Sheepfan

I am considering booking a ticket to Brussels, but using the air/rail option to Brussels Midi (ZYR), flying from Aberdeen via either AMS or CDG.

Some websites show this as a bookable option, ie Opodo, but others Expedia (for example) do not - any idea why? Could it be because they use a different GDS provider?

I'm asking more out of curiosity than anything else, though the flight+hotel deals via Expedia are sometimes the best option, and it's slightly irritating I can't book via their site.

Goldorak

I don't think so because I think both are using Amadeus. On Expedia, do you "force" the airline choice for AF or KL. because if yes, I don't see why this routing doesn't show up.
Edit : just tried a dummy booking on expedia ABZ to ZYR in October and, even without restricting the airline choice, I have all options via CDG or AMS

Sheepfan

Strange: just went on to Expedia.co.uk, I can see the CDG connection to ZYR, but not via AMS. With KL it only shows a standard flight connection to BRU, even if I tweak the options. (dates 20-23 Dec).

KQ321

Hmm. I would guess that is because of the annual railway timetable change in mid-December, which means that schedules (and hence availability) for trains after mid-December aren't loaded in the system yet. Have you tried dates earlier than mid-December?

However, that doesn't explain why it is showing trains via CDG after the timetable change...

lpjanssen

I believe the caveat is the following :
While AF offers CDG-ZYR is a true AF segment (coded AF), the KL offering to transfer AMS-ZYR is actually under a Thalys code (coded 9B) and not as a KL segment.

On a KL code, KL doesn't do trains to Brussels - only the regular flight AMS-BRU.
On an AF code, AF doesn't do flights to Brussels - only the train option CDG-ZYR.
To be complete : KL does do trains to Antwerp Central Station (ZWE) under a KL code.

Terbang

If my trip starts at Brussel midi train station (ZYR) on a trip booked at KLM.com with transfer at AMS, will I receives miles on the 9 B segment?

jak456

No, you will not. The ZYR (or ZWE=Antwerp) to AMS on 9B are not miles eligible (even when the trains had KL flight numbers, which they do not anymore). I had long discussions with FB on this one. I was one flight short of FB Silver (yes, I know, it is pathetic) and in the end got the credit as a sign of goodwill from FB as they fail to state this on their web-site.

By contrast, the AF ZYR to CDG service is fully miles eligible.

jak

KQ321

No. The basic rule is that you only earn level miles on 'flights' which are coded AF/KL (regardless of operating airline - with a few exceptions for some AF-coded flights), or are coded and operated by any other SkyTeam airline.

Thalys is not a member of SkyTeam, so with a 9B code, you will not earn any miles for that segment.

Indeed, the ZYR-AMS service only appears to be available with a 9B code, not (any longer) a KL-code. So, as explained above, that would not earn any miles.

However, ZWE-AMS is still available with a KL code - and that does (or at least, did earlier this year) earn award and level miles on FB.... (Obviously, your ticket actually has to have the KL code on it; if your ticket has 2H/9B on it, then you won't earn miles, regardless of the fact that the train itself carries a KL flight number).

Sheepfan

It's very odd. I can find the connection I want via AMS on KLM's website (with the Thalys part to ZYR) or on Opodo, and one or two other websites (such as Bravofly). However, not on Expedia, or lastminute.com.


I've played about with the dates, but no joy. As a former agent, this intrigues me. If I book it, I guess I'll have to do the flight and hotel separately. (KLM offers hotel prices, but via booking.com).

jak456

As I said, the train does not earn FB miles even with the KL code on the ticket. I took that one in Nov '13, had the KL code on the ticket (not 2H/9B) and was told by FB that no miles can be earned. Eventually, I got the credit as a sign of goodwill after some back and forth.

KQ321

Strange... Was that ZYR-AMS or ZWE-AMS? As indicated, I travelled ZWE-AMS on a KL-coded ticket on Thalys earlier this year, and earned FB miles with no problem. So I don't know whether things have changed, or whether I was lucky, or you were unlucky...

jak456

ZWE-AMS-ZWE ; see the below answer that I got from FB :

Probably it should not be a surprise that there is no consistency. Glad to see you got your miles

GenevaFlyer

I got miles for these segments as late as March of this year. The process even improved in terms of getting them applied.

Cheers,

GenevaFlyer

jak456

"flew" out of ZWE in Nov and indeed got the miles credited after making a missing miles claim. Thus, ignore my "you will not get any miles" statement.

carnarvon

Checking today on klm website and got AMS/ZYR on Thalys coded KL2963 and ZYR/AMS as KL 2968.

Would the rule that any flight coded AF/KL (with odd exceptions like mini) generated miles and segment apply in this case?