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MPM on AA for Award Travel..
I’m planning my honeymoon to SE Asia and based at LAX.
I have my award return trip already booked in business on CX, no problems there.
Getting there is the problem. I’ve searched and searched and cannot find anything LAX-SIN (searching JAL/CX) for my date (anytime march 27-29).
I DID however put a hold on 2 seats business, CX, JFK-HKG-SIN. Using expert flyer I SHOULD be well within the 125% of MPM rule doing LAX-JFK-HKG-SIN, yet i’ve called American multiple times to try and add on the LAX-JFK leg and they keep giving me hell saying it’d need to be a separate award ticket.
Sadly, my hold expires tomorrow night so i’m hoping to get this figured out by then.
Is there anyplace AA would trust (aka their own website or some sort of regulatory body) that I can point them to that would show the award travel routing rules that would allow LAX-JFK-HKG-SIN?
GREATLY appreciate any help.
[USER=7]@Tiffany[/USER]
[USER=1067]@SupraTurbo12[/USER]
Welcome
Lucky wrote an article about AA award rules last year, have you read it?
[URL]http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2014/06/08/american-aadvantage-award-routing-rules/[/URL]
It looks to me that you might be in conflict with either the most direct routing or published fare by the overwater carrier rule.
Or it could be something as simple as LAX-JFK not being a saver level award? Unless you have already checked that of course
Edit
Then again there is this old post from 2012 that indicate it can be done.
[URL]http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2012/04/29/the-dark-side-of-americans-award-ticket-rules/[/URL]
Interesting. I’ll take a look! Thanks for the link.
And yes, the agents i’ve spoken with are basically telling me that the ROUTING itself is not valid so i’m hoping to find something concrete to verify that the routing IS indeed valid.
PS. after reading the article, it seems like i should be fine as far as the “direct routing” provision goes.. since
“The number of awards assessed should be determined by the customer’s intentions. If the indirect routing is booked at the customer’s request, multiple awards should apply using Pricing Override Options – Force Fare Breakpoint. If the routing is booked based on lack of award availability on direct routes, then an exception may be made, allowing Sabre to price as one award.”
basically, there is nothing available out of LAX anytime near the dates i’m looking at.. same with SFO or ORD, meaning my intent is valid (or so one would think).. believe me.. the last thing i’d like to do is fly to NYC from LAX just to get to SE Asia.
Found this by Gary over at viewfromthewing, not 100% certain it apply to you since he uses the reverse route starting in HKG in his example.
[B]Most direct routing:[/B] This is a catch all and is a rule that applies, though not always automatically. It’s a reason you can be denied an award that otherwise appears to follow American’s rules. You have to fly the most direct routing, though of course the most direct routing between many cities is a non-stop flight and yet you’re allowed to connect most of the time. So it isn’t really consistently enforced, but is something in the airline’s back pocket which says that any time they find you to be doing something unreasonable they can deny it.
What this means in practice, I find, is that I can fly Hong Kong – Los Angeles (stopover) – New York JFK.
But — while I have even been allowed to do this — I cannot bank on being permitted to fly Hong Kong – New York JFK (stopover) – Los Angeles. I’ve literally done that specific award, but it’s certainly not the most direct routing between Hong Kong and Los Angeles and shouldn’t be counted on being approved, that it’s within the “maximum permitted mileage plus 25%” notwithstanding.
[URL]http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2014/06/06/how-to-constructl-award-ticket-using-american-miles/[/URL]
[URL]http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2014/07/24/american-aadvantage-revises-award-routing-rules-new-exceptions/[/URL]
Damn. Well I suppose that may be something there. So with that being said, it almost sounds like I should ONLY be searching for award availability out of LAX, SFO, or SAN.. since that would proclude me from looking at even ORD as a way to HKG. What a mess!
Just a thought.
Paid tickets has fallen a lot on the LAX-JFK run since Jetblue started flying Mint class on the route, have you checked the price for a paid ticket LAX-JFK if you are short of miles?
Since the start of a Honeymoon tends to be fairly set in stone and there is no guaranty you will find space from the west coast.
ya.. i’ve thought of purchasing a one way.. but the goal is first and foremost to get to SIN in biz class for 55k points Per Person. Seems to kill the point of accumulating miles to have to then pay 400 bucks or whatever just to use them..
Unfortunately this is just how it goes, as the “most direct routing” is really arbitrary. You might be able to find an agent who will override the pricing according to what you’ve copied above, but my experience is that if you [I]ask[/I] the answer will always be no.
So my approach would be something like:
[INDENT]”Well, one of your colleagues helped me find space out of New York, but I live in LA. Could you check there for me please?”
“Hmm, what about San Francisco or Vancouver?”
“Gosh this is tricky, and I really appreciate your help. I guess we could look at Chicago?”
“Ugh. Well can we just add a Los Angeles to New York flight then? Seems like that might be easiest in this case.”
[/INDENT]
You will probably have to call several times, but being super nice will get you further than pointing at the rule book in this case. Good luck!
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