Velocity Award Booking - Force Connection to Specific Flight

[travelislife]

Hi, has anyone had success, or is there a specific method to force a specific connecting flight on an award booking?

Trying to do DPS-BNE-SYD as it avoids an overnight flight. But want the full day in BNE the next day so want a later flight BNE-SYD.

All still within 24 hours so should price as a connection, not separate flights, but can't see a way to do it?

 

[Ade]

Hi, has anyone had success, or is there a specific method to force a specific connecting flight on an award booking?

Trying to do DPS-BNE-SYD as it avoids an overnight flight. But want the full day in BNE the next day so want a later flight BNE-SYD.

All still within 24 hours so should price as a connection, not separate flights, but can't see a way to do it?

May be do a multi-city search and select the specific date/flight you want for the BNE-SYD?

 

[travelislife]

May be do a multi-city search and select the specific date/flight you want for the BNE-SYD?

Multi city only lets you do domestic flights.

 

[travelislife]

Call centre agents are so useless, even as platinum, they can't even comprehend what I am asking.

 

[odysseus]

It's not something they offer.

They can book them as separate flights (subject to individual availability), but not combine them on a single ticket. Only the connecting flights that are shown are offered.

 

[Ade]

Call centre agents are so useless, even as platinum, they can't even comprehend what I am asking.

May be you already tried this - HUCA? Sometimes, you might get a better agent that knows what to be done.

It's not something they offer.

They can book them as separate flights (subject to individual availability), but not combine them on a single ticket. Only the connecting flights that are shown are offered.

Unless, as @odysseus mentioned - the ability to do this is not existing.

@travelislife - have you tried the Concierge Service run by AFF? Link here: Home

 

[travelislife]

Thanks Ade. No need for concierge service. Have made much more complicated around the world award bookings over the journey than this simple one way!

Seems I am bound by computer says no, just wanted to spend the day with friends in Brisbane and avoid the overnight flight, availability is there as a through ticket DPS-BNE-SYD. And gives 3 x flight options for BNE-SYD. They are all morning flights is all, which probably ties in with their algorithm for shortest time, but would prefer to get a 5pm BNE-SYD, which also has award availability, but unfortunately isn't shown as through flight.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Call centre agents are so useless, even as platinum, they can't even comprehend what I am asking.

Have you tried asking them to book the DPS-BNE, then saying you like to add a sector to SYD? See if the system allows you to choose a later flight.

Asking anything from the VA call centre, even platinum, usually results in frustration

 

[travelislife]

Have HUCA 3 times and because computer says no, I don't think they can even understand what it is I want. So looks like I'm stuck.

 

[Ade]

Thanks Ade. No need for concierge service. Have made much more complicated around the world award bookings over the journey than this simple one way!

Seems I am bound by computer says no, just wanted to spend the day with friends in Brisbane and avoid the overnight flight, availability is there as a through ticket DPS-BNE-SYD. And gives 3 x flight options for BNE-SYD. They are all morning flights is all, which probably ties in with their algorithm for shortest time, but would prefer to get a 5pm BNE-SYD, which also has award availability, but unfortunately isn't shown as through flight.

Given you are WP with VA, would it be possible for you to request either at DPS or at BNE check-in desk to put you on a later BNE-SYD (preferably one departing BNE in the evening hours). As VA WP, I have been able to either fly forward or fly later without any issues so far.

 

[travelislife]

I'd be happy to risk fly forward as I do that every week with success (except for a couple of weeks ago with the REX influx), but not willing to risk fly later (which isn't a written benefit), especially with 2 Adults and 2 kids travelling.

 

[Ade]

2 Adults and 2 kids travelling

Sorry, did not know this. Yea, fly *anything* might be risky with 4 pax.

5pm BNE-SYD, which also has award availability

Better to book DPS-BNE only and then do a separate CR booking for BNE-SYD at a later time on same day then. ACK of course, bags won't be tagged thru to SYD.

 

[henrus]

Have HUCA 3 times and because computer says no, I don't think they can even understand what it is I want. So looks like I'm stuck.

Over the many years of Velocity bookings I've never been able to achieve what you're asking for, it doesn't seem like it's even a possible thing on their system. I'd be impressed if you found someone who could do it but I don't like the chances.

 

[travelislife]

Appreciate the feedback, very frustrating, and you are right, every conversation just seems to be the same that they can only see what we see online. They don’t even seem to comprehend that there could be more flights BNE-SYD, literally had one say that there is no other BNE-SYD flights that day. Got her to search the sector individually and she was like…oh…

They are in fact surprised in the first place that I am calling to book over the phone, and tell you to go the website. But what was interesting for me is the for the flight over SYD-DPS the availability on the date was showing online but they had availability over the phone. I haven’t encountered that before.

Post automatically merged: Aug 27, 2024

Sorry, did not know this. Yea, fly *anything* might be risky with 4 pax.



Better to book DPS-BNE only and then do a separate CR booking for BNE-SYD at a later time on same day then. ACK of course, bags won't be tagged thru to SYD.

Not worried about bags, as would collect to go to hotel night before, flight gets in to BNE at 11pm. Just trying to avoid the additional cost.

 

[travelislife]

My last resort on this is to try with the platinum guarantee for award flights once a year. But to do that there has to be no award availability within 3 days, when currently there clearly is, so I need to wait until there is no award availability at all and run the gauntlet of them being able to do it and book in to a revenue bucket.

 

[henrus]

My last resort on this is to try with the platinum guarantee for award flights once a year. But to do that there has to be no award availability within 3 days, when currently there clearly is, so I need to wait until there is no award availability at all and run the gauntlet of them being able to do it and book in to a revenue bucket.

Regarding the platinum guarantee, this is a cash booking (again based on the options seen online) where VA cover the fare component and you pay the taxes. So if the option of a longer layover isn't possible as a cash fare then it's unlikely to be resolved via the platinum guarantee.

 

[djkelly69]

How about the ol' book whats available and hope for a schedule change?

 

[travelislife]

Success! I did it!

So at first she said the flight doesn't exist (with the later connecting flight that I wanted), when she was looking for DPS-SYD, only had the 2-3 early morning connections through BNE. Then I said to search segment by segment and she was like oh yes the flight exists, I will create a multi city booking. I was like...ok, yes let's try that.

She then said, oh the computer won't price it, I will have to get it manually priced. I expected it to come back as the 2 x segment prices added together, anyway wait on hold for about 10 mins and when it went off for manual pricing it came back at the 22,300 points in economy like standard flight.

Booking for 2 Adults 2 Children. No over the phone booking fee.

Now just waiting for e-tickets to be issued...

 

[travelislife]

And e-tickets have been issued, happy days!

So I think the crux of it is, get them to create the manual "multi destination" booking and then send it off for manual pricing. My connection is 17h 45m.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

And e-tickets have been issued, happy days!

So I think the crux of it is, get them to create the manual "multi destination" booking and then send it off for manual pricing. My connection is 17h 45m.

Indeed, as per post #8! It works across quite a few FF programs… searching for AU-Europe for example might return nil results, but breaking it to AU-Asia and then Asia-Europe can cobble together something.