Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

[dajop]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

the lack of availability in the next 14 days has nothing to do with peak season.

As I mentioned, as of wednesday midnight, there were 4 flights a day available MEL-SIN for most of the next two weeks (ie the booking window).

thursday morning that had disappeared.

I'm only whinging about it 'cause I need to go somewhere on wednesday!

Maybe SQ pulled the availability for business awards to star alliance partners in favour of overselling economy. Looking at expertflyer availability, economy has no availability (in all commercial fare buckets) on a lot of flights between now and Christmas.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

Maybe SQ pulled the availability for business awards to star alliance partners in favour of overselling economy. Looking at expertflyer availability, economy has no availability (in all commercial fare buckets) on a lot of flights between now and Christmas.

could be.

but that doesn't explain the SQ disappearing at exactly the same time as TG connections. TG seems to have opened up a little again - double daily available MEL-BKK, and double daily BKK-PVG - just can't book them as a through ticket

 

[VAG newbie]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

Seriously ... just wait. vag newbie how long have you been playing the miles game? You sound new to it

Yes, I admit I'm not as experienced as you. I'm just a conspiracy theorist so everything I tend to think the worst of it. I guess with EVA pulling the plug which caused me to worry about SQ doing the same.

As I said, I'm more than happy to be proven wrong, because that would be a happy result. I'll take your advice and sit tight and wait.

But I wouldn't mind if you can shed more of your expertise on what your experience had been in situation like this and your opinions why you can be so calm. You said it happened before about 2 months ago, can you be more specific about it? I was showing my friends about the SQ awards on LM 2 months ago and there wasn't any problem. I got him into maxing out the miles too.

A few words of wisdom will really calm us "newbies" down.

TIA.

Ps. I am not worried about TG at all as I can still see availability so I believe it's just glitch so I agree just wait and it will sort itself out. It's more about SQ that worries me, as it was too good to last.

PPS. I am really humbly asking for advice, I don't mean to start an argument or in anyway to be disrespectful. I got help from experienced bloggers like you. So my comment is not in a sarcastic tone. Plz don't get me wrong.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

Yes, I admit I'm not as experienced as you. I'm just a conspiracy theorist so everything I tend to think the worst of it. I guess with EVA pulling the plug which caused me to worry about SQ doing the same.

What are the restriction on EVA? I'm still getting it... Dec10 (as a random date) I'm getting double daily TPE-LAX - both the BR12 and BR2 (in business).

 

[stoneman]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

This comment and the Chicken Little reference above could easily be interpreted as a little unkind. I'm sure they aren't meant that way though.

I'm not so sure about that.

 

[boomy]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

What are the restriction on EVA? I'm still getting it... Dec10 (as a random date) I'm getting double daily TPE-LAX - both the BR12 and BR2 (in business).

I think he meant it's harder to find availability BNE-TPE-xx_

 

[VAG newbie]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

What are the restriction on EVA? I'm still getting it... Dec10 (as a random date) I'm getting double daily TPE-LAX - both the BR12 and BR2 (in business).

Flights BNE-TPE, it used to be wide open, now it's as rare as hen's teeth even at T-14.

Also all their award is restricted to T-90, not too bad though but definitely not as generous as before.

http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2014/09/05/eva-limiting-partner-award-space/

 

[Aussie_flyer]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

I think it will be fixed eventually but still would not be so relaxed if had to book a flight for next 1-2 weeks. I can understand why some people are stressed.

Thats the risk you take in this game. If you are reliant on last minute award tickets just before Christmas i think you are quite unwise.

Anyway im not trying to be nasty i just think it would be best not to stress just yet. Ill go look up the last panic postings on flyertalk and link it when i get to a pc.

 

[seritonin]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

Thats the risk you take in this game. If you are reliant on last minute award tickets just before Christmas i think you are quite unwise.

Anyway im not trying to be nasty i just think it would be best not to stress just yet. Ill go look up the last panic postings on flyertalk and link it when i get to a pc.

