Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

[gizzard]

Re: Avianca Transfer Miles promo (of course you need some miles to start with)

If you're thinking of a flight to the UK using LifeMiles then you may want to think again after reading this.

Actually, it's not a flight to the UK that's the problem, it's the flights out of the UK and the ridiculous taxes that are imposed.

I've been tinkering with LifeMiles looking at UK flights with the thought of buying some Miles at the 2 for 1 offer and then the flights. When looking at bookings ex-UK (it doesn't seem to matter which airport) to anywhere beyond Africa/Middle East according to LifeMiles chart (https://www.lifemiles.com/eng/inc/starredawards.aspx) the taxes explode.

For example, LHR-xFRA-SIN and the taxes are US$358.66. If you were to break your journey then taxes are LHR-FRA US$81.50 and FRA-SIN US$100.45 totalling US$181.95 in taxes, a saving of US$176.71.
With that in mind, you could head to somewhere that has even lower taxes than FRA before heading to SIN. For example, you can fly HEL-SIN and only pay US$39.58 with US$237.58 in taxes now in your pocket instead of being paid on UK taxes and, yes, it flies via FRA.

Of course, you have to get from the UK to the final departure tax but this can be achieved quite cheaply using either the Eurostar to Paris (CDG-SIN $US65.30 in taxes) or Brussels (BRU-SIN US$59.45 in taxes) or get a cheap flight to somewhere else in Europe.

You could even head to a different LifeMiles region such as Turkey in the Middle East/Africa group since LHR-IST taxes are only US$81.64. If you went Economy, paid with cash and minimum points (7500) and paid for those with the current 2 for 1 offer the trip would cost you about US$350.....still less than the UK taxes.

So, if you're heading to the UK you might want to enjoy a day or two elsewhere in Europe before heading home at virtually no extra cost.

 

[travelislife]

Re: Avianca Transfer Miles promo (of course you need some miles to start with)

So my 3 bookings are finally all ticketed but not without a little bit of drama. The two online bookings ticketed fine as payment was taken instantly when I booked online, they were issued on 202 ticket stock. The problem was with my biking made via the call centre, all following times are AEST. Booking made over the phone on Sunday morning. Checked Tuesday morning and hadn't been ticketed so gave them a call. They said they can't process international cards in the US call centre and this someone had tried putting my country as the US so it obviously didn't work. So they said they were transferring my reservation to the Chilean office andirons would be processed there. All good.

I then received an email overnight Tuesday night saying they couldn't process it and it would auto cancel at 8pm. Now the problem here was they tried to process it in the middle of the night AEST so my card issuer ha blocked the transaction. I jumped on the phone to them and said to try now that it was business hours in Australia, he said that if it didn't go through this time the reservation would cancel as they only have three attempts. After speak with 28degrees I was assured all woul be fine but still hung up from Avianca with a bit of trepidation.

Half an hour later I received the e ticket on 134 stock all good and done!

As a side point because the reservation being transferred to Chile all the emails including the one saying it would auto cancel were in Spanish so google translate was my friend.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Re: Avianca Transfer Miles promo (of course you need some miles to start with)

If you're thinking of a flight to the UK using LifeMiles then you may want to think again after reading this.

Actually, it's not a flight to the UK that's the problem, it's the flights out of the UK and the ridiculous taxes that are imposed.

It doesnt matter which frequent flyer program you are using, the UK charge HUGE departure taxes and even more huge for business and first class. Many people choose to fly out of Paris or Frankfurt or other port and take a paid short haul flight to the hub city, so they can avoid these taxes.

 

[gizzard]

Re: Avianca Transfer Miles promo (of course you need some miles to start with)

It doesnt matter which frequent flyer program you are using, the UK charge HUGE departure taxes and even more huge for business and first class. Many people choose to fly out of Paris or Frankfurt or other port and take a paid short haul flight to the hub city, so they can avoid these taxes.

True, but with LifeMiles the taxes are showing as the same regardless of class. What's more, the taxes are only huge with LifeMiles if leaving the UK and going beyond Middle East/Africa (heading east, at least) with taxes to other European destinations and to the Middle East/Africa quite reasonable. The example I gave was LHR-FRA being only US$81.50. It's only when you start selecting destinations in the Central Asia zone and beyond that the taxes jump right up.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Re: Avianca Transfer Miles promo (of course you need some miles to start with)

True, but with LifeMiles the taxes are showing as the same regardless of class. What's more, the taxes are only huge with LifeMiles if leaving the UK and going beyond Middle East/Africa (heading east, at least) with taxes to other European destinations and to the Middle East/Africa quite reasonable. The example I gave was LHR-FRA being only US$81.50. It's only when you start selecting destinations in the Central Asia zone and beyond that the taxes jump right up.

yes the tax is distance based.

 

[bcworld]

Re: Avianca Transfer Miles promo (of course you need some miles to start with)

True, but with LifeMiles the taxes are showing as the same regardless of class. What's more, the taxes are only huge with LifeMiles if leaving the UK and going beyond Middle East/Africa (heading east, at least) with taxes to other European destinations and to the Middle East/Africa quite reasonable. The example I gave was LHR-FRA being only US$81.50. It's only when you start selecting destinations in the Central Asia zone and beyond that the taxes jump right up.

The taxes are the same regardless of the ticketing airline or frequent flyer program. If you read up on UK Air Passenger Duty you will understand how it's calculated (as dazz said based on the distance to the capital city of the final destination - assuming no >24hr en route stopover).

