Combining award and paid ticket?
Jun 5, 2019, 1:50 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 268
Combining award and paid ticket?
Due to KE not having any award seats (economy or otherwise) to/from MLE/CMB for the entire month of April/May 2020, our award ticket consists of:
CMB -> ICN
ICN -> ORD
We'll buy a ticket from MLE to CMB.
Does anyone know if:
a) Will/can KE keep the itinerary together (PNR?) or not.
b) Will KE check the bags from MLE through to ORD in the case of using KE paid ticket from MLE to CMB (I'd think yes, but you never know)?
CMB -> ICN
ICN -> ORD
We'll buy a ticket from MLE to CMB.
Does anyone know if:
a) Will/can KE keep the itinerary together (PNR?) or not.
b) Will KE check the bags from MLE through to ORD in the case of using KE paid ticket from MLE to CMB (I'd think yes, but you never know)?
Jun 6, 2019, 2:57 pm
#2
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 268
I called and asked and the Korean Air rep did not know. I'm not sure she understood what i was getting at.
So if you were to purchase a ticket from MLE to ORD, KE would have you connect MLE to CMB and then onto ICN and then onto ORD.
So the issue is:
Will/can they combine your MLE to CMB flight with the CMB to ICN segment so that we can just debark the plane, wait about 40 minutes (there's only 1 hour and 20 minute connection time) and re-board?
Or will they make us actually go pick up bags and then have to re-clear security in CMB?
From what I gather, CX and BA seem to let you do this, provided you have both sets of boarding passes and let them know ahead of time. But the KE rep didn't know and the only thing they suggested would be to check at the MLE ticket counter. I'd prefer to find out now rather than later and get surprised and miss a flight because we didn't have enough time to clear security.
So if you were to purchase a ticket from MLE to ORD, KE would have you connect MLE to CMB and then onto ICN and then onto ORD.
So the issue is:
Will/can they combine your MLE to CMB flight with the CMB to ICN segment so that we can just debark the plane, wait about 40 minutes (there's only 1 hour and 20 minute connection time) and re-board?
Or will they make us actually go pick up bags and then have to re-clear security in CMB?
From what I gather, CX and BA seem to let you do this, provided you have both sets of boarding passes and let them know ahead of time. But the KE rep didn't know and the only thing they suggested would be to check at the MLE ticket counter. I'd prefer to find out now rather than later and get surprised and miss a flight because we didn't have enough time to clear security.
Jun 7, 2019, 1:24 am
#3
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea
Programs: KE Skypass Morning Calm Member, OZ Club
Posts: 2,352
I think that comes down to MLE airport rules - not KE. At ICN, for instance, KE could do what you said because it's their hub etc etc. MLE is an outstation and surely not even "real" KE staff.
Jun 7, 2019, 8:00 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 268
It may also even be up to the CMB airport.
We may end up being forced to book the only Sri Lankan flight (there's only one flight that day that gets in earlier than like 5:30 p.m. from MLE to CMB) in order to cover our butts. what sucks about that is that it's like a 9:30 a.m. flight (which means leaving the resort island very early) and then spending 8 hours at CMB airport (I've read the facilities are not very good there in terms of lounges, etc.) but I will research that more.
Only good thing is that this is like 10 months away so we have plenty of time to decide. Plus I'm sure schedules will change on the airlines.
Better to find out now than at the airport with a "surprise" you miss your flight because of having to re-clear security (that would suck).
I did find a few threads that seemed to indicate CX and BA would check things through on diff. tickets (same carrier) but obviously that's not KE.
Jun 7, 2019, 1:44 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 268
Well good news/bad news:
Even though we purchased our award ticket (that was on hold) yesterday, and I'd checked last week for Award availability from MLE to CMB (nothing), magically today there are 5 seats (economy) that KE has suddenly opened up from MLE to CMB on 4/28/20.
So I'll have to see if KE will let me add that segment (award) to the existing award ticket.
Hopefully:
a) it *should* reprice as the original miles anyway (105k) since that's what it would do anyway (we're in business/Prestige from CMB to ICN and First from CMB to ICN)
b) I don't mind paying the $30 US fee to change.
Worst case if I have to transfer some Marriott miles over to get the 25k needed, so be it. Just want it on one PNR.
Even though we purchased our award ticket (that was on hold) yesterday, and I'd checked last week for Award availability from MLE to CMB (nothing), magically today there are 5 seats (economy) that KE has suddenly opened up from MLE to CMB on 4/28/20.
So I'll have to see if KE will let me add that segment (award) to the existing award ticket.
Hopefully:
a) it *should* reprice as the original miles anyway (105k) since that's what it would do anyway (we're in business/Prestige from CMB to ICN and First from CMB to ICN)
b) I don't mind paying the $30 US fee to change.
Worst case if I have to transfer some Marriott miles over to get the 25k needed, so be it. Just want it on one PNR.