Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

[MEL_Traveller]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Personally all us LM users should pester Lifemiles to do something about their bug-ridden online system or at the very least allow all valid itineraries to be booked via screen shot. I and a number of my friends who jumped on the LM bandwagon are so frustrated - almost all itineraries requiring a connection and even some point-to-point ones "error out" and require screen shots. My most recent booking SYD-YVR-SYD required a screen shot - as well as multiple follow up e-mails and phone calls. I've stopped buying miles - this particular itinerary for June/July (high season in Canada) can be booked on AC for around $5500 AUD return - OK so the cost of the LM points is $3500 AUD (at $.02 per mile) - it's getting why bother when paid business class can be not all that much more - and you earn points (not sure how awn on what program for discount J).

LM has its uses for specific regions and airlines. TG for example is pretty straight forward ad good fares for asia. With the recent 240% bonus (or 2-4-1 + 140% extra) the cost of your YVR itinerary would be a little cheaper at around ~$3175 - a $2400 saving for a screen shot and a couple calls (provided you can find the availability).

UA is much better for returning flight combos, provided you jump on board when they have a 100% bonus mile offer.

Specific programs have their sweet-spots. The LM 'glitches' have been around for almost 2 years?

 

[luxury-lizard]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Agree with your comments (Mel) however the AC 'glitch' is quite recent (past 6+ months) - I use AC awards quite often and previously it was one of the itineraries which always seemed to work. Now AC always errors out (which is different than the other annoying LM glitch where valid connections don't show) - so even A-B requires a screen shot to book. AC itineraries even display (but subsequently error out) with multiple connections; e.g. I've seen AC SYD-YVR-LHR, SYD-YVR-YYC-YYZ, or SYD-YVR-JFK and SYD-YVR-NRT.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Agree with your comments (Mel) however the AC 'glitch' is quite recent (past 6+ months) - I use AC awards quite often and previously it was one of the itineraries which always seemed to work. Now AC always errors out (which is different than the other annoying LM glitch where valid connections don't show) - so even A-B requires a screen shot to book. AC itineraries even display (but subsequently error out) with multiple connections; e.g. I've seen AC SYD-YVR-LHR, SYD-YVR-YYC-YYZ, or SYD-YVR-JFK and SYD-YVR-NRT.

Yeah - I replicated the AC issue last night (half the problem was finding availability in the first place!)

The same thing happened with Air China last year... was bookable, then went through a phase of giving an error but could be booked via screen-shot. Then LM just came out and said they no longer had an agreement with Air China and they pulled the awards outright.

I wonder if Air Canadia is going to go down the same path?

 

[luxury-lizard]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

I wonder if Air Canadia is going to go down the same path?

Oh no - that would be the "nail in the coffin" for LM for me - still need to burn the current stash of 700K+ miles of course. Personally to North America I find AC availability better than UA - and unless heading to the US I prefer AC for the convenience - it's a pretty average J product - but as a former Canadian (long time Aussie) I guess I'm still a bit loyal as well as a regular visitor to Whister in winter.

 

[sergeyvzn]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Thanks very much folks.... I must say that you have confirmed what I suspected re BEING contacted.

Fortunately...for me in this case I suspect... I actually DO want to cancel.....

on that though not exactly related to LM - I had a SFO-AKL-SYD booking on United with United miles, I was not contacted at all by United when the flight got cancelled. No problem though in being rebooked on Air NZ although a day prior (no 2 J seats on NZ on the original date from SFO to AKL but no problem the day before)

 

[joffaa]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Lifemiles website has been down now for over 24 hours.

 

[burmans]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Lifemiles website has been down now for over 24 hours.

Uh ohh, another "enhancement".

 

[Eric Barasa]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Looking foward to some enticing updates.
for the guy with over 700k miles, what were u thinking????

 

[bcworld]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Website is back. I think I am seeing genuine improvements, but I haven't been searching that much recently so not sure how recent they are. Seeing straightforward TG TG connections through BKK that were previously not showing up.

Site definitely has performance issues though but might be getting hammered at the moment.

 

[Guvner]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Some LH F appearing sporadically.

 

[love_the_life]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

OT but re the guy with 700k LM, pretty sure that the he is a she and has a stockpile of different points as they do a lot of long haul travel to ski

 

[RB]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Just did a few random searches for Sept leave Syd to Europe in J. Seems I had most success when using TG as airline but then it was bringing up mixed classes but charging J. Only a limited lot of searches so may not be representative of what is available

 

[VAG newbie]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

I can't see any "enhancement", for better or worse. Same bug still there such as you still can't transit in SE Asia for most EU routes when you use smart search. When you select TG it won't show F. (Or rather, show J as F)

 

[Guvner]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

I found SYD - FRA F/J and J/F but not F/F as yet (all TG). I also found SYD-MUC J/F (NH/LH). Flights were in the correct cabins first/biz etc.

 

[Buzzard]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

It must waste so much staff time having to respond to screen shot methods you would have thought that by now LM would have a decent website.

 

[VAG newbie]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

It must waste so much staff time having to respond to screen shot methods you would have thought that by now LM would have a decent website.

They did, for about 3 months and then they pull the plug. So I suspect they purposely want you to screenshot.

 

[Buzzard]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

They did, for about 3 months and then they pull the plug. So I suspect they purposely want you to screenshot.

Maybe it's a job creation scheme

 

[MEL_Traveller]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

I'd rather send a screenshot than spend 2 hours on hold to Qantas to book an award (and not many partners are available on line at QF).

 

[Guvner]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

I found SYD - FRA F/J and J/F but not F/F as yet (all TG). I also found SYD-MUC J/F (NH/LH). Flights were in the correct cabins first/biz etc.

I managed to find a TG F/F from SYD-MUC in March.

 

[Eric Barasa]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

If it's the 5th March, you must be the guy who "stole" an F award seat from me! I saw availability SYD-BKK, went into a meeting, and when I came back to book, it was gone!