I agree, it is a high risk to take as SQ uses Amadeus Altea for some time now and accurately define which sales office ID can have access to certain inventory on certain routes and they have been notorious at blocking award seats to some *A partners. I'm not suggesting that they have in this case ( I think it's just Lifemiles issue) but I'm not surprise if they did, given the whole mistake J fares kerfuffle recently.
I was going to wait for SQ 14 day window, leaving few days before Xmas to KUL but decided against it and used my AA miles for MH instead.

 

[boomy]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

Thats the risk you take in this game. If you are reliant on last minute award tickets just before Christmas i think you are quite unwise.

I agree but not everyone can plan ahead, especially when it comes to business travel. That's why it's always better to have enough points with more then one programme for backup.

 

[hummel]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

FWIW I've found MEL-SIN-BKK-KUL next week in J. On SQ/TG?LH and Egypt Air...

I shall keep playing around.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

FWIW I've found MEL-SIN-BKK-KUL next week in J. On SQ/TG?LH and Egypt Air...

I shall keep playing around.

interesting right? The SQ flights appear there, but not as a stand alone! And not for onwards connections to some other places...

 

[anat0l]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

Thats the risk you take in this game. If you are reliant on last minute award tickets just before Christmas i think you are quite unwise.

Agreed. If you really need to go for Christmas, banking on a 14 day window is really risky. There's already enough regular punters who have obviously banked their points for times like this.

I agree but not everyone can plan ahead, especially when it comes to business travel. That's why it's always better to have enough points with more then one programme for backup.

It may also come to pass that one may have to resort to paying a cash ticket. Someone who does their own business travel has surely taken that risk into account (let alone the risk of a more "expensive" points option).

This is the game. The field is not consistent. The goalposts change without notice. You need to be invariably flexible at times.

 

[hummel]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

interesting right? The SQ flights appear there, but not as a stand alone! And not for onwards connections to some other places...

Tempting to leave SIN and get revenue fight to CAN.

However looking at route coming back I can't see anything. ..at all.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

Agreed. If you really need to go for Christmas, banking on a 14 day window is really risky.

save for this glitch - it wasn't really a risk.

 

[Alanslegal]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

Appears to be a glitch? of some sort. Was going to book another HKG-xBKK-SYD TG F and now it doesn't show up at all even though dates were pretty much wide open for the dates I was looking at, however break up the sectors to HKG-BKK and BKK-SYD and availability reappears for both sectors. Hoping they fix it soon so I can book

 

[VAG newbie]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

Updates:

LM has just emailed me back with apology. They asked me to contact them directly with the flight numbers and dates and if the seats are available for both sectors, they will assess if the connection meets their criteria (in the case of TG, I would say yes) and they can book it.

So for those who needs to book TG, perhaps someone can call or email LM directly and give us a report on how it goes. I haven't got any solid trip plan yet so I am not ready to book.

For SQ, if you can't see availability on their website, then they can't see it and there is nothing they can do about it.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

Updates:

LM has just emailed me back with apology. They asked me to contact them directly with the flight numbers and dates and if the seats are available for both sectors, they will assess if the connection meets their criteria (in the case of TG, I would say yes) and they can book it.

So for those who needs to book TG, perhaps someone can call or email LM directly and give us a report on how it goes. I haven't got any solid trip plan yet so I am not ready to book.

For SQ, if you can't see availability on their website, then they can't see it and there is nothing they can do about it.

thanks for the update. I have had no response from my email to them.

i wonder if the same applies to sq however? if they can see both flights they'll ticket?

I might have to test the TG thing... except... it's TG. not really appealing I'd almost rather not go.

 

[ketsuzei]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

I'm still not entirely clear as to what the new issue with SQ J long haul is... a friend had no difficulty booking SIN-LAX in J yesterday.

 

[prozac]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

thanks for the update. I have had no response from my email to them.

i wonder if the same applies to sq however? if they can see both flights they'll ticket?

I might have to test the TG thing... except... it's TG. not really appealing I'd almost rather not go.

That's harsh. No love of TG?