routing question re: FF saver award USA-Asia
 

Hi, phone agent at CO Elite line cried TILT when I tried to book a NA-SEA trip via Europe, claiming "this is not the most direct routing".

I don't THINK it's a problem booking a trip that way, but certainly the CO website won't recommend it (ANA tool seemed to piece it out OK).

Example: EWR-FRA-BKK using CO, Thai Air. One stop, should be a no-brainer?

Well, of course, the head scratcher for the phone jockey: I needed to connect from NA through EWR and couldn't get a saver award direct to FRA, so that called in LH for LHR-FRA. Oh, and then the ultimate destination in SEA was connecting through BKK... BUT, IF EWR-FRA-BKK is feasible, all the rest should be mere details?

Assuming that NA means North America, yes, you are permitted to transit Europe to get to SE Asia. You can even have a stopover in Europe in one direction if you want. You definitely have to cross the same ocean both ways but otherwise it should be fine.

If you can find the seats on ANA just feed the agent the flights in question and ask them to price it. As long as you are not breaking any other fare rules it will price correctly. If the agent is uncooperative you can try one of two things. Either hang up and try again or say something like, "Let's just try this and see how the system prices it out; I'm curious just what the number would be." I've done the latter a few times and it often works to help the agent understand the new rules - this one is a change even since the *A transition - that most folks don't go near.

I sincerely appreciate your knowing reply, and thanks for confirming the "same ocean" rule, I suspected that, but didn't know for sure.

My CO phone op experience was not a good one 2/3 times. I heard "it's too hard" several times, even though ANA said this was all good. FINALLY I got an agent that would roll with what I was feeding her and not cry foul. It may have helped that I dumbed down the segments on the front/back ends, though I will try to push them through now that I have a confirmed ITIN. (example: Is SAT-WAS-EWR-LHR-FRA allowed? Is there a stopover allowed in N. America en route?)

Yes and yes.

If you just feed the agent SAT-BKK their system will not show the TATL routings. If you split it up for them it will.

Try phone roulette
 

I've done EWR-CPH-BKK before with a few days stopover in CPH and then coming back via NRT even though its technically "round the world". I had some agents bicker and others work with me. I've found that hanging up and calling again to get another agent is the best pathway.