Globaliser

Possibly because they're not published fares. AIUI, ITA only deals with fares published to the GDS. Other channels may have access to private fares or those distributed by other channels. ITA is fabulous for doing infinitely better the things that it does well, but - like every other website out there - it should not be relied on as the only research tool.

slickvik

Is this actually bookable?

Fare 1: Carrier CM BAXAOY0F HOU to PTY (rules)Passenger type ADT, one-way fare, booking code B
Covers IAH-PTY (Economy)$934.00

Fare 2: Carrier CM KAAAOY2N PTY to PBM (rules)Passenger type ADT, one-way fare, booking code K
Covers PTY-PBM (Economy)$425.00

US September 11th Security Fee (AY)$5.60US
Passenger Facility Charge (XF)$4.50US
International Departure Tax (US)$18.60
Panama Airport Security Fee Departures (AH)$1.25
Subtotal per passenger$1,388.95
Number of passengersx1
Subtotal For 1 adult $1,388.95

Fare Construction (can be useful to travel agents)
HOU CM X/PTY Q100.00 834.00BAXAOY0F CM PBM Q25.00 400.00KAAAOY2N NUC 1359.00 END ROE 1.00 XT 18.60US 5.60AY 1.25AH 4.50XF IAH4.50

Total Airfare & Taxes $1,388.95

ChocolateFactory

dvs7310

Yeah, exactly. If it's an intended cost saving measure it doesn't work, it results in far more inquires.

Is this thread not monitored by anyone from ITA?

Calchas

Fares are often filed on a per-country basis, with a small number of focus cities individually picked for published faring and add-ons used to generate additional fares from other points within one country. The latter type of fare is called a "constructed fare". ATPCO distributes the constructed tariff separately to published fares to reduce the multiplicity of fares.

e.g., AA may publish a single tariff from Australia that comprises largely SYD-xxx fares but also has a set of "add on" rules for generating fares from other points besides SYD.

Looking at PER-NYC, one finds there is no such fare. Instead there is a constructed fare as follows:

Add ons need not cost an extra. Occasionally, one finds negative add on amounts. Here I find a BA NCL-SAO constructed fare is a discount from the LON-SAO published fare.

Note, the construction has nothing to do with the route. There is not requirement or expectation that travel be via the construction point. (Although, often it will be, but that needs to be stipulated elsewhere in the rules.)

I am sure there are significant optimization opportunities around computing pricing when a large set of them are expected to be constructed fares with a common base fare.

The taxes argument does not strike me as persuasive because taxes in general vary within one country just as much as between countries, and taxes are a function of route, timings, and other factors, not merely country of origin.

Globaliser

I think it must be, as an official rep (ITA Hacker?) does post from time to time in response to some problems.

I don't expect to see an official answer to this question, though. If one was going to be forthcoming, I'm sure that we would have been told a long time ago.

AndreaNewEngland

Hi All, This forum seemed like the most appropriate place to ask, I hope that's true. I'm considering a Fjord cruise that goes from Bergen, Norway BGO to Kirkenes KKN. We originate from TLV. I want to spend a couple of days in Oslo, never been to Norway. I tried using the MatrixITA PADCONNECT on a multi-city search TLV-BGO and KKN-TLV, on both/either leg (both had stopovers in OSL anyway, but an inconveniently short number of hours). I tried varying the time padded from 22:00 to 36:00 and it said no results every time.

Are there tricks or tips to getting a longer connection time?
Thanks in advance!

Calchas

Instead of using padconnect use the multicity tool to split the journey up further
Slice 1: TLV-BGO, Day 1 exact day only
Slice 2: KKN-OSL, Day 5, exact day only
Slice 3: OSL-TLV, Day 6, +/- one day

or similar. I would not use padconnect unless you have too many slices to fit in the search boxes.

It's also possible that no one will sell you a ticket containing the itinerary you desire; {KKN, BGO, TLV} is probably a bit of an unusual threesome of ticketed points and it may simply be no compatible fares exist.

