Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

[Guvner]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Why is it not good. There's been some maintenance work in the past that has opened up possibilities... for a short while.

 

[bcworld]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

I have flights booked through LM with TG next January, but the TG website doesn't let me select seats for one of the two legs. It just says 'seat map unavailable'.

Is this common? Would I be best to call TG to get a seat assigned?

Is it a domestic sector? They never open seat selection on domestics.

 

[StringerBell]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Is it a domestic sector? They never open seat selection on domestics.

No it's not domestic, it's MXP to BKK.

 

[travelislife]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

I have flights booked through LM with TG next January, but the TG website doesn't let me select seats for one of the two legs. It just says 'seat map unavailable'.

Is this common? Would I be best to call TG to get a seat assigned?

I would wait until they update the winter schedule, should happen in July sometime. Issue is that TG's aircraft allocations mean nothing after October 30 due to this so are subject to change. Case in point is that after October 30 the MEL-BKK route shows 777-200/300 again when the plan is for it to be A350-900, it just hasn't been loaded yet.

Interestingly I have this same issue on a SYD-BKK booking at Christmas. If I am not mistaken both this flight (and your MXP flight) are 747s. Now they were talking of retiring some of these so not sure if they are still working out their aircraft planning for these routes going forward.

Alternatively it could just be a bug in their system for the 747 seat maps!

 

[joffaa]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

I would wait until they update the winter schedule, should happen in July sometime. Issue is that TG's aircraft allocations mean nothing after October 30 due to this so are subject to change. Case in point is that after October 30 the MEL-BKK route shows 777-200/300 again when the plan is for it to be A350-900, it just hasn't been loaded yet.

Interestingly I have this same issue on a SYD-BKK booking at Christmas. If I am not mistaken both this flight (and your MXP flight) are 747s. Now they were talking of retiring some of these so not sure if they are still working out their aircraft planning for these routes going forward.

Alternatively it could just be a bug in their system for the 747 seat maps!

I'm booked on syd-bkk-kix on 747's in March 2017 and had no problems allocating seats on the Thai Website.

 

[juddles]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Frustration - looking for USA-Australia or SE asia in premium cabins and most searches get plagued by UA "mixed class" availability - IE nonsense such as LAX-SYD in Y and the J sector being SYD-BNE :/

Sorry, just venting. Tedious stuff.....

 

[MEL_Traveller]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Frustration - looking for USA-Australia or SE asia in premium cabins and most searches get plagued by UA "mixed class" availability - IE nonsense such as LAX-SYD in Y and the J sector being SYD-BNE :/

Sorry, just venting. Tedious stuff.....

You could try searching on the UA tool - at least that gives you easy-to-see results and searching multiple days is easy. The UA tool will also show whether itineraries were likely to be all business class or mixed cabin.

Once you find something on UA, check LM.

 

[juddles]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Thanks Mel, but actually trying to fly ANA or someone else. But have never flown UA, so I will give that a go also

Is UA first any good?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Thanks Mel, but actually trying to fly ANA or someone else. But have never flown UA, so I will give that a go also

Is UA first any good?

The UA tool will show other star alliance availability including connections. Using the UA tool to initially find availability saves time with the clunky LM tool.

UA F? I think the seat is almost universally praised for being one of the most comfortable. It's old skool, but very good.

Food is... ummm... 'American comfort food'... packed with lots of sugar, fat and salt. But you know, wholly delicious if you're in the mood for it. And the ice cream sundaes are great.

If there's nothing suitable on NH or OZ I'd fly UA F without hesitation.

 

[CJEMNMAC]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Frustration - looking for USA-Australia or SE asia in premium cabins and most searches get plagued by UA "mixed class" availability - IE nonsense such as LAX-SYD in Y and the J sector being SYD-BNE :/

Sorry, just venting. Tedious stuff.....

juddles.. What dates are you roughly looking at and from where in USA ? if you don't mind sharing.... was looking a week ago and had a few in the new year

 

[juddles]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

CJEMNMAC, was trying to get across sometime mid September - and I start down in Colombia so the "where" in the USA is flexible

 

[CJEMNMAC]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

CJEMNMAC, was trying to get across sometime mid September - and I start down in Colombia so the "where" in the USA is flexible

Is this the type of thing you are looking for ?

 

[VAG newbie]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Has TG wind back on releasing F wards on their A380 to partners? I noticed it is very hard to find F on BKK to FRA/CDG/LHR, and it used to be wide open. I can still find some sporadic BKK-LHR (but quite rare), but nothing on FRA/CDG. Initially I thought it was related to TG now only operates 777 on FRA/CDG flights, but looking at UA search engine, (and confirmed with TG's own website) they are still operated by A380, and F service is still available as revenue ticket.

Also it wasn't LM that is blocking the award spaces, I can't find any F space on UA as well on these flights!

If it is true, it's real bad news.

 

[bcworld]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Has TG wind back on releasing F wards on their A380 to partners? I noticed it is very hard to find F on BKK to FRA/CDG/LHR, and it used to be wide open. I can still find some sporadic BKK-LHR (but quite rare), but nothing on FRA/CDG. Initially I thought it was related to TG now only operates 777 on FRA/CDG flights, but looking at UA search engine, (and confirmed with TG's own website) they are still operated by A380, and F service is still available as revenue ticket.

Also it wasn't LM that is blocking the award spaces, I can't find any F space on UA as well on these flights!

If it is true, it's real bad news.

I have been looking at this a lot recently and not noticed any change. And indeed, right now looking at United.com seeing plenty of TG F available CDG-BKK (Nov 2016). Literally, every day I check its there.

The change I have noticed, and confirmed by UA, is never seeing any J awards on CPH, ARN and OSL any more.

 

[VAG newbie]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

I have been looking at this a lot recently and not noticed any change. And indeed, right now looking at United.com seeing plenty of TG F available CDG-BKK (Nov 2016). Literally, every day I check its there.

The change I have noticed, and confirmed by UA, is never seeing any J awards on CPH, ARN and OSL any more.

I am looking at more like 330 days out. Used to be wide open. Maybe they release at 6 months out now?

But they still release SYD-BKK at 350 days out.

 

[bwhouse]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

I have been looking at this a lot recently and not noticed any change. And indeed, right now looking at United.com seeing plenty of TG F available CDG-BKK (Nov 2016). Literally, every day I check its there.

The change I have noticed, and confirmed by UA, is never seeing any J awards on CPH, ARN and OSL any more.

Agree - That was my experience when I was looking in to it last month for travel in OCT. I ideally wanted J from FRA-SYD, but could find little to no availability on both Lifemiles & UA so ended up spending the extra points and went F. Fingers crossed the first leg from FRA-BKK is also on an A380. Maybe you are looking at a block out or busy period?

 

[Guvner]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Lifemiles.com down at the moment?

 

[junbugging]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Lifemiles.com down at the moment?

Yep, for the past couple of hours for me.

 

[tm.smile]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Lifemiles.com down at the moment?

It was down for me yesterday....

 

[boomy]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Last night I've made a simple booking online and the system crashed after clicking submit. Checked my email this morning to see that two identical reservations were created! Called LM and after being transferred four times to different agents was told the system is not working and I'll have to call back later.

As long as LMs keep being good value I'm willing to overlook their terrible IT system and not complain