TATL High Fare Work-a-Round Question
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Canada
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Posts: 2,354
TATL High Fare Work-a-Round Question
i would normally call in but trying not to with all the current rescheduling and long waits. I am hopeful a fellow FTer will know the answer or have a suggestion.
J fares to CDG and LHR are presently outrageous for my travel dates. If I take a non-direct option (one stop) there are possibilities. Stops in Europe range from Germany to Brussels or Vienna. Closer cities such as Zürich or Geneva not on the list as options.
Questions: if I call in can they do a manual something to get me different choices for the stop or would I be limited to what the online itineraries were? The stop would be just long enough to change planes (i.e., not a real stopover). Is there a way to do this online (I have a code to use)? I was already doing multi-city for the tx but what I’m asking about is not multi-city.
Of course, one can go anywhere for a price but my objective is to keep the price down.
J fares to CDG and LHR are presently outrageous for my travel dates. If I take a non-direct option (one stop) there are possibilities. Stops in Europe range from Germany to Brussels or Vienna. Closer cities such as Zürich or Geneva not on the list as options.
Questions: if I call in can they do a manual something to get me different choices for the stop or would I be limited to what the online itineraries were? The stop would be just long enough to change planes (i.e., not a real stopover). Is there a way to do this online (I have a code to use)? I was already doing multi-city for the tx but what I’m asking about is not multi-city.
Of course, one can go anywhere for a price but my objective is to keep the price down.
#2
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Canada
Programs: Virtuoso TA, Four Seasons Pref Partner, Rosewood Elite TA, Ritz Carlton STARS TA
Posts: 4,737
If you are buying a fare to CDG the route doesn't matter... it's still a fare to CDG
YYZ-CDG in Z class should be the same fare as YYZ-VIE-CDG in Z class
What works better is YYZ-CDG (stop) then CDG-VIE and then back to YYZ however
This way your price is to VIE with a stopover point
Highly doubt this can be done on the website with a discount code
YYZ-CDG in Z class should be the same fare as YYZ-VIE-CDG in Z class
What works better is YYZ-CDG (stop) then CDG-VIE and then back to YYZ however
This way your price is to VIE with a stopover point
Highly doubt this can be done on the website with a discount code
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Canada
Programs: Aeroplan E50/MM, HH gold, Nat Exec Elite, Kimpton Karma
Posts: 2,354
If you are buying a fare to CDG the route doesn't matter... it's still a fare to CDG
YYZ-CDG in Z class should be the same fare as YYZ-VIE-CDG in Z class
What works better is YYZ-CDG (stop) then CDG-VIE and then back to YYZ however
This way your price is to VIE with a stopover point
Highly doubt this can be done on the website with a discount code
YYZ-CDG in Z class should be the same fare as YYZ-VIE-CDG in Z class
What works better is YYZ-CDG (stop) then CDG-VIE and then back to YYZ however
This way your price is to VIE with a stopover point
Highly doubt this can be done on the website with a discount code
#4
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
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Not sure what you expect. Non-stops to a destination city are almost always more expensive than connecting to that city. You pay for the convenience of a nonstop.
#5
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: YWG
Posts: 2,272
OP, what does "manual something" mean? Do you mean: Will the agent look up every single possible stop combination to find me the cheapest price?
If that is what you mean, I would say unlikely but YMMV.
As mentioned, non-stop often costs more than direct due to convenience.
My guess is that in your situation, the nonstop is a higher booking class than the options with connections. So you'll just have to dig around and find those routes that offer cheaper J fares.
If that is what you mean, I would say unlikely but YMMV.
As mentioned, non-stop often costs more than direct due to convenience.
My guess is that in your situation, the nonstop is a higher booking class than the options with connections. So you'll just have to dig around and find those routes that offer cheaper J fares.
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,024
i would normally call in but trying not to with all the current rescheduling and long waits. I am hopeful a fellow FTer will know the answer or have a suggestion.
J fares to CDG and LHR are presently outrageous for my travel dates. If I take a non-direct option (one stop) there are possibilities. Stops in Europe range from Germany to Brussels or Vienna. Closer cities such as Zürich or Geneva not on the list as options.
J fares to CDG and LHR are presently outrageous for my travel dates. If I take a non-direct option (one stop) there are possibilities. Stops in Europe range from Germany to Brussels or Vienna. Closer cities such as Zürich or Geneva not on the list as options.
Great Circle Mapper
#7
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: YYC
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Posts: 4,746
Other options is use a Euro Carrier to a non-hub city. For example, to go to CDG, I would look at BA or KLM where you have to connect. When I was regularly flying to LHR, I could get a non stop for ~$6,000 in J. However, I could frequently get a J ticket to LIN (Milan) in J for around $2,000 on BA. So I'd fly to MIlan (connecting at LHR) have lunch and then on a seperate ticket fly back to LHR. Reverse the procedure going home. Made for a longer day, but in the summer I could buy J for less than Y that way.
#8
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Canada
Programs: Virtuoso TA, Four Seasons Pref Partner, Rosewood Elite TA, Ritz Carlton STARS TA
Posts: 4,737
Not really sure why this needed a thread
The same can be said about any route on Air Canada regardless of class of service
You might not be able to get a L class seat YYZ-YVR, but if you are willing to go YYZ-YYC-YVR you might get the L seat and hence a lower fare
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Canada
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Many thanks for the various ideas. Appreciated. A non-stop flight is probably not in the cards this time around if I stick with AC. I’ve obviously been lucky so far on my many TATLs since with a little flexibility, I’ve been able to get something.
My question formed when I noticed I could do YYZ-VIE-CDG for less than half YYZ-CDC. It seemed odd, initially, that closer places such as Zürich, Amsterdam, Genève, etc weren’t listed as possible change points for the ticket. I simply wondered whether anyone had luck getting AC to broaden the list without significantly increasing the price.
Addendum: Interesting to learn AF is less than half the price in J.
My question formed when I noticed I could do YYZ-VIE-CDG for less than half YYZ-CDC. It seemed odd, initially, that closer places such as Zürich, Amsterdam, Genève, etc weren’t listed as possible change points for the ticket. I simply wondered whether anyone had luck getting AC to broaden the list without significantly increasing the price.
Addendum: Interesting to learn AF is less than half the price in J.
#10
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Canada
Programs: Virtuoso TA, Four Seasons Pref Partner, Rosewood Elite TA, Ritz Carlton STARS TA
Posts: 4,737