Originally Posted by
makrxx
Thanks! I have just done this.
I called in to add 30th June to SIN and she said there’s no availability for that date. Website is showing 2 flights are available on 30th with seats available. So weird. I’ll call again in a bit.
Called again, before asking her to add the TYO-SIN leg I asked if there’s availability for 30th. She said yes. I then told her I would like her help to add that to my booking. Came back after a while and said she’s not seeing any availability now and can’t add it. I asked what about 29th, she said nothing either. Said this could be because the systems take a while to reflect etc.
Could this be because they’re trying to change my booking to a multi city one, which of course diddnt appear for me when I searched it?
How should I go from here?
You see the space on BA/QF/AS for TYO-SIN, right? Call in. Do not mention your existing booking (LAX-TYO?). Ask if they see space TYO-SIN on the 29th (or 30th if you prefer). They will see it if it is on the website (but make sure to confirm it is available on BA or QF too). After you confirm they see it ask them to add it to your existing trip. Now they will have a problem with their automated system. If they do not offer you will have to request they use the manual booking (AKA direct access). If they claim they are not allowed to do it ask for a supervisor to explain the situation. You have the flight to TYO. They have confirmed there is space TYO-SIN so if their automated booking system cannot handle it they need to use the manual booking process. They can do this. Agents do not like to do it because they must get supervisor approval to do it but you have the reason why it is necessary (The space is available and their automated system cannot handle it). You might have to push them to get it done and it might take a callback but it should be possible. If they try to claim that the TYO-SIN space must be phantom (they are wrong if BA/QF sees it too) then to prove them wrong tell them they should make a separate booking for you TYO-SIN by itself as a test and if it books it oviously was not phantom and their systems have a problem (but once it does book then they will have to cancel it, refund your fees and fix your original reservation manually like they should have done to begin with which will be a pain but if that is the only way to get them to acknowledge their error then so be it). You could even book TYO-SIN by itself while they are on the phone with you to prove it can be done separately but don't do it unless they agree to cancel and refund everything if it succeeds (which it will if BA/QF and AS all show space), including the partner booking fee which they do not normally refund, but if they make you prove them wrong they are going to have to eat some crow and refund it.
If they really cannot get it done then you might have to cancel the whole booking within the first 24 hours to get a refund (without a fee the first 24 hours) but this is definitely possible for them to do using the manual (direct access) system. I have done it before. It sometimes takes a lot of explaining and proof (that their automated system cannot handle it even though the space is really there and bookable) but they can do it if you convince them that they need to use the manual (direct access) system.