Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

[I love to travel]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Passport request is normal and safe. Came in about a year ago. Just send screenshots of the individual flights that can be booked then a screenshot of the whole route. If you are departing from a different city then it is 2 LM booking. My advice send 2 new emails with the new one way bookings at the same time and then you can pay for both taxes at the same time.

 

[sergeyvzn]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

I would greatly appreciate is someone here could assist as I'm quite new to LM (this is my 2nd booking). I received an email from [email protected] today advising the following:

"First of all, we apologize for the delay on our response. Concerning your request, we will escalate your case to a specialized department, for them to manually book your 2 tickets (based on availability). In order to proceed, please send the following requirements:

• Scanned image of the passenger's passport.
• Screenshot of our website showing lack of avaible seats when looking for the 2 routes.

Let us remind you that round trip flights must depart from the same city on which you arrived; therefore, your request will be submitted for 2 separates bookings."


I didn't recall them asking for a scanned copy of the passport recently - is this standard and safe?
How do you demonstrate lack of available seats when this booking is not possible online?
Also, the return flight was SYD-BKK-NRT, then KIX-BKK-SYD and they are saying it can't be booked as a return - is that correct?

Thanks in advance.

yes, they always ask for a copy of the passport page

the second thing is just bad English, what they want is screenshots showing that seats are available online when booked separately but not available when the two sectors are pieced together

if they can't book you an open jaw on one PNR, have them book it as two separate one ways, it does not really matter does it, the cost is still the same as long as they don't charge a second booking fee, you should tell them that

 

[Glider_]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

I would greatly appreciate is someone here could assist as I'm quite new to LM (this is my 2nd booking). I received an email from [email protected] today advising the following:

I didn't recall them asking for a scanned copy of the passport recently - is this standard and safe?
How do you demonstrate lack of available seats when this booking is not possible online?
Also, the return flight was SYD-BKK-NRT, then KIX-BKK-SYD and they are saying it can't be booked as a return - is that correct?

I'm surprised you received such a friendly and helpful response that laid out what to do!

Yes, they now require a scan of the passengers passports. I'm not sure how safe it really is but I've done it.

To do the screenshot, you must search for SYD-BKK and capture the screen that says this is available, then search again for BKK-NRT and capture that this is also available, then search again for SYD-NRT on the same date and capture that this is not available. Repeat for your KIX-SYD sectors. Send Lifemiles your document containing your screenshots.

Generally a 'return' flight means your origin and destinations match on both legs. I'm not surprised that they want to book the flights as separate bookings since you fly into a different city to the one you leave. There are sometimes exceptions for NRT and HND as they're in the same city, but don't expect this.

 

[Eric Barasa]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Correct for the requested documents and also for the route.
You do realize your arrival city (NRT) and departure city (KIX) are not the same place, right??????

 

[Finale]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Correct for the requested documents and also for the route.
You do realize your arrival city (NRT) and departure city (KIX) are not the same place, right??????

I think Aeolus didn't mean return but rather an open jaw on the same PNR which many other airlines could ticket just fine.

 

[Aeolus]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Thanks everyone for all the useful insights. It's a relief to know passport is common practice.
Yes I meant open jaw, thought I read somewhere that open jaw is acceptable for return flights but obviously not. No biggie, really.
I was confused about the screenshot but as I already submitted the screenshot in the earlier email so thought they wanted something else.

 

[bwhouse]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Some strangish results coming up... SYD-BKK wide open in F. But if you then go for something like SYD-HKG same date (showing available on UA F/J) the LM only returns economy out of SYD and business BKK-HKG.

Guess this might be a screenshot.

Yup I am seeing similar strange results, I have found in the past Lifemiles seems to show the same TG avaiability as Expertflyer, but I am having little luck at the moment.

