Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

[aaronjames000]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

Has anybody tried, or been successful in ticketing SYD-ICN-LAX (OZ602-OZ204)... the connection time between the two flights is 1 hour... is that too short?

 

[Princess Fiona]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

Has anybody tried, or been successful in ticketing SYD-ICN-LAX (OZ602-OZ204)... the connection time between the two flights is 1 hour... is that too short?

I've booked and ticketed that. Travel is Jan 16.

 

[aaronjames000]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

Nice! Do you mind if I ask the total points and taxes they charged? Did you do minimum points and maximum cash (or hit the sweet spot?)?

 

[Princess Fiona]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

Minimum points max cash as I have a large number of redemptions in mind.
64K and $1743 US for two seats.

 

[VAG newbie]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

Not at all.

(based on the advice I've had from my accountant, YMMV)

How do you do it? Do you just show your accountant that it costed you $15/1000 miles and work from there? Did you get tax refund? I would certainly like to know as I've been withholding from purchasing AA and USDM and AS miles as I can't do cash and pay, and my accountant has no idea about purchasing miles.

Has anybody tried, or been successful in ticketing SYD-ICN-LAX (OZ602-OZ204)... the connection time between the two flights is 1 hour... is that too short?

I haven't done it, but I read in Travelsort that OZ will actually wait for you if the incoming flight is delayed, assuming you book the flights were booked under one PNR.

 

[VAG newbie]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

I have actually replied to LM regarding there "unusual amount of request lately" and pointed out the IT glitch. I told them it was all easily done online before the glitch and if they could fix it, it makes everyone's life easy.

This is their reply:

"we appreciate your feedback in regard to the booking procedure in our website and inform that our IT department is aware of the situation as well as following up on this matter. Also, you may want to address your feedback concerning the redemption tool to our Customer Care department through the following link: Suggestions and Complaints."

So I suppose if we flood their Suggestion and Complaints with our requests, maybe their IT department will do something? Although the risk is, who knows what other self destruct button their IT department might push. Do we want to deal with the devil we know or we don't know?

 

[ketsuzei]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

How do you do it? Do you just show your accountant that it costed you $15/1000 miles and work from there? Did you get tax refund? I would certainly like to know as I've been withholding from purchasing AA and USDM and AS miles as I can't do cash and pay, and my accountant has no idea about purchasing miles.

Say I purchase 100,000 points and the price comes to AUD1,800 (in terms of what my credit card gets charged).

If I then use 30,000 points + AUD500 to buy a ticket, we just treat it as though it were a AUD1,040 purchase. Which is conceptually identical to a "points + pay" purchase anyway.

In other words, I don't book the initial purchase of miles as an expense, just that portion that can be directly associated with a deductible flight.

 

[VAG newbie]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

Say I purchase 100,000 points and the price comes to AUD1,800 (in terms of what my credit card gets charged).

If I then use 30,000 points + AUD500 to buy a ticket, we just treat it as though it were a AUD1,040 purchase. Which is conceptually identical to a "points + pay" purchase anyway.

In other words, I don't book the initial purchase of miles as an expense, just that portion that can be directly associated with a deductible flight.

So do you just used CC statement as proof of purchase? Or do you request a receipt from AA/US/AS/LM?

But I guess as your name suggest, "bloody tax", you should know very well!

 

[ketsuzei]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

So do you just used CC statement as proof of purchase? Or do you request a receipt from AA/US/AS/LM?

Just a combination of CC statement and the confirmation mail from the airline corresponding to the purchase.

 

[VAG newbie]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

Has anyone with bookings on Asiana notice some changes to their schedules? I just noticed my OZ602 departing on Sat has been cancelled and they postponed me to a Sunday flight. I just went to checkmytrip and noted the change. It has some impact my my connecting flight from BNE to SYD as I already booked a Friday night flight. This means I will need to stay in SYD for 2 nights which makes no sense and I will miss one day in Korea! I think I will see if I can reschedule my BNE-SYD flight.

The positive thing coming out of this change is that while I tried to book the seat, the seat map looks like they are servicing the Quadro Smartium business class seat rather than the old business angle sliders.

And to help those who doesn't know how to advance select the seat, here is the link:
Advance Seat Assignment

For anyone who has booked OZ flights and is departing on Sat, I advice you to check with Checkmytrip and see if you are affected, especially if you have a connecting flight to LAX.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

It has some impact my my connecting flight from BNE to SYD as I already booked a Friday night flight. This means I will need to stay in SYD for 2 nights which makes no sense and I will miss one day in Korea! I think I will see if I can reschedule my BNE-SYD flight.

your travel insurance may cover the additional costs for the reschedule of the domestic flight, or an extra night in SYD.

