Can't get Multi-city to ticket with preferred connections - any tips?
 

Hello,

I'm trying to ticket this itinerary:

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...2b92fc2581.jpg


BOS-SLC-DFW and return in Main (not BE). I can pull up the departure segments on Delta.com, but using their search tool, I can't get the return to show the SLC availability even though it's clearly a legal connection according to the fare rules. Using ITA Matrix, PowerTools, and/or BookWithMatrix I can get a link to Delta's website that shows the fare and all of the flight segments as I see them, though it breaks it into a Multi-City itinerary. However, when I go to purchase it errors out and says the fare is sold out. I'm not great at Expert Flyer but it looks like the return flights are available as individual segments in the appropriate fare class. I'm also open to the return on 11.23 or 11.24, but trying to keep the SLC connection.

Is this phantom availability or any other suggestions? Maybe I should call DL to try and ticket? I'm Platinum Medallion if that matters.

=0:V:BOS:SLC:DL:2767:NOV:19:2019:0&itinSegment[1]=0:V:SLC:DFW:DL:2236:NOV:19:2019:0&itinSegment[2]=1:K:DFW:SLC:DL:648:NOV:22:2019:0&itinSegment[3]=2:K:SLC:BOS:DL:1843:NOV:22:2019:0&cabin=MAIN&fare Basis=VA7SA0E3:VA7SA0E3:KA7OA0MQ:KA7OA0MQ&numOfSeg ments=4&paxCount=1&vendorRedirectFlag=true&vendorI D=Google]http://www.delta.com/air-shopping/priceTripAction.action?ftw_reroute=true&tripType=m ultiCity&currencyCd=USD&exitCountry=us&itinSegment[0]=0:V:BOS:SLC:DL:2767:NOV:19:2019:0&itinSegment[1]=0:V:SLC:DFW:DL:2236:NOV:19:2019:0&itinSegment[2]=1:K:DFW:SLC:DL:648:NOV:22:2019:0&itinSegment[3]=2:K:SLC:BOS:DL:1843:NOV:22:2019:0&cabin=MAIN&fare Basis=VA7SA0E3:VA7SA0E3:KA7OA0MQ:KA7OA0MQ&numOfSeg ments=4&paxCount=1&vendorRedirectFlag=true&vendorI D=Google

If could be married segment inventory availability on the outbound since you say that SLC is a legal connection.

However, I don't see why this isn't just a simple RT with a SLC connection in each direction as the return only has about an hour in SLC, so it's not a stopover.

Try calling DL and giving the agent the exact flight numbers and fare classes you want. As a PM, you shouldn't have to wait (much).

The return looks like it's a broken fare which is probably why dl is erroring out. I can get it pulled up on dl.com, but I didn't try to finish the transaction.

+1 for calling and having an agent piece together. You may need to emphasize the broken fare on the return so they price it correctly.

Did you try bookwithmatrix.com? Just copy and paste the output in, and then follow the link which should pull it up on dullta.com and allow you to book it. Both for lowest fares and preferred routing, that is sometimes the only way - otherwise DL just won't spit it out.

The return is showing K and K fare classes, so unless there's something strange in the fare rules, it doesn't look like this would be a broken fare. It also doesn't look like it would somehow be taking SLC to be the destination rather than the stopover on the return, but without seeing the fare construction, it's hard to be sure.

Looks like the issue may be the “connection” time in SLC as I think DL requires more than 4 hours between arrival and departure each city. Your itinerary doesn’t have that in SLC on the return. Could be the issue if you’re trying to book it as BOS-DFW, DFW-SLC, SLC-BOS.

I noted this, but then shouldn't it be possible to ticket this as an ordinary RT if SLC is a legal connecting point for these fares?

It pulls up at $345 using www.bookwithmatrix.com and then the "Book with Delta" option. Don't know if it will ticket but worth a shot.

FWIW, I'm able to get the routing the show up on Google Flights and it looks like it's bookable via the Delta website (though I didn't try to finish the transaction so I guess the error could still occur).

Although the outbound books into V, and the return books into M (with a price of $595 for main cabin)

Then my guess is that on the return, K class (or H or Q) isn't available due to married segment inventory, although there could also be problems (unlikely) with minimum advanced purchase requirements for travel in mid-November.

It's not a broken fare (there's only a single fare involved on return flights -- KA7OA0MQ). It's the married segment inventory issue that ITA Matrix has had for years when using multi-city to try to manually piece together particular itin's. When using multi-city search, ITA only looks at individual flight bucket availability rather than married segment availability. Since it is combining segments onto single fares, this is flat-out wrong. It needs to be looking at the married segment availability when combining segments on a single fare. There is no K bucket availability on married segments for return flights (outbound fare quote is okay as there is 'V' available on married segments). There is only M bucket availability on married segments which is why this particular quote is wrong. If you price it out on ITA as a DFW-BOS search instead of segment by segment via multi-city, ITA will correctly check married segment availability and give you a correct fare quote.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...86257d3cc7.png

This can also be verified if you have an Expert Flyer account with the Flight Availability tool --

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...7a6e74230f.png

I always call in and get a live agent when I need booking help.

There is nothing to call in. The inventory in K simply does not exist for the paired segments (see my post and explanation above). There is only M bucket available for the married segments. ITA got the quote wrong due to their bug with multi-city search function. Which part of it is unclear? There is K bucket availability on individual flights, but that only allows you to book a separate K fare for each flight (one for DFW-SLC and one for SLC-BOS). But the two K fares would likely add up to as much or more than the single M fare covering both flights.

Note in the OP:

Thanks,
I did call, and they could find it but only at the higher price point (M fare). So that explanation all makes sense. I'm trying to see what other options there might be with inventory available on the married segment. I started my free trial of ExpertFlyer yesterday. But when I put in DFW - BOS on 11.23 +/- one day on DL, all I get are like 3-4 flight options per day. And if I just do one day, I only get 3-4 total. Any idea why or what I'm doing wrong?

Also, any idea if these SLC connections will be available for a SDC request (pending availability of seats of course)? That might influence which date and time I pick for the return since it doesn't like I can ticket what I want. And the reason I ask is because while the outbound shows up with a SLC connection, I can't get it to show up on the return (even at the higher price). I have to use BookWithMatrix or PowerTools to get Delta to even pull it up.