Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

[MEL_Traveller]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - New FF program in *A

There was an interesting TR on FT from a bright spark who realised SIN-MNL was the cheapest and easiest way to get access to the SQ FLounge Private Room at Changi so spent like 18 hours in there before boarding a very ordinary looking 2-2-2 regional F to MNL.

I would forget about thinking you can use Lifemiles for F out of Australia for anything except TG to Europe.

the return fare SIN-MNL in F is listed at SGD3100 - hardly a cheap lounge entry! (and not worth it for the TPR)

(edited to add those old F seats were jolly good actually!)

 

[Keith009]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - New FF program in *A

the return fare SIN-MNL in F is listed at SGD3100 - hardly a cheap lounge entry! (and not worth it for the TPR)

Would rather spend that money on a nice meal complete with amazing bubbles at Guy Savoy! And then some... (Although I have a feeling smit0847 was referring to a miles booking?)

3 hours is my max limit in any nice transportation waiting room. Seriously though, if anyone has to have a longer layover than planned in SIN for award inventory reasons, highly recommend quickly popping out to Guy Savoy at MBS - yummy and much nicer experience than TPR! http://www.marinabaysands.com/Singapore-Restaurants/Celebrity-Chefs/Guy-Savoy/

Agree however that those regional F seats were nice for intra Asia travel. And like HKG, MNL was a great sector for getting a taste of the SQ F service - long enough for a full meal (unlike say CGK) and lots and lots of Dom....

 

[anat0l]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - New FF program in *A

There was an interesting TR on FT from a bright spark who realised SIN-MNL was the cheapest and easiest way to get access to the SQ FLounge Private Room at Changi so spent like 18 hours in there before boarding a very ordinary looking 2-2-2 regional F to MNL.

I would forget about thinking you can use Lifemiles for F out of Australia for anything except TG to Europe.

To be fair, it was a SQ KF booking and it wasn't necessarily the "cheapest" but as far as minimising cash expenditure and using points was concerned, it was near certain the most effective!

Definitely didn't redeem F to get longhaul F or Suites for 3 hours (even if that was forthcoming). Didn't even do it for the Millionaires in the T2 SKL F or the DP vintage on board (did I mention I don't really like Dom Perignon much?). Just the difference from J in points was small so why not? Ordinary? For sure - but a very comfortable "ordinary" for an intra-Asia flight! I could comfortably do that product for a five hour flight, too.

The other options were CX J via HKG using QF points, 3K using QF points, or SQ J (or F) using VA points. In order, it was expensive, galling and a headache+expensive.

I probably wouldn't recommend one redeem F on this kind of route on its own just for F or just for TPR (unless you've possibly never been in the TPR in your life). The value is not quite there and I really only did what I did out of not wanting to pay a cash fare (and what points I had available to me at the time).


Anyway, SQ regional F does exist sporadically, but I wouldn't be surprised at all if it is being phased out. It wouldn't be bad if it were tacked onto the same routing as a nominal F award option, even if the tangible product is of little difference.

 

[Jimgotkp]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - New FF program in *A

Only on a tiny number of short haul intra Asia routes...SIN - BOM is the only one I can think of off hand.

Don't you need a transit visa for BOM/DEL?

 

[Plutonus]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - New FF program in *A

Not worth the miles using LM for intra asia

I've found some routes which are still good value.

 

[Programme]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - New FF program in *A

Has anyone been able to get a BR connection outside of Asia?

I'm able to get the engine to spit out SIN-TPE-JFK, for instance, but can't get it to piece together BNE-TPE-YVZ despite BNE-TPE and TPE-YVZ being individually available and the connection being <24 hrs. A case of having to be close to the date of departure like SQ, maybe trying anything else, or is it a waste of time?

 

[vitagen]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - New FF program in *A

I've found some routes which are still good value.

Do share.....

 

[casanovawa]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - New FF program in *A

Some of the intra Asia flights where you maybe miss the last flight can be good value, not sure if that was what the poster was referring to...

If they have any other ideas, yes might be interesting to know...

 

[bcworld]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - New FF program in *A

Has anyone been able to get a BR connection outside of Asia?

I'm able to get the engine to spit out SIN-TPE-JFK, for instance, but can't get it to piece together BNE-TPE-YVZ despite BNE-TPE and TPE-YVZ being individually available and the connection being <24 hrs. A case of having to be close to the date of departure like SQ, maybe trying anything else, or is it a waste of time?

Connection less than 24 hours will not help you. You need the connection to be less than 12, preferably 8, to have a hope of the website offering you the connection.

 

[seritonin]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - New FF program in *A

Has anyone been able to get a BR connection outside of Asia?

I'm able to get the engine to spit out SIN-TPE-JFK, for instance, but can't get it to piece together BNE-TPE-YVZ despite BNE-TPE and TPE-YVZ being individually available and the connection being <24 hrs. A case of having to be close to the date of departure like SQ, maybe trying anything else, or is it a waste of time?

Unfortunately, BR316 does not connect well with any of the Eva air flights to North America or Europe.. All connections >8hr which violates LM rules..try OZ out of SYD

 

[bcworld]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - New FF program in *A

Unfortunately, BR316 does not connect well with any of the Eva air flights to North America or Europe.. All connections >8hr which violates LM rules..try OZ out of SYD

It connects well with BR67 to LHR.

 

[Keith009]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - New FF program in *A

It connects well with BR67 to LHR.

That would be a rather long flight as the LHR flight goes via BKK I believe. Product wise would be a great alternative to TG and there always appears to be stacks of availability on BR.

 

[bcworld]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - New FF program in *A

That would be a rather long flight as the LHR flight goes via BKK I believe. Product wise would be a great alternative to TG and there always appears to be stacks of availability on BR.

Sure...but there's Dom...and Rimowa amenity kits...in J class!

As it's a day flight I don't think it would too punishing either.

 

[Programme]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - New FF program in *A

Unfortunately, BR316 does not connect well with any of the Eva air flights to North America or Europe.. All connections >8hr which violates LM rules..try OZ out of SYD

Connection less than 24 hours will not help you. You need the connection to be less than 12, preferably 8, to have a hope of the website offering you the connection.

Thanks, wasn't aware of the more stringent requirements for connections using Lifemiles. Had been hoping for a near whole day to look around Taipei. Oh well.

 

[smit0847]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - New FF program in *A

Thanks, wasn't aware of the more stringent requirements for connections using Lifemