Jan 3, 2018, 5:05 pm
Last edit by: Prospero
AA has increased award availability at the SAAver / MileSAAver level, apparently at the cost of reducing the availability of nonstop and direct routing and increasing availability requiring connections using married segment logic.
This means those originating travel at one hub may well find themselves forced to connect through another hub - whose residents will also be required to connect through another hub. This is suspected to be a way of accommodating SAAver awards without competing with those purchasing more convenient nonstop routing. See post #17 by ashill.
Gary Leff: “Cranky Flier got American to confirm last week that much of the space they’ve opened up is on connecting flights. They’re offering married segment availability — award space that’s highly restrictive...”
See American Significantly Increases Coach Award Space On Connecting Flights, By Cranky Flier on Dec 21, 2017
How to Game American’s New Connecting Flight Award Availability to Get the Ticket You Want, by Gary Leff on December 26, 2017 but see post #75 by Psyclone*Jack; this loophole may now be closed.
"When selling seats for through flights and the desired inventory is not available, you cannot opt to sell the flight point-to-point. If sold point-to-point, the error response MULTIPLE SEGMENTS FOR SAME FLIGHT - SELL AS ONE SEGMENT will be received, indicating this booking is not allowed. Overriding the error check by ending the PNR twice is not acceptable." Link to FT thread; see wikipost info by JonNYC and hillrider.
"Sometimes when you’re searching for award space... you’ll find that some seats will show as available when you search for them from origin to destination, but when you call to book the flights segment-by-segment, those flights show as unavailable."
"Married segment logic is a tool used by airlines that restricts availability based on origin and destination, rather than by segments."(DCTA, on Boarding Area)
Link to Boarding Area: Sunday Reader Question: What are married segments?
Link to Worldspan page with extensive information on MSL and coding.
Older posts have been archived off to https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...nnections.html
This means those originating travel at one hub may well find themselves forced to connect through another hub - whose residents will also be required to connect through another hub. This is suspected to be a way of accommodating SAAver awards without competing with those purchasing more convenient nonstop routing. See post #17 by ashill.
Gary Leff: “Cranky Flier got American to confirm last week that much of the space they’ve opened up is on connecting flights. They’re offering married segment availability — award space that’s highly restrictive...”
See American Significantly Increases Coach Award Space On Connecting Flights, By Cranky Flier on Dec 21, 2017
How to Game American’s New Connecting Flight Award Availability to Get the Ticket You Want, by Gary Leff on December 26, 2017 but see post #75 by Psyclone*Jack; this loophole may now be closed.
Married Segment Logic and Effects on Awards
"When selling seats for through flights and the desired inventory is not available, you cannot opt to sell the flight point-to-point. If sold point-to-point, the error response MULTIPLE SEGMENTS FOR SAME FLIGHT - SELL AS ONE SEGMENT will be received, indicating this booking is not allowed. Overriding the error check by ending the PNR twice is not acceptable." Link to FT thread; see wikipost info by JonNYC and hillrider.
"Sometimes when you’re searching for award space... you’ll find that some seats will show as available when you search for them from origin to destination, but when you call to book the flights segment-by-segment, those flights show as unavailable."
"Married segment logic is a tool used by airlines that restricts availability based on origin and destination, rather than by segments."(DCTA, on Boarding Area)
Married segment logic controls routings based on origin and destination, rather than segment-by-segment availability. Boarding Area
From Amadeus: Married Segment Control Link
Amadeus Married Segment Control is a revenue maximisation tool that ensures that airline revenue management decisions, made at availability time, are applied throughout the booking process. It prevents agents bypassing availability controls, based on origin and destination (O&D) information. It also improves both load factors and revenue forecasting accuracy.
Key benefits
Amadeus Married Segment Control is a revenue maximisation tool that ensures that airline revenue management decisions, made at availability time, are applied throughout the booking process. It prevents agents bypassing availability controls, based on origin and destination (O&D) information. It also improves both load factors and revenue forecasting accuracy.
