AA blocking DFW-HKG O&D tickets?
 

I'm trying to book DFW-HKG business class in mid-November for a work trip. The seat map shows about half the seats available, but the website shows business class as sold out. I called the EXP reservation line and they said AA is blocking those seats so they can sell them to travelers connecting from other cities (i.e. IAH-DFW-HKG or similar). In other words, if I tried to book the same flight from a connecting city they would sell me the ticket, but they won't sell me a O&D DFW-HKG ticket. The agent said it was a new revenue department policy starting last month and there is nothing he can do. Surely this can't be correct? Any ideas how to work around this?

It's not new. It's a revenue management technique they've been using for at least 30 years. Fly xxx-DFW-HKG, or hope that AA releases DFW-HKG inventory.

I've certainly seen AA charge 10x the price to fly nonstop international but not selling at any cost? What's the point of holding on to the seats if you won't let the highest bidder have them!

Try searching in the AA Vacations portal. Sometimes the blocked direct inventory is available in there.

No, It's neither a new policy nor an old policy.

If were talking revenue seats, in business class, I see them available and for sale like every day in mid-November on AA125-- so what's this even about?

Interestingly, I see something along the lines of what the OP is referring to this upcoming Saturday (10/13). I see no J for sale with a DFW-HKG itinerary on AA125, however an IAH-DFW-HKG itinerary departing IAH at 5:06a to AA125 shows J space.

I'm specifically looking at AA 125 on Nov 9 and 10. This would be a paid J-class ticket. I would be happy to pay the implied price of a connection (i.e. the IAH-DFW leg), but they won't even sell me the ticket.

To throw a twig on these anecdotal sparks, I just ran into this scenario earlier this week but for a completely different international routing that I have taken quite frequently (and one that isn't terribly popular with business travelers). It was almost as if there was married segment logic being applied to these in that it wasn't a question of higher O&D cost but rather just that AA wouldn't even return the flights in the J cabin at all when using the point to point approach. If this has been around for awhile, I must just be noticing it now or it's just being applied to more routes.

Would you be willing to book a separate round trip to position for the connection?

J on AA can use any of the CX business class lounges or QF lounge at HKG. AA might steer you to the Hong Kong Airlines lounge, but oneworld rules allow entry into the other lounges.

It's a business trip so very hard to justify flying to a random city (Houston, Austin, whatever), while I live and work in Dallas, to begin the trip. Not to mention the inconvenience.

How are prices from GRK or TYR or ACT? How far are any of those from where you are?

Have you considered the DFW-LAX-HKG flight? Or DFW-ORD-HKG, with ORD-HKG on CX?