 

[robcuk]

Re: Avianca Transfer Miles promo (of course you need some miles to start with)

The taxes are the same regardless of the ticketing airline or frequent flyer program. If you read up on UK Air Passenger Duty you will understand how it's calculated (as dazz said based on the distance to the capital city of the final destination - assuming no >24hr en route stopover).

So not wanting to get off thread too much but it is interesting - If I ticketed an itinerary such as:

SYD - BKK - LHR (Stopover) YUL/ORD (Dest) ICN - SYD/ LAX - SYD

Would the taxes paid when exiting LHR only be based on the leg to YUL/ORD?

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Re: Avianca Transfer Miles promo (of course you need some miles to start with)

So not wanting to get off thread too much but it is interesting - If I ticketed an itinerary such as:

SYD - BKK - LHR (Stopover) YUL/ORD (Dest) ICN - SYD/ LAX - SYD

Would the taxes paid when exiting LHR only be based on the leg to YUL/ORD?

yes if you have a stopover at YUL/ORD you would only pay the APD based on the distance to there and not for the rest of the itinerary

 

[robcuk]

Re: Avianca Transfer Miles promo (of course you need some miles to start with)

yes if you have a stopover at YUL/ORD you would only pay the APD based on the distance to there and not for the rest of the itinerary

Thanks for that - I can stop looking at flights into FRA now

 

[bcworld]

Re: Avianca Transfer Miles promo (of course you need some miles to start with)

Thanks for that - I can stop looking at flights into FRA now

Remember though that LHR isn't a *A hub since the departure of bmi so you may run into issues with that stopover. Yes it's a US Airways destination but I think the T&Cs may have been reworded a bit to make it clearer that those don't apply as a stopover rule for partner awards. You'll probably find an agent that will ticket it though.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: Avianca Transfer Miles promo (of course you need some miles to start with)

Remember though that LHR isn't a *A hub since the departure of bmi so you may run into issues with that stopover. Yes it's a US Airways destination but I think the T&Cs may have been reworded a bit to make it clearer that those don't apply as a stopover rule for partner awards. You'll probably find an agent that will ticket it though.

does the same restriction (stops in * hubs) apply to avianca?

 

[robcuk]

Re: Avianca Transfer Miles promo (of course you need some miles to start with)

Remember though that LHR isn't a *A hub since the departure of bmi so you may run into issues with that stopover. Yes it's a US Airways destination but I think the T&Cs may have been reworded a bit to make it clearer that those don't apply as a stopover rule for partner awards. You'll probably find an agent that will ticket it though.

Arghhh good point - ill try LHR and use FRA if I have to. Thanks for that.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: Avianca Transfer Miles promo (of course you need some miles to start with)

True, but with LifeMiles the taxes are showing as the same regardless of class. What's more, the taxes are only huge with LifeMiles if leaving the UK and going beyond Middle East/Africa (heading east, at least) with taxes to other European destinations and to the Middle East/Africa quite reasonable. The example I gave was LHR-FRA being only US$81.50. It's only when you start selecting destinations in the Central Asia zone and beyond that the taxes jump right up.

The taxes are the same regardless of the ticketing airline or frequent flyer program. If you read up on UK Air Passenger Duty you will understand how it's calculated (as dazz said based on the distance to the capital city of the final destination - assuming no >24hr en route stopover).

gizzard was saying the taxes were the same regardless of the class - Y is showing the same as J and F if i understand correctly. This is clearly a mistake.

 

[bcworld]

Re: Avianca Transfer Miles promo (of course you need some miles to start with)

does the same restriction (stops in * hubs) apply to avianca?

Doh! My bad...no I don't think there is any such rule!

Got confused there as I think the question was originally asked in the DM thread.

No idea how LM will treat trying to book an itin like this.

 

[robcuk]

Re: Avianca Transfer Miles promo (of course you need some miles to start with)

Doh! My bad...no I don't think there is any such rule!

Got confused there as I think the question was originally asked in the DM thread.

No idea how LM will treat trying to book an itin like this.

I wouldn't try it with Lifemiles to be fair - BC was right it would be a USDM
award sorry for going off topic but the tax question was certainly worth bringing
to people's attention.

Thanks

 

[bcworld]

Re: Avianca Transfer Miles promo (of course you need some miles to start with)

gizzard was saying the taxes were the same regardless of the class - Y is showing the same as J and F if i understand correctly. This is clearly a mistake.

Well I think gizzard is wrong...simple LHR-MEL is showing up with taxes appropriate for a Y class booking...yes the tax is still high, but half (the APD bit anyway) that of a J/F fare.

 

[serfty]

Re: Avianca Transfer Miles promo (of course you need some miles to start with)

Just a quick note that the APD, even to YUL is still onerous - even in the economy cabin.


HM Revenue & Customs

 

[bcworld]

Re: Avianca Transfer Miles promo (of course you need some miles to start with)

Just a quick note that the APD, even to YUL is still onerous - even in the economy cabin.

HM Revenue & Customs

ORD is in band B (£130 for J) not band D.

 

[serfty]

Re: Avianca Transfer Miles promo (of course you need some miles to start with)

<incorrect information redacted>

 

[bcworld]

Re: Avianca Transfer Miles promo (of course you need some miles to start with)

2 things...first, the bands are in miles, not kilometres (they don't measure in km in the UK)...second, the distance is based on the capital city of the country of the destination, not the actual destination.

Scroll to the bottom of your own link and you will find the US in band B.