greycap7

Please see above. I did get schedule changes prior to starting my trip. But they were 20-30 minutes max.

C W

Are you trying to terminate your trip in your home airport? What is it?

Even with less than 60 minute connection times you may become under the MCT. I think they’re cumulative as well. Definitely worth a shot calling, you may find a sympathetic agent if you say you’re nervous with a reduced connection time or another good excuse.

The big problem I see here is that you’re not trying to skip CMB in the middle of a ticket. You’re trying to avoid it when it is the end of one ticket and the beginning of another. The chances of getting an agent to change your arrival/destination airports are almost nil, especially if you’re not trying to change to a very nearby airport (JFK/EWR for example).

If you truly feel the need to avoid CMB you may have to end your trip during the first ticket at whatever city is most convenient for you.

C W

Looking a little harder, I would ask to remove CMB-AMS from the second ticket. Then you can just hang out in AMS, not board AMS-CMB, and continue on the second ticket.

I really don't know how you could convince an agent to do this without a reprice though. It doesn't include any more flights for them, but ex-AMS pricing is radically different than ex-CMB, obviously.

Maybe try the truth? I really don't know. HUCA a bunch of times maybe? Maybe try a red phone at the airport. The agents on the other end of that have mystical powers sometimes.

Your best hope is likely that AMS-CMB is so delayed on your first ticket that you'd miss CMB-AMS as DL protects across tickets, although if it's the same plane turning obviously that won't happen.

greycap7

I was almost successful with what you suggested. I asked to speak with international reissue directly and they were able to take out AMS-CMB and CMB-AMS. The reprice was an additional 200 dollars. The agent took my CC number and everything. But when he went to go complete the transaction, apparently everything failed and they wouldn’t let him complete it.

greycap7

Just as another datapoint too. CMB-AMS is pretty upgradeable. Try to get to the airport early and ask for a paid upgrade. They have a chart of how much it costs. I paid 300 Euros to upgrade CMB-AMS for KLM World Business Class on the 787

C W

Only $200 reprice is astonishingly low.

I would try again. Get the agent to quote you the price. If they can't push it through, ask for the manual reissue desk. Try and get them to let you talk to manual reissue directly. Manual reissue aren't usually customer-facing, but are capable of ticketing essentially anything and bypassing all rules and roadblocks. Keep pushing, you're close.

greycap7

Update: Now rebooked on HNL-SEA-DTW-AMS for free of charge.

Gonna call the diamond desk after breakfast to adjust he return.

C W

Good luck! Glad things are going in the right direction.

Don't hesitate to post any more questions.

And please write a trip report when it's all over!

greycap7

So I'm a little more screwed than I was before. They're not able to remove CMB-AMS off the second itinerary since it's a married segment. Not sure what to do now... I'm landing in AMS tomorrow morning and now I have to get to Colombo on the 4th.

maarten22

You're staying 3 days in CMB, with a regular tourist visa you should be fine. Flew the same trip and 2 times took the same plane back from Amsterdam. Transfer desk was a bit puzzled but was no problem to get a boarding card to fly the same plane back to AMS.

C W

This was my fear with removing the AMS-CMB before fixing CMB-AMS. You should never have dropped AMS-CMB, but rather just skipped it since that wouldn't affect the second ticket.

If you're willing to try transiting CMB, call and try and reverse it.

Otherwise you may have to spend to get to CMB or call it quits in AMS.

greycap7

C W - Your suggestion worked.. I called the Diamond Desk and was on hold for about 30 min. But they finally came through and reinstated my AMS-CMB sector.

I get to AMS Saturday morning and then depart for CMB on Monday morning.

C W

Good luck in CMB!

Although I might give dropping CMB-AMS off the second ticket a few more tries. Did you actually speak with a person at manual reissue? Rather than having an agent speak to them for you. If not, I'd definitely try again. Manual issue can split whatever the married segments are and replace the non CMB-AMS one with another non-married segment.

Sometimes you can get through directly just by calling and saying "An agent was supposed to transfer me to manual reissue but the call dropped, can you please transfer me again" or something.

greycap7

I did talk to an agent in international reissue when I tried to drop the CMB-AMS leg the first time around. They’re the ones that told me it was a married segment and it cannot be dropped.

However it doesn’t hurt to try again. I can go ahead and call. What should I say to them as to why I want it dropped?

C W

The international ticketing desk is not the same as manual reissue. Manual reissue rarely works with customers. They literally compute fares by hand and put the results into the computer. It’s obvious when you’re talking to them becuase they’re much less polished than the agents. They don’t follow a script or greet you by name and usually mutter under their breath while they’re working on your change.

As to why, that’s up to you. Maybe try whatever convinced the previous agents that tried. Keep trying to get through to manual reissue though.