erik19283

Moreover to the above, why would I call, and pay a fee in doing so, to book an award ticket if I can't even choose my flights and am stuck with whatever comes up with the search engine anyway? Did I miss something?

Nitehawk

Since the AC acquisition of AE, I have received excellent service from the AE call center as an SE. This is why I asked if SE's are also being denied segment feeding.

I guess there's only one way to find out!

w000t

I've been told that it was a directive from management not to piece together itineraries. It was apparently "not ticketing and people were getting stuck in limbo" and also "partners did not allow these kinds of routes in their ticketing rules" - both I claim BS but what can you do.....

I also asked this and I was told some people just enjoy calling in and talking to someone

drvannostren

I won't claim to know the ins and outs of ticketing, I know it's a complicated thing with multiple systems and different airline ticketing rules. But then if that's gonna be the case, then alliances really can't exist because it kinda defeats the purpose. I actually did however applaud AP for closing off bookings on some airlines for a while there. I think the "IT issues" with LX/CM/AV that lasted forever, might've been bogus. But I was told CA was blocked because people were showing up to the airports in China and just being told their ticket straight up didn't exist. So while AP saves the money of dealing with those situations, it's also altruistic in the sense that passengers were being stranded and AP didn't want anymore of that. Eventually that all got sorted annd it was bookable again. I haven't had any issues that bad, but I'm currently dealing with one that's in the same realm.

Sad but probably true. I like the human touch every so often in these transactions. But phone conversations don't really cut it for that. I like going into a store sometimes and buying something. Or even just browsing from time to time to see if something strikes me. The only reason I've ever called an AP agent was because of the website limitations. Same with CM/AV and any other airline I've ever had to call.

don_drapper

Today sounds like it will be a "fun day" as I am actually trying to book and feed segments to replace my existing mRTW booked in August!

Flight schedule looks something like this, though I might be interested to hear what some of you have to say. Obviously it is not gonna work unless I can book segment per segment, but we'll see how it goes...

YOW - IAD / UA Y
IAD - HND / UA J (Stop)
HND - SYD / NH J (Destination)
SYD - ICN / OZ J
ICN - PVG / OZ J
PVG - HEL / HO J
HEL - ARN / SK J
ARN - TXL / SK J (Stop)
TXL - VIE / OS J
VIE - ZRH / OS J
ZRH - YUL / LX J
YUL - YOW AC Y

I know some of those fights are a bit more subpar, but it seems to be the "best" I can setup for if I want to use the layovers and stopovers to my benefit, as well as my limited window for travelling (End of April through Mid June mostly). If anyone has some suggestion feel free to let me know! I am overall quite happy with it. Wish I had some NH availability to HND but I guess it opens a lot closer to travel dates than right now.

cennis

Overall very similar trip to mine: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/31584922-post980.html
SYD-SIN-PVG may save you some YQ and SQ is generally better than OZ. SYD-SIN may be hard to find when I looked for 2 tickets, but it looks like you are traveling alone.

don_drapper

Wow interesting trip especially with how low your YQ! To be honest I am fine being in the 800-1000$ in YQ since I'll be burning through other miles I have, but all I can find SYD-SIN-PVG is in Y onboard SQ, and I'd rather book as much as possible right now in J, then before leaving look at J options. I assume you haven't flew it yet? If you have, I'd be really curious to know your experience when you do! 18$ in YQ for a 4,600 miles flight really intrigues me.

EDIT: it seems that flying SYD-SIN-PVG is not on the table as I would be quite over the MPM on the return leg (15796, clocking in at closer to 16000, unless I find more optimization). Eitherway with the ongoing state of relation between China and Canada, might not be a bad thing to avoid the sector and do a more direct SYD-SIN-IST on little to no YQ.

cennis

Yes, MPM gets limiting returning through Europe from Australia I was pretty much maxed out on my MPM on the return leg, despite less Europe destinations than you. And YYZ-MEL has a higher MPM at 16100. Consider SYD-SIN-KUL-IST for the same low YQ if you want to try the new TK 787. I think SIN-IST is still on the old planes.

don_drapper

Worth looking into the new TK seats from what I heard elsewhere too. I was really interested in seeing PVG as it will (literally) be my first time outside of Canada, though I still have a 60k points even after this booking, so I might not be as far as I think for an Asia trip, at least if they keep Fixed mileage post-2020. I am able to reach 15,950 if departing from YUL, 16,105 if YQB, which then just means I connect via ViaRail (or my Travel Credit on the Platinum). Right now my problem is that I am really "on the dot" for the return leg, while I have close to 5000 miles left on the outward one.

What might end up happening is I might swap SYD for PER, giving me 18,131 from YOW. and quite some room for the Europe stretch, but then what I might be able to save in YQ from more "creative" routings is most likely lost in the cost of flights between SYD and PER. It was so much easier to figure out my first round-Europe trip, probably because I knew that products were not that different.

sxc234

I have a trip in April and one of my legs yyz to yvr had an aircraft change from a 777 to 321. There is anither flight on the same day with a 777, if i call in to request will i be charged a change fee?

bichoo

Yes

canadianhockey91

How sure are you of this? I've had an equipment change before and changed without issue.....that being said the change fee is worth it for that segment

sxc234

Would agree but curious how much of a fight i will have to put up. Worth asking and if i can save the change fee, why not. Will report back later on this. Thanks.

xanderz

I think it might've been YMMV.
I would assume that if the scheduled flight didn't change; then any changes on your segment, regardless of the time of day would be a "change" within your 1-way segment..
It's really up to the airline what aircraft they want to use to fly from point A -> B... but maybe some agent can waive this change this over?

cennis

The agent/supervisor has the ability to waive the fee if they want, but by policy they do not have to waive it for equipment changes. YMMV but doesn't hurt to ask