 

[VAG newbie]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

your travel insurance may cover the additional costs for the reschedule of the domestic flight, or an extra night in SYD.

Unfortunately my policy has a $100 excess. The cost to reschedule the domestic flight is $80 so can't claim on insurance.

But at the same time, I did a dummy booking on Asiana website on the same date I'm flying, it is confirmed that it will be the Quadra Smartium business class! Overall it is still good news as OZ is still one of the most generous *A partner that award seats are very easy to find and now with one of the best business class product servicing Australia. I do hope that they change the flight to evening departure so it makes connection to other flights easier. Currently you can only do SYD-ICN-LAX in one booking for outbound. Or they should consider servicing other Australian cities

 

[VAG newbie]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

Called Lifemiles regarding our cancelled TG471. TG confirmed the new flight TG475 with us and wanted us to contact lifemiles to reissue the ticket. (didn't know we had to get ticket reissued until I called TG). Connection is over 8 hours so we were a bit worried that they wouldn't reissue ticket.

I'm quite impressed with their Protection/Schedule change department. No hold time and took less than 5 mins to sort everything out and they can reissue the ticket with no issue.

I tried to call earlier today and wasted 45 mins being transferred to different agents (including Spanish speaking one who transferred me back to the first person I spoke too LOL) and was eventually told to call back 10 pm Sydney time when that department is open.

I just accepted the fact of being TG'ed that my NRT-BKK will be downgraded to business class........ I tried to ask TG and LM to get me on the HND flight which apparently still offer first class, but neither would do it. Only way is cancel the current ticket and get a new reservation. Given the trouble I had to go through (screen shot stuff), risk of not getting the tax portion refunded, and the downgrade is only with the shorter day time flight which I still get to use first class lounge in BKK, decided to accept the change.

But agreed, to try to get ticket reissued requires speaking to the right department. Was taken in a circle and stopped at a Spanish speaking agent "hola, hola?", "Hello, can you speak English? ENGLISH?", then got hung up.... Thank goodness for AFF and the above post, I called again and requested Protection/Schedule Change department, then the whole process was painless. All done in 10 min.

I can't believe my luck, all 3 segments with 3 separate airlines with this Aug/Sept trip to Korea/Japan all got affected by schedule change.
1. SYD-ICN, OZ stopped flying on Sat, got postponed to Sun. Had to get ticket reissued and change my flight from BNE to SYD. Lost $85 there. (But got Quadra Smartium instead of the old recliner with loop video. Let's hope I don't get "OZ'ed")
2. GPO-HND, equipment change with NH from 777 to 787. Fortunately I only booked business for this leg so the minor change didn't require me to contact LM.
3. NRT-BKK, TG'ed to business class. Had to have ticket reissued!

Well, I guess that is the price for mileage game......

 

[Cynicor]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

1. SYD-ICN, OZ stopped flying on Sat, got postponed to Sun. Had to get ticket reissued and change my flight from BNE to SYD. Lost $85 there. (But got Quadra Smartium instead of the old recliner with loop video. Let's hope I don't get "OZ'ed")
2. GPO-HND, equipment change with NH from 777 to 787. Fortunately I only booked business for this leg so the minor change didn't require me to contact LM.
3. NRT-BKK, TG'ed to business class. Had to have ticket reissued!

Well, I guess that is the price for mileage game......

The final line is so true. And you are taking it like a champ! Some would be absolutely offended that their dirt cheap business flights were changed.

 

[ketsuzei]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

Some would be absolutely offended that their dirt cheap business flights were changed.

Not me. I was only absolutely offended that my dirt-cheap first-class flights were changed.

Just means I'll be collecting Samsonite amenity kits instead of Rimowa ones now.

 

[Princess Fiona]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

Not me. I was only absolutely offended that my dirt-cheap first-class flights were changed.

Just means I'll be collecting Samsonite amenity kits instead of Rimowa ones now.

That's the spirit

 

[VAG newbie]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

Not me. I was only absolutely offended that my dirt-cheap first-class flights were changed.

Just means I'll be collecting Samsonite amenity kits instead of Rimowa ones now.

I don't think you get Rimowa's with TG first anyway. You get Porche design.

 

[boomy]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

I don't think you get Rimowa's with TG first anyway. You get Porche design.

Rimowa is for F, Porsche is for J.

 

[ketsuzei]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

Rimowa is for F, Porsche is for J.

And Samsonite is now for F on NH.

 

[ketsuzei]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - Questions and Discussion

I don't think you get Rimowa's with TG first anyway.

Certainly did until recently (although they did have a brief drought):