Partner Booking Rules - What Constitutes a Stopover
Aug 17, 2012, 11:35 am
#1
Ambassador: Alaska Airlines
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVP Gold
Posts: 2,732
Partner Booking Rules - What Constitutes a Stopover
Hoping to gather some collective wisdom about booking on partners. I have an existing BA First award constructed as an open jaw: flying out of Seattle to Vienna, then back from Prague to Seattle. Here's my understanding of partner rules:
1) You can choose EITHER an open jaw OR a stopover at an intermediate point, but not both.
2) For intl-intl connections, a stopover is defined as staying 24 hours or longer (ie, any flight within 23h 59m does not create a stopover).
My problem is that my outbound arrival in London is in the afternoon. There are then two connection options to Vienna:
a) a flight that evening (4h 15m later) in coach class
b) a flight the following morning (19h 20m later) in business class
I prefer option B because it has a decent arrival time and I don't mind the overnight in London. It's within 24 hours, and it's the first available flight in business. So far I have talked to 2 agents who refuse to ticket option B because they claim this will create a stopover, and thus I won't be able to fly the open jaw. I've tried to clarify the rules for stopovers, and the reasoning includes "it must be within 4 hours or it's a stopover" and "you have to take the first flight available for miles regardless of class of service, or it's a stopover." Both also blame the computer system for not allowing it (but didn't seem to even try) and claimed to confirm with a supervisor.
Any advice? I'm doubting myself now after having two agents read the party line to me.
1) You can choose EITHER an open jaw OR a stopover at an intermediate point, but not both.
2) For intl-intl connections, a stopover is defined as staying 24 hours or longer (ie, any flight within 23h 59m does not create a stopover).
My problem is that my outbound arrival in London is in the afternoon. There are then two connection options to Vienna:
a) a flight that evening (4h 15m later) in coach class
b) a flight the following morning (19h 20m later) in business class
I prefer option B because it has a decent arrival time and I don't mind the overnight in London. It's within 24 hours, and it's the first available flight in business. So far I have talked to 2 agents who refuse to ticket option B because they claim this will create a stopover, and thus I won't be able to fly the open jaw. I've tried to clarify the rules for stopovers, and the reasoning includes "it must be within 4 hours or it's a stopover" and "you have to take the first flight available for miles regardless of class of service, or it's a stopover." Both also blame the computer system for not allowing it (but didn't seem to even try) and claimed to confirm with a supervisor.
Any advice? I'm doubting myself now after having two agents read the party line to me.
Aug 17, 2012, 11:47 am
#2
Moderator Communications Coordinator, Signatures
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: deep within the Eskimo lair
Programs: TubWorld, Bar Alliance, Borratxo Legendarium
Posts: 16,968
Hoping to gather some collective wisdom about booking on partners. I have an existing BA First award constructed as an open jaw: flying out of Seattle to Vienna, then back from Prague to Seattle. Here's my understanding of partner rules:
1) You can choose EITHER an open jaw OR a stopover at an intermediate point, but not both.
2) For intl-intl connections, a stopover is defined as staying 24 hours or longer (ie, any flight within 23h 59m does not create a stopover).
My problem is that my outbound arrival in London is in the afternoon. There are then two connection options to Vienna:
a) a flight that evening (4h 15m later) in coach class
b) a flight the following morning (19h 20m later) in business class
I prefer option B because it has a decent arrival time and I don't mind the overnight in London. It's within 24 hours, and it's the first available flight in business. So far I have talked to 2 agents who refuse to ticket option B because they claim this will create a stopover, and thus I won't be able to fly the open jaw. I've tried to clarify the rules for stopovers, and the reasoning includes "it must be within 4 hours or it's a stopover" and "you have to take the first flight available for miles regardless of class of service, or it's a stopover." Both also blame the computer system for not allowing it (but didn't seem to even try) and claimed to confirm with a supervisor.
Any advice? I'm doubting myself now after having two agents read the party line to me.
1) You can choose EITHER an open jaw OR a stopover at an intermediate point, but not both.
2) For intl-intl connections, a stopover is defined as staying 24 hours or longer (ie, any flight within 23h 59m does not create a stopover).
My problem is that my outbound arrival in London is in the afternoon. There are then two connection options to Vienna:
a) a flight that evening (4h 15m later) in coach class
b) a flight the following morning (19h 20m later) in business class
I prefer option B because it has a decent arrival time and I don't mind the overnight in London. It's within 24 hours, and it's the first available flight in business. So far I have talked to 2 agents who refuse to ticket option B because they claim this will create a stopover, and thus I won't be able to fly the open jaw. I've tried to clarify the rules for stopovers, and the reasoning includes "it must be within 4 hours or it's a stopover" and "you have to take the first flight available for miles regardless of class of service, or it's a stopover." Both also blame the computer system for not allowing it (but didn't seem to even try) and claimed to confirm with a supervisor.
Any advice? I'm doubting myself now after having two agents read the party line to me.
If you have names of agents, and supervisors, please PM those over too
Last edited by missydarlin; Aug 17, 2012 at 11:55 am
Aug 17, 2012, 12:03 pm
#3
Ambassador: Alaska Airlines
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVP Gold
Posts: 2,732
Thanks for the speedy confirmation. I would like to see some of these rules publicized so that customers have something authoritative to refer to.
Aug 17, 2012, 12:06 pm
#4
Moderator Communications Coordinator, Signatures
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: deep within the Eskimo lair
Programs: TubWorld, Bar Alliance, Borratxo Legendarium
Posts: 16,968
If you get fuzzy info in the future, take note of names... we want to make sure all the agents are up to speed.