In that case I would explore TLV-BGO and OSL-BGO, and look at separate tickets on KKN-OSL. Since you want a layover in OSL, you don't need to worry too much about luggage routing or missed connections. You may find this is cheaper in any case.

cheltzel

Personally I approach this with a 2 step approach. First is to determine the best route for this ("best" being defined by cost, schedule, whatever). Then after I determine the connecting points from the previous activity, I begin using the multi-city function.

So I would start from TLV and specify BGO, KKN as the destination. Since there are no direct flights from TLV to OSL, you need to specify "X OSL" in the outbound routing controls. In the results, pick the flights you like from TLV to BGO (connecting in OSL) and the flights back from KKN to TLV. Save a copy of the flights and then re-enter these as a multi-city search TLV-OSL, OSL-BGO and KKN-TLV. and play with the time difference between arriving at OSL from TLV and departing OSL a couple of days later.

andydd

I would suggest to just buy TLV-OSL/BGO/-TLV as a more palatable/computable option for OTAs/ITAs.

And then buy a simple OJ/RT from OSL/BGO-KKN. Remember that this route is only operated by 3 airlines DY, SK and WF.. and hence any airline not having interline with them wouldn't show these results. In addition through fares to KKN, a relative exotic/unusual destination, might be significantly higher than a typical fare to OSL.. so buying through ticket to KKN with multiple stopovers may not be economically wise.

Btw, Norwegian doesn't interlines with anyone else and hence would never come up on ITA, if you search in combination with other airlines.

If you have time to wait and watch.. SK regularly publishes sale each Thursday and sometimes you can have OSL-KKN return to as low as 1000NOK or approx 100EUR.

AndreaNewEngland

Thanks for the responses. I actually found a good solution before the whole plan went fubar. TLV-OSL and a recommended amazing train ride to Bergen. Ship up to Kirkenes. KKN-OSL is cheap most days on SAS or Norwegian, then the OSL-TLV leg home.
Still, I wonder why the Padconnect didn't work for either end to give me the day or two I wanted in Oslo.
Also, I don't know what OJ/RT is. To be clear, I was cruising to KKN, only flying KKN-OSL-TLV

Thank again.

ChocolateFactory

That's a great itinerary, you'll love it.
Padconnect only works when there is a fare in the GDS. There might not be a published fare TLV-OSL-BGO, or there might only be fares that don't allow stopovers.

OJ means "open jaw" (e.g. flying TLV-OSL and BGO-TLV), RT means "return" (TLV-OSL-TLV).

Eatcake123

I could really use some help figuring out how to do the best search for a trip I’m trying to plan in late Oct. I’ve been trying to use Google Flight but am getting frustrated that every fare result ends up giving me an “unfortunately that fare is no longer available” error when I try to click through to book.

Ive dabbled with the ITA matrix but I just don’t think I’m going about this efficiently given some of the flexibility with our plans. Can someone help me figure out the best search inputs to find fares for these plans?

Departure: ORD
Destination: Galway, IE plus either Sicily or Madeira.
Dates: 10-12 days sometime between Oct 19-Nov 6. Min 5 days in IE that includes Nov 3.

Airline: Ideally AA/Oneworld as we have lounge privilege and gold status (hey, better than nothing). Little hesitant about anything operated by BA right now though

Cabin: Economy or Prem economy

Also wouldn’t mind a long layover in London or other European city if it works out.

Thanks in advance for anyone who can help me stop banging my head against my monitor!

armouredant

What prices have you found so far but weren't able to book? What are you willing to pay?

Eatcake123

On Google they were coming up initially +/- $600. When I clicked, the fares were going up to closer to $900-1000. Ideally I'd like to stay under $800 (only because I've seen pretty decent fares to Ireland).

EDIT: Would be willing to pay a little more if the fare is a multi-city, saving me one leg and time having to return to original destination.