Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

[Rallo]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

unfortunately 'confirmed' doesn't mean anything without a ticket number. A reservation can be confirmed, allow you to select seats and book the cook or book transfers, but ultimately has no value without payment (a ticket number) and can be cancelled in the absence of such.

Thanks , I had spoken to Thai offfice in Sydney after getting the run around from LM , Thai advised that we were definitely on rescheduled flight ex BKK and allocated seats so fingers crossed it is only a matter of reissue of tickets.
One concern is that when I did speak to LM they had issues with our stay in BKK exceeding 24 hrs so I will let you know how we get on.

 

[JessicaTam]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

Thanks , I had spoken to Thai offfice in Sydney after getting the run around from LM , Thai advised that we were definitely on rescheduled flight ex BKK and allocated seats so fingers crossed it is only a matter of reissue of tickets.
One concern is that when I did speak to LM they had issues with our stay in BKK exceeding 24 hrs so I will let you know how we get on.

Hopefully as the flights were rescheduled they will be able to override the usual 8hr transit.

 

[Alanslegal]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

Just a quick (newbie) question; I have an award HKG-xBKK-SYD in a few days time with HKG-BKK being TG601 (dep 125pm). I am thinking of ducking into BKK so if I bought a cash ticket BKK-HKG on TG600 (which then turns around to TG601), would I be allowed to check all the way through to SYD?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

Just a quick (newbie) question; I have an award HKG-xBKK-SYD in a few days time with HKG-BKK being TG601 (dep 125pm). I am thinking of ducking into BKK so if I bought a cash ticket BKK-HKG on TG600 (which then turns around to TG601), would I be allowed to check all the way through to SYD?

I'm a little bit confused what you are trying to do... you want to go into BKK, but you want to buy a cash ticket to HKG?

 

[hummel]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

I think Alanslegal is asking if TG can check his bag all the way to SYD however I don't think that will work as the cash ticket and LM redemption will be on different PNR's.

 

[anat0l]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

Just a quick (newbie) question; I have an award HKG-xBKK-SYD in a few days time with HKG-BKK being TG601 (dep 125pm). I am thinking of ducking into BKK so if I bought a cash ticket BKK-HKG on TG600 (which then turns around to TG601), would I be allowed to check all the way through to SYD?

I think Alanslegal is asking if TG can check his bag all the way to SYD however I don't think that will work as the cash ticket and LM redemption will be on different PNR's.

I'm assuming that Alanslegal will find a way to get to BKK (when he "should" be in HKG), then take TG600 to HKG which will then marry back into his redemption ticket HKG-BKK-SYD.

Normally there should be not much issue as I would think TG would have no trouble checking it all the way through all on their own operated services, even on separate tickets. However, the part which has me worried is the "start from BKK and go through BKK" bit. I know that on a routing tag, the same location cannot appear on the tag more than once. That said, if a routing tag was issued in BKK, of course the origin is never printed, so technically the tag would read "SYD via BKK via HKG", which means BKK doesn't appear more than once. But I'm still not too sure what would happen in this instance, especially when checking in at BKK.

 

[Alanslegal]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

I'm assuming that Alanslegal will find a way to get to BKK (when he "should" be in HKG), then take TG600 to HKG which will then marry back into his redemption ticket HKG-BKK-SYD.

Yep that is exactly what I want to do. So that day I would be flying BKK-xHKG-xBKK-SYD (BKK-HKG is a cash ticket, HKG-BKK-SYD is an award ticket). I would have HLO.

 

[legroom]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

Yep that is exactly what I want to do. So that day I would be flying BKK-xHKG-xBKK-SYD (BKK-HKG is a cash ticket, HKG-BKK-SYD is an award ticket). I would have HLO.

With HLO, I cannot see how any issue could arise.

Maybe some attention stare from Immigration on the way back to BKK wondering why this guy does a quick turnaround from HKG.

With checked bag, it might be a little weird going around in circle and like anat0l commented, unsure how they would handle that.

 

[anat0l]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

Yep that is exactly what I want to do. So that day I would be flying BKK-xHKG-xBKK-SYD (BKK-HKG is a cash ticket, HKG-BKK-SYD is an award ticket). I would have HLO.

If you are HLO then there will be absolutely no problem!

Transfer desks will take care of whatever you can't obtain at the first port of call.

Protection for the turnaround at HKG is a bit dicey with two tickets. Technically you will want to obtain both to and from HKG BPs in BKK then hope for a good turnaround at HKG, as if you need to get a BP in HKG ("check in"), if you fail to do this at T-60 minutes you may be branded as failed to check in. To be honest, if you explain the situation at one or both of the TG check in or lounge at BKK, I don't see why things can't work out.

 

[Alanslegal]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

Thanks for the replies guys.

