caribbeansun

What started off pretty great has turned into a nightmare.

I was successful booking YYZ-LAX-AKL-SYD on Air NZ going down at the end of Nov/06 and booked a phantom return in order to secure the Bus Premier on NZ going down.

I have been trying to book SYD-YYZ on any routing for Jan 2-6 and there's absolutely NOTHING available on Air NZ, UA or AC in any class.

I'm starting to feel like I'm completely SOL - does anybody have any suggestions at all about what in the heck I can do to get home?????

yyznomad

You make it sound like you're stuck in SYD at the moment!

caribbeansun

Sorry, not my intent, although for the time being I am stuck there in December of 2006. I've been phoning AE every day for a couple of weeks so mild panic is setting in (if there is such a thing).

BlondeBomber

Book a cheap flight from OZ when a sale is on and secure another return flight out of it by booking the return to OZ with your reward ticket at a time that does work.

Shareholder

I suspect the problem relates to the fact that this return would be at the height of the Christmas/New Year travel period when demand is greatest for revenue, let alone award seats. I'd have to agree with BB, you may find it more adventageous to buy a cheap return -- consider it an early Mileage Run -- and enjoy a second short trip back down later in the winter to pick up the return award when seats open up.

Unfortunately the option of an open-jaw returning ex-PER/SIN/YVR is not an option since the total mileage of your flight to SYD is 10,028 and you can only exceed this by 5% on an award ticket. PER/SIN/YVR totals 12,470. So there is not alternate routing via Asia.

You may be able to benefit from AE's pledge to have access to all seats some time later this year, but you'll pay a hefty premium in AE miles for that flexibility, and AE will not likely permit you to pay the regular "price" going down and a premium coming back. The whole ticket would be "re-priced" at the highest rate. But that would get you the AC space, subject to there being revenue seats on the flights you need.

ozflier

If you can wait long enough , and if UA puts on its extra flights LAX-SYD three times a week as has happened the last couple of years , there will sure to be some seats come up but that won't be announced if it happens until august at the earliest .

cur

You're not "SOL" or "STRANDED". You're unable to book a reward flight with one airline on an extremely busy route.

Snoopyo

Caribbeansun,

That is a bad time since many Aussies and Kiwis go home for Xmas and will be returning to their job in North America or Europe after the new years. For people visiting NZ on their holidays, that would be the time they head home for work or kids for school.

I think you may have a better chance booking end of Dec or even Jan 1 than Jan 2-6 or do as other suggested, get a cheap revenue ticket..

BlondeBomber

Have you tried routings back from DRW BNE or CNS? via Asia? Don't know who is still flying these routes but sometimes they can be incredibly empty. I know we flew HNL-CNS one year with CP (remember them!) and the whole family each had a row of 3 across to sleep on.

BlondeBomber

Looks like CNS and DRW are out but both TG and SQ fly to BNE and ADL.

SQ also flies to ADL.

TG and SQ fly to MEL.

You might end up with some strange routing back via SIN, BKK, SEL, PEK or HKG (with overnights) but it might work if you feel you have no alternative. I test out each individual route on the reward booking page rather than trying all the way SYD-HKG.

BlondeBomber

oh and the obvious--OZ, TG and SQ fly from SYD to SEL, BKK and SIN

caribbeansun

Thank you so much for your replies, I hadn't tried the Asian route - I was too locked into the LAX thing. Thanks again and I'll be checking those Asian routes first thing in the morning! ^

Al B

They're all over in miles permitted and can't be used when on a Star or AC reward NthAm to SthPac - you'd have to get 2 seperate rewards. The only Oz-Asia-NthAm route that does work is Asiana SYD-ICN and AC's nonstop ICN-YYZ when it runs. Or - get yourself to PER and use SQ from there as that is under the maximum miles permitted. Having said that, you'll find it hard to get seats on SQ as well.
Options?
Try SYD-HNL and then onwards from there with UA via SFO/LAX/DEN/ORD and also don't forget the NZ and UA SFO flights from down here. There's also NZ's CHC-LAX nonstop as well, if it's still running - that one is often overlooked and available.
Also try NZ's "island hoppers" - quite often the AKL-LAX portion is not available but if you break it into the two segments of the flight (ie AKL-NAN-LAX) you will get your seats.

caribbeansun

Thanks Al - tried them all to no avail. I'll keep at it and hope they release more seats in the near and distant future. I was able to get two economy SYD-YVR for the time being so at least we'll get home - in agony perhaps but home nonetheless.

KyRoamer

Terrible. Tell your boss you are stuck and stay a few days longer. You can never have too much time in Sydney.