Question On Domestic Connection Rule

[JS]

Help me out here... I want to fly ISP to MSS departing October 30. US publishes a fare starting at $159 roundtrip.

ISP flights only go to PHL and MSS flights only go to PIT. The only flight from PIT to MSS leaves at 4:00 PM. The flight from ISP to PHL to PIT leaves ISP at 6:00 AM and arrives PIT at 10:33 AM (there is a later flight but it arrives PIT at 4:46 PM).

While this is more than four hours, I thought the rule was that a domestic connection must be less than four hours or the next flight, whichever is sooner.

I could cut the layover below four hours by stopping somewhere along the way from PHL to PIT such as IAD, but the routing rule is ISP-US-PHL-US-PIT-US-ART-US-OGS-US-MSS, so no go.

The web site wouldn't price it, so I called US Airways reservations and described the problem. They said it wouldn't price because of the four hour rule (I know that, which is why I called since no web site would auto-price). I asked if they could manually price it, and the answer was no.

What is going on? Can't they manually price something that the programmers overlooked in the auto-price program? Or am I wrong and the rule really is four hours with no exceptions?

 

[BoeingBoy]

This is something for someone else with some knowledge in this area, but can you get around it with two tickets: ISP - PIT and PIT - MSS

Jim

 

[BoeingBoy]

JS,

I checked Expedia and found 4 routings. Lowest fare is $240 (though this probably doesn't include fees & taxes). Of course the routing between PHL and PIT is out of the way at best - thru JAX, TPA, etc.

Jim

ps - I'm sure that you've done all this already but I'm bored.....

 

[jimntx]

I GOT IT! I GOT IT! OH, PLEASE, TEACHER, LET ME ANSWER!!!

(Found this on Orbitz--no wonder it just got sold to Cendant.)

CO2135 dep ISP 1325 arr CLE 1508
CO2585 dep CLE 1540 arr ORF 1708
US3534 dep ORF 1750 arr PIT 1918
US4655 dep PIT 2020 arr MSS 2255 (after stops at ART and OGS, but no change of planes)
Fare $USD433
(Hey, you wanted to get around the 4 hour sit it PHL, didn't you?)

For $2.00 more you can return MSS-OGS-ART-PIT-ORF-CLE then to Louisville with your choice from there of DL to CVG or ATL and a following non-stop to ISP.

All of us poor airlines need the money, but...
It's only a 7 hour 41 minute drive from Islip to Massena. Think about it.

 

[USFlyer]

You can manually price this, too. I often do that on various routings to get certain fare classes on certain segments.

 

[JS]

You can manually price this, too. I often do that on various routings to get certain fare classes on certain segments.

[post="188713"][/post]​

That's what I thought, but res said no.

 

[JS]

I GOT IT! I GOT IT! OH, PLEASE, TEACHER, LET ME ANSWER!!!

(Found this on Orbitz--no wonder it just got sold to Cendant.)

CO2135 dep ISP 1325 arr CLE 1508
CO2585 dep CLE 1540 arr ORF 1708
US3534 dep ORF 1750 arr PIT 1918
US4655 dep PIT 2020 arr MSS 2255 (after stops at ART and OGS, but no change of planes)
Fare $USD433
(Hey, you wanted to get around the 4 hour sit it PHL, didn't you?)

For $2.00 more you can return MSS-OGS-ART-PIT-ORF-CLE then to Louisville with your choice from there of DL to CVG or ATL and a following non-stop to ISP.

All of us poor airlines need the money, but...
It's only a 7 hour 41 minute drive from Islip to Massena. Think about it.

[post="188712"][/post]​

Thanks, but I don't live on Long Island. I'm just visiting and I need something to do on the weekend, so I thought I would fly to MSS.

I bought my ticket out of LGA for $232.70 total.

 

[jimntx]

Thanks, but I don't live on Long Island. I'm just visiting and I need something to do on the weekend, so I thought I would fly to MSS.

I bought my ticket out of LGA for $232.70 total.

[post="188721"][/post]​

Well, there's no challenge to that. Where's the fun?

 

[USFlyer]

That's what I thought, but res said no.

[post="188715"][/post]​

Simply go to usairways.com (or any other booking engine) and price out a multi-leg itinerary, putting in each segment instead of ISP-MSS. This is a classic example of "hang up and call again", which I do often when I hear something that sounds fishy. Every time I do this I get a different answer depending on the CSR who answers. Just keep trying until you hear what you know is correct -- works every time.

 

[bobcat]

Hmmmmm....hang up and call again until you hear what you know is correct????

No...it's hang up and call again until you get an agent that doesn't give a damn about the rules or has no idea what the rules are! Most likely if you are hearing something that you don't like or don't want to hear, from an agent, it is most likely the correct answer!

You guys know all the tricks don't you?

 

[USFlyer]

Hmmmmm....hang up and call again until you hear what you know is correct????

No...it's hang up and call again until you get an agent that doesn't give a damn about the rules or has no idea what the rules are! Most likely if you are hearing something that you don't like or don't want to hear, from an agent, it is most likely the correct answer!

You guys know all the tricks don't you?

[post="188757"][/post]​

You aren't breaking any rules by booking each segment individually, a.k.a. "breaking the fare". I do it all the time, often with the help of US agents!

 

[reznc]

You aren't breaking any rules by booking each segment individually, a.k.a. "breaking the fare". I do it all the time, often with the help of US agents!


You are correct, that is how we used to do it, and still do, especially on international trips as long as the fares are combinable, it is just easier to hit one button than think some days.

 

[drifterreno]

call again and if you don't find an agent who will do it herself--or himself--ask for a supervisor. They can bypass the 4 hour rule--if they have the seats and the price they must honor it

 

[JS]

Simply go to usairways.com (or any other booking engine) and price out a multi-leg itinerary, putting in each segment instead of ISP-MSS. This is a classic example of "hang up and call again", which I do often when I hear something that sounds fishy. Every time I do this I get a different answer depending on the CSR who answers. Just keep trying until you hear what you know is correct -- works every time.

[post="188733"][/post]​

Doing it that way auto-prices at $750. I would like to fly out of ISP but not for triple that of LGA.

 

[CS AGENT]

Call Res Again and ask for a supervisor.
The rule is conx must be next available flight,within four hours, however If the next scheduled flight is more than four hours, the conx can be forced to give a thru fare. Every res agent should know how to force a conx, but if they don't, ask for the supervisor to look it up in focus. I have even seen forced conx to overnight in clt, and still have a thru fare.