Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

[JessicaTam]

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

MS is ok! full flat beds on the 777, angled flats on a330s, and either QF style domestic business class seats or standard European business seats for regional flights (European = middle seat blocked).

food is ok, service varies from great to surely (so basically think QF ). no alcohol.

Thanks for that. Another airline to add to my belt.

My CAI-BKK is on a 777, so I am looking forward to that. I had heard about the dry aircraft, but AFAIK alcohol can be taken on board by pax, so I will give that some consideration. Maybe a 1/2 bottle of red from duty free.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

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

Thanks for that. Another airline to add to my belt.

My CAI-BKK is on a 777, so I am looking forward to that. I had heard about the dry aircraft, but AFAIK alcohol can be taken on board by pax, so I will give that some consideration. Maybe a 1/2 bottle of red from duty free.

hmmm... that is a tricky one. There was a discussion about that somewhere recently, with the thinking that perhaps that out of respect to others 'discretion' is more the key... so miniatures discretely added to a drink is ok, but asking crew to serve you alcohol is another? I can't recall where I saw that... might have been in relation to Royal brunei (and they are a lot more strict than Egypt in repsect of alcohol).

 

[_TheTraveller_]

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

For what its worth. I made a spreadsheet that calculated the LM and the optimum amount you should purchase in order to get the best deal (1.5c/m). I found a similar spreadsheet on FT but the miles sorta didn't correspond with departing from Aus so I did my own calculations.

FT: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0ZzxzNJkLlzWXloak1wZGVvV3c/edit
Mine: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nsG-Kz3aAU5xpawIqu1pq92lkR787FBngL76wqSUAs4/edit?usp=sharing


Hope you guys find it helpful!

 

[Flashback]

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

hmmm... that is a tricky one. There was a discussion about that somewhere recently, with the thinking that perhaps that out of respect to others 'discretion' is more the key... so miniatures discretely added to a drink is ok, but asking crew to serve you alcohol is another? I can't recall where I saw that... might have been in relation to Royal brunei (and they are a lot more strict than Egypt in repsect of alcohol).

Not sure I'd agree ... I flew Royal Brunei and you could basically drink what you had brought on with you, they'll even provide a cup, ice, mixer etc.....

 

[Beta4Me]

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

For what its worth. I made a spreadsheet that calculated the LM and the optimum amount you should purchase in order to get the best deal (1.5c/m). I found a similar spreadsheet on FT but the miles sorta didn't correspond with departing from Aus so I did my own calculations.

FT: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0ZzxzNJkLlzWXloak1wZGVvV3c/edit
Mine: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nsG-Kz3aAU5xpawIqu1pq92lkR787FBngL76wqSUAs4/edit?usp=sharing


Hope you guys find it helpful!

Thanks, that's handy. Based on your sheet, the optimum minimum points use is 45% (no longer 40%). So, just go 0.45 x # points req'd and that'll tell you where your slider should be

 

[TheEmu]

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

For what its worth. I made a spreadsheet that calculated the LM and the optimum amount you should purchase in order to get the best deal (1.5c/m). I found a similar spreadsheet on FT but the miles sorta didn't correspond with departing from Aus so I did my own calculations.

FT: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0ZzxzNJkLlzWXloak1wZGVvV3c/edit
Mine: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nsG-Kz3aAU5xpawIqu1pq92lkR787FBngL76wqSUAs4/edit?usp=sharing


Hope you guys find it helpful!

I was playing with the slider today, richh1833. Yes, that is very helpful!
Many thanks.

 

[anat0l]

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

Thanks, that's handy. Based on your sheet, the optimum minimum points use is 45% (no longer 40%). So, just go 0.45 x # points req'd and that'll tell you where your slider should be

I also found out the formula for calculating the cpm for AV LM - it's published here on thread somewhere - but the optimum cpm did not ever result from 40% (except for the first good days when AV LM had just come into prominence). If I calculated correctly, there is actually an acceptable range which will result in much the same cpm, the minimum of 1.5 cpm. The range was something like 47 - 52% or so (it has to vary a bit since you can only adjust points to the nearest 1000 points); a fair rule of thumb was 50%.

I haven't opened the spreadsheet or tool on FT, but without necessarily prejudicing myself, I'll take for word that those tools are correct. It will be interesting to see if the formula changes when the price for miles goes up.

 

[Beta4Me]

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

The range was something like 47 - 52% or so (it has to vary a bit since you can only adjust points to the nearest 1000 points).

Yes, that sounds right. Chances are, though, if one is looking at points + cash, one would be attempting to minimise points and maximise cash whilst maintaining 1.5cpp. Thus, the lower bound would be sought and that ratio appears to be 45% miles.

