Married segments on award tickets?
Feb 18, 2014, 8:13 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 89
PHL-FRA-AMS shows award availability, but not PHL-FRA
I am searching for 2 award tickets from PHL to FRA on 5/15/2014.
When I search for PHL to AMS on that date I see a routing PHL-FRA-AMS. However, if I just search PHL-FRA I don't see anything.
Any idea what is going on?
When I search for PHL to AMS on that date I see a routing PHL-FRA-AMS. However, if I just search PHL-FRA I don't see anything.
Any idea what is going on?
Feb 18, 2014, 8:33 pm
#7
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It's exactly what you found. United is willing to sell a ticket from PHL-AMS via FRA, but not a flight simple from PHL-FRA. Airline fares are based on demand between the endpoints without regard for intermediate points - more people want to fly from PHL-FRA than from PHL-AMS, so inventory is adjusted appropriately to make it more expensive to fly PHL-FRA, and you can only get the cheap PHL-FRA flight if you continue on to a "less desirable" city. It doesn't normally apply to awards, but this is not unheard of.
If you search FT (or Google), you will find lots more about married segments.
If you search FT (or Google), you will find lots more about married segments.
Feb 18, 2014, 8:35 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 89
It's exactly what you found. United is willing to sell a ticket from PHL-AMS via FRA, but not a flight simple from PHL-FRA. Airline fares are based on demand between the endpoints without regard for intermediate points - more people want to fly from PHL-FRA than from PHL-AMS, so inventory is adjusted appropriately to make it more expensive to fly PHL-FRA, and you can only get the cheap PHL-FRA flight if you continue on to a "less desirable" city. It doesn't normally apply to awards, but this is not unheard of.
Feb 18, 2014, 8:37 pm
#9
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Feb 18, 2014, 8:38 pm
#10
Suspended
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Location: ORD / DUB / LHR
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Posts: 8,243
It's exactly what you found. United is willing to sell a ticket from PHL-AMS via FRA, but not a flight simple from PHL-FRA. Airline fares are based on demand between the endpoints without regard for intermediate points - more people want to fly from PHL-FRA than from PHL-AMS, so inventory is adjusted appropriately to make it more expensive to fly PHL-FRA, and you can only get the cheap PHL-FRA flight if you continue on to a "less desirable" city. It doesn't normally apply to awards, but this is not unheard of.
If you search FT (or Google), you will find lots more about married segments.
If you search FT (or Google), you will find lots more about married segments.
This is either an IT issue, or phantom availability. If it's the former, it can easily be booked by calling.
Feb 18, 2014, 8:41 pm
#11
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But I will agree that it could well be YASB (yet another SHARES bug).
(And you should note that I specifically said it sounds like married segments. I intentionally didn't say it definitely was.)
Feb 18, 2014, 9:29 pm
#12
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As for hidden city, that's not really related. That has to do with the way fares are filed, while married segments are an inventory-based revenue management tool.
Feb 18, 2014, 9:50 pm
#13
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Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: LAX
Posts: 10,909
I have seen and booked smth similar before. Online i could book MOW-FRA-LAX award but FRA-LAX itself was not available when i tried to link a more convenient MOW-FRA segment. Even more bizarre is that 1K desk could not see any availability i saw online. I booked it and it went through fine.