May be going thru Asia is your issue - because All Partner award can only be from one region to another region without passing thru a 3rd region, with a few exceptions that used to be listed on the old chart. I am not sure whether you are allowed to go thru Asia when redeem South Pacific to Europe award. The system could very well not permit your routing as ONE award, but requires TWO awards - being one between Australia and Asia, and the second one being Asia to Europe, but your agent could not know why, then give you the wrong answers.
May be you need to find routing directly from Australia to Europe or using OW award that allows you going thru Asia.
My first itinerary I tried was:
SYD-SIN(QF, 9 hr layover) - HKG(CX, 2hrs) - LHR (CX 15hrs) - MAD (IB 1.5hr) - PMI (IB).
The agent told me that this would be 60000 + 20000 miles. She said it was because I was travelling too many miles (12603 according to circle mapper), compared to a direct SYD-PMI (10658)
Okay, so I can up with another itinerary:
SYD-BNE(QF, 2 hrs) - HKG (CX, 4.5hrs) - LHR (CX, 4.5hrs)- MAD (IB 1.5hr) - PMI.
I was pretty sure that this would qualify, as it was only 11880 miles, or about 11% more than the direct SYD-PMI mileage.
But she also told me that it would be 60000 + 20000. At first she told me that it was because I was using too many carriers. Then she said it was because I was using too many miles. And then she said it was because my stop in London was too long. And then she said it was because of something else I didn't understand.
S Pacific to Europe allows a connection, only via SIN, HKG, NRT, KIX, BKK. So you'd be okay on that front, at least with the 2nd option (the first has two connections in the third zone).
The MPM for SYD-PMI is 15,988. 25% over that is pushing 20,000. So you'd be okay on that front as well.
If there is a rule broken here, I don't see it. Then again, it could be the case that the itinerary is fine but the computer doesn't recognize it's valid-- not every valid itinerary gets priced in miles correctly.
That's an interesting problem... it seems that the itinerary should work. Certainly, there aren't that many connecting cities allowed in Asia, but HKG and/or SIN are among them. I wonder what would happen if your trip ended in MAD (or BCN) or LHR. Perhaps the computer wouldn't have a problem with that? Could it be that there is no published fare for SYD-PMI (at least with any of the partner airlines you are trying to use)?
That's an interesting problem... it seems that the itinerary should work. Certainly, there aren't that many connecting cities allowed in Asia, but HKG and/or SIN are among them. I wonder what would happen if your trip ended in MAD (or BCN) or LHR. Perhaps the computer wouldn't have a problem with that? Could it be that there is no published fare for SYD-PMI (at least with any of the partner airlines you are trying to use)?
CX publishes one (that's where the MPM number comes from), and as the intercontinental carrier their fare rule ought to be the one that applies.
sounds to me like the itinerary is too complex for the system to auto-vet; it would take a pretty well trained agent to intervene. either that, or we don't have full information and there is some other rule invalidating the plan.
That's an interesting problem... it seems that the itinerary should work. Certainly, there aren't that many connecting cities allowed in Asia, but HKG and/or SIN are among them. I wonder what would happen if your trip ended in MAD (or BCN) or LHR. Perhaps the computer wouldn't have a problem with that? Could it be that there is no published fare for SYD-PMI (at least with any of the partner airlines you are trying to use)?
I asked what it would cost if it ended in MAD, and she said 60000 + 20000.
I asked what it would be if it started in BNE rather than SYD (and so avoiding the extra airline - QF), and she said still 60000 + 20000
She wasn't really able to say why though.
Later in the day, I found availability on the following itinerary:
I called AA to hold, and they said it would be 60000 only. So I can't work the rules out. The new itinerary isn't great for me though - gets me there on the wrong day, and an overnight at Tokyo & London.
I called AA to hold, and they said it would be 60000 only. So I can't work the rules out. The new itinerary isn't great for me though - gets me there on the wrong day, and an overnight at Tokyo & London.
Thanks for all your help.
if you have time on your hands, could be worth escalating or redialing until you get either the better option or a better explanation....
if you have time on your hands, could be worth escalating or redialing until you get either the better option or a better explanation....
I agree. It might be worth calling back and, if you find a helpful AAgent, asking why this itinerary works as expected and the other ones didn't. At the very least, we might learn some more info about these awards, and possibly there might be a way for the AAgent to override the computer and issue the award with your preferred itinerary. (OTOH, if you find a less than helpful AAgent, s/he might question the award you currently have on hold... )
Changing the Class of the All-Partner Award (Upgrading)
An EXP desk agent recently told me that it would not cost me anything to change my partner award from economy to business, that is if there is availability. I presume this is true, also for changing from Economy to First ? Can you do this last minute at the Admirals club ? Also, would the BA portion of my itinerary be upgraded ? I think a lot will depend on whether or not I will be in any condition to spend 10hrs+ in coach.
An EXP desk agent recently told me that it would not cost me anything to change my partner award from economy to business, that is if there is availability. I presume this is true, also for changing from Economy to First ? Can you do this last minute at the Admirals club ? Also, would the BA portion of my itinerary be upgraded ? I think a lot will depend on whether or not I will be in any condition to spend 10hrs+ in coach.
Thank you.
Will there be award availability in F on the day of your flight?
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An EXP desk agent recently told me that it would not cost me anything to change my partner award from economy to business, that is if there is availability. I presume this is true, also for changing from Economy to First ? Can you do this last minute at the Admirals club ? Also, would the BA portion of my itinerary be upgraded ? I think a lot will depend on whether or not I will be in any condition to spend 10hrs+ in coach.
Thank you.
I just changed two AA award tickets on CX from business to first with no charge. I was told that as long as you are going up in class there is no charge to make the change. As for last minute changes, it took me 5 weeks of calling to find the award seats.
IIRC, this was announced around the time of the one-way award change. It certainly makes logical sense all around...
This was around last year (Nov 2008) when I first heard about it from an EXP agent. I even wrote about it in this thread. I just assumed then that it had around for a while.
An EXP desk agent recently told me that it would not cost me anything to change my partner award from economy to business, that is if there is availability. I presume this is true, also for changing from Economy to First ? Can you do this last minute at the Admirals club ? Also, would the BA portion of my itinerary be upgraded ?
It will cost you miles, but the usual re-deposit fee is waived when redeeming for a more expensive award on the same trip. Thus it won't cost you an extra money.
Remember, this is not really an "upgrade" at all, so the usual conditioning against partner upgrades does not apply. Since an entirely new award is being redeemed (and your existing trip canceled), you will get the higher class on every segment where it is available, on both AA and partners.
As the new thread has been about upgrading a partner award, it has been merged into this thread - which also has posts regarding the upgrading issue and rules (search this thread for keyword "upgrading" and they will be revealed.)
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I am volunteering to work in a clinic in Chittagong (Bangladesh) during summer 2010. I am based in the UK and would like to use my miles to travel to DAC. Ideally I would want to book as an all airline partner award in First class. The only oneworld routing I can find is LHR-HKG-DAC (7489 miles with CX and KA) which would mean travelling via 3rd region. But I notice that GF is one of AA's partners... They operate frequent flights to DAC via BAH (5656 miles).
I am not a fan of GF at all and would much prefer to fly CX's F product. I am not willing to pay OW100F award and neither LHR-HKG + HKG-DAC. Is there any way in which AA would deem LHR-HKG-DAC an acceptable routing? I have never redeemed my AA miles before so would appreciate any advice.
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