Can't book legs in business when TATL is in first
 

[EDITED TO IMPROVE CLARITY]

It may be too late for me, but I'm hoping someone might be able to explain what happened and how I can avoid it in the future.

I attempted to book the following revenue ticket:

[some date] SFO-CDG-CPH in P / J
[some later date] TXL-CDG in J
[some even later date] CDG-SFO in P

They couldn't do it. I tried multiple booking sites, as well as AF directly by phone. Computer wouldn't take it...

Unless I downgraded my TATL flights to J from P. Then there was no problem at all. It seems like if any legs are in P, then all legs must have a flight in P.

This really screwed us since we had to book TXL-CDG as a one-way flight in a separate itinerary. AF really screws you for booking that one-way in business ($500pp, half that for round trip). So we're in coach on a separate ticket with no status.

What should I have done?

Thanks!
-- Ethan

Actually I see no problem trying to book TXL-SFO in first (with TXL-CDG in J), so it sounds like a different issue than "TXL to CDG not available in P", it could be due to restrictions on your current fare or any number of other possibilities which are hard to guess.

I'm not sure why you think AF "screwed' you, you booked a ticket X, now you want to change it to Y which is not always possible, if the fare is refundable you can always opt to cancel and re-book as SFO-CPH/TXL-SFO... (which may or may not be possible)

Perhaps I was unclear, because what you're saying is not what I'd intended to convey. My flights are:

[some date] SFO-CDG-CPH
[some later date] TXL-CDG
[some later date] CDG-SFO

The above could not be booked with the SFO-CDG legs in P but TXL-CDG in J. This was how I initially tried to book the flights, not an attempt to change a ticket.

To get around this, I had to book TXL-CDG as a separate one-way ticket. I really dislike the ways the airlines try to stick you on one-way flights, so that's what I mean by being "screwed". If they could have booked TXL-CDG as part of the original itinerary, it would have been another $250 for both of us. Instead it would be $1,000 for both of us as a separate one-way, so instead we booked in coach for $300, which is still higher than a round-trip coach fare would have been.

I'm not sure I follow how you tried to book 2 our of 3 flights in P and one in J? Did you try it on the website or on the phone with AF or? It helps if you can tell the whole story and not just pieces of information.

I mentioned in my first post that I tried different websites including AF. I also tried over the phone, both with AF directly and with Chase for their rewards line.

I think I get exactly what you were trying to do.
I have done similar itineraries, but always have booked the s/h separately with whoever offered the lowest fare. The TATL is essentially a straightforward R/T or open jaw.
Since the flight from Berlin is not a same day cxn, was there any particular reason you needed to book TXL-CDG on AF?
Are the XP points important for your status level?

The reason was simply the limited flight selection. I only saw EasyJet and AF as options. Only AF has J, although I didn't end up in it. I didn't really want to fly EasyJet.

Understood, though for that particular route FR wouldn't bother me (I won't take that carrier to or from sunny destinations).
So, just for grins I modeled OW TXL-CDG on Google Flights. Obviously, don't know your dates but on the calendar the prices for economy were running from USD142 for this week to mostly $54 for more than two weeks out. AF basically matched LCC fares.
But, in the end, I guess no matter who you fly, that kind of segment will always work easiest as a separate ticket.

Unfortunately, you chose two of the worst search/booking engines on the planet. As bad as AF is, Chase is even worse having sold it's soul to Expedia.com and then only getting partial Expedia inventory.
And you got screwed because CDG-SFO is more expensive than TXL-SFO.

If I understand correctly, you want SFO-CPH/TXL-SFO. AmexTravel.com can do it and at a 12% or so discount. If you still within 24 hours of purchase, I'd cancel and start over especially if you are not on the 77W both ways. Don't know your dates, but here are random August dates...

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...c328ef1d15.png

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...96fc8eea88.png

Because of the (some later date) before the return flight CDG-SFO, I took it that the OP was spending time in France as well as Denmark and Germany.
Your recommendation to check with Amex is a very good tip. I always do that and almost always end up booking the major component of my itinerary through them.^

There is a 5 night stopover in CDG on the way back. I should've said "[SOME EVEN LATER DATE]" Sorry if that was unclear. So unless the flight rules allow for an extended stopover, which AF said that they did not, then that doesn't work. It needs to be 3 different segments.

It sounds like you're saying that AF isn't the definitive word on what flights AF can book? And I don't mean website, I mean a phone rep? That's pretty amazing.

I don't think Amex can book flights that AF can't offer you. But they absolutely do a good job on pricing premium fares. Check them out (next time).

My bad, should have assumed that. Even Amex won't price it since there is no F between TXL-CDG. Since you aren't connecting, there is no need to have that leg on a separate ticket. And surprisingly, SFO-CPH/CDG-SFO is pricing at the same $8,000 or so RT.

So then, any idea why it won't price it? And why it will price it with all flights in J? Any way to work the system?

It seems like it can't be intentional that AF won't let me book the itinerary I proposed. Just some unintended consequence of a computer program that won't mix classes.

Computer systems are only as smart as the people that program them. ;)