I was able to change online (on AS website) my JL biz class reservation to a 1st class reservation by paying the difference in miles and taxes. While the new/changed reservation is listed under 'My Trips' page, when I click on 'Trip Details' it indicates that they are unable to display the details and that I should call the AS 800 number. Using the JL reservation number I was able to select my seat on the JL website.
After she spoke with a supervisor at the service desk, the AS customer service agent returned to tell me that JL has "taken control of the ticket, which is why it is no longer visible on the AS website"
I told her that the ticket is typically under control of the operating airline 24 hours before departure, not 10 months in advance. To which she insisted that if AS took back control then I would not be able to see the reservation on the JL website. I realized then it was HUCA time and thanked her for her help.
Before calling back, I wanted to ask if any FTers have had similar experiences and what they recommend as the best course of action. Thanks.

 

I've read that adding a lap infant to a JL flight booked using AS miles requires paying 10% of the market cash fare for that seat at the time of purchase of the infant ticket.

My question is, if anyone here might know, whether that infant cash fare is refundable if you cancel the original (adult) ticket with AS?

 

I believe that it will be subject to the fare rules of the actual infant fare you buy. I suggest searching for the exact itinerary you are buying the ticket for at Matrix (ITA Software) and pricing out the flight (you can ask ITA to price out a infant-in-lap) then viewing the fare rules. I did a random search for JFK-HND for September and it offered up a $1064 price for the infant in fare class DHX57IN2... and that particular fare is NON-REFUNDABLE (incredible given that the adult fare is $10K). If you want refundable be sure to ask for it when you call.

David

 

I've never seen an award ticketed using ASMP for a JL flight not show up on the AS website. Been through many award tickets over the years and several schedule changes as well as add/subtract segments and changing dates and routes. Always go to JL website for seat assignments and make several visits looking for better seats when in J right up to check-in time. Never has the AS website failed to show the details under Trip Details except as above for a schedule change and in that case you would see notice page announcing the change and to call in (unless it is one of those self serve type; unicorn change). In fact, when I make seat changes on JL website they appear immediately on the AS website, last time being 70 hours before departure from Tokyo in April.

If JL website shows as ticketed then you should be good, but if that happened to me (AS website not showing details and directing you to call in), a further polite press towards AS customer service is in order. The agents telling you JL has taken control of the ticket makes no sense and I've seen AS displaying the details after checkin at HND as recent as last month.

OTOH, I would also be careful not to get another agent who does something awful, even with good intentions when tinkering with a rare JL F award...

Best of luck to you!

Cheers,

-Cyborg

 

I just did this with JAL and they said its non refundable but is transferrable.. i.e. if you change dates the infant fare comes with subject to any fare difference. Also they charged me full fare J not the discount J that was available. I asked the agent and they said this is how they do it, she tried to price the lower J ticket but it would close. So my ORD-TYO (stop 3 days)-CGK and then SIN-TYO (stop 2 days) - ORD in July cost $1200 to add the infant. This is the one case where booking a roundtrip on miles is better though as one way international business fares are scary!

 

Thanks Cyborg. I checked the AS website 24 hours later and it looks like the situation has resolved itself (or by AS behind the scenes).

 

A group of us are hoping to snag 3x SEA-NRT/KIX-SEA in J once space opens for April '24. One member of the party would be buying 2x from their account and I'd be booking my own.

First off, I know JAL EOS inventory is janky at best, so is it even feasible to find 3 J seats on the same flight? Secondly, what's the best strategy to improve likelihood of us all being able to book the same flights? Book one and cross fingers that 2x are still available afterward? Can CS book all three concurrently over the phone? Bit of an AS miles newbie, so any insight is appreciated, thanks!

 

AS can book all three on one PNR and pull miles from multiple accounts if there are enough miles in the respective accounts to cover the award.

Good luck! You are going to need it.

James

 

Thank you sir! I'm assuming that if I search the website for 3 adults and no J options show up, then there's no inventory? Or is it worth still calling and seeing if there's something the website isn't showing.

 

If you search for three seats initially, you are unlikely to find anything. Start your search for one and see what avails, then search for 2 two if you ufind something. If the award disappears with 2, you know there is only 1 seat available.... and so on.

JL has been releasing J & F award seats within 14 days of departure. If you find 2 seats in J you may want to consider booking those two and booking the third on a separate itinerary in Main as a placeholder. If space opens up closer to departure, you can change it at that time without a fee. It would be an add/collect in Miles and any change in fees or taxes only.
.
James

 

You are looking for flights in one of the most peak periods from a gateway that only has one flight a day. 3J is very doable in a non-peak period. It will be very tough in early April. Late April the odds are better. You ask a lot of questions and you should be able to find the answers to all of them either in this thread (2023 version) or the 2022 version of this thread.

First off, know that JAL is already selling these flights, but AS and AA do not yet have access to them. Much of the initially released space has already been booked but there are a couple of days that have 3J seats left coming up out of SEA. Check BA (British Airways) website for award availability for the next week or so past the end of the AS booking calendar to see what is still available today. You need to count it down to where you identify JAL flights available on BA that are still available the day before the AS booking date opens and be prepared to immediately book as soon as AS opens the flights. For early April 2024 they will be snatched up almost immediately once AA and AS get access to them. Don't wait to book a round-trip because by the time you can find return flights the outbound flights will be gone. Book one-ways. Be prepared to split-up and travel on flights from different gateways. You can book via AS connecting flights through SFO/LAX-TYO (HND or NRT). If you find a flight with 3J it probably takes longer to call and book in one PNR so I would just have both parties ready to book online at the same time separately as soon as the flights show up on AS in this situation where booking time is critical.

No, not in your situation. The Alaska Airlines website has serious bugs when searching for JAL inventory in the last few days of the schedule. Read up on the Calendar Trick (Calendar Workaround) and the Reverse Round-trip workaround or you will not find any JAL flights at the end of schedule.

 

I am doing some planning for my next award ticket. Trying to price out an award ticket on jal. I see a direct flight that is available via the website but when I want to add a stopover inventory disappears.
ex. March 17th sfo-nrt. Businrss
Stopover then say tyo-tpe

The SFO nrt segment is present when searching as a one way but when I add a search via multi city no space.

Same flight can be found via AA/ba.

Is this an issue if needing to call it in or married segment logic

 

is TYO-TPE available? is it NRT-TPE or HND-TPE?

 

Plenty availability from hnd or nrt. I did notice i need to specify nrt or hnd else the system wouldn't figure out tyo is for both

 

How long of a stopover? AS now limits stopovers to 14 days.

Is there also J space TYO-TPE?