goldengate

AA has changed their phone options when you say "agent." Just two weeks ago, when you said "agent" it would say something like "One final question, is that for travel withing the United States?" and if you said "no" you would be transferred to an experienced international agent.
This option is now gone, and they are sending me to agents who are very new on the job. I have tried HUCA about 5 times "UPS is at the door!" and each time I get an agent who knows less about segments and stopovers than I do. And I'm no pro. (I AM an Platinum Pro, but that's worthless as I understand until I hit EXP it's the same agents).

I am trying to change the middle of a long-haul itinerary.... keeping SFO DOH and DOH SFO, but changing to middle segments to DOH BKK and BKK DOH. I have the segments on hold because the agents cannont see the first inventory I can see on AA.com (strange). The SFO DOH and back are in J while the DOH BKK and back are in First.

I have my segments on hold but can't find an agent who can actually make this change. I know not to risk letting SFO DOH go back into inventory.
Final agent just said "you can book it as a separate ticket" and get your luggage and check it back in while you're in Doha.... no thank you.

Any help would be appreciated. This used to be so easy....

JJeffrey

It's still not quite clear, right now you have SFO-DOH-SFO on hold on one PNR, and you want to change this to SFO-DOH-BKK-DOH-SFO?

Or you have SFO-DOH-SFO already booked, and you want to add in the DOH-BKK-DOH segments that you now have on hold?

goldengate

I have SFO DOH WDE DOH SFO (Namibia) booked and wanted to change to SFO DOH BKK SFO. Hope that makes sense thanks

goldengate

I got a great agent (luck of the draw) and after working on the issue for a while she said she could not import the DOH BKK and BKK DOH segments to my original SFO DOH WDE DOH SFO itinerary but suggested I delete the DOH WDE and WDE DOH segments from the first locator then buy a separate Qatar DOH BKK flight with miles. She said they would be able to interline the bags.

I wonder if SFO DOH BKK is an illegal connection?

JJeffrey

In theory you should be able to drop DOH-WDE and add DOH-BKK without having to start over, however I can see how this is causing problems for most agents, especially as you're going to be changing from a single North America to Africa business award to a NA-Middle East + Middle East-Asia 2 award.

I would try this approach: Call AA again and ask to drop just the DOH-WDE segments only. Change it from SFO-DOH-WDE to just SFO-DOH. Let it get reticketed to just SFO-DOH, then call again to add on the DOH-BKK.

You cannot fly from the US to Asia 2 via DOH on a single award anyways, so if you can get it changed to just SFO-DOH it will hopefully make it easier for the agent to add on a separate DOH-BKK.

Also AFAIK QR will check bags through on separate tickets (unlike AA), so worst case and they cannot add the DOH-BKK on the same PNR, you still can book this separately and the end result is basically the same.

goldengate

Thanks JJeffrey ... your response is very helpful and reminds me why I've been on Flyertalk all these years.
The one sentence that confuses me is:
"You cannot fly from the US to Asia 2 via DOH on a single award anyways, so if you can get it changed to just SFO-DOH it will hopefully make it easier for the agent to add on a separate DOH-BKK."

So if I can't fly to Asia 2 on a single award, how would an agent be able to add it to the award ticket?

My current thought is I will ticket now and call back in 6-10 days when I hit EXP status and hope that I can get a great agent who can help me out.
Welcome any other suggesions! Thanks

Pickles

An aside, but when I say "agent", I get an agent, no further annoying questions. Granted, these days I sometimes get one an hour (or more) after that, but it happens.

goldengate

Hey Pickles, I have always liked your name on here. The annoying question of international / domestic was a great hack... the real question was "do you want a new agent who can basically tell you what's on AA.com or do you want someone who has seen it all and can handle our outdated and complicated systems to book a flight for you?" hahaha

VegasGambler

I'm guessing you are are EXP or CK?

EXP gets immediately transferred to the EXP desk, who handles everything for EXPs. Mere mortals get asked what type of agent they want to speak to.

goldengate

I am currently a Platinum Pro (that name still makes me smile) and will be EXP early next month.

Pickles

Yes. I guess that explains it, with the added info by the OP above.

VegasGambler

In fact, in the rare case that you do get asked any more questions after saying "agent" or "representative", it means that they have not successfully matched your number to your EXP account. You will get transferred to (or called back by) a regular agent after a very long wait. So in this case, HUCA. I got burned by this a couple of times before I figured it out.

Pickles

I usually get the automated system to read back to me my EXP number, and it asks "is this right?" If correct, I say "yes", and on I go. But don't say "right", it doesn't understand that.

JJeffrey

You can book SFO-DOH-BKK on the same PNR however it will price as 2 awards, SFO-DOH (70k for J) + DOH-BKK (50k in F). So you're looking at 120k miles per person, each way.

If your existing award becomes just SFO-DOH, then a good agent should be able to add the DOH-BKK, charge you for the 2nd award, and have everything reticketed on the same PNR without having to touch the existing SFO-DOH.

However a lot of agents are not good at this type of thing (even EXP agents) and insist you'll have to cancel everything and rebook. Sometimes it can take a few HUCA's. And as mentioned worst case you can just book the DOH-BKK segments separately since the cost will be the same and just have QR check your bags through.

goldengate

That's one heck of an expensive way to go to Asia... I've got this SFO DOH leg in business and want to use it to go somewhere as I've always wanted to fly the Q Suite... I better start trying to figure out another destination I'm guessing.
Thanks much