Why aren't all the QR destinations selectable in award flight search?

[Tiki]

I have been trying to search award flights from Asia (SIN, KUL, BKK) to MCT. QR serves these routes and should be bookable with points but if I start a search with one of those cities, MCT is not selectable as a destination although AUH and DOH can be selected. The price is 29k in Y, J is not available on the dates I want.

DPS is selectable but it's more expensive at 41K Y and I would prefer not to transit DPS. Actually KUL is preferred as I can layover at a cheap airport hotel and have a day time connection to MCT.

KUL -DOH is bookable for 29k. DOH-MCT is bookable for 11K plus taxes on both. There is no multicity option.

If I call will they book it at the correct rate? It should be 29k based on comparable routes. And waive the phone booking fee? The problem is the system is not letting me select MCT if I start from KUL.

 

[jasrulz63]

Have you tried the trick where you change the URL?

When you perform a search (say DOH to MCT), it'll have "origin=DOH&destination=MCT" as a part of the URL. Change 'DOH' to 'KUL' and it should work (I just tried it).

 

[Tiki]

Have you tried the trick where you change the URL?

When you perform a search (say DOH to MCT), it'll have "origin=DOH&destination=MCT" as a part of the URL. Change 'DOH' to 'KUL' and it should work (I just tried it).

Wow that was brilliant, worked a treat! Thanks!

 

[SYD]

Wow that was brilliant, worked a treat! Thanks!

Next challenge will be getting it to ticket. You may have to call up.

 

[Tiki]

I'm not ready to ticket. I was doing a dummy run to see how many points/tax for the budget.

 

[zainman]

Have you tried the trick where you change the URL?

When you perform a search (say DOH to MCT), it'll have "origin=DOH&destination=MCT" as a part of the URL. Change 'DOH' to 'KUL' and it should work (I just tried it).

Any idea if this works for Qantas too? very annoying that they don't have a lot of cities such as DOH etc for departure

 

[SYD]

Any idea if this works for Qantas too? very annoying that they don't have a lot of cities such as DOH etc for departure

The work around for QF is to search from your preferred destination to DOH (return) and hope to find some availability on the DOH to XYZ leg. You then have to call because (as I understand), QF doesn’t have a sales office in Qatar to price the taxes etc.

Works the same for several Sth Am cities (eg EZE and AEP but you can easily search SCL-EZE/AEP-SCL). Also some Asian ports eg SAI. I had to search HKG-SAI-HKG to put together a multi-city SAI-HKG-SYD.

 

[zainman]

The work around for QF is to search from your preferred destination to DOH (return) and hope to find some availability on the DOH to XYZ leg. You then have to call because (as I understand), QF doesn’t have a sales office in Qatar to price the taxes etc.

Works the same for several Sth Am cities (eg EZE and AEP but you can easily search SCL-EZE/AEP-SCL). Also some Asian ports eg SAI. I had to search HKG-SAI-HKG to put together a multi-city SAI-HKG-SYD.

Thanks for your response.

Yes I have been doing that for years but it’s annoying to have to call. Try and avoid as much as possible.

I don’t know if it’s to do with sales office because virgin wouldn’t have a sales office in all these jurisdictions either to collect taxes yet the jigging the link workaround works.