Here's what I had...nice job mordys
Outbound: 57,500 miles one-way:
Option A:
06/12, MCI-ORD, UA 3548, 5:59pm-7:31pm, First
06/12, ORD-FRA, LH 433, 10:30pm-1:40pm +1 day, Business
06/13, FRA-TLV LH 690, 10:25pm-3:20am +1 day, Business
Option A is also feasible departing 06/13.
Option B:
06/14, MCI-ORD, UA 3663, 10:22am-11:47am, First
06/14, ORD-FRA, LH 431, 3:40pm-6:50am +1 day, Business
06/15, FRA-TLV LH 686, 10:15am-3:00pm, Business
Return: 57,500 miles one-way:
Option A:
07/06, TLV-ZRH, LX 257, 5:00am-8:20am, Business
07/06, ZRH-LHR, LX 332, 12:05pm-1:00pm, Business
07/06, LHR-BOS, VS 9691, 3:05pm-5:35pm, Business
07/06, BOS-ORD, UA 848, 7:12pm-8:50pm, Coach
07/06, ORD-MCI, UA6175, 9:54pm-11:17pm, Coach
Option B:
07/05, TLV-ZRH, LX 257, 5:00am-8:20am, Business
07/05, ZRH-LHR, LX 332, 12:05pm-1:00pm, Business
07/05, LHR-LAX, NZ 1, 4:15pm-7:45pm, Business
--
07/05, LAX-CLE, CO 172, 11:10pm-6:30am +1 day, First
07/06, CLE-MCI, CO 2056, 8:40am-9:40am, Coach
or
07/06, LAX-IAH, CO 1614, 12:30am-5:43am, First
07/06, IAH-MCI, CO 2776, 7:50am-9:47am, Coach
OK guys, now things got really interesting!
I was searching CO.com for a better return for him. I found the nonstop CO flight in BF from TLV-EWR, called him up and told him to grab it ASAP.
The CO ESD calls him but they tell him there's nothing available. He says it is on CO.com and they check and say there's nothing on CO.com.
He calls me back and I wonder if I forgot to logout of my plat account. I go to a new browser, clear my cache and search again. When I search EWR-TLV and try to find the return nothing shows up, but when I search TLV-EWR as the outbound there's the flight. I went to the next page and see that it is indeed in "O" class.
Normally a CO BF award is "I" class. "O" for CO BF is only supposed to be viewable and bookable by CO Plats but here it is from his non-plat account but only when the flight originates from TLV.
I put the TLV-EWR-TLV ticket on hold and tell my FIL to try to call CO and show them that held itin and see if they will do anything. First the CO ESD agent says it will be 200K miles but when he shows he has that itin on hold for 115K she puts him on hold and does some magic and was able to change it. She then asked for $75 fee as the origin flight is within 21 days. I already told my FIL to insist that CO's policy is to charge only if the leg you are changing to is within 21 days. After a long hold waiting for a manager (and worrying that a manager would disallow the flight change to the Plat-award inventory) the agent thanked him for correctly pointing out CO's policy and did not charge the $75. In fact he got back $75 in taxes because he was no longer flying via ZRH and LHR.
On the e-receipt the fare class for TLV-EWR is actually listed as "I"
Seeing is believing...try it for yourself! My FIL got the last seat on the 5th, but...
Search TLV-EWR for 07/07-07/12 on CO.com. It's all bookable in BF for 115K RT. Notice how on the "Review Trip Itinerary" page that the TLV-EWR flight is in "O" and the return is "I." CO.com is allowing Plat availability when you start from TLV.
Now search EWR-TLV for 07/03-07/07. The 07/07 flight won't be there unless you're Plat!
