award travel booking, do you call back to get different flights
Mar 10, 2002, 3:09 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2001
Posts: 493
award travel booking, do you call back to get different flights
I am booking some award travel and would like to improve my return flight. I have the tickets on hold so I can still make any changes. Can different agents find different flights? I basically said that I didn't care how many connections I have or what cities I connect through and can't get out of HNL in F. Has anyone had luck trying to call back and see if they can get a differnt agent to find other routings that may be open...? Thanks
Mar 10, 2002, 3:29 pm
#2
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Fort Worth TX
Programs: Earned status with AA, DL, SPG, HH, Hyatt, Marriott, Seabourn, NCL, National, Hertz...I miss my bed!
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I don't think it has to do so much with calling back different agents as it does calling back at a future time to see if more inventory has opened up.
I did this for my upcoming CX trip next month and was finally able to get the departure date I wanted and a "better" return date, although I'm still calling a couple of times a week to toy with my return date/routing.
I did this for my upcoming CX trip next month and was finally able to get the departure date I wanted and a "better" return date, although I'm still calling a couple of times a week to toy with my return date/routing.
Mar 10, 2002, 4:08 pm
#3
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Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: dallas texas usa
Programs: aa plt 4.9MM LTAC
Posts: 14,828
there is so much chicken & egg in getting awards, particulary on across the water and on ow partners trying for business class.
the discussion goes like this : we want to go from a to b in x month about the 15th & return on xxx.
we have a to c to b available on the 14th. & you can come back on xyz date thru d & e.
you say fine, book em dano. ... then later, you get a call. a to c has been discontinued, but i can get you from a to c via m and then to b but in coach from m to c. etc etc etc.
i'm in the middle of this right now.
it is improving & moving in the right direction.
the discussion goes like this : we want to go from a to b in x month about the 15th & return on xxx.
we have a to c to b available on the 14th. & you can come back on xyz date thru d & e.
you say fine, book em dano. ... then later, you get a call. a to c has been discontinued, but i can get you from a to c via m and then to b but in coach from m to c. etc etc etc.
i'm in the middle of this right now.
it is improving & moving in the right direction.
Mar 11, 2002, 6:24 am
#4
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: T82
Programs: AA Gold, HH Gold
Posts: 2,845
Just keep calling. On a recent booking for my husband's ticket, I called every 6-8 hours for a couple of days. Then, finally, I got the flight he wanted. Then I cancelled the seat he was holding for the next day. So the next day's flight inventory just opened up by one seat. This happens all the time, people changing plans.
In fact, the AAgent told me to call back as often as I wished as it was no trouble for them to check flights. Persistence pays. Good luck.
[This message has been edited by Nanook (edited 03-11-2002).]
In fact, the AAgent told me to call back as often as I wished as it was no trouble for them to check flights. Persistence pays. Good luck.
[This message has been edited by Nanook (edited 03-11-2002).]
Mar 11, 2002, 9:17 am
#5
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Ft Worth, Texas
Programs: AA/UA/BA
Posts: 2,850
Agents do all see the same inventory. The trick comes from finding an agent who's willing to trawl through the available inventories over several screens, and not just fob you off with "Sorry, it's sold out"...