Different Air Carrier

[RTR 21-0]

Not that familiar with the air industry other than booking flights.  My question is. does anyone know why FBC contracts or uses different carriers for inbound and outbound flights?  For instance, last year I could book a flight with FBC on American and get a return flight on American.  Looking at flights now and I can book on American, Delta or United to get to Rome but only options on my return flight would be on United or Lufthansia.  When I checked the American Airlines website both outbound and inbound flights are on American.   I'm guessing it's a contract with FBC but not sure and this is more a curiosity question for y'all.  

[Jim_Iain]

You can best think of FBC as just a travel agent.   They can and will book with whoever you wish.   Prior to Covid they would offer special flights at a reduced fare for non-refundable fares.   You could book one way or round trip with one carrier or many carriers.   

 

Since Covid they are mostly offering fully refundable fares due to the loss the took due to covid.   The only real advantage I now see to using them is you do not pay until final payment.   I prefer to book direct with the airlines mostly due to FBC's fees to change or cancel after final payment while the Airlines do not charge this extra fee.

[jwlane]

1 hour ago, RTR 21-0 said:

why FBC contracts or uses different carriers for inbound and outbound flights?  

$$$

[Arizona Wildcat]

Slightly different view.  FBC is a consolidator first and a travel agent second.

That means they find blocks of tickets at a group discount.  Those blocks are always cheaper, but are usually a bit more difficult for changing or arranging seat selection.

If they have no blocks available they then become a travel agent (which today pays little to often nothing in commissions) and book seats just like we would do booking with a booking app or airline.

Thus you get different airlines - FBC cares zero about mileage programs - that are sometimes strange AND routings that can be frankly weird.  

The only real benefits are not paying till final payment and often a savings.

The downside is issues in seat selection, problems if flight changes that create impossible connections that YOU need to sort by calling FBC, that ticketing is often not done until final payment without a fee and issues if you do not get the 6 letter locator record when booking.

FWIW - I always check details using an app then call FBC.  Usually end up booking direct.

[39august]

I have had no problem dealing with flight time changes directly with Delta tho' booked with FBC. 

[RTR 21-0]

Thanks for those explanations.  Makes more sense to me now.  I would really like the option to choose our own seats and last time I booked with FBC I knew there was a possibility the seats chosen wouldn't be the exact ones until final payment.  American's prices currently are pretty close to what FBC is offering and I don't mind paying flight upfront for a refundable ticket.  That being said, how far in advance do y'all book international flights for premium economy?  I've heard prices are expected to skyrocket even more in the near future.  Our cruise is next May.  

Edited June 15, 2022 by RTR 21-0
adding word

[Covepointcruiser]

We book as soon as flight are available, about 330 days so August 2023 will soon be available.

[Dar & Bob]

2 hours ago, RTR 21-0 said:

Not that familiar with the air industry other than booking flights.  My question is. does anyone know why FBC contracts or uses different carriers for inbound and outbound flights?  For instance, last year I could book a flight with FBC on American and get a return flight on American.  Looking at flights now and I can book on American, Delta or United to get to Rome but only options on my return flight would be on United or Lufthansia.  When I checked the American Airlines website both outbound and inbound flights are on American.   I'm guessing it's a contract with FBC but not sure and this is more a curiosity question for y'all.  

How far out are you looking.  Right now I am looking at flights for next May.  If I were to try to book on Delta right now I can only book to May 12th.  My return is on the 14th so I have to wait a few days if I want the return on Delta.  That may be your issue as well. 

Just saw that you are flying in May, you may well be looking at the same as us.  Give it a few days 🙂

 

Edited June 15, 2022 by Dar & Bob

[RTR 21-0]

3 minutes ago, Dar & Bob said:

How far out are you looking.  Right now I am looking at flights for next May.  If I were to try to book on Delta right now I can only book to May 12th.  My return is on the 14th so I have to wait a few days if I want the return on Delta.  That may be your issue as well. 

Just saw that you are flying in May, you may well be looking at the same as us.  Give it a few days 🙂

 

Next May for us also.  American should have their return date for ours out next Tuesday.

[B_A_H]

3 hours ago, RTR 21-0 said:

Not that familiar with the air industry other than booking flights.  My question is. does anyone know why FBC contracts or uses different carriers for inbound and outbound flights?  For instance, last year I could book a flight with FBC on American and get a return flight on American.  Looking at flights now and I can book on American, Delta or United to get to Rome but only options on my return flight would be on United or Lufthansia.  When I checked the American Airlines website both outbound and inbound flights are on American.   I'm guessing it's a contract with FBC but not sure and this is more a curiosity question for y'all.  

FBC uses bulk fares the majority of the time.  The fare rules for bulk fare are much more liberal than for published fares.  For published fares you can't mix carriers (EG: fly out on Delta, return on American), you have to fly roundtrip with the same carrier or purchase two one-way tickets if you want to mix carriers. 

 

I'm guessing because summer availability is so scarce FBC negotiated with the airlines they have contracts with to be able to user their bulk fare either one way or roundtrip.  Doing so opens a lot more flight combinations when options are tight.

 

It'll make for some interesting ticket issuance because they wouldn't be able to ticket a Delta outbound flight and American return on the same ticket using bulk fares.  The ticket would have to be plated on the carrier whose bulk fare they are using. 

[Arizona Wildcat]

4 hours ago, Covepointcruiser said:

We book as soon as flight are available, about 330 days so August 2023 will soon be available.

Yup!

[Dar & Bob]

On 6/15/2022 at 2:51 PM, Dar & Bob said:

How far out are you looking.  Right now I am looking at flights for next May.  If I were to try to book on Delta right now I can only book to May 12th.  My return is on the 14th so I have to wait a few days if I want the return on Delta.  That may be your issue as well. 

Just saw that you are flying in May, you may well be looking at the same as us.  Give it a few days 🙂

 

So Update to my post.  I was able to book our flights on the 17th to AMS.  Can't afford Business Class anymore but went for Delta and the Premium.  Flights were $1900 PP, today they are $3800,  I also was able to pick our seats and logged into Delta confirmes we have our seats. Fares whether it be for air, cruise or even hotels and rental cars are crazy nowdays.  But soo glad I have my airfare booked.

[jelayne]

In the past 4 weeks we have had our AA flights 1st cancelled and auto rebooked on flights that would not get us there on time.  Called and changed the flights.       ( early departure and long layover) but we should get to Spain.  This morning our “new flights” were cancelled and our new auto rebooked flights again have us getting to Spain too late.  
At this point I’m going to wait until August or September to sort this out. 

[CU64]

On 6/15/2022 at 11:40 AM, RTR 21-0 said:

Thanks for those explanations.  Makes more sense to me now.  I would really like the option to choose our own seats and last time I booked with FBC I knew there was a possibility the seats chosen wouldn't be the exact ones until final payment.  American's prices currently are pretty close to what FBC is offering and I don't mind paying flight upfront for a refundable ticket.  That being said, how far in advance do y'all book international flights for premium economy?  I've heard prices are expected to skyrocket even more in the near future.  Our cruise is next May.  

I booked and paid in full for 2 premium economy seats on Delta RT LA to Sydney March 2023.  Got my seats…direct flights. Bought insurance.Also flying in 2 days before cruise. Not cheap but happy I did it. 

[terrydtx]

For our August cruise we fly from San Antonio to Rome on United, one stop and return with Delta from Venice one stop and the price we booked with FBC in business class was way better than what we could do on our own. Booking directly with our flights on two different airlines is almost impossible. The Delta flight from Venice was a perfect departure time with only one stop in Atlanta. For us the cruise line air was a big advantage.

[RTR 21-0]

Last week I booked through FBC American premium for May 2023 flight to Rome with one stop in Dallas.  Was able to choose seats and when I go on AA website as well as British Air they show the seats are chosen.  As Dar & Bob experienced, I checked prices today on FBC and they have gone up through the with only one premium economy flight to choose from.  Still tossing around purchasing the tickets directly through AA as they are flexible tickets and only $200 more which is what FBC will charge if we make changes after final payment is made.  It's my understanding a flexible premium economy ticket is fully refundable but if anyone has experience where this isn't the case, please let me know.  

[jagoffee]

RTR 21-0, assuming you are asking about FBC flexible premium economy they are fully refundable.  Prior to final,payment, you pay nothing.  After final payment you pay $200 a person for. Refund.

 

I have a slightly different experience as some others with AA flights on FBC.  I almost always fly AA.  I find AA FBC typically show later than other other airlines.  I have always found the AA flights eventually.  Therefore I have to wait as FBC does not allow you to book two one way fares.  So it is worth checking back for a month or so.  Of course there may occasionally be a particular AA that may not be available. Maybe I have just been lucky.  But ever since I had to pay $200 per person to cancel my flights after final payment, I need a very significant savings to use FBC.  

[RTR 21-0]

1 hour ago, jagoffee said:

RTR 21-0, assuming you are asking about FBC flexible premium economy they are fully refundable.  Prior to final,payment, you pay nothing.  After final payment you pay $200 a person for. Refund.

 

I have a slightly different experience as some others with AA flights on FBC.  I almost always fly AA.  I find AA FBC typically show later than other other airlines.  I have always found the AA flights eventually.  Therefore I have to wait as FBC does not allow you to book two one way fares.  So it is worth checking back for a month or so.  Of course there may occasionally be a particular AA that may not be available. Maybe I have just been lucky.  But ever since I had to pay $200 per person to cancel my flights after final payment, I need a very significant savings to use FBC.  

I’m sorry I didn’t make my last sentence very clear.  I was actually referring to purchasing a flexible premium economy directly through AA.  An AA rep told me the other day a flexible premium economy ticket is fully refundable back to credit card if we cancel any time before date of flight and if we change we pay the difference if it’s more or we receive the difference in vouchers if it’s less.  Sounds great to me but would like to hear from someone who has had this experience.  

[jagoffee]

3 hours ago, RTR 21-0 said:

I’m sorry I didn’t make my last sentence very clear.  I was actually referring to purchasing a flexible premium economy directly through AA.  An AA rep told me the other day a flexible premium economy ticket is fully refundable back to credit card if we cancel any time before date of flight and if we change we pay the difference if it’s more or we receive the difference in vouchers if it’s less.  Sounds great to me but would like to hear from someone who has had this experience.  

I always book lowest fare, which currently allows me to cancel or change my ticket without a penalty fee. If I cancel, I get a trip credit for future use.  If I change the ticket I will pay any fare difference.  I do this because I know that I will use the credit.  It was really nice when AA removed the $200 change fee.  I have even change some flights, just for the lower fare.  

 

As you have discovered there is a flexible tab which for a little higher fare allows a refund back to your original form of payment.  (For flexible,) Although I never check the fare rules, there may be some restrictions.  21 day advance purchase or round trip requirements in the fare rules.  As long as there are no such restrictions, you should be good.  Honestly I never really noticed the flexible tab. 

 

Perhaps some one else has actually used the Flexible fare and they can be more helpful.

 

Good luck