Asiana Club - Booking a FRA-ICN-SYD flight, how difficult can it be?

I'm trying to book this itinerary but for some reasons it's apparently impossible to do it using their website, guess I'll have to use a booking website.

I tried using lastminute.com and expedia but none of them displays the booking class of the tickets. Can you recommend any reliable booking website before giving up to a travel agency?

Don't feel underprivileged, very few can use the "wonderful" OZ site to book.
I booked last month on Orbitz since Expedia was too expensive. I was more than satisfied with Orbitz ^ - my first time on that consolidator. In the past I have used Expedia, Priceline and Vayama for OZ flights.

Guess what, you're not the only one that can't book on OZ.com (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/asiana-club/1305368-jfk-sin-asiana-can-one-book.html)

kayak works for OZ itineraries usually- someone somewhere includes them, but most sites don't.
In fact in UK for LHR-SYD on OZ I usually telephone Trailfinders, whose prices seem fine, and who can answer questions like ticket class.
OZ site- no hope, except at top dollar and by splitting the route into two segments

I wonder how much money they're throwing away!

Thanks for your answers

I wonder how much money they're throwing away!

I was wondering the same thing about their lame website and made similar comments in a post about a week ago regarding how their English version of the booking engine for ex-ICN flights to South East Asia had been disabled for months, even though the Korean version was working. Lo and behold, I just went to try it after reading this thread, and now it suddenly works, and has been updated to mimic the Korean version (prior they had different interfaces). Couldn't help but think perhaps someone at OZ reads this board and did something about it. Perhaps though it was just a coincidence. Anyways, maybe there's a bit of hope that all our complaining won't go unnoticed and maybe someday they'll get around to building a world-class website.

I booked last month on Orbitz since Expedia was too expensive. I was more than satisfied with Orbitz ^ - my first time on that consolidator.

I have lots of upcoming OZ trips that I need to book ex-South East Asia. My prior experience with booking over the phone with OZ wasn't so great being the payment options were a real hassle without my being present there. Also Expedia, as you say, is too expensive and doesn't allow you to book the cheaper booking classes that are available when booking over the phone directly with OZ. Thanks for the Orbitz tip, I'll give them a try and see if that works any better for me.

I don't know but I have never booked a long haul flight through a website ever. Usually I go through a TA where I can often get a better price (especially in C or F) and better service. Or I go through the airlines sales desk which can also have different fares.

I agree that the website is far from comfortable to use, but when you split the booking in two, i.e. as a multi-stop, it has worked for me recently. Actually, it seems that the final steps for the booking were made in expedia, but nevertheless I got FRA-ICN-SYD in Business for 3375€/4300$, which seems to be the standard when booking 4 or more weeks in advance. Alas, it's Z class, so not upgradable, but still decent enough for me, although not even close to a mileage run.

I agree that the website is far from comfortable to use, but when you split the booking in two, i.e. as a multi-stop, it has worked for me recently. Actually, it seems that the final steps for the booking were made in expedia, but nevertheless I got FRA-ICN-SYD in Business for 3375€/4300$, which seems to be the standard when booking 4 or more weeks in advance. Alas, it's Z class, so not upgradable, but still decent enough for me, although not even close to a mileage run.

I think their website is hosted by Expedia.

Alas, it's Z class, so not upgradable, but still decent enough for me, although not even close to a mileage run.

Why can't you upgrade Z class?

I don't know but I have never booked a long haul flight through a website ever. Usually I go through a TA where I can often get a better price (especially in C or F) and better service. Or I go through the airlines sales desk which can also have different fares.

For me, trying to deal with travel agents in South East Asia, when I'm not in the country, is simply a no-go. So it's either a travel website or OZ directly. Not to mention I started my own business recently and so my future flights will all be paid out of my own pocket, so downgrading to economy for the foreseeable future until my business income is steady enough to warrant flying in business class. In the past my experience was the for economy, travel agents on the routes/flights I wanted couldn't really save me anything, and often were much more expensive than booking direct. Even if they could save a hundred or two hundred per trip, it still wouldn't be worth it for all the hassle of dealing with a travel agent. If I was located at the point of my origin, then I'd consider it.

Anyways, I checked Orbitz for my first planned trip and was able to book a ticket for the same price as if I bought directly from Asiana, so I'll definitely be trying Orbitz in the future.

Why can't you upgrade Z class?

Good question, I talked to their offices in Zurich, Frankfurt and Los Angeles, all came up with the same answer. I also got one email - although during each call I was promised one - stating the following:
FRASYD/TS/ADT /TPM...../MPM 12949/EUR
12 ZRX7DE / 3000.00/Z/ . 1M/ /E600R
CARRIERS BEST JUDGMENT
OTHER CONDITIONS
-----
MILEAGE UPGRADE -
NOT PERMITTED WITH Z/J/H/E/Q/K/S/V/L/W CLASS.

Seems strange to me since Z class even gives 125% on Asiana Club, so there it is not treated as a discounted fare. And also in the Membership guide it is not mentioned that Z class is not eligible for upgrades.
An email sent via the Asiana homepage concerning this was not answered.

Guess I'll just have to see if I can use my miles some other way...