Pairing Two Segments?
 

I did a bunch of searching, and was able to find info about splitting a direct flight, but nothing about this.

My question is, can I book two segments and then call and have them pair them so that an actual connection is listed (which would help in the event of IRROPS, correct?)

The flight is AAA-BBB and the times that are most convenient for me are ~$40 cheaper (via IAH connection-which is the cheapest) when searched via the multi-city search versus just a roundtrip. The IAH connection also comes up when I do a regular roundtrip search but it is ~$40 higher. So the connection is allowable in IAH it looks like but I just want to get it to price out in my favor.

Not sure if any fare rules are being broken or if this is legit/possible?

Thanks in advance!

Probably an issue of married segments being ignored by the multi-city search. If it will price out and book that way, do it and you'll be fine.

If you can find it via multi-city then just book it that way. Is there a reason you don't want to do that??

Yes, since the connection is 1.5hrs wouldn't I be assisted if there is IRROPS? If I book it via the multi-city won't it be considered two different segments and I'll be SOL if there are IRROPS? I could be wrong, I'm unfamiliar with doing stuff like this.

If you book as a multi-city, it'll still be a single PNR and you will receive all the benefits associated therewith. Nothing to worry about.

Okay that is good to know. So in the (hopefully unlikely) event of IRROPS I will be taken care of for my connecting flight?

Thanks for the response!

As long as all the segments are on a single PNR, I don't see where you would have any problems (other than the usual ones) dealing with IRROPS. I've encountered multi-city misconnects before and they've been taken care of. Last Spring I was booked ABQ-DEN-MCI (overnite) MCI-IAH-BTR. When the ABQ-DEN leg was canceled due to MX, I was given an ABQ hotel voucher and booked on ABQ-DFW(AA)-IAH-BTR the following morning.

^^ Good to know, I just wasn't sure because I've never booked via the multi-city search before.

some cases of married segments will also be ignored or not returned by RT search even if they are legitimately married:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...om-search.html

i ran into a case of this lately booking SMF-LAX-DEN-LNK which was all one ticket (married segments) but RT search would not pull it up, instead offering me only more expensive one stop options. had to get at it with multicity/hipmunk.

I think you're using "married segments" a little outside its normal context. It's usually used to describe the situation where the airline provides different availability numbers than the segment-by-segment numbers. But maybe that's what you were saying? Otherwise, I think that you're just talking about "legal transfers" within a fare rather than needing to talk about "married segments."

In any case, United.com does it's best to avoid showing you two-stop itins, even when they're cheaper.

The situation to worry about would be if you booked the two segments on completely different tickets (e.g. booked a one-way ticket AAA-BBB, then booked another one-way ticket BBB-CCC). Then you could have issues if irrops screw you up at BBB.

However, using the multi-city search will book them on a single ticket, even if they're priced as two one-ways. You'll be fine.

The classic example was when inventory was either:

1. unavailable when the married segments AAA-BBB-CCC were pulled up together but could be found as AAA-BBB and BBB-CCC seperately, reserved seperately on the same PNR and then booked as a through fare AAA-BBB-CCC; or

2. a particular UA flight (such as MUC-SJJ which is operated by LH) for which they do not have local traffic rights could only be purchased as married to another UA flight, e.g. EWR-MUC-SJJ.

Recently, airlines have adopted what we might call a policy that even when the inventory is available AAA-BBB and BBB-CCC the trip will not price as a through AAA-CCC fare when the inventory is not available as married AAA-BBB-CCC. I call this a forced marriage.

One thing I've wondered: Is this "policy" applied against travel agents?

I know that Amadeus is applying this "policy" to agents. Not certain about the other GDS, but I suspect they are as well.