Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

[MEL_Traveller]

Lets hope you get one but I doubt it.

yeah, the usual response is something along the lines of 'star alliance airlines don't always make flights available to their partners'. ummmm.... no, it's just to LM, or LM is blocking it!

 

[bcworld]

I am now seeing that using the old search page URL gets redirected to the new one...and the Colombia workaround is also gone and goes to new search too. So as of now, basically zero results online.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I am now seeing that using the old search page URL gets redirected to the new one...and the Colombia workaround is also gone and goes to new search too. So as of now, basically zero results online.

yeah. pretty hopeless. I know we keep hoping they'll improve the system, but it's now got so bad I don't think they have much choice?

 

[drron]

yeah, the usual response is something along the lines of 'star alliance airlines don't always make flights available to their partners'. ummmm.... no, it's just to LM, or LM is blocking it!

Well how do they explain the big difference many have experienced in the availability between the old and new sites?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Well how do they explain the big difference many have experienced in the availability between the old and new sites?

It's a fair question... but they never do explain anything... even under the old system there were huge discrepancies between LM availability and that which you could find on UA or NH or AC's sites. But LM's response was always the same... 'some star alliance partners don't always make seats available'. They never tackled the issue of their (LM's) IT system or blocking policy.

It would be refreshing if they actually came back with a reason... although I fear it will be their canned response.

 

[BobbyFlyer]

I have sent them an email blasting them about this. Basically no TG or SQ flights I can find which is pretty obvious failure. Suggest others send emails to them as well. If they get enough maybe they might address it? No alternative at this stage really....

 

[drron]

If this continues I am seriously thinking of reactivating my long time moribund UA account.

 

[Happy Trails]

I just searched via the Colombia home page and got this far:

 

[bcworld]

I now found I get old search via Colombia and IE...Colombia and Chrome = new site, whereas yesterday that combination gave old.

Also, Chrome Incognito + Colombia still = old.

 

[Glider_]

Also couldn't find anything in my usual searches in any class. Sent them an email (stressing that it's not a partner problem, the tickets were regularly there in the old system and now nothing at all in the new system).

 

[Happy Trails]

It seems like a work in progress.
Colombia 'Rest of the world' and Argentina home pages are all now returning the old booking tool.
This with normal Chrome settings.

 

[drron]

They are now dividing the USA and Europe into 3 areas-
Avianca LifeMiles Award Chart Changes: Creates Unites States Zones 1/2/3 & Europe 1/2/3 | LoyaltyLobby

Here are the new US zones:

Here are the new European zones:

Some really good spelling there-Hungry,Ucrania and in the US Misuri.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

They are now dividing the USA and Europe into 3 areas-
Avianca LifeMiles Award Chart Changes: Creates Unites States Zones 1/2/3 & Europe 1/2/3 | LoyaltyLobby



Some really good spelling there-Hungry,Ucrania and in the US Misuri.

Thankfully this looks like positive news rather than a serious downgrade. Slight reduction of 3K miles in business class on initial reading if you fly east coast USA to Europe 1. The rest remains the same (ie west coast to Europe 3).

Plus short hauls now!

If we can ever get to book these on the system

 

[Glider_]

I received a reply to my emailed complaint about the new booking engine not showing any availability. They replied to say that the issue has been reported and they hope it will be fixed soon, and they explained the screenshot method to use in the meantime. Full text below:

Dear Glider,
It is a pleasure to greet you.
We apologize for the delay in our response and for the experience found during the redemption process; in order to escalate your request with the area in charge, in order for them to evaluate if the booking can be created manually, we need you to send us the following:

• Frequent flyer number from which the miles are going to be deducted.
• Flight information (flight numbers, route and flight dates).
• Your phone number (including area code), specify your country of residence.
• Color scanned image of the passengers' passports.
• Screenshot of our website showing lack of availability when looking the route.

Once we have this information, we will escalate this situation for its evaluation. Also, this situation has already been reported to the area in charge, we hope to solve it as soon as possible.
We will be waiting for your reply.

Best regards,

 

[drron]

Not easy getting a screen shot when the problem is no availability showing.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Not easy getting a screen shot when the problem is no availability showing.

I was just thinking though... they seem to have dispensed with the requirement for screenshots of the individual sectors! so a screenshot of the 'not available' should be easy enough, then simply provide them with details of the actual flights... this could actually work well and increase seats we can access

 

[Glider_]

Not easy getting a screen shot when the problem is no availability showing.

I was actually thinking that's the easiest part because they want a screenshot showing no availability and that's the only thing their site does well atm!
The tricky part is for less experienced (ie non-AFFers) who wouldn't know about other search engines to find availability.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I was actually thinking that's the easiest part because they want a screenshot showing no availability and that's the only thing their site does well atm!
The tricky part is for less experienced (ie non-AFFers) who wouldn't know about other search engines to find availability.

you used to have to send three (or more) screenshots... one for each of the sectors showing available, and a third for the end-to-end showing not available. So a booking MEL-NRT would require screenshots showing MEL-BKK available, BKK-NRT available, but a third showing MEL-NRT not available.

This new workaround seems to suggest the first two screenshots are not required.

One big benefit for this would be LH F. It is often wide open at T-14, but LM would only offer select days. You couldn't write to them and ask you to book it without a screenshot showing it was available. Now... perhaps not required and it can be booked.

 

[Glider_]

Without getting bogged down in the screenshot procedure, I think the takeaway from the email I received was that Lifemiles acknowledged that there is a problem with the search engine and that they're trying to fix it.

So the complete lack of availability we're seeing now isn't an intentional 'enhancement'.

 

[Glider_]

you used to have to send three (or more) screenshots... one for each of the sectors showing available, and a third for the end-to-end showing not available. So a booking MEL-NRT would require screenshots showing MEL-BKK available, BKK-NRT available, but a third showing MEL-NRT not available.

This new workaround seems to suggest the first two screenshots are not required.

One big benefit for this would be LH F. It is often wide open at T-14, but LM would only offer select days. You couldn't write to them and ask you to book it without a screenshot showing it was available. Now... perhaps not required and it can be booked.

I suspect this screenshot method description was given to specifically address the broken search engine. But hey, no harm in giving it a try.