Finnair newbie questions thread (flame-free)
Nov 7, 2022, 7:05 am
#4156
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Gold, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,174
My logical goes like this:
If there are U seats on HAM-HEL and there are U seats on HEL-BKK but no seats on HAM-BKK that must mean they have made an informed decision to limit the access for longhaul awards so that members in the HAM area cannot easily enjoy the HEL-BKK availability.
If the same situation exists on all DE-cities, they prefer HEL-based members to access the seats over DE members.
To always consider with AY though is the old saying; "Don't attribute to malice what can easily be explained by incompetence"
Last edited by intuition; Nov 7, 2022 at 7:12 am
Nov 7, 2022, 9:51 am
#4158
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY, SK, TK
Posts: 7,598
My logical goes like this:
If there are U seats on HAM-HEL and there are U seats on HEL-BKK but no seats on HAM-BKK that must mean they have made an informed decision to limit the access for longhaul awards so that members in the HAM area cannot easily enjoy the HEL-BKK availability.
If the same situation exists on all DE-cities, they prefer HEL-based members to access the seats over DE members.
To always consider with AY though is the old saying; "Don't attribute to malice what can easily be explained by incompetence"
Married segments like this are common already to me. Have several times encountered the same but been able to book xxx-hel-yyy by calling in and explaining both legs are available but not the package. Always they have had to go backroom for checks thou, and later coming back with a tix.
Nov 7, 2022, 10:22 am
#4159
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: HAM
Programs: AY, Accor, Hilton - Gold
Posts: 384
Nah😄 they absolutely NOT favor domestic customers.
Married segments like this are common already to me. Have several times encountered the same but been able to book xxx-hel-yyy by calling in and explaining both legs are available but not the package. Always they have had to go backroom for checks thou, and later coming back with a tix.
Married segments like this are common already to me. Have several times encountered the same but been able to book xxx-hel-yyy by calling in and explaining both legs are available but not the package. Always they have had to go backroom for checks thou, and later coming back with a tix.
(my profile is outdated, I'm plat now and I wanted to use the WA plat line, cause I heard positive stuff from there.)
Nov 7, 2022, 10:28 am
#4160
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels
Posts: 8,750
I would say WA is your best bet. Just a quick note saying that you are looking for HAM-HEL-BKK on dateXX and that you find availability on HAM-HEL and HEL-BKK but for some reason you cannot book it online. And hope for the best! Feed them the exact flights (flight number or departure time).
Nov 7, 2022, 10:52 am
#4161
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY, SK, TK
Posts: 7,598
Should work. If not first time, then HUACA style and pinpoint both legs available so it wouldnt make sense to deny. If not then, then add the ”play dumb” card and be polite but determined
Nov 11, 2022, 3:31 am
#4164
Join Date: May 2022
Programs: AY Plat
Posts: 9
I'm looking for HEL - MEX flights and can't find the HEL - LAX - MEX (with long 15h layover in LAX) using the ay booking engine. This can be found using google flights and booked through AA.
Is there anything I should consider when booking this from AA vs the standard ay?
Is there anything I should consider when booking this from AA vs the standard ay?
Nov 11, 2022, 6:31 am
#4165
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: HAM
Programs: AY, Accor, Hilton - Gold
Posts: 384
Instead they made me an offer to book business all the way from HAM-BKK even tho there was no official availability. Couldn't be happier. I asked how that happened and he said it was because of plat status.
Nov 11, 2022, 7:06 am
#4166
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels
Posts: 8,750
It went FAR better than expected. They said they couldn't combine these legs because long haul is PE and short leg obviously has no PE.
Instead they made me an offer to book business all the way from HAM-BKK even tho there was no official availability. Couldn't be happier. I asked how that happened and he said it was because of plat status.
Instead they made me an offer to book business all the way from HAM-BKK even tho there was no official availability. Couldn't be happier. I asked how that happened and he said it was because of plat status.
Nov 11, 2022, 7:20 am
#4167
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: HEL
Programs: BA Gold, OZ Diamond, LH Silver
Posts: 553
I'm looking for HEL - MEX flights and can't find the HEL - LAX - MEX (with long 15h layover in LAX) using the ay booking engine. This can be found using google flights and booked through AA.
Is there anything I should consider when booking this from AA vs the standard ay?
Is there anything I should consider when booking this from AA vs the standard ay?
Nov 13, 2022, 2:11 pm
#4168
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Bay Area, California
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold (ex-75K), Bonvoy Titanium, Recovering United 1K
Posts: 338
How far out for return?
We are using miles to travel to SEA-HEL this summer. We plan on buying revenue roundtrip tickets from Helsinki to the US. We'd like to use HEL-SEA in June 2023 and return SEA-HEL in 2024 but don't know exact dates of the return. If we buy flexible tickets, is there a limit to how far out we can change them?
Nov 14, 2022, 2:07 am
#4170
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Bay Area, California
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold (ex-75K), Bonvoy Titanium, Recovering United 1K
Posts: 338