Here was my approach:

As mentioned, two of the $ 60.00 fares, when the rules are pulled up - showed expired, but one did not. I copied the rules of that fare, and as always is the case with Travelocity, they are incomplete. As you may know, this is not a published fare. So would CI grant mileage credit? It looks like the CI portion has to be booked in T and the AZ portion has to be booked in L (but I am not completely sure).

Then I tried to book on Travelocity, but I could not get in all the required segments - one by one. So then I tried shoving in two segments into one of the spaces (ie. SYD-FCO instead of SYD-TPE - requesting the CI carrier option) to see if that would work, because I've found that it sometimes works with other online booking engines, like UAL.com). But that didn't work with Travelocity either.

The unexpired fare basis is TJEE if I recall correctly. In any case, all of the $ 60.00 fares started with T. T class is fully booked up on the two remaining dates that CI flies between SYD and TPE (28 MAR and 31MAR) using the "normal availability" that comes up. So then I went directly into CI computer and found two seats in T on 31MAR SYD-TPE. Since this has to be booked and tkt'd thru Travelocity, I went back to Travelocity and booked as much of the record as I could and placed it on hold (to create a record) . Then I called Travelocity directly and spent about about an hour and a half talking to them and had an agent book the rest of the itinerary . (Unfortunately, the Travelocity agents are virtually useless, unless something will price automatically, which this wouldn't because the one TPE-FCO seg wasn't booked in the right COS). What I had booked with the web wound up in T class to TPE and then Y class to FCO. Travelocity would not "wait list" the TPE-FCO portion in T. So, I called CI and they were glad to waitlist the FCO-TPE portion in T. They sent a msg to TPE... and I should hear back from them within 48 hours.

This is further complicated by that fact that the flights from SYD to FCO don't connect the same day in TPE... at least not on the dates that I checked. This would require more than a twenty-four hour layover. I'm not sure that this would be allowed based on Travelocity's incomplete rules.

Here's the bottom line: There is no more T class out of SYD to TPE this month, but I do have two seats booked in T on the 31MAR SYD-TPE. If the TPE-FCO clear from Y to T (2APR) anybody is welcome to them. If it does then this MAY work. Also, I am not absolutely sure that the SYD-TPE portion must be taken on CI. If another carrier could be used, then more options would be available. Travelocity agents are not trained well enough to tell me. Maybe I can go directly to the SABRE help desk since Travelocity is actually SABRE...hummm.

Suggestion: Try looking at the DreamMap out of other Ozzie cities to which CI does not fly to see if similar fares exists. If so, the fare may allow travel via another carrier other than CI to TPE which has better availability. I would suggest trying the northern cities first. I have a feeling that there may be something similar... based on a few "clues" posted on Travelocity. Maybe yes, maybe no. Let me know.

Here is a sample itinerary nan358:

CI 52T 31MAR SYDTPE 1000P 520A +1
CI 67T 2APR TPEFCO 850P 810A +1
AZ 1265T 3APR FCONAP 1115A 1205P
AZ 1262T 14APR NAPFCO 655A 745A
CI 681T 14APR FCOTPE 1205P 1035A +1
CI 51T 15APR TPESYD 1030P 930A +1

Whether or not this would actually be honored once the segments cleared, is another story to be dealt with later.


Update: Travelocity states booking class for entire itinerary must be booked in T COS.



[This message has been edited by tvl4free (edited 03-19-2001).]