RealHJ

That is if the first time I call I get someone knowledgeable. I also have notes of what the agents need to click, check, what to ignore, how to bypass errors, etc. I've accumulated pages of notes to tell them how to do their job and work around the bugs, based on what I've been told as to wha was the problem and how someone overcame it earlier (often it helps, but sometimes not, either as the agent is not following instructions, or it just doesn't work anymore how it used to). To be more precise, I mean I don't do HUACA same day. I may try a week or two weeks later if at first I didn't succeed, but it just doesn't feel right to me to HUACA immediately.

And yes, I often book on other airlines. I have a million OneWorld miles alone. those are the hardest to use up. I try to use OW first, but now more and more often cannot (e.g. the JL JMB program used to have integrity, but it's been totally gutted and everything has literally quadrupled to quintupled in price overnight, it's even worse than the DL devaluations, and was sudden). If I can't use OW miles, then I'll try to use SkyTeam miles. Star Alliance (UA, and esp LH) are the most valuable that I try not to use unless I have to (as usually on *A there's the most options for most routes), so that comes last as the last resort (and often I can book something better routing than DL at 1/4 the cost on *A vs on SkyTeam). And needless to be said, often the best way to book each airline's flight is usually another airline's miles/FFP.

ArlingtonTraveler

Anyone encountered "phantom" availability on Delta.com? I'm trying to get an itinerary from MNL to LAX via TPE (and yeah I know you can't do that online). However, when you search for it segment by segment I find availability for the dates I want in business class on both legs. However, when I go search for the same flights on Flying Blue (either AF or KLM) I find there is only availability in economy. So maybe, those DL agents I called a half dozen times were right and not just telling me to pound sand?

DCATraveler

Didn't see anything here for Virgin Atlantic on the first page...

Anyone know the minimum fare class I would need to book to upgrade from Premium Economy to Upper Class using Skymiles? Most of the booking are coming up as H fares only, but that seems to only allow me to upgrade using Virgin miles and not Delta's. Can anyone help confirm here?

Thanks!

mindspin_311

ATL-KRK, PRG-ATL for 50K (main cabin, but PM so can upgrade to C+), cash price $1292

These are sold by Delta, but 100% on KLM, as a PM, what are my options to upgrade similar to free C+ on Delta flights?

gooselee

Here are the droids you are looking for:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delt...pgrade-vs.html

Good wiki on that thread. Basically, it is possible to upgrade a 006 ticketed, VS operated PE ticket to UC for 25k DL RDM. Also one of the best values of DL miles out there.

ArlingtonTraveler

I finally reached an agent who knew what they were doing. Tried to price it manually but could not. Called GTS and was told that my routing of MNL-TPE-LAX-DCA could not be booked because it involved a CI to CI connection through TPE. He was honest, and unlike some other agents who claimed the MNL to TPE availability was phantom availability, he said the reason it was not bookable was because of the connection at TPE. If anyone has had success going the other route and booking part of their routing on DL.com and successfully having the international manual reissue desk add the connecting CI flight to/from TPE please let me know. I may go that route, but I don't want to waste hours waiting for a callback and then waiting another hour for an agent to try to do something which is now blocked by DL.

RealHJ

TPE connections have been blocked ever since were downgraded from 012/NW to 006/DL ticket stock. That being said, you can still book TPE connections and it is obviously valid and legal routing, though it is getting harder and harder for agents to put it together and get it to properly price out. HUACA is the best advice here, until you get someone who hasn't drunk too much of the flowing down from DL corporate massive anti-customer kool-aid. It's doable, just if you get an agent who doesn't know what they are doing you have to walk them through the steps of where they need to click and how they need to enter the search. That, or get someone with access to the command-line less buggy res system (few if any agents still have that).

mindspin_311

Booked an award ticket over the phone for my wife and I. DL sold, KLM operated on all legs. I am PM, wife is nothing. Person on the phone selected our seats, including Economy Comfort on KLM. Go online to view itinerary and there no seats being shown as assigned. NBD, I'll just pick them myself. I select my seat, but when choosing Economy Comfort for my wife, it tries to charge me. Do I just need to call up the PM line again and have them select the seats again? Why did the selections not stay when they were made initially?

HumbleBee

Whats' the deal with redemptions on SU?

ecgz88

what's wrong with TPE? 012/NW 006/DL/ so all the connections with China Airlines have to go through a HUCA and a flight?

RealHJ

dullta.com blocks most (if not all) connections at TPE. You can only book individual flights on separate tickets, but connections in TPE just will not show, period.

DL res agents use the exact same system as the web site (if not the website itself directly), so they cannot get it to work either (segment by segment is blocked; it requires >24h connection, and O-D doesn't show TPE connections), unless they really know what they are doing and how to overcome this "enhancement."

gooselee

When DL "selects" seats on KL its really just a request sent to KL. Have you checked your itinerary on KLM.us and seen what that shows? Ultimately that's what will really matter.

You should be able to look up your itin on the KL website using your ticket number. As a bonus you will then have your KL PNR in case you need it during travel.

mindspin_311

Nothing showing as selected on the KLM website. If I go to choose seats my seat is free, but they're wanting to charge for my wife's seat. Is that free upgrade to C+ (Economy comfort in this case) not available for other travelers on the same reservation when flying partner airlines?

flyerCO

Only you, not non-status companions are entitled to free seating on KL.

bj27

Curious why this is the case? Not having TPE as a connection point is a real major PITA since it's a pretty large Asian destination / transit point.