Discrepancy between online award search and phone agent's search
Aug 5, 2018, 7:41 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 22
Discrepancy between online award search and phone agent's search
I have a two-legged one way flight on hold for redemption. My place for the second leg has been reserved, but the first leg is currently on waitlist.
I've been searching on Asia miles' online award search, and today I found two flights available for the first leg, one of which was even the flight which I am currently on waitlist. I phoned Asia miles, but the agent told me that she couldn't find any availability on that date. She asked if I was looking at a choice award, and I triple checked that it is indeed a standard award (which I have been waitlisted for). But since she couldn't see the award space on her side, the flight couldn't be booked. It is possible for me to redeem that flight online, but that would obviously mean spending more miles by redeeming two different tickets instead of one.
What could have caused the discrepancy between my search and the agent's? Has anyone else experienced this before?
I've been searching on Asia miles' online award search, and today I found two flights available for the first leg, one of which was even the flight which I am currently on waitlist. I phoned Asia miles, but the agent told me that she couldn't find any availability on that date. She asked if I was looking at a choice award, and I triple checked that it is indeed a standard award (which I have been waitlisted for). But since she couldn't see the award space on her side, the flight couldn't be booked. It is possible for me to redeem that flight online, but that would obviously mean spending more miles by redeeming two different tickets instead of one.
What could have caused the discrepancy between my search and the agent's? Has anyone else experienced this before?
Aug 5, 2018, 7:47 am
#2
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: YYZ
Programs: CX GO, AC Aeroplan 25K, AMEX PLAT, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium, IHG Spire Amb
Posts: 464
Last week I was trying to book a trip to PER for the 3 of us and were debating between Q fare class versus M fare class for the return leg. I called in to MPC to enquire about upgrade availability to PEY and was told there are two seats available for upgrade.
We took the chance and I bought the ticket online and proceeded to request the upgrade for all 3 of us online, and surprisingly all 3 upgrades cleared right away. This was like 5mins after my call to MPC so I doubt within 5mins an extra T class seat was released. So somehow the MPC agent only saw 2 seats in T while online actually gave 3.
We took the chance and I bought the ticket online and proceeded to request the upgrade for all 3 of us online, and surprisingly all 3 upgrades cleared right away. This was like 5mins after my call to MPC so I doubt within 5mins an extra T class seat was released. So somehow the MPC agent only saw 2 seats in T while online actually gave 3.
Aug 5, 2018, 12:28 pm
#3
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 19,774
We took the chance and I bought the ticket online and proceeded to request the upgrade for all 3 of us online, and surprisingly all 3 upgrades cleared right away. This was like 5mins after my call to MPC so I doubt within 5mins an extra T class seat was released. So somehow the MPC agent only saw 2 seats in T while online actually gave 3.
