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[award to Asia] "Try and call back tomorrow to see if seats have opened up."

[award to Asia] "Try and call back tomorrow to see if seats have opened up."

 
Old Mar 16, 2012, 8:17 am
  #1  
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[award to Asia] "Try and call back tomorrow to see if seats have opened up."

If I hear the above message can I assume no seats?

Trying to book Economy international ticket for Dec 2012, but only availability is Business/First.

Does economy "open up" about a month prior to my ticket, making daily calling until December be wasted effort since I'm so far out until boarding date?

Thanks much.
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Old Mar 16, 2012, 8:20 am
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Are you trying to book an AA award ticket? If so Have you considered using the online booking tool? Also expert flyer may be useful and can notify of availability. Only reason I can think to actually call would be for a Partner Award.
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Old Mar 16, 2012, 8:21 am
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expertflyer.com will alert you when seats open up. No need to keep calling.
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Old Mar 16, 2012, 8:48 am
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I have to call since its a trip to Asia (Cathay/Japan Air) so the site won't let me book...

thanks for the tip on expertflyer.. I'm looking to book with my miles (not $$$) so hopefully they have that option on their site, since I know seats reserved for miles are much less.
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Old Mar 16, 2012, 8:56 am
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Originally Posted by midtownj
thanks for the tip on expertflyer.. I'm looking to book with my miles (not $$$) so hopefully they have that option on their site, since I know seats reserved for miles are much less.
Yes, it will alert you if and when award seats open. But unfortunately, not for CX or JL.
awardnexus.com is another great site for checking award avails for almost all airlines, including CX and JL.
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Old Mar 16, 2012, 9:14 am
  #6  
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If you could tell us a little bit more about your plans, we might be able to be a bit more helpful. E.g. mentioning it is an award trip, your ultimate destination, timeline, etc. might result in more helpful answers.

As well there are copious award threads that might offer additional information; it is likely this will be merged into one of them.
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Old Mar 16, 2012, 12:45 pm
  #7  
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Originally Posted by midtownj
I have to call since its a trip to Asia (Cathay/Japan Air) so the site won't let me book...

thanks for the tip on expertflyer.. I'm looking to book with my miles (not $$$) so hopefully they have that option on their site, since I know seats reserved for miles are much less.
Just sign yourself up a JAL frequent flyer account and use its award booking engine to search for your seats.

For CX inventory, JL website is the most reliable source - it matches 100% with AA's.

For JL inventory, I believe some new government rules have made the award seats now are not bookable further than 6 months out. I dont remember whether it is for all JL award seats.

In any case, you can sign up a BA FF membership and use BA award booking engine to search for the availability - this would be more reliable than use JL's own because JL's may make more awards available for its own members while what BA sees should match with what AA sees.
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Old Mar 16, 2012, 12:49 pm
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Originally Posted by Happy
...

In any case, you can sign up a BA FF membership and use BA award booking engine to search for the availability - this would be more reliable than use JL's own because JL's may make more awards available for its own members while what BA sees should match with what AA sees.
FYI, notwithstanding wait-list availability, I have never seen a case where JAL award seats available to its own member is not available to other partner airlines. In other words, JAL does not reserve any special inventory for its own members and any award seat is available to everyone.
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Old Mar 16, 2012, 12:55 pm
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Originally Posted by ckpeter
FYI, notwithstanding wait-list availability, I have never seen a case where JAL award seats available to its own member is not available to other partner airlines. In other words, JAL does not reserve any special inventory for its own members and any award seat is available to everyone.
That is good to know that JL does not operate the way CX does.
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Old Mar 16, 2012, 4:17 pm
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Originally Posted by Happy
For JL inventory, I believe some new government rules have made the award seats now are not bookable further than 6 months out. I dont remember whether it is for all JL award seats.

In any case, you can sign up a BA FF membership and use BA award booking engine to search for the availability - this would be more reliable than use JL's own because JL's may make more awards available for its own members while what BA sees should match with what AA sees.
Not true at all. JAL doesn't release more award seats for its own members than partners. Also never heard of the 6 month rules. JMB members can redeem awards up to 330 days out on international tickets
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Old Mar 16, 2012, 8:40 pm
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Originally Posted by JALPak
Also never heard of the 6 month rules. JMB members can redeem awards up to 330 days out on international tickets
If you search AA forum you would find several posts on this seemingly newly imposed rules by the Japanese government. Or so the AA members are being told, (by EXP desk no less). Dont remember whether it only affects domestic JL flights or including the Int'l flights also.

I never heard of it before either until I have come across several such reported incidents in past month or two, scattered among various threads - it seems OneWorld award booking is not affected but All Partner award is.
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Old Mar 17, 2012, 12:55 am
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Originally Posted by Happy
If you search AA forum you would find several posts on this seemingly newly imposed rules by the Japanese government. Or so the AA members are being told, (by EXP desk no less). Dont remember whether it only affects domestic JL flights or including the Int'l flights also.

I never heard of it before either until I have come across several such reported incidents in past month or two, scattered among various threads - it seems OneWorld award booking is not affected but All Partner award is.
Neither type of award is affected if it's an international itinerary.
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Old Mar 17, 2012, 4:18 am
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Originally Posted by Austinrunner
Neither type of award is affected if it's an international itinerary.
And you won't be able to book domestic awards 6 months out anyway. And not to mention I get the impression that those EXP agents aren't that reliable anyway...just read about they didn't even know how to look for the right inventory to ticket QF F two days ago on AA forum
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Old Mar 17, 2012, 4:28 am
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Originally Posted by Happy
I never heard of it before either until I have come across several such reported incidents in past month or two, scattered among various threads - it seems OneWorld award booking is not affected but All Partner award is.
I have not read such thing on AA board and the search didn't give me any results. Do you have the links?
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Old Mar 17, 2012, 7:57 pm
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There are several posts reporting that an AA agent refused to book a JL domestic flight more than 6 months in advance of the flight, citing a Japanese government regulation. The agent subsequently admitted he or she was in error because the regulation does not apply to international itineraries that happen to include JL domestic flights. This has happened for both oneworld awards and all-partner awards.
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