Key benefits
- Ensures more effective forecasting by preventing O&D misuse and matching revenue forecasts with final revenues.
- Improves consistency of sales processes by controlling travel agent selling behaviour.
- Fully customisable and flexible solution that meets airline unique system requirements.
Older posts have been archived off to https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...nnections.html
More award availability restricted by married segments / connections
Jan 2, 2018, 8:34 pm
#1
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More award availability restricted by married segments / connections
Had to book a JFK-SFO-LAX flight for next week, low and behold if my destination was SFO,LAS,SAN there were a min of 7 JFK-LAX non-stops I could have chosen but since LAX was my final destination, No Saver for you!
The csr tells me Im in luck she can book me an Anytime Tkt for 25k for a non-stop I told her what she could do with herself.
It wouldnt have bothered me had there been no JFK-LAX non-stops showing at all for Saver (connecting onwards) but seeing 7 at all times of the day and being told well you have over 1 Mil miles why not get an Anytime Tkt, I lost it
Looks like B6 is now my new home and if I can help it AA has seen the last cent it ever will from me,I'll use up my miles and never purchase another rev tkt as long as I can help it. Wonder how long till B6 starts to follow suit.
The US3 have the <...> to talk about The ME3,
The csr tells me Im in luck she can book me an Anytime Tkt for 25k for a non-stop I told her what she could do with herself.
It wouldnt have bothered me had there been no JFK-LAX non-stops showing at all for Saver (connecting onwards) but seeing 7 at all times of the day and being told well you have over 1 Mil miles why not get an Anytime Tkt, I lost it
Looks like B6 is now my new home and if I can help it AA has seen the last cent it ever will from me,I'll use up my miles and never purchase another rev tkt as long as I can help it. Wonder how long till B6 starts to follow suit.
The US3 have the <...> to talk about The ME3,
Last edited by JDiver; Jan 3, 2018 at 4:55 pm Reason: Restore original post title
Jan 2, 2018, 8:38 pm
#2
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: New York
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This or the limited availability has been discussed on MileSAAver / SAAver award reduction / scarcity discussion
Not sure how the conclusion at the end was drawn to.
Not sure how the conclusion at the end was drawn to.
Jan 2, 2018, 8:57 pm
#3
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Had to book a JFK-SFO-LAX flight for next week, low and behold if my destination was SFO,LAS,SAN there were a min of 7 JFK-LAX non-stops I could have chosen but since LAX was my final destination, No Saver for you!
The csr tells me Im in luck she can book me an Anytime Tkt for 25k for a non-stop I told her what she could do with herself.
It wouldnt have bothered me had there been no JFK-LAX non-stops showing at all for Saver (connecting onwards) but seeing 7 at all times of the day and being told well you have over 1 Mil miles why not get an Anytime Tkt, I lost it
Looks like B6 is now my new home and if I can help it AA has seen the last cent it ever will from me,I'll use up my miles and never purchase another rev tkt as long as I can help it. Wonder how long till B6 starts to follow suit.
The US3 have the Bs to talk about The ME3,
The csr tells me Im in luck she can book me an Anytime Tkt for 25k for a non-stop I told her what she could do with herself.
It wouldnt have bothered me had there been no JFK-LAX non-stops showing at all for Saver (connecting onwards) but seeing 7 at all times of the day and being told well you have over 1 Mil miles why not get an Anytime Tkt, I lost it
Looks like B6 is now my new home and if I can help it AA has seen the last cent it ever will from me,I'll use up my miles and never purchase another rev tkt as long as I can help it. Wonder how long till B6 starts to follow suit.
The US3 have the Bs to talk about The ME3,
........maybe not.. Maybe I read that for international trips. I know I remember it from somewhere
I do agree though. If the flight is there for JFK-LAX-SFO, it should be there if you just want to fly JFK-LAX
Jan 2, 2018, 11:11 pm
#4
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Can't you book the ticket JFK-LAX-SFO and drop the LAX-SFO later?