 

[extracta]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Changes to mileage requirements are happening 15 May

To view full document go to this link and click on view more in the first line of text at the top of the mileage chart
https://www.lifemiles.com/eng/use/mca/mcamaians-tabs2.aspx

If that doesn't work go to this page and select Star Alliance (in Red) and then select view more in the first line
https://www.lifemiles.com/eng/use/mca/mcamaians-tabs2.aspx

 

[Buzzard]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Aeolus, it might be worth noting that when I recently sent B&W scans of passports I was contacted again requesting colour scans.

 

[Aeolus]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Aeolus, it might be worth noting that when I recently sent B&W scans of passports I was contacted again requesting colour scans.

Thanks, Buzz. All good, received the 2 x itineraries via email earlier today, now waiting for their call centre to open to process the payment.

 

[Lizzi]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Anyone know if you can do a call centre booking or something with Lifemiles if the destination port doesn't show up on their online menu? I'm trying to find a flight SIN-CBR (I can see it through Krisflyer, Velocity etc) and CBR doesn't show up on their menu.
Thanks!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Anyone know if you can do a call centre booking or something with Lifemiles if the destination port doesn't show up on their online menu? I'm trying to find a flight SIN-CBR (I can see it through Krisflyer, Velocity etc) and CBR doesn't show up on their menu.
Thanks!

The call centre will only book what can be seen on line - worth a try through if you need to book before the deadline. The screenshot method won't work if there's no flight to take a screen shot of. So maybe an email to support asking how to book it? Although you may not get an answer by the deadline.

 

[Lizzi]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Thanks. I'll give it a try

The call centre will only book what can be seen on line - worth a try through if you need to book before the deadline. The screenshot method won't work if there's no flight to take a screen shot of. So maybe an email to support asking how to book it? Although you may not get an answer by the deadline.

 

[I love to travel]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

There is a known problem with Canberra showing

 

[Eric Barasa]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Anyone know if you can do a call centre booking or something with Lifemiles if the destination port doesn't show up on their online menu? I'm trying to find a flight SIN-CBR (I can see it through Krisflyer, Velocity etc) and CBR doesn't show up on their menu.
Thanks!

Use Firefox and firebug extension to inject CBR

 

[Lizzi]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Thanks for the hint — I gave it a try and came up with no results, so I'll cross fingers the email query bears fruit.

Use Firefox and firebug extension to inject CBR

 

[andy2015]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Need some opinions. I want to fly ORD-HND-BKK-SYD in F. ORD-SYD for my date returns ORD-NRT-SYD first then economy...not what I want. My itinerary is available searching leg by leg but the BKK stopover would be ~10 hours. Would I screenshot each leg and then do the ORD-SYD forcing an airline so it display no seats and they'd be ok with that? Is the 10 hour stopover ok or no? I'll be purchasing the miles to book this so don't want to purchase the miles and not be able to use them...

 

[Cynicor]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

You don't need to show no airline/seats or options, you just show that there should be your flight option visible, but it isn't. That's normally enough. 10 hours is fine, no idea where the 8 hour thing came from but it's not a hard and fast written rule.

Need some opinions. I want to fly ORD-HND-BKK-SYD in F. ORD-SYD for my date returns ORD-NRT-SYD first then economy...not what I want. My itinerary is available searching leg by leg but the BKK stopover would be ~10 hours. Would I screenshot each leg and then do the ORD-SYD forcing an airline so it display no seats and they'd be ok with that? Is the 10 hour stopover ok or no? I'll be purchasing the miles to book this so don't want to purchase the miles and not be able to use them...

 

[NDiddy]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

You don't need to show no airline/seats or options, you just show that there should be your flight option visible, but it isn't. That's normally enough. 10 hours is fine, no idea where the 8 hour thing came from but it's not a hard and fast written rule.

Agree with this - Have booked flights with a > 8 hour layover and no issues using the screenshot method.

 

[JessicaTam]

re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

You don't need to show no airline/seats or options, you just show that there should be your flight option visible, but it isn't. That's normally enough. 10 hours is fine, no idea where the 8 hour thing came from but it's not a hard and fast written rule.

It used to be nigh on impossible to book a connection >8hr. Over the last couple of years there seem to be more and more exceptions.