Thoroughfare (married?) Segments

[hb13]

Hi All,

So I have a flight booked using QF points on Emirates that is MEL-DXB-DUS. I wanted to change the last sector to be DXB-CDG, however when I tried this with QF last night, I was told my MEL-DXB-DUS flight was a thoroughfare and cannot be changed at all, apart from cancelling the whole flight.

I can't even cancel the DXB-DUS segment and only fly to Dubai.

I have previously made changes to fares like this many times and I have never ever heard of this. Does anyone know why this is the case?

For the record, when I searched for this flight, I did it via a multi-city search and booked it that way.

 

[TheInsider]

You booked a flight from MEL-DUS, not MEL-DXB-DUS, so they are correct in saying they can't change the last leg.
As far as airline tickets are concerned the value of the fare and fare calculation is from MEL-DUS (the stopover in DXB is not really relevant).

If wanted you can just not check-in for the DXB-DUS (ask staff to short-tag the bags) leg and forfeit the fare, but I wouldn't be doing that if you have additional flights after that, as the other flights will also be forfeited.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I dunno. With a change of flight number in DXB I would have thought this ticket was constructed segment by segment and one of the segments should be easy enough to change. That's always been my previous experience, even changing segments in the middle of existing bookings when something has opened up closer to the time (for example SIN-CMB-DXB going to just SIN-DXB, and MEL-PER-DPS being changed to MEL-DPS). I've also changed the final leg of award tickets with EK to the USA and then AA segments added on.

In all cases they can keep all the other sectors and change just those you want. No need to cancel the whole booking.

I'd try calling again on this one.

 

[hb13]

I dunno. With a change of flight number in DXB I would have thought this ticket was constructed segment by segment and one of the segments should be easy enough to change. That's always been my previous experience, even changing segments in the middle of existing bookings when something has opened up closer to the time (for example SIN-CMB-DXB going to just SIN-DXB, and MEL-PER-DPS being changed to MEL-DPS). I've also changed the final leg of award tickets with EK to the USA and then AA segments added on.

In all cases they can keep all the other sectors and change just those you want. No need to cancel the whole booking.

I'd try calling again on this one.

Yeh this ha been my experience every single time until now where they are saying they can't do that. It actually doesn't make any sense to me whatsoever.

Has anyone else had this experience?

 

[RooFlyer]

You booked a flight from MEL-DUS, not MEL-DXB-DUS, so they are correct in saying they can't change the last leg.
As far as airline tickets are concerned the value of the fare and fare calculation is from MEL-DUS (the stopover in DXB is not really relevant).

But that’s not the sole reason, surely? I too have bookedA-xB-C and changed it to A-xD-C or A-xB-E, usually with a cost. If the fare type is immutable, sure, it’s no, but not just they booked a certain origin and destination? ( actual question)

 

[MEL_Traveller]

But that’s not the sole reason, surely? I too have bookedA-xB-C and changed it to A-xD-C or A-xB-E, usually with a cost. If the fare type is immutable, sure, it’s no, but not just they booked a certain origin and destination? ( actual question)

It might be the case if they are married segments. But I haven't come across this on EK/QF awards before. (It is common with CX for example though, and the origin/destination can't be changed. Similar with some SQ award itinieraries as well.)

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yeh this ha been my experience every single time until now where they are saying they can't do that. It actually doesn't make any sense to me whatsoever.

Has anyone else had this experience?

Hang up and call again. Maybe the agent was confusing a revenue fare with an award. Is this a classic award or one of the other variants such as points plus pay? If the latter the agent might be correct. .

 

[GoldCanyon340]

I'd call again. Does the concept of married segments actually exist for a straight up award on QF/EK? I dont't think it does.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I'd call again. Does the concept of married segments actually exist for a straight up award on QF/EK? I dont't think it does.

I agree. Some evidence of this is the availability of chauffeur drive at all intermediate points on EK/QF awards... something that shouldn't be possible if it was in fact a single through fare (on my last ticket I could get chauffeur drive in MEL, SIN, DXB and JFK, which should have been limited to MEL and JFK only under the rules if it was a single set of flights with no stopovers).

 

[oz_mark]

I agree. Some evidence of this is the availability of chauffeur drive at all intermediate points on EK/QF awards... something that shouldn't be possible if it was in fact a single through fare (on my last ticket I could get chauffeur drive in MEL, SIN, DXB and JFK, which should have been limited to MEL and JFK only under the rules if it was a single set of flights with no stopovers).

QF/EK connections in Dubai can be married for connections of up to 72 hours.

(Qantas have gone to town on married segments over the last 12 months or so)

 

[Mattg]

I'd call again. Does the concept of married segments actually exist for a straight up award on QF/EK? I dont't think it does.

Married segments do absolutely exist for QF/EK awards. I suspect the call centre rep explained this poorly to the OP, but it is quite possible that an award may be available from MEL-xDXB-DUS but not if just booking MEL-DXB as a standalone flight (even if it's on the same aircraft).

I've even seen cases where EK had availability DXB-SYD and QF had availability SYD-MEL, but you could not book DXB-xSYD-MEL on one booking.

With married segments, changing the booking from MEL-DUS to MEL-DXB or MEL-CDG means the entire itinerary is repriced/re-assessed. That said, changes should be possible if there are seats available on the new flights.

 

[madrooster]

I'd call again. Does the concept of married segments actually exist for a straight up award on QF/EK? I dont't think it does.

EK award seats are just about guaranteed to be married segments if <= 24 hours in DXB.

QF/EK connections in Dubai can be married for connections of up to 72 hours.

(Qantas have gone to town on married segments over the last 12 months or so)

Correct - its also 72 hours in SIN now. Supposedly, the reason for this is to allow pax to stopover in SIN (and previously DXB) and be able to continue to their destination with favourable availability to avoid a pax being screwed over by lack of cheaper availability. That said I've also seen it go the other way and restrict the availability if you did do a stopover.

 

[Mattg]

Correct - its also 72 hours in SIN now. Supposedly, the reason for this is to allow pax to stopover in SIN (and previously DXB) and be able to continue to their destination with favourable availability to avoid a pax being screwed over by lack of cheaper availability. That said I've also seen it go the other way and restrict the availability if you did do a stopover.

Interesting - does this only apply to DXB and SIN?

 

[madrooster]

Interesting - does this only apply to DXB and SIN?

Yes DXB and SIN only.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Interesting to read about married segments. How new is this?

I've always used the multi city tool so guess I've never run into that problem?

 

[hb13]

I did call Qantas again and was told the same thing. So I was not able to change my ticket. I thought about calling for a third time, but by then the award seats were gone.

This is obviously something new and pretty disappointing because I searched for the two sectors separately and then booked it as a multi-city ticket. How does it even make sense if I have an award seat to dubai that i can't change the flight onwards from there?

 

[madrooster]

Interesting to read about married segments. How new is this?

I've always used the multi city tool so guess I've never run into that problem?

EK award inventory has been like this for years. Except EK is a bit strange compared to other carriers, they seem to do their award availability on a per segment basis (eg. MEL-DXB will have D5, DXB-CDG will have D2) but when you sell it into a PNR, it marries the segments.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

EK award inventory has been like this for years. Except EK is a bit strange compared to other carriers, they seem to do their award availability on a per segment basis (eg. MEL-DXB will have D5, DXB-CDG will have D2) but when you sell it into a PNR, it marries the segments.

Maybe i was in luck somehow... i changed my DPS-DXB-JFK to a SIN-CMB-DXB-JFK to a SIN-DXB-JFK (all originating in AU), and was able to make the change each time just for that segment(s). Availability DXB-JFK had long gone when making the changes.