Originally Posted by
arctic.pasta
The website doesn't show an option for F, so I called in. The agent told me that they can only see economy and business (and only economy was available on the date I asked for). I confirmed with them that it's not that F is not available, it's that they can't even search for it.
Have you successfully booked JAL F using Finnair Plus before?
The statement that "they can not even search for JL F" is categorically false.
For JL F awards you need to call in and hope for a competent, skillful agent to pick up your call. The agent needs to know how to look beyond the normal search available to them as default and be specifically knowledgeable to search for JL F availability. Certainly possible, but only with extra effort, persistence and prior search for actual available seats with either JL own or BA/AA websites. AA seems worst, because they tend to show lots of phantom availability for some reason. Granted thou that AA is way better compared to AYs total lack of functional web availability search for partner awards.
Also good to note, that although AY partner awards might be pricier (JAL F 125000 Avios/oneway) than BA, the AY partner award includes the connecting AY flights, e.g. HEL-LHR/CDG in business, if connecting in LHR/CDG for JAL F to HND.