Originally Posted by
mtkeller
Ask them to tell you exactly how the ticket is pricing. They can do this without issuing the ticket. I've had multiple agents do it. If the agent can't tell, then ask them to transfer you to a supervisor or the rates desk. As an example, I was having issues pricing OMA-SLC-LAX-ICN-AKL//HKG-PVG-NRT-ATL-OMA at 135K. The agent confirmed that the return was pricing at 60K, but the outbound was pricing as 60K to ICN and then another 110K for ICN-AKL since it needed to charge for North Asia-SW Pacific round trip. If they don't know how to see that level of detail, they need to send you to someone who does.
Just called again and another agent quoted me 195K miles/person if I include CZ in my itinerary. She transferred me to rate desk's agent who told me that extra 45K skymiles are required because china southern has special dates on which you cannot combine them with another DL flights at low mileage. Aka blackout dates. Since I'm looking for new year 2014 travel, sure enough december 7 - january 6 are forbidden days for CZ.
Is it true? I never heard about such rules.