Award booking issues on FB website
#751
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Paris, France
Programs: AF/KL Flying Blue Platinum for life/Club2000 Ultimate, Accor ALL Diamond
Posts: 21,918
If you enter SAT-CDG in the system, then it proposes you options for SAT-CDG. If you want specifically to stop in ATL and IAD, then it's not anymore a SAT-CDG ticket but a multi-destination one and FB agents are corrects.
#752
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 404
These aren't stops; they're layovers. This is a question of routing, not creating a multi-destination ticket. Most airlines will let you route to your satisfaction within reasonable rules as long as there is availability. In this case, I need to fly the transatlantic from IAD-CDG but the computer won't route me that way. It sounds like FB will only follow the computer's suggestion and doesn't allow a manual route construction?
#753
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Paris, France
Programs: AF/KL Flying Blue Platinum for life/Club2000 Ultimate, Accor ALL Diamond
Posts: 21,918
These aren't stops; they're layovers. This is a question of routing, not creating a multi-destination ticket. Most airlines will let you route to your satisfaction within reasonable rules as long as there is availability. In this case, I need to fly the transatlantic from IAD-CDG but the computer won't route me that way. It sounds like FB will only follow the computer's suggestion and doesn't allow a manual route construction?
#754
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 404
The problem is not "following the computer" but allowing you to book an award ticket on partner flights with availability for awards. Again, if you want to fly SAT-CDG, you cannot expect the airline to grant you any exotic routing you may have in mind for whatever reason. The manual construction will lead you to a multi-destination trip. Obviously, your most important objective is to fly IAD-CDG, so you should concentrate on that.
#755
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: CPT,AMS
Posts: 4,412
Your only option is to call FB again and hope that you will find an agent that may be more accommodating than the previous one, but there is no guarantee you will.
#756
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 404
You already asked that and got 2 answers for it, one from me and one from @Goldorak, you also seem to have gotten the same answer by calling FB, do you think that by asking again you will get a different answer?
Your only option is to call FB again and hope that you will find an agent that may be more accommodating than the previous one, but there is no guarantee you will.
Your only option is to call FB again and hope that you will find an agent that may be more accommodating than the previous one, but there is no guarantee you will.
Your previous answer actually suggested something different than what you are implying now, which is that an FB agent would be willing to construct an itinerary that deviated from the one suggested by the booking engine. Based on the latest replies and my experience (4 HUCAs to FB agents) I think it's safe to conclude that this is difficult if not impossible to accomplish with FB so take or leave whatever the system gives you.
#757
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: CPT,AMS
Posts: 4,412
As we all know, what front line agents say is the case is not always what's possible. That's why these forums are helpful to glean experience of others (isn't that the point of this thread?).
Your previous answer actually suggested something different than what you are implying now, which is that an FB agent would be willing to construct an itinerary that deviated from the one suggested by the booking engine. Based on the latest replies and my experience (4 HUCAs to FB agents) I think it's safe to conclude that this is difficult if not impossible to accomplish with FB so take or leave whatever the system gives you.
Your previous answer actually suggested something different than what you are implying now, which is that an FB agent would be willing to construct an itinerary that deviated from the one suggested by the booking engine. Based on the latest replies and my experience (4 HUCAs to FB agents) I think it's safe to conclude that this is difficult if not impossible to accomplish with FB so take or leave whatever the system gives you.
For the former, just the fact that there is availability on the 2 segments separately still doesn't mean they can always be combined to a single ticket, but I've done it couple of times, though granted the PSL agents might be more willing to accommodate such requests than the "front line" agents.
#758
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Toronto, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan E75K, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 68
Hi All - I'm not sure if these are issues that only I am facing, but it looks like I'm unable to use Flying Blue miles to book on several partner airlines from Canada. All flights are from YYZ.
Example 1: Unable to book to Hawaii on Delta. When I search YYZ-HNL (tried multiple dates: a few weeks out, in April, and next September), I get the message "No flights available for your travel dates. Please change your selection". I got this message even for example searches for YYZ-JFK and YYZ-ATL (which I know Delta flies nonstop), and for JFK-HNL. Separately, on the Flying Blue website's mileage estimator, it said that the YYZ-HNL segment cannot be booked, though it did say the others (JFK, ATL, and JFK-HNL) could be booked.
Example 2: Unable to book any WestJet routings. I know there was an agreement recently allowing reciprocal use of WestJet dollars and Flying Blue miles on each other's networks, but I haven't been able to book anything. Does anyone know if this is active, or if it's limited to certain routes?
Example 3: Jet Airways - I was looking into a trip to India, but could only search routes where AF/KL flew (i.e. BOM, DEL, BLR) but not other cities that are served by 9W. I also thought 9W was a Flying Blue partner for both mileage accrual and redemption, but again unable to book. For this one, I also called in, and the agent wasn't able to book this either. I haven't called yet for the other 2 issues.
Curious to see if this is a common issue and if there's any fix. Thank you.
Example 1: Unable to book to Hawaii on Delta. When I search YYZ-HNL (tried multiple dates: a few weeks out, in April, and next September), I get the message "No flights available for your travel dates. Please change your selection". I got this message even for example searches for YYZ-JFK and YYZ-ATL (which I know Delta flies nonstop), and for JFK-HNL. Separately, on the Flying Blue website's mileage estimator, it said that the YYZ-HNL segment cannot be booked, though it did say the others (JFK, ATL, and JFK-HNL) could be booked.
Example 2: Unable to book any WestJet routings. I know there was an agreement recently allowing reciprocal use of WestJet dollars and Flying Blue miles on each other's networks, but I haven't been able to book anything. Does anyone know if this is active, or if it's limited to certain routes?
Example 3: Jet Airways - I was looking into a trip to India, but could only search routes where AF/KL flew (i.e. BOM, DEL, BLR) but not other cities that are served by 9W. I also thought 9W was a Flying Blue partner for both mileage accrual and redemption, but again unable to book. For this one, I also called in, and the agent wasn't able to book this either. I haven't called yet for the other 2 issues.
Curious to see if this is a common issue and if there's any fix. Thank you.
#760
#763
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: USA
Programs: AA2, DL2, Amtrak2, US2, SPG1, MAR2
Posts: 2,550
You already asked that and got 2 answers for it, one from me and one from @Goldorak, you also seem to have gotten the same answer by calling FB, do you think that by asking again you will get a different answer?
Your only option is to call FB again and hope that you will find an agent that may be more accommodating than the previous one, but there is no guarantee you will.
Your only option is to call FB again and hope that you will find an agent that may be more accommodating than the previous one, but there is no guarantee you will.
#764
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SEA (previous locations: DTW, TLV, EWR, BOS)
Programs: AS: 75K; DL/NW: Plat; DL SC: Lifetime; Hyatt: Diamond; HH: Gold; SPG: Plat;
Posts: 3,383
In October, I booked two FB award tickets during the 50% off YVR to Europe promo period. One ticket was YVR-Europe, the other Europe-YVR. I booked them as one-ways for maximum flexibility (to preserve my return in case my travel plans changed on the outbound).
I booked both award tix the same day. I received confirmation emails with 'Status: Confirmed' for both reservations. I just realized that the outbound ticketed, while the return never ticketed.
Calling the US 800 FlyingBlue number was useless. The phone agent (based in Monterrey, Mexico) stated he wasn't sure why my return reservation didn't ticket. If I wanted to book the same reservation, it would now cost 53K FB miles, as opposed to the 26,500 it cost during last month's promo.
Why would one rez ticket, but the other not? At this point, who can help rectify this? It's not my fault the rez didn't ticket, but AF is making it my issue...
Thanks for your assistance,
Bostonbali
I booked both award tix the same day. I received confirmation emails with 'Status: Confirmed' for both reservations. I just realized that the outbound ticketed, while the return never ticketed.
Calling the US 800 FlyingBlue number was useless. The phone agent (based in Monterrey, Mexico) stated he wasn't sure why my return reservation didn't ticket. If I wanted to book the same reservation, it would now cost 53K FB miles, as opposed to the 26,500 it cost during last month's promo.
Why would one rez ticket, but the other not? At this point, who can help rectify this? It's not my fault the rez didn't ticket, but AF is making it my issue...
Thanks for your assistance,
Bostonbali
#765
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Paris, France
Programs: AF/KL Flying Blue Platinum for life/Club2000 Ultimate, Accor ALL Diamond
Posts: 21,918
In October, I booked two FB award tickets during the 50% off YVR to Europe promo period. One ticket was YVR-Europe, the other Europe-YVR. I booked them as one-ways for maximum flexibility (to preserve my return in case my travel plans changed on the outbound).
I booked both award tix the same day. I received confirmation emails with 'Status: Confirmed' for both reservations. I just realized that the outbound ticketed, while the return never ticketed.
Calling the US 800 FlyingBlue number was useless. The phone agent (based in Monterrey, Mexico) stated he wasn't sure why my return reservation didn't ticket. If I wanted to book the same reservation, it would now cost 53K FB miles, as opposed to the 26,500 it cost during last month's promo.
Why would one rez ticket, but the other not? At this point, who can help rectify this? It's not my fault the rez didn't ticket, but AF is making it my issue...
I booked both award tix the same day. I received confirmation emails with 'Status: Confirmed' for both reservations. I just realized that the outbound ticketed, while the return never ticketed.
Calling the US 800 FlyingBlue number was useless. The phone agent (based in Monterrey, Mexico) stated he wasn't sure why my return reservation didn't ticket. If I wanted to book the same reservation, it would now cost 53K FB miles, as opposed to the 26,500 it cost during last month's promo.
Why would one rez ticket, but the other not? At this point, who can help rectify this? It's not my fault the rez didn't ticket, but AF is making it my issue...