Married Segment Workaround
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Silver, AA, WN, DL
Posts: 4,091
Married Segment Workaround
Hi Folks,
Thanks for help on this previous thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/north...screpancy.html
Now there's a different, yet related question on Married Segments/Journey Logic.
I've found a potentially desireable routing on nwa.com, (flying A-B (layover)-C), and I would actually like to have more than 24 hrs at City B. However, nwa.com will not allow me to book a multi-city with a stop-over at City B.
Is it possible to book the existing routing, then call up NWA and tell them I want to change the flight from B-C to a later date? Will the married segment issue (at least I'm presuming that's what's holding it up) be worked around? Could I even go to counter at Airport B on the day of travel and ask an agent to push me back a day?
Also, for an award flight, is more than one stopover allowed throughout the entire itinerary; i.e. can it be one stopover on the way there, and one stopover on the way back?
Thanks for any input.
Thanks for help on this previous thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/north...screpancy.html
Now there's a different, yet related question on Married Segments/Journey Logic.
I've found a potentially desireable routing on nwa.com, (flying A-B (layover)-C), and I would actually like to have more than 24 hrs at City B. However, nwa.com will not allow me to book a multi-city with a stop-over at City B.
Is it possible to book the existing routing, then call up NWA and tell them I want to change the flight from B-C to a later date? Will the married segment issue (at least I'm presuming that's what's holding it up) be worked around? Could I even go to counter at Airport B on the day of travel and ask an agent to push me back a day?
Also, for an award flight, is more than one stopover allowed throughout the entire itinerary; i.e. can it be one stopover on the way there, and one stopover on the way back?
Thanks for any input.
#2
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Manhattan Beach, California
Programs: BMI Diamond Club Gold forever
Posts: 6,367
I think you are asking two separate questions, (1) how many stopovers can you have and (2) where can you take them.
As to the # of stop overs, you only get one (assuming multi-zone intl redemption), but you also get an open jaw. If you are clever you can use the open jaw to mimic another stopover (but it generally needs to be near your endpoint).
As to where you can take them, NW has cracked down on this in recent years. There is some wording on the website somewhere, but I think the gist of it is that it can only be a NW/DL hub (or a partner hub if you are transiting that point on a partner flight). As for "creating" a stopover while in route, you dont want to try this. I've done this on paid tickets with NW and can tell you that once you check in for the entire trip you have booked, you need special authorization to do this, and I am sure they scrutinize the fare rules to make sure you are entitled to this.
As to the # of stop overs, you only get one (assuming multi-zone intl redemption), but you also get an open jaw. If you are clever you can use the open jaw to mimic another stopover (but it generally needs to be near your endpoint).
As to where you can take them, NW has cracked down on this in recent years. There is some wording on the website somewhere, but I think the gist of it is that it can only be a NW/DL hub (or a partner hub if you are transiting that point on a partner flight). As for "creating" a stopover while in route, you dont want to try this. I've done this on paid tickets with NW and can tell you that once you check in for the entire trip you have booked, you need special authorization to do this, and I am sure they scrutinize the fare rules to make sure you are entitled to this.
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Silver, AA, WN, DL
Posts: 4,091
I think you are asking two separate questions, (1) how many stopovers can you have and (2) where can you take them.
As to the # of stop overs, you only get one (assuming multi-zone intl redemption), but you also get an open jaw. If you are clever you can use the open jaw to mimic another stopover (but it generally needs to be near your endpoint).
As to where you can take them, NW has cracked down on this in recent years. There is some wording on the website somewhere, but I think the gist of it is that it can only be a NW/DL hub (or a partner hub if you are transiting that point on a partner flight). As for "creating" a stopover while in route, you dont want to try this. I've done this on paid tickets with NW and can tell you that once you check in for the entire trip you have booked, you need special authorization to do this, and I am sure they scrutinize the fare rules to make sure you are entitled to this.
As to the # of stop overs, you only get one (assuming multi-zone intl redemption), but you also get an open jaw. If you are clever you can use the open jaw to mimic another stopover (but it generally needs to be near your endpoint).
As to where you can take them, NW has cracked down on this in recent years. There is some wording on the website somewhere, but I think the gist of it is that it can only be a NW/DL hub (or a partner hub if you are transiting that point on a partner flight). As for "creating" a stopover while in route, you dont want to try this. I've done this on paid tickets with NW and can tell you that once you check in for the entire trip you have booked, you need special authorization to do this, and I am sure they scrutinize the fare rules to make sure you are entitled to this.
