Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan - CX to AS MCT on award booking

I am trying to connect in SFO CX 870 to AS 305. Partner award agent says it is under the MCT and cannot book because of CX rules. CX website shows a MCT international to domestic at 105 minutes at SFO. The next AS flight is 3 hours later so would really like the earlier flight. Any ideas on the best way to make this happen (if any)?

They will not book an illegal connection. Period. Your best bet is to have them book you on the flight with the three hour layover then standby for AS305. That way if CX870 is late or there is a long line for CBP you'll have the cushion of the confirmed later flight but if everything goeas according to schedule you might be able to fly earlier on standby.

My question why is it illegal if the CX MCT is 105 minutes as stated on their website. The connection I am looking at is 115 minutes. Standby for the earlier flight will be tough with check luggage.

Since you want Alaska to ticket this, ask what their MCT is, international arrival to domestic at SFO.

If the agent tried to book it and advised the OP it's an illegal connection it's because the agent's system is setup with an edit for that. They don't need to "look up" every single connection. The edit tables are built into Sabre. It will check each segments MCT with the next and spit out an error if it's too close.

NotHome, keep in mind the MCT you are seeing on CX's website is probably for a DOM-INTL connection from an OAL to CX and not an INTL-DOM connection from CX to an OAL.

This is what I am getting from the CX website:

Minimum Connecting Times:
DOM-DOM 45MINS
DOM-INT AA TO CX 90MINS*
DOM-INT ALL EXCEPT AA 95MINS
INT-DOM CX TO AA 100MINS*
INT-DOM ALL EXCEPT AA 105MINS
INTL-INTL (CX TO ALL CARRIERS) 120MINS

*90 MINS DOM-INTL (INCLUDES CX/CX CODESHARE FLTS & AA/CX EFF 29APR2007)
*100 MINS INTL-DOM (INCLUDES CX/CX CODESHARE FLTS & CX/AA EFF 29APR2007)

This is what I am getting from the CX website:

Minimum Connecting Times:
DOM-DOM 45MINS
DOM-INT AA TO CX 90MINS*
DOM-INT ALL EXCEPT AA 95MINS
INT-DOM CX TO AA 100MINS*
INT-DOM ALL EXCEPT AA 105MINS
INTL-INTL (CX TO ALL CARRIERS) 120MINS

*90 MINS DOM-INTL (INCLUDES CX/CX CODESHARE FLTS & AA/CX EFF 29APR2007)
*100 MINS INTL-DOM (INCLUDES CX/CX CODESHARE FLTS & CX/AA EFF 29APR2007)

Are those times specific to SFO? And can you provide a link? I couldn't find that information on the CX website. Even using their "search" feature.

http://www.cxagentsusa.com/GeneralInformation/subdefault.asp?SectionID=13

CX MTC

http://www.cxagentsusa.com/GeneralInformation/subdefault.asp?SectionID=13

CX MTC

Interesting. All I can say is perhaps AS has different MCTs loaded into their system. Wether they are correct or not...

However I would still stick with the later connecting flight and standby for the earlier one if it's an option. With checked luggage they might not allow it, though.

Thanks for the advice COplt, I agree I will keep it as booked at see what happens.

Interesting. All I can say is perhaps AS has different MCTs loaded into their system. Wether they are correct or not...

However I would still stick with the later connecting flight and standby for the earlier one if it's an option. With checked luggage they might not allow it, though.

Well, who's MCT rules would apply here? AS is issuing the ticket on AS stock, connecting to an AS flight. I suspect AS's MCT rules are more stringent.

Just a guess, as they aren't readily available.

I was told by the partner desk that is was a CX rule. That is what got me going on this issue.

I was told by the partner desk that is was a CX rule. That is what got me going on this issue.

105 minutes from Hong Kong is a really tight connection. I would never try to make that.

I was told by the partner desk that is was a CX rule. That is what got me going on this issue.

Well, that IS always the easy answer, isn't it!