Changing leg of award flight
 

Couldn't find any info on this...

I'm booked NBO-DXB-LGW//LHR-DXB-NBO with Skyward miles (Flex).

Ignoring whether there'll be an airport for me to depart from... if I want to change DXB-LGW to be DXB-LHR, does there need to be additional availability for the NBO-DXB leg?

Skywards are telling me there's no availability, and indeed when I check NBO-DXB-LHR it says nothing is available, BUT I have a seat on NBO-DXB now, and DXB-LHR alone IS available.

Any thoughts? Thanks!

My memory is failing me on this one. But I recall trying to do something similar a couple years ago. EK insisted that there needs to be availability for both sectors since I booked the outbound without a stopover in DXB. The lesson I took from that was to almost 'always' book with a stopover in DXB, JUST in case.

Sigh. Call centre said they could see no availability even just checking DXB-LHR.

Before and after the call, checked that the website says DXB-LHR is wide open.

Have sent an email request. Let's see...

Ok, does anyone want to have a go at even trying to explain this? :confused::confused::confused:

Dear Mr Typical,

We have checked the availability and noticed that the seats are available on flight EK 001/xx yyy 2013 Dubai – London Heathrow, only if you are processing a new reservation and the trip should originate from Dubai.

We regret to inform you that currently seats are not available for the same flight for trips originating from Nairobi and other African countries and due to this we were are unable to process reservation change for your Dubai – London flight.

We kindly request you to contact us nearer to the flight dates in order for us to check the availability again.

:confused::confused::confused::confused:

Married segment logic issue

Could you explain?

ETA: It was possible to book new journeys out of other African cities to London using miles, including the flight I wanted. So I'm not sure that is it.

But yes, it appears it is it.

With a booking from every other East African city, it is possible to get award seats on the flight I want.

With a booking from Nairobi, it is "unavailable".

Pretty darn sucky indeed. Looks like my commercial relationship with EK needs to end soon. :td:

ETA: Confirmed by EK itself:

"On some flights, availability is determined by the ‘point of sale’ or country of origin. In which some seats are allocated only for passengers originating from a certain airport.
...
Currently, all seats allocated for reward flights in Economy Class are fully booked on EK flight 36 (DXBBHX) travelling from Nairobi and Luanda on xxx.

Skywards Flex Economy Class seats are available for the same flights if the booking is made via Addis Ababa, Entebbe, and Dubai."

So if looking to change B-C on a reward booking A-B-C, it is not enough for there to be availability B-C.