 

[_TheTraveller_]

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

Thanks, that's handy. Based on your sheet, the optimum minimum points use is 45% (no longer 40%). So, just go 0.45 x # points req'd and that'll tell you where your slider should be

I also found out the formula for calculating the cpm for AV LM - it's published here on thread somewhere - but the optimum cpm did not ever result from 40% (except for the first good days when AV LM had just come into prominence). If I calculated correctly, there is actually an acceptable range which will result in much the same cpm, the minimum of 1.5 cpm. The range was something like 47 - 52% or so (it has to vary a bit since you can only adjust points to the nearest 1000 points); a fair rule of thumb was 50%.

I haven't opened the spreadsheet or tool on FT, but without necessarily prejudicing myself, I'll take for word that those tools are correct. It will be interesting to see if the formula changes when the price for miles goes up.

Its great that you guys found it helpful. Your calculations are nearly correct. 46% at its lowest but generally at 47%. Generally speaking, calculating cpm isn't too hard and it just requires some patients getting through Captcha! (anyone know how to bypass it? I haven't found any useful methods)

Btw I don't want to divulge 'info'. I'm a noob and I've been reading on FT about cabotage. Does this apply to Aus? Also when they're talking about boomerangs do they mean cabotage?

Edit: After the increases the optimum will become 1.65. I guess the slider will reflect the changes in price but I doubt that the optimum % range will change dramatically

 

[Aussie_flyer]

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

Just fiddle with the slider till the cash component becomes a round $ figure and you've likely found an optimal point

 

[Beta4Me]

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

Just fiddle with the slider till the cash component becomes a round $ figure and you've likely found an optimal point

Round $ figure ending in 5 or 0

 

[markis10]

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

Just fiddle with the slider till the cash component becomes a round $ figure and you've likely found an optimal point

Yep, very high tech way I do it as well

 

[bcworld]

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

Btw I don't want to divulge 'info'. I'm a noob and I've been reading on FT about cabotage. Does this apply to Aus? Also when they're talking about boomerangs do they mean cabotage?

If you've read much of this thread you'll realise it's not Trick It. It's by and large a useful discussion of no tricks good value LM redemptions.

When they talk about boomerangs they mean generally flying from an origin in one region, to a destination in the same (or similarly priced) region, but via a distant third region - without flying the last leg of course.

It may or may not be cabotage, that depends on the origin and destination country and airlines involved. However there are very good definitions of what cabotage is all about on the FT threads...look for posts by janetdoe. And yes, Australia has cabotage regs.

 

[burmans]

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

If you've read much of this thread you'll realise it's not Trick It. It's by and large a useful discussion of no tricks good value LM redemptions.

When they talk about boomerangs they mean generally flying from an origin in one region, to a destination in the same (or similarly priced) region, but via a distant third region - without flying the last leg of course.

It may or may not be cabotage, that depends on the origin and destination country and airlines involved. However there are very good definitions of what cabotage is all about on the FT threads...look for posts by janetdoe. And yes, Australia has cabotage regs.

Am not sure cabotage is strictly a trick it issue, i.e. you may genuinely want to travel SYD - SIN - PER using SQ. But have checked, no such option offered by LM so rather a moot point really.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

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

Am not sure cabotage is strictly a trick it issue, i.e. you may genuinely want to travel SYD - SIN - PER using SQ. But have checked, no such option offered by LM so rather a moot point really.

cabotage in Australia is an issue for the UA connecting flights MEL-SYD and vv (soon to be discontinued).

it's also an issue for routings such as GUM to USA. There was a time when NH results would be returned via tokyo for such an itinerary, but they are not valid for travel.

 

[bcworld]

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

cabotage in Australia is an issue for the UA connecting flights MEL-SYD and vv (soon to be discontinued).

it's also an issue for routings such as GUM to USA. There was a time when NH results would be returned via tokyo for such an itinerary, but they are not valid for travel.

The major issue that has caused the discussions on FT is tickets being issued on BR via TPE for US-GUM itins.

 

[mrpooky]

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

Am not sure cabotage is strictly a trick it issue, i.e. you may genuinely want to travel SYD - SIN - PER using SQ. But have checked, no such option offered by LM so rather a moot point really.

A few months ago I found SYD - BKK - PER on TG via LM. In J it cost less than QF or VA J, so I was considering it for an interesting alternative. I'm not sure if it's still available, but a quick check for next month suggested not.

I thought cabotage rules only applied between domestic destinations. Since SYD - BKK - PER would involve multiple flights with time on the ground in BKK in between (even if only in transit), I thought this would be acceptable. Is this not the case?

mrpooky.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

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

The major issue that has caused the discussions on FT is tickets being issued on BR via TPE for US-GUM itins.

oh yes - those too!

 

[bcworld]

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

I thought this would be acceptable.

I think not. LM would issue this on a single ticket and that would make it invalid for travel.

You might get a price for the itin via another booking engine but it would be differently issued, probably involving 2 tickets.

 

[Beta4Me]

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

Genuine question: how does USA immigration know it's a single ticket GUM-TPE-LAX vs two tickets GUM-TPE/TPE-LAX?