Sri Lankan to Europe via CMB on a single AAward?

[wombatcountry]

I find availability on segments from Europe to CMB, as well as CMB to both SYD and MEL. But when I try to book a single award (with about 18 hours in CMB), Sri Lankan never comes up as an option. Is this particular award routing forbidden?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I find availability on segments from Europe to CMB, as well as CMB to both SYD and MEL. But when I try to book a single award (with about 18 hours in CMB), Sri Lankan never comes up as an option. Is this particular award routing forbidden?

Not forbidden, but I think it prices as two awards. My knowledge of the rules is a little rusty given no bookings since covid… but AA used to (still has) specific routing rules and exceptions for travel between regions. Until the ‘Doha exception’ for example, travel between europe and AU was only allowed via asia 1 or asia 2 as a single award… then they expanded that to allow travel on Qatar via Doha (hence the ‘doha exception’) and also Etihad later.

I don’t believe that had been expanded to include routing via the Indian sub-continent.

(If they have since expanded to include the i sun-continent then you’re probably looking at a married segment issue in your case.)

 

[Mattg]

Not forbidden, but I think it prices as two awards. My knowledge of the rules is a little rusty given no bookings since covid… but AA used to (still has) specific routing rules and exceptions for travel between regions. Until the ‘Doha exception’ for example, travel between europe and AU was only allowed via asia 1 or asia 2 as a single award… then they expanded that to allow travel on Qatar via Doha (hence the ‘doha exception’) and also Etihad later.

I don’t believe that had been expanded to include routing via the Indian sub-continent.

(If they have since expanded to include the i sun-continent then you’re probably looking at a married segment issue in your case.)

Correct.

There's a list here:

https://www.mypointslife.com/2020/06/american-airlines-award-routing-rules.html

Travel from South Pacific to Europe via Asia 1/Asia 2, DOH or AUH prices as one award. Anything else (e.g. travel via Indian subcontinent zone) is possible but prices as two awards.

 

[wombatcountry]

Thanks, I suspected it might be that.