I'm primarily interested in your point regarding "creating" a stopover while in enroute, or creating it after booking the original award flight.
Essentially, I have a return flight that goes from DEL-SVO-NRT-LAX with a couple hrs in each city for transfer. On NWA.com it is booked as a single return. I'm wondering if I can push the time in NRT to a day or two. I'm hoping booking it online then calling NWA.com reservation to make the change, or try my luck at the NWA counter in NRT... though it seems like a not so good option after travel has already commenced.
#4
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SJC
Programs: UA 1K, AA ExecPlat
Posts: 820
I'm primarily interested in your point regarding "creating" a stopover while in enroute, or creating it after booking the original award flight.
Essentially, I have a return flight that goes from DEL-SVO-NRT-LAX with a couple hrs in each city for transfer. On NWA.com it is booked as a single return. I'm wondering if I can push the time in NRT to a day or two. I'm hoping booking it online then calling NWA.com reservation to make the change, or try my luck at the NWA counter in NRT... though it seems like a not so good option after travel has already commenced.
Essentially, I have a return flight that goes from DEL-SVO-NRT-LAX with a couple hrs in each city for transfer. On NWA.com it is booked as a single return. I'm wondering if I can push the time in NRT to a day or two. I'm hoping booking it online then calling NWA.com reservation to make the change, or try my luck at the NWA counter in NRT... though it seems like a not so good option after travel has already commenced.
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Silver, AA, WN, DL
Posts: 4,091
Trying to do this when you arrive in NRT would probably not work. I'm pretty sure that you can have a free stopover in NRT for your itinerary, so why not just book it that way? I think you can book a stopover on nwa.com by using the multi-city search for award tickets. Since only the NRT-LAX segment is likely operated by NW/DL, I don't think you will have married segment problems.
#6
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Manhattan Beach, California
Programs: BMI Diamond Club Gold forever
Posts: 6,367
I'm primarily interested in your point regarding "creating" a stopover while in enroute, or creating it after booking the original award flight.
Essentially, I have a return flight that goes from DEL-SVO-NRT-LAX with a couple hrs in each city for transfer. On NWA.com it is booked as a single return. I'm wondering if I can push the time in NRT to a day or two. I'm hoping booking it online then calling NWA.com reservation to make the change, or try my luck at the NWA counter in NRT... though it seems like a not so good option after travel has already commenced.
Essentially, I have a return flight that goes from DEL-SVO-NRT-LAX with a couple hrs in each city for transfer. On NWA.com it is booked as a single return. I'm wondering if I can push the time in NRT to a day or two. I'm hoping booking it online then calling NWA.com reservation to make the change, or try my luck at the NWA counter in NRT... though it seems like a not so good option after travel has already commenced.
As for the stopover enroute, as I say, once you check in you are not going to be able to do this. Something happens to the reservation in the NW system, I had a fully refundable J fare ticket and decided to do this and it took them about 6 hours to restore the final leg, again having to call the rate desk to check rules and make sure this was allowed. It was "allowed" although they told me to make my change next time before checking in, instead of just stepping off the plane. That said, normally you can get NRT as a stopover by calling. My concern would be you wont be able to get an agent to ticket DEL-SVO-NRT-LAX at all, stopover in NRT or no.
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Silver, AA, WN, DL
Posts: 4,091
I'm surprised you could get DEL-SVO-NRT-LAX to book. I have never gotten India to route transpac.
...
That said, normally you can get NRT as a stopover by calling. My concern would be you wont be able to get an agent to ticket DEL-SVO-NRT-LAX at all, stopover in NRT or no.
...
That said, normally you can get NRT as a stopover by calling. My concern would be you wont be able to get an agent to ticket DEL-SVO-NRT-LAX at all, stopover in NRT or no.
#8
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 423
Believe me, I was more than surprised as routing was LAX-SVO-DEL-SVO-NRT-LAX... essentially a RTW ticket. However, can't get the stopover gig to work and I don't think calling is going to help when they see the routing. That's why I'd rather get it ticketed online and then see if it can be changed.
You might have to call to price the itinerary. I wonder if the stopover somehow causes the fare to rise. I seem to recall that can happen sometimes for technical reasons, and websites may not autoprice on regular tickets. If it won't autoprice revenue tickets, it might not issue award tickets under those circumstances.
Last edited by longtime lurker; Sep 11, 2009 at 6:25 pm