........maybe not.. Maybe I read that for international trips. I know I remember it from somewhere
I do agree though. If the flight is there for JFK-LAX-SFO, it should be there if you just want to fly JFK-LAX
........maybe not.. Maybe I read that for international trips. I know I remember it from somewhere
I do agree though. If the flight is there for JFK-LAX-SFO, it should be there if you just want to fly JFK-LAX
Jan 2, 2018, 11:25 pm
#5
Join Date: Aug 2006
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 372
I think the suggestion was to book the connection and then simply walk of at LAX and not fly the last part. Since awards are one way there is no return to consider. If you have luggage there maybe an issue AA not letting you short check to LAX, booking the ticket with an overnight at LAX will avoid this. Doing this is against the conditions of carriage with AA
Jan 3, 2018, 6:38 am
#7
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I think the suggestion was to book the connection and then simply walk of at LAX and not fly the last part. Since awards are one way there is no return to consider. If you have luggage there maybe an issue AA not letting you short check to LAX, booking the ticket with an overnight at LAX will avoid this. Doing this is against the conditions of carriage with AA
Jan 3, 2018, 10:22 am
#8
Join Date: May 2011
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Not sure you will find better JFK-LAX mileage redemption opportunities at B6. I fly B6 Mint as well as AA Transcon; I find the products similar, but AA gives better mileage earnings/redemption opportunities as well as better service on the ground.
Jan 3, 2018, 12:36 pm
#9
Join Date: Sep 2013
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What day in particular are you looking? Just a quick search of the whole week showed decent availability most days. Decent availability in 3-class First as well. Why go coach when you can go first 
Jan 3, 2018, 1:30 pm
#11
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On my days no Biz or 1st on the non-stops and Im very happy in Y in MCE, plenty with connections but not worth 2x to sit in a reg domestic 1st seat,IMO
I want to repeat I am AOK if AA or any carrier withholds seats for any flight, what gets to me is that they will allow a flight such as JFK-LAX non-stop to be flown as long as LAX isnt your destination, this is solely in regards to award tkts and not rev tkts which is a whole other ballgame. With award tkts they arent competing against anyone else
Jan 3, 2018, 1:37 pm
#12
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A bunch of csrs I spoke with admitted it was dumb to allow it if going to LAS,SFO or SAN but not if I wasnt connecting onward. Thats after they gave me the speech how not every flight is available for Saver, then when I asked them to book instead a JFK-LAX-LAS and bingo they saw the non-stops I was hoping to book but only to LA. Their attitude changed once they saw it for themselves and werent happy about it either and were speechless
Jan 3, 2018, 2:54 pm
#13
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I think the suggestion was to book the connection and then simply walk of at LAX and not fly the last part. Since awards are one way there is no return to consider. If you have luggage there maybe an issue AA not letting you short check to LAX, booking the ticket with an overnight at LAX will avoid this. Doing this is against the conditions of carriage with AA
Me, for one, is happy that they're doing this. If i were going to fly just LAX-JFK in Y, I'd simply pay for that. It's for LAX-JFK-Europe that I want the award availability, and in fact that's what I did find the other day.
Last edited by sdsearch; Jan 3, 2018 at 2:59 pm
Jan 3, 2018, 3:04 pm
#14
Join Date: Apr 2008
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Married Segment AA Awards Make No Sense
I was looking for RT travel to CDG around Memorial Day and came across the following which infuriated me as it shows that AA is trying to make using awards unpleasant for no good reason. I eliminated the extra legs and narrowed it down to display the issue. Looking for a one-way ticket CDG-MIA. My options are all connections, with one through CLT. However, if I look for CDG-CLT, I also only see connections, but one connection is through MIA! So, if I live near MIA, I have to connect through CLT. But if I live in CLT, I have to connect through MIA. This is just spiteful on AA's part and I can see no good reason for this other than to annoy travelers. Married segment logic doesn't make sense since the flights the traveler in MIA/CLT want are available for the same price, just not direct.
Time to follow Gary's instructions and get what I want direct.
Time to follow Gary's instructions and get what I want direct.