How to force a connection through ZRH?
Feb 26, 2013, 9:56 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 87
How to force a connection through ZRH?
Dear gurus,
I can make the following booking for three tickets on United.com using saver miles, but would like to connect through ZRH and avoid LHR, and thus pay lower taxes. Legging it on United.com doesn't work. What recourse do I have? Will I have to call in and pay the booking fees to make it work?
YYZ-LHR-SIN-CMB (Destination and OJ)
REP-ICN-YYZ (SO and OJ)
YYZ-MBJ
Thanks
I can make the following booking for three tickets on United.com using saver miles, but would like to connect through ZRH and avoid LHR, and thus pay lower taxes. Legging it on United.com doesn't work. What recourse do I have? Will I have to call in and pay the booking fees to make it work?
YYZ-LHR-SIN-CMB (Destination and OJ)
REP-ICN-YYZ (SO and OJ)
YYZ-MBJ
Thanks
Feb 26, 2013, 9:58 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: SJC, SFO, YYC
Programs: AA-EXP, AA-0.41MM, UA-Gold, Ex UA-1K (2006 thru 2015), PMUA-0.95MM, COUA-1.5MM-lite, AF-Silver
Posts: 13,437
Dear gurus,
I can make the following booking for three tickets on United.com using saver miles, but would like to connect through ZRH and avoid LHR, and thus pay lower taxes. Legging it on United.com doesn't work. What recourse do I have? Will I have to call in and pay the booking fees to make it work?
YYZ-LHR-SIN-CMB (Destination and OJ)
REP-ICN-YYZ (SO and OJ)
YYZ-MBJ
Thanks
I can make the following booking for three tickets on United.com using saver miles, but would like to connect through ZRH and avoid LHR, and thus pay lower taxes. Legging it on United.com doesn't work. What recourse do I have? Will I have to call in and pay the booking fees to make it work?
YYZ-LHR-SIN-CMB (Destination and OJ)
REP-ICN-YYZ (SO and OJ)
YYZ-MBJ
Thanks
Feb 26, 2013, 10:01 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 87
It gives the standard error message when I use the multiple destinations option:
: "We were not able to find any available flights for award travel meeting your requirements. You may modify your search criteria or review the MileagePlus Travel Award Rules. If you need additional assistance, call 1-800-UNITED-1 (1-800-864-8331) within the U.S. or Canada; elsewhere contact your local United Reservations Office."
Even trying to do a one-way (YYZ-ZRH-SIN) generates this error.
: "We were not able to find any available flights for award travel meeting your requirements. You may modify your search criteria or review the MileagePlus Travel Award Rules. If you need additional assistance, call 1-800-UNITED-1 (1-800-864-8331) within the U.S. or Canada; elsewhere contact your local United Reservations Office."
Even trying to do a one-way (YYZ-ZRH-SIN) generates this error.
Feb 26, 2013, 10:09 am
#5
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: LHR (sometimes CLE, SFO, BOS, LAX, SEA)
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 5,893
I also don't think it's totally true that UA will refuse to sell you a ticket online on a flight with no UA-operated segments. A couple of months ago I went to united.com, typed in "from: IST", "to: LHR", and bought a one way ticket on a nonstop TK flight (TK flight number and operator, 016 plated ticket). This was the cheapest possible way to buy this ticket -- every other OTA and TK's own Web site added a tens-of-dollars booking fee.
Feb 26, 2013, 10:12 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 87
I am booking with miles - and am able to book YYZ-LHR-SIN-CMB or YYZ-LHR-IST-CMB on United.com even though none of these segments are on UA metal.
Feb 26, 2013, 10:17 am
#8
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: SJC/SFO
Programs: SPG Plat
Posts: 1,017
You should call and book and explain you have had zero success booking it on-line thus they shouldn't charge you a booking fee.
Did this many times with wife's silver account and no big deal at all.
Did this many times with wife's silver account and no big deal at all.
Feb 26, 2013, 10:21 am
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 87
The long and short of it is that calling may not help, unless I actually get a United agent who is familiar with their own rules. They are a rare breed, and my only possible recourse appears to be forcing united.com to accept a perfectly legitimate routing.
Last edited by iluv2fly; Feb 26, 2013 at 11:40 am Reason: merge
Feb 26, 2013, 10:30 am
#10
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
OP since you havent posted the dates you are looking to fly , no one can check anything
when you put in YYZ-ZRH did you see Saver being offered? what was offered when you then checked ZRH-SIN
Update just read you said KVS shows its there, I dont use KVS but when it shows it does that mean its available to UA as well? at times space can be there but only for a Miles & More member using those miles
Try putting in each segment to see if UA has it available if you dont see it pop up on each segment then Id say its Not being made available to UA
when you put in YYZ-ZRH did you see Saver being offered? what was offered when you then checked ZRH-SIN
Update just read you said KVS shows its there, I dont use KVS but when it shows it does that mean its available to UA as well? at times space can be there but only for a Miles & More member using those miles
Try putting in each segment to see if UA has it available if you dont see it pop up on each segment then Id say its Not being made available to UA
Feb 26, 2013, 10:53 am
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 87
OP since you havent posted the dates you are looking to fly , no one can check anything
when you put in YYZ-ZRH did you see Saver being offered? what was offered when you then checked ZRH-SIN
Update just read you said KVS shows its there, I dont use KVS but when it shows it does that mean its available to UA as well? at times space can be there but only for a Miles & More member using those miles
Try putting in each segment to see if UA has it available if you dont see it pop up on each segment then Id say its Not being made available to UA
when you put in YYZ-ZRH did you see Saver being offered? what was offered when you then checked ZRH-SIN
Update just read you said KVS shows its there, I dont use KVS but when it shows it does that mean its available to UA as well? at times space can be there but only for a Miles & More member using those miles
Try putting in each segment to see if UA has it available if you dont see it pop up on each segment then Id say its Not being made available to UA
Nov 15 - 0830 - YYZ-ZRH (AC 878 - arrive Nov. 16 at 1025)
Nov 16 - 1045 ZRH - SIN (SQ 345 - arrive Nov 17 at 0600) There is also a later flight LX178 on the same day with award seat availability.
Nov 17 - 2305 SIN - CMB (SQ 468)
Feb 26, 2013, 11:07 am
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,644
my suggestion is book as much as you are able then call in and get the remaining segments added. i did this recently on an award ticket and it was pretty painless.
Feb 26, 2013, 11:21 am
#14
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
United.com shows plenty of Y saver for YYZ-ZRH-SIN-CMB departing Nov 15 2013 as long as I do it segment by segment. Here is what I got.
Nov 15 - 0830 - YYZ-ZRH (AC 878 - arrive Nov. 16 at 1025)
Nov 16 - 1045 ZRH - SIN (SQ 345 - arrive Nov 17 at 0600) There is also a later flight LX178 on the same day with award seat availability.
Nov 17 - 2305 SIN - CMB (SQ 468)
Nov 15 - 0830 - YYZ-ZRH (AC 878 - arrive Nov. 16 at 1025)
Nov 16 - 1045 ZRH - SIN (SQ 345 - arrive Nov 17 at 0600) There is also a later flight LX178 on the same day with award seat availability.
Nov 17 - 2305 SIN - CMB (SQ 468)
I was able to get it all its 40k and $89.10 in Y Saver Biz not avaialble ZRH-SIN non-stop and is a mixed cabin with a stop
YYZ-ZRH 11/15 AC 878
ZRH-SIN 11/16 LX 178
SIN-CMB 11/17 SQ 468
I chose "Multi-Destinations" to work it all out , you shouldnt have to call to get this
Feb 26, 2013, 12:30 pm
#15
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: SJC/SFO
Programs: SPG Plat
Posts: 1,017