Originally Posted by
zilliontw
Hello AAdvantage gurus
I did try to find answers in the award rules page but couldn't see any; here we go:
I need to go from Cairo, Egypt (CAI) to Bordeux, France (BOD). The most direct (and costly, thanks to BA's YQ) route if CAI-LHR//LGW-BOD. I avoid this because of YQ and the airport change in London.
So the "next best routing" seems to be CAI-AUH-DUS-MAD-BOD. CAI-AUH-DUS with EY then DUS-MAD-BOD with IB. DUS could be replaced by CDG but to MAD I have to go to ORY instead - no flights between CDG and MAD!
The AAward agents (I tried 3 different ones) all told me it would cost either 55k or 60k in F (AUH-DUS EY Fl; the rest in C). I pointed out the AA award chart says Middle East- Europe costs 40k in F. Their reasons for charging me 55k or 60k are
1. only BA and IB are allowed for Middle East- Europe (really? I don't believe it since AB and AY also fly those routes)
2. My routing isn't the most "direct" routing, so I need 2 awards - 40k for Middle East-Europe in EY F, and 20k in IB C.
3. Even odder, they priced 5k less if I dropped MAD-BOD; it seemed like Avios at work where cost depends on the number of segments.
What happens if there's no availability on CAI-LON-BOD? People HAVE TO pay for 2 awards? It's not that I really want to fly to Germany or Spain to get to Bordeaux.
Would love to hear anyone's experiences/comments.
I am at a loss to why you find it surprising AA won't allow you to travel nearly triple the great circle distance CAI-BOD on a single award. No AA partner crosses the South Atlantic, should AA allow you to fly JNB-EZE via LHR?
On this type of award the governing carrier must publish a through fare origin to destination. EY does not publish a fare CAI-BOD, so you are required to pay for two awards: CAI-AUH-DUS for 40k in F and DUS-MAD-BOD for 20k in C. The price would actually be 50k total if you drop MAD-BOD because DUS-MAD (like all AB intra-Europe flights) is all economy so should only cost 10k.
However, as neither IB nor AB publishes a fare DUS-MAD-BOD I am inclined to think that if you actually attempted to ticket this award it would be rejected and you would be quoted 70k total, three separate awards for 40k/10k/20k. If you choose to go this route I would not pay the extra 10k for business MAD-BOD as it is a CRJ with identical 2-2 seating in both J and Y.
But what I'd really recommend is just flying BA, you are only paying $80 in YQ anyway and a lower UK PSC as LGW has lower fees than LHR. In fact, CAI-LHR/LGW-BOD would cost 30k+$164.04 in J (there is no F to CAI anymore). This is only $58 more than you would pay in fees for your proposed F routing.