 

[dajop]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

IProtection for the turnaround at HKG is a bit dicey with two tickets. Technically you will want to obtain both to and from HKG BPs in BKK then hope for a good turnaround at HKG, as if you need to get a BP in HKG ("check in"), if you fail to do this at T-60 minutes you may be branded as failed to check in. To be honest, if you explain the situation at one or both of the TG check in or lounge at BKK, I don't see why things can't work out.

Isn't this is where OLCI can help? Do OLCI and get boarding pass for flight from HKG, and that solves the problem.

 

[anat0l]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

Isn't this is where OLCI can help? Do OLCI and get boarding pass for flight from HKG, and that solves the problem.

Depends on the OLCI process.

Some OLCI doesn't mark you as checked in until you have your documents checked at the airport. So turn up after T-60 for document check, and you're a no check in.

But since I have no experience with OLCI on TG or TG ex-HKG, I'm only guessing here.

If it were possible to OLCI ex-HKG, then yes that would solve things rather nicely.

 

[Happy Trails]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

Maybe some attention stare from Immigration on the way back to BKK wondering why this guy does a quick turnaround from HKG.

I've done exactly that with no problem at all.

 

[dajop]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

Depends on the OLCI process.

Some OLCI doesn't mark you as checked in until you have your documents checked at the airport. So turn up after T-60 for document check, and you're a no check in.

But since I have no experience with OLCI on TG or TG ex-HKG, I'm only guessing here.

If it were possible to OLCI ex-HKG, then yes that would solve things rather nicely.

I'm sure the TG website has the info ..... somewhere, but I think HKG is one of the airports that is OK (vs, for example SIN - where doc check is required). Also I think cut-off is T-40.

 

[Keith009]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

Was initially booked:
25 Sep ZRH-BKK 1330/0530+1
26 Sep BKK-SYD 0725/2000

The BKK-SYD flight has been cancelled for that particular day and I'm now rebooked on the same flight 24 hours later. Wha??

Now to see if I can 1) be rebooked out of another European city as close as possible to the original schedule 2) rebooked on the 1920 departure on 26 Sep with a day room.

1st call with TG Australia... referred back to Avianca even though TG caused the involuntary schedule change. "This is the way it is with Thai Airways." I would have HUACA'd but not keen to go through another long hold. Asked for a supervisor... transferred to someone's voicemail. :/

Not keen to contact Avianca which would just be a fruitless mission until something is sorted out by Thai, so I'll try again another time.

I imagine Thai's phone lines are jammed due to TAs and pax calling in to sort out involuntary schedule changes.

ETA: Just thought that they may not be willing to touch anything other than POS AU bookings. May try TG in Switzerland or somewhere in Europe tonight....

The following has transpired so far:

1) No one in the Australian TG office would touch the booking as it's an "agency" booking even though they understand that Avianca needs TG to open up inventory in the first place and this is a result of TG's schedule change.

2) Following the advice of the very nice lady I got from TG Australia on my 2nd call, rang Avianca to request to be waitlisted on the flight we wanted to get on. Response from Avianca "Sorry we cannot do this....[something, something] the system."

3) Rang up TG Switzerland - was waitlisted on the 1920 departure on the 26th, an ok outcome even though it'd leave me with a ~13 hour stop in BKK (as at this point I do not think it's worth the headbanging to talk anyone into a more complex rebooking).

4) The TG call center could not HK the seats on the spot. They have to get TG load control in BKK to confirm the waitlist so an urgent telex was sent to TG BKK. They mentioned that STPC would be provided.

5) Now confirmed from waitlist on TG475 on the 26th of Sept.

Still to do:
1) Ring up Lifemiles to get our tickets reissued.
2) Ring up TG again to confirm STPC and assign seating. Not sure if we can be bothered spending time in Bangkok (as in the city) and 13 hours is too much for any Flounge so a dayroom would be apprec.
3) Watch the itinerary obsessively for further schedule changes.

To those who managed to get TG Australia to rebook their flights on the spot - what was the magic word? And I presume award seats were open, allowing an immediate rebooking?

It also did occur to me to leave ZRH a day later which would enable a more optimal connection in BKK but that would leave us to deal with trying to get on the last flights on Sunday evening up to BNE on a separate ticket which is too great a risk (need to be back at work on Monday).

Thank goodness the OH is with Vodafone and has a generous international call credit allowance..... (Skype seems to have a pretty poor reception with Avianca for whatever reason)

 

[Glider_]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

Just posted this in the Lifemiles successful bookings thread, but may also be of interest to people looking for information about passenger spelling mistakes:

Coming in as a complete novice, after spending a month reading this site and FT I decided to dip my toe in the water. I bought miles during their February transfer reward promotion and ping-ponged them up to maximum limits between mine and MrGlider’s accounts.

I booked two one-way J legs for me and MrGlider using half points half pay;
SIN-ZRH-TXL J SQ & LX
MUC-FRA-SIN J LH
Worked like a charm.

