Award Calendar Works (for BE) only for Trips Originating in Atlanta
 

Earlier today I posted a frustrating exchange I had with Delta's customer (dis)service department regarding bugs in the award calendar at this thread:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...l#post13277420

I got a response from CarrolDisney1 that she was able to use the calemdar to book tickets to CDG, while WScottsdaleInsider confirmed that he experienced the same bug I did. Being the geek that I am I decided to investigate further and find out why we failed where she was successful.

I conducted a short test where I tried to book trips (in Frist/Business) from various points in the US to FCO starting 3/19 returning 3/31. I found out the following:
- The award calendar works for ATL-FCO.
- The award calendar works for JFK FCO
- The award calendar works for PHX - ATL.
- The award calendar does not work for PHX-FCO.
- The award calendar does not work for FLL-FCO or DFW-FCO either.

I used the term "does not work" to describe the following sequence:
- Go to award ticket reservation page.
- Select the following:
- Origin: PHX 3/27/2010 (can be substituted with FLL, DFW etc)
- Destination: FCO 3/31/2010
- Check the "I am flexible" box
- Select "First/Business" class of service
- Press "GO"
- The system displays the calendar indicating some days in Green, some in yellow, some in red. There are no blanks.
- Select the original dates (in my case they were both yellow).
- Press continue.
- The system displays the "Select Outbound Flights" page that displays no flights.
- In the place where flights are normally displayed the system displays the following message:
"There are no flights available for the day requested. Click Start Over to try another day or to search for different cities.".

At this point I have two requests:
- Advice how to convey this to Delta IT.
- Somebody ask the the manager of the DL software team responsible for the award calendar to donate $10 to the Haiti Red Cross relief fund on my behalf as a reward for this ervice.

DLP

Moderators - I re-posetd this message here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...l#post13277750

This thread can be deleted.

Thanks
DLP

I have found that when you get the "Low" award availability showing for outbound and return and go all the way through it will spit out a much higher mileage price. I have further deduced that the availability is indeed there but on a partner so not bookable via the calendar. There was/is a great example from LAX to CDG in May. There was all kinds of low on the calender but it would not price out that way. I called and sure enough there were several days on AF direct at 100k. I think another FT'er took advantage of this as well from another thread where it was being discussed. I think the real issues with the calender are that it "See's" all the availability but can only book the DL native flights.