Fix for problem booking same day return
Jan 7, 2008 | 7:37 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Orlando
Programs: DL DM 2MM (NW+DL) FI Gold
Posts: 787
Fix for problem booking same day return
I tried to book this itn: 1/28 SEA-CMH with a same day return.
Nwa.com would only show booking availability (searching by both price and schedule options) if I took the red eye from SEA, when my reasearch showed I could book this using either the 7am or 9am departure from SEA. I tried this on Orbitz, and got what I was looking for.
I called nwa.com support and asked about this. I was told that there is a known problem with the software dealing with same day return bookings. The "fix" is to select your return flight first, then go thru the list of departure flights and select what you want. For whatever reason, it will book it this way.
In my case, doing a price or schedule search always had me leaving on NW 154 dep 12:40am. When I selected the return I wanted (NW 1495 dep 7:07pm), the "select departure" page gave me the morning flight I wanted (NW 158 dep 9am) along with the price I wanted, $189 AI.
Perhaps this needs to be moved the the nwa.com bug thread, but I thought there might be enough of a need for a seperate post to let the "fix" be known.
In talking with the nwa.com support person, it sounds like there are some real problems with the system. I'm not knowledgeable on info tech issues, but she said the server crashed yesterday and that can't be good for business.
Nwa.com would only show booking availability (searching by both price and schedule options) if I took the red eye from SEA, when my reasearch showed I could book this using either the 7am or 9am departure from SEA. I tried this on Orbitz, and got what I was looking for.
I called nwa.com support and asked about this. I was told that there is a known problem with the software dealing with same day return bookings. The "fix" is to select your return flight first, then go thru the list of departure flights and select what you want. For whatever reason, it will book it this way.
In my case, doing a price or schedule search always had me leaving on NW 154 dep 12:40am. When I selected the return I wanted (NW 1495 dep 7:07pm), the "select departure" page gave me the morning flight I wanted (NW 158 dep 9am) along with the price I wanted, $189 AI.
Perhaps this needs to be moved the the nwa.com bug thread, but I thought there might be enough of a need for a seperate post to let the "fix" be known.
In talking with the nwa.com support person, it sounds like there are some real problems with the system. I'm not knowledgeable on info tech issues, but she said the server crashed yesterday and that can't be good for business.
Jan 8, 2008 | 2:50 am
#2
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: MEL
Programs: DL, QF, QR Silver, Bonvoy Lifetime Gold
Posts: 7,315
I was trying to do a similar MR and I had issues with the booking. Thanks for posting this!
Jan 8, 2008 | 8:55 am
#3
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,679
That sounds like a big deal, not just for MR, but for people doing day trips for business. MSP-ORD comes to mind.
Jan 8, 2008 | 4:27 pm
#4
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: DCA
Programs: NW Plat, DL Silver
Posts: 106
Searching by schedule--especially on multi-city routings--is a royal pain, if not impossible with the new booking engine. I actually ended up buying a trip last week via orbitz because not even the people on the other end of the elite line could come up with a solution. I commented how much I disliked the new engine while waiting, and the elite rep replied, "You're not alone." I find the fix above works for simple RT routings but does not fix the issue if you have a multi-city trip in mind.
Jan 8, 2008 | 5:13 pm
#5
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: DTW
Programs: WorldPerks
Posts: 65
I find the only way multi-city works is if nwa.com magically comes up with the itinerary you want in the first 50 options and you can choose the whole thing. I was lucky enough to be able to do that once for DTW-CHI-MSP-CHI-DTW.