THEN *cue music* dun dun duuun…

I immediately notice from my confirmation email that during the booking process of the first booking, I have missed one letter from MrGlider’s first name. F*%#. Please don’t assume that I’m stupid. I’ve booked dozens and dozens of flights before, and am as a general rule pedantic about making sure details are correct before proceeding. However, the one time when it really matters I made a one letter mistake.

I assumed that I would either need to take the risk of having MrGlider attempt to fly with a ticket typo, or I would need to cancel and re-book. I’ve read enough to know that if there’s one thing you want to avoid at all costs, its needing to talk to Avianca. With several hours to spare and phone-menu instructions from another thread I gave them a call.
It’s a very very long story, but in essence a I found that I did not have to cancel. I could send a copy of MrGlider’s passport and the error could be corrected for me by a special team. I thought that this was magnificent news, however I was actually entering Dante’s 10[SUP]th[/SUP] circle of hell. It took 10 days, 4 emailed scans of passport, 8 phonecalls lasting a total of 4.5 hours and speaking to 17 different people, a new ticket for MrGlider but with the same spelling error, and an additional follow up email from me explaining the timeline of events written in both English and Spanish. BUT, today I received a new ticket for MrGlider, correctly spelled, at no additional charge.

I’m very pleased that they were able to eventually correct my mistake at no cost to me. I recognise that it was completely my fault and they could have insisted that I cancel and rebook myself since once the ticket is issued the name can’t be changed, a new booking is required. So in that respect their service was good. However, the stress and frustration I experienced throughout the process was significant. So if it were to happen again (I will NOT ever let this happen again!), I think I would prefer, and recommend to others, to cancel and rebook and consider the additional fees as a stress-prevention charge J. It was definitely a huge help to have the information from here and FT to know what to expect from the call centre such as the phone menu options and knowing to expect a very long wait. And the old HUACA method of moving forward when you hit a wall.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

It’s a very very long story...

ummmm.... I would have just left the ticket with the spelling mistake. One letter is acceptable.

 

[RB]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

The following has transpired so far:

1) No one in the Australian TG office would touch the booking as it's an "agency" booking even though they understand that Avianca needs TG to open up inventory in the first place and this is a result of TG's schedule change.

2) Following the advice of the very nice lady I got from TG Australia on my 2nd call, rang Avianca to request to be waitlisted on the flight we wanted to get on. Response from Avianca "Sorry we cannot do this....[something, something] the system."

3) Rang up TG Switzerland - was waitlisted on the 1920 departure on the 26th, an ok outcome even though it'd leave me with a ~13 hour stop in BKK (as at this point I do not think it's worth the headbanging to talk anyone into a more complex rebooking).

4) The TG call center could not HK the seats on the spot. They have to get TG load control in BKK to confirm the waitlist so an urgent telex was sent to TG BKK. They mentioned that STPC would be provided.

5) Now confirmed from waitlist on TG475 on the 26th of Sept.

Still to do:
1) Ring up Lifemiles to get our tickets reissued.
2) Ring up TG again to confirm STPC and assign seating. Not sure if we can be bothered spending time in Bangkok (as in the city) and 13 hours is too much for any Flounge so a dayroom would be apprec.
3) Watch the itinerary obsessively for further schedule changes.

To those who managed to get TG Australia to rebook their flights on the spot - what was the magic word? And I presume award seats were open, allowing an immediate rebooking?

It also did occur to me to leave ZRH a day later which would enable a more optimal connection in BKK but that would leave us to deal with trying to get on the last flights on Sunday evening up to BNE on a separate ticket which is too great a risk (need to be back at work on Monday).

Thank goodness the OH is with Vodafone and has a generous international call credit allowance..... (Skype seems to have a pretty poor reception with Avianca for whatever reason)

Pretty much reflects my experiences over the last few days-I didn't ring Switzerland though & did stick it out with Skype. We are still waitlisted on a flight that gives a 13hr stopover in BKK-ours is in July so perhaps I can give some tips after that. The TG Aust lady was quite adamant that we were only on a partners award & would thus be treated differently to a commercial ticket bought through TG (she also wanted to know if we had purchased through "one of the online sites that buys & sells frequent flyer points"). The same lady was very adamant that no BKK hotel would be made available

 

[Aussie_flyer]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - New FF program in *A

ummmm.... I would have just left the ticket with the spelling mistake. One letter is acceptable.

Hehe indeed.

 

[Glider_]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

ummmm.... I would have just left the ticket with the spelling mistake. One letter is acceptable.

I initially thought so too. But I rang Singapore Airlines three times to ask if one letter was acceptable and all three said MrGlider would be denied boarding. I did a lot of reading on the net and 95% of stories indicate that this is not the case and it would be fine, but there were people who have gotten stuck at the check-in. With our travel 3 months away I didn't want to worry about it constantly between now and then, and I didn't want to take the chance of getting a cranky person behind the check-in desk who felt like ruining my day.