as necessary).
◦Advise the Agent that you know for a fact that there is award availability on the flight(s) in question and ask that they do a "Long Sell".
Note: "Long Selling" means booking a flight by manually entering the flight number, flight date, origin, destination, Booking Class, and the number of seats required. It can be used in situations, where Availability has already been confirmed externally (e.g. using the KVS Tool or by calling the other airline directly). The other airline will then respond to the booking request with a definitive "Yes" or "No".
◦Ask the Agent to call their partner/alliance Help Desk or the partner carrier directly for assistance.
◦If the Agent cannot see the flight at all and the flight departs very early (e.g. 03 am) or very late (e.g. 23:50), the Agent needs to specify a departure time in their system, or request Availability for the preceding/following date.
◦If multiple Methods support Award Availability for the airline in question, be sure to verify Award Availability using the most authoritative Method:
Methods in the Award Booking Classes table are listed in the order of preference, starting from the most authoritative.
◦If you are redeeming US DM miles, the Agent may need to use an alternative reservations system/"screen" when booking Awards on certain partner carriers.
I followed the process of the KVS tool - spoke to the agent, asked her to look at the individual segment. I talked about the principles stated below. She spoke to her colleagues, who were no aware of the principles listed below any more than she was. She knew nothing about "long selling" Being a Sunday, she could not get through a supervisor. She stated she was not aware that there was an Aeroplan help desk for partner/Star Alliance awards. She said it was not listed as one of her responsibilities to call the other airline about award availability (in this case Asiana).
She stated to her knowledge, all Aeroplan agents were trained to book Star Alliance awards, and that that know had any more knowledge and experience or abilities to deal with such awards, then her colleagues sitting next to her or herself. So she could recommend anyone at Aeroplan I could talk to.
So what should I do next? Does anyone have an Aeroplan contact who has the expertise and knowledge about these issues who can help me? Is there a Aeroplan Star Alliance help desk? Is there an Aeroplan resolutions desk?
KVS excerpt below:
Q 32: What should I do if the KVS Tool shows award seats available, but the Agent claims otherwise?
•A: Here are some suggestions:◦Make sure that the Agent is checking availability segment-by-segment (i.e. instead of saying "I would like an NYC-SYD award", provide the Agent with each individual flight details, e.g. "TG793/JFK-BKK + TG401/BKK-SIN + SQ221/SIN-SYD").
◦For partner awards, make sure that the Agent is using the correct Airline Code (e.g. if you simply ask for "LAN" [LA], the Agent will probably not search for Availability on LAN Argentina [4M]).
◦For partner awards, also make sure that the Agent is checking the correct Award Booking Class.
◦Call back and try a different Agent (repeat as necessary).
◦Request to speak to a supervisor (repeat as necessary).
◦Advise the Agent that you know for a fact that there is award availability on the flight(s) in question and ask that they do a "Long Sell".
Note: "Long Selling" means booking a flight by manually entering the flight number, flight date, origin, destination, Booking Class, and the number of seats required. It can be used in situations, where Availability has already been confirmed externally (e.g. using the KVS Tool or by calling the other airline directly). The other airline will then respond to the booking request with a definitive "Yes" or "No".
◦Ask the Agent to call their partner/alliance Help Desk or the partner carrier directly for assistance.
◦If the Agent cannot see the flight at all and the flight departs very early (e.g. 03 am) or very late (e.g. 23:50), the Agent needs to specify a departure time in their system, or request Availability for the preceding/following date.
◦If multiple Methods support Award Availability for the airline in question, be sure to verify Award Availability using the most authoritative Method:
Methods in the Award Booking Classes table are listed in the order of preference, starting from the most authoritative.
◦If you are redeeming US DM miles, the Agent may need to use an alternative reservations system/"screen" when booking Awards on certain partner carriers.
Q 32: What should I do if the KVS Tool shows award seats available, but the Agent claims otherwise?
•A: Here are some suggestions:◦Make sure that the Agent is checking availability segment-by-segment (i.e. instead of saying "I would like an NYC-SYD award", provide the Agent with each individual flight details, e.g. "TG793/JFK-BKK + TG401/BKK-SIN + SQ221/SIN-SYD").
◦For partner awards, make sure that the Agent is using the correct Airline Code (e.g. if you simply ask for "LAN" [LA], the Agent will probably not search for Availability on LAN Argentina [4M]).
◦For partner awards, also make sure that the Agent is checking the correct Award Booking Class.
◦Call back and try a different Agent (repeat as necessary).
◦Request to speak to a supervisor (repeat as necessary).
◦Advise the Agent that you know for a fact that there is award availability on the flight(s) in question and ask that they do a "Long Sell".
Note: "Long Selling" means booking a flight by manually entering the flight number, flight date, origin, destination, Booking Class, and the number of seats required. It can be used in situations, where Availability has already been confirmed externally (e.g. using the KVS Tool or by calling the other airline directly). The other airline will then respond to the booking request with a definitive "Yes" or "No".
◦Ask the Agent to call their partner/alliance Help Desk or the partner carrier directly for assistance.
◦If the Agent cannot see the flight at all and the flight departs very early (e.g. 03 am) or very late (e.g. 23:50), the Agent needs to specify a departure time in their system, or request Availability for the preceding/following date.
◦If multiple Methods support Award Availability for the airline in question, be sure to verify Award Availability using the most authoritative Method:
Methods in the Award Booking Classes table are listed in the order of preference, starting from the most authoritative.
◦If you are redeeming US DM miles, the Agent may need to use an alternative reservations system/"screen" when booking Awards on certain partner carriers.
Last edited by FlyerGoldII; May 1, 2016 at 11:55 am
May 1, 2016, 11:43 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan SE AND 1MM, HHonors Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Platinum , L'Accor Platinum
Posts: 9,581
Not a blackout issue. On some other days of that week or the previous week, both Aeroplan and ANA web sites show award availability. But for a few other days, including the date I am interested in, ANA method only shows award availability, but not the Aeroplan web site. Expertflyer.com does not show award availability on the date I am interested in.
So I would like to speak some at Aeroplan, if there is such an individual, and get to the bottom of this issue.
Is the ANA booking tool wrong? or is the Aeroplan booking tool/expertflyer wrong - for the flight and date i am interested in.
PS-I am not a member of another frequent flyer plan - so I can not see award availability per those web sites such as UA. But I believe that period of time would be blacked out on this segment, for that period in August.
PPS-I need to have registered with the ANA web site and got their frequent flyer number to be able to see availability using the ANA method. I obviously can see the award availability by going directly through their web site as well.
So I would like to speak some at Aeroplan, if there is such an individual, and get to the bottom of this issue.
Is the ANA booking tool wrong? or is the Aeroplan booking tool/expertflyer wrong - for the flight and date i am interested in.
PS-I am not a member of another frequent flyer plan - so I can not see award availability per those web sites such as UA. But I believe that period of time would be blacked out on this segment, for that period in August.
PPS-I need to have registered with the ANA web site and got their frequent flyer number to be able to see availability using the ANA method. I obviously can see the award availability by going directly through their web site as well.
Last edited by FlyerGoldII; May 1, 2016 at 11:51 am
May 1, 2016, 5:50 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Posts: 9,581
Aeroplan and Mileage Plus awards between ICN and either BKK or HKT match - some days there are nonstop awards on Asiana, and other days there are no such awards. But the ANA booking tool shows additional days that award availability is there.
So this is not a blackout date issue?
Is the ANA tool wrong - or does ANA have preferred access to OZ award availability compared to most other Star Alliance partners of OZ?
Sep 3, 2016, 12:26 pm
#10
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: AC SE100k, Marriott Titanium, UA Silver
Posts: 2,650
Using Expertflyer: I can find availabilty on an ANA NRT-HKG flight in both X & I.
On aeroplan website: I can only see the I availability.
If I call into aeroplan, then will I be able to book the X spaces?
On aeroplan website: I can only see the I availability.
If I call into aeroplan, then will I be able to book the X spaces?
Sep 3, 2016, 1:11 pm
#11
Join Date: May 2001
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SEMM
Posts: 2,072