iqbalt80

second that..

pointspinnacle

Just an fyi/datapoint I was able to hold Jfk-Auh F (a380)by calling NZ 2 nights ago for a date in Feb.

The problem is i dont know where i want to go that wont charge for an additional leg. We just went to MLE. Dont really want to go to india with the baby in fear of stomach issues.
SEZ is an extra award. Europe is an extra award. I may let it expire, hmmm.

FlyerTalkUserName

Were you able to first see the space on etihad.com?

pointspinnacle

Yes, I actually check this thread like once or twice a month. When I read it the other day It seemed there were reports of it gettin harder to book apartments from USA.

For sh*its and giggles i went onto to etihads awaard search and started playing around. I went right to Feb randomly and after checking like 3 dates i saw a380 and 777 (777 was available most days i checked) for 2.

I called NZ to see if they saw it. She did and I placed on hold.

FlyerTalkUserName

Nice. At least we know it's matching up with what Etihad.com is displaying.

arlflyer

A bit late to the party here so please be gentle on me...

Trying to book EBB - AUH - IAD on EY. US-based AAgent is seeing the EBB-AUH space in biz, but cannot see the AUH-IAD space in biz or F, even though guest space in both is visible on the EY website. One HUCA yielded the same.

For fun with the first AAgent I tried a different route: EBB - AUH - LHR - IAD and she could see all space but it would only price as two awards with the EBB - AUH award being separate.

Can anyone shed any light here? I realize the situation seems to be pretty fluid. Is this a "call Australia" situation or an SOL situation?

Thanks!

FlyerTalkUserName

I would definitely try calling Australia before is call US AA again. Check your $/Minute before calling (maybe this should be in the wiki?). I used Google Voice which was only $0.02/minute but T-Mobile would have been $1.99/MINUTE. Feel free to PM with any questions.

arlflyer

So calling Australia did allow the AAgent to see, and potentially book, the space that the U.S. AAgent couldn't see.

However, what it didn't allow me to do was make up my own routing rule exemption that allows Africa awards to transit AUH on a single award. Pity. I'd actually thought that that one had been lifted but, nope, just wishful thinking since the last time I went to book one of these. Looks like I'll be sticking with trusty old Qatar for this one. Thanks!!!

bobert24

It looked like Etihad may have fixed(?) whatever was causing a lot more availability to show up on itineraries that don't originate within the US. When I search like that now, I see the same availability as I do with itineraries that do start within the US. Since several of us were unable to actually book the space we saw on non-US itineraries within the past few weeks, it's probably just as well - now we'll at least be able to know that what we're seeing should be right, and save a little money on calls to Oz & NZ.

I don't have a lot of time to experiment with different dates, etc. right now, so definitely do your own test before accepting this post as fact.

Maxima81

Just to clarify - are you are saying that the US-based AA agent was able to see the AUH-LHR-IAD segments (meaning they could make the reservations without having us to call Australia/NZ AA), but not any direct segments between AUH to IAD?
I'm looking for LHR-AUH, so if true, it's good to know US-based AA agents can see that at least. It sounds like the problem may mostly be limited to direct flights between AUH & the US?

Thanks.

Stivelio

Please pardon my ignorance if this is supposed to be something that anyone that wants to redeem miles should know. Is it ok to travel with an infant 9mo old in business and will I have to shell out the full miles amount for the infant similar to an adult?

fedechat

As you know, you can't connect in Middle East on the same award price, unless is Qatar Airways.

Infants are not required to have their own seat, but you have to call QR to add him/her to your reservation (and pay a fee).

http://www.etihad.com/en-us/experien...ravel/prepare/

Some other airlines will require a seat for infants only in Business/First, but QR doesn't say anything about it on their website. Just call them before making any reservation.

Dave Noble

You can , on most airlines, travel in any class with an infant. The only exception that I am aware of is MH which does not allow them in 1st class

If you want to redeem miles for the infant it will be the same as an adult ( and infant will have own seat )

Otherwise you need to purchase an infant ticket which will cost 10% of the adult fare that AA can sell in business class on the airline ( I assume Etihad based on this thread). Be aware that this can be expensive , so check the infant fare and be happy with that cost before booking the award seats

arlflyer

Yes, I had a U.S.-based agent who had found availability and quoted me mileage plus taxes/fees for AUH-LHR in A380 apartments and onward LHR-IAD with BA.

This same agent could not see - except in economy - the AUH-IAD direct segments which were showing guest J/F availability on the EY website. It was my experience across multiple agents that U.S.-based agents could all see economy availability, but none could see J or F.

An agent in Australia could see those same AUH-IAD segments and quoted me mileage, taxes, and fees for them.


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dustbuster

I was having trouble booking LHR-AUH-BOM in F... The agents were having trouble finding F availability for the AUH-BOM flight I was looking at. There was 1 GuestSeat available, but AA US agent could not see anything. I asked her to hold the itinerary with AUH-BOM in J, and then I called AA AU to see if they could see the AUH-BOM segment in J. He told me he couldn't see it, and that availability on the Etihad site doesn't match what AA sees. Ooookay. I thanked him, hung up, and called back, and asked about award availability just for the AUH-BOM segment (without referencing my held itinerary). The agent could see the seat! But when going to change my itinerary from J to F, he could not see the seat. The agent seemed to understand what was going on; he said that sometimes they would have to put in the AUH-BOM segment first and then the LHR-AUH segment and then reorder the segments. It sounded like he ended up recreating the itinerary in a different order, and managed to get the whole itinerary in F.