Several years ago I was looking for awards ANC-MDT and one of the options was ANC-SEA-KTN-JNU-ANC on AS then on AA ANC-ORD-MDT or something similar to that
there was a closed loop??
~5 years ago I was using a BTT to get from FAI to DCA a week before Xmas when availability was very limited. A very patient agent found space and it involved 6 or 7 segments, about 60h total travel time, overnights in JNU and KTN, or SIT, I don't recall. A supervisor at FAI called my cell phone the day of departure and said the itinerary was "ridiculous," one of my flights was delayed, and it'd now take me over 3d to get to DC. She re-routed me through SEA and cut ~48h off of my itinerary. I was looking forward to the adventure, had my backpack and sleeping bag, was just planning on camping in/by the airport (probably woulda been arrested), and was grateful to the original agent who creatively found me a way.
Originally Posted by
Exiled in Express
Award routings seem to pound the system to find availablity in the requested bucket, it is not just an Alaska thing. Delta has offered me connections in Evansville and Bozeman and American has frequently suggested I fly XXX-ORD-DFW-MSP (to keep me moving?)when ORD-MSP availability exists with a longer connection.
circuitous routings that "keep one moving" may be necessary to prevent the itinerary from being rejected as a long connection might equal an illegal layover.