Any travel agents or airline professional with an idea what's going on here?

[Archfarchnad]

So we need to travel from Berlin to Beirut in August, then back again after 10 days or so. There is no flexibility in the location (we're going for a specific reason) and very little in the dates - a day or so at the most. Only one airline flies this route directly - Germania. Looking at the flight plan for the summer there seems to be four flights a week in both directions, but when trying to book there is suddenly a gaping hole in the flights back from BEY to BER between 6 Aug and 26 Aug - that's a total of 10 flights in a row which are mysteriously unavailable for booking, depsite apparently existing. I've tried on the Germania site directly and via third parties. I've phoned the helpline, which is not helpful. Their tip was that contingents of flights are sold to travel agents so I should try there - but that's just bizarre to think that all the flights TO Beirut are running as normal, and the flights BACK before and after the 18-day gap are working fine, and none of any of these flights are particularly close to being booked out, judging by the pricing - but that 10 flights in one direction have apparently been sold wholesale to travel agents. I'm willing to bet that any travel agents I ask can't help either.
So what might be going on here? Have they actually run out of planes in the summer holidays so are pretending to run flights, but not actually taking any bookings for them so they can be cancelled easily at the last moment without losing the slot? I can't think of any other explanation.

It's riling me a bit because any other options than the direct flight are distinctly more awkward and best avoided - involving transfers in weird airports (Air Serbia, I think not), delays and potentially lost baggage (maybe I've just been unlucky with baggage on transfer flights not making it through...). I'm sure I'll end up having to take one of the annoying transfers after all, but it would be good to know what's behind all this.

Is it showing up the same on Skyscanner?

Eid al Adha is in that timeframe this year - may be that?

www.officeholidays.com/religious/muslim/al_adha.php

Are they a bucket Airline so the return flights are showing yet? Try May? Does it work for May? (To see if they appear) Some bucket Airlines only release tickets at certain times.

Are the Germania definitely operating the flight? My first thought was that they might be using the slots at Berlin and the planes that normally fly to Beirut to operate extra flights to popular summer holiday destinations what with it being August and peak travel time. I’m a corporate travel booker rather than an agent but I’ve definitely come across flights on routes popular with business travellers being reduced during August when they’re less popular to offer more leisure holiday friendly destinations.

However, if you’ve had it from the airline that the flights definitely do exist then as a PP mentioned it is close to Eid, so perhaps that could be a factor? I’ve never come across this before but then again I don’t think I’ve ever booked travel to Beirut.

I think I'd just be inclined to book indirect flights but go for a more reliable carrier. If there is someone who will check the bags through instead of having separate tickets I would be more relaxed about that. Loads of flights to Beirut from Greece, Turkey and Cyprus look at airlines that fly there. Pegasus or Aegean for example.

Silver - it's showing up the same on all the third-party sites - I've tried Google Flights, Skyskanners, Edreams and several others. In fact, that was how I discovered the problem, because I looked at those sites first for the cheapest offer and couldn't understand why it wasn't showing the direct flight, then I checked the Germania airline directly.

Shots, I noticed that the public holiday was on in some Islamic countries, but it's later in August and doesn't really explain the lack of flights from after 6 August - or the lack of flights in one direction only. Unless my theory is correct that there's a lack of planes - but caused by extra demand of the Eid holiday.

Bobby - Germania's not really a bucket airline, but not really very established either. But the return flights ARE definitely out and purchasable until well into autumn, because the flights back resume on 26 August and continue as normal (4 times a week) in September and beyond. It was a good idea though - not the first time I'd have been caught out by that.

lemon, it appears in Germania's own flight plan, but then disappears when you try to ask a price or book a flight. The woman on the helpline was a little cagey but did seem to concede that they were actually running a flight on those 18 days, but she couldn't book me a seat on one. But she didn't seem to have any idea how many seats had actually been sold, or if there were any left - how weird.

mrsnec I think that's what we'll have to do. The direct flight there is no problem, so at least one way is easy enough. I've found a flight back at reasonable cost run by Lufthansa via Frankfurt (geographically and econologically stupid because it involves doubling back on myself) which will at least be reliable with the luggage (although ironically it was Lufthansa who lost my bag last time, despite being booked through, but then did bring it to the door the next day without any fuss) and there are plenty of connecting flights if the first one is delayed. Is Pegasus reliable? - that name does crop up a bit for flight transfer options. That and bleeding Air Serbia.

I would much rather fly Pegasus than air Serbia. I have used Pegasus loads of times but just internal flights in Turkey. The service was impeccable. Bang on time every time, looked after me when I was heavily pregnant and nervous, gave us the tax back on the spot at the airport when we had to cancel people who were travelling with us. Really comfortable modern planes and food and drink not expensive on board.

More likely to be related to Hajj than Eid for those dates.
But makes no sense to have empty planes flying TO Beirut to allow them to fly people back to Germany. Is there a corresponding blank Germany to Beirut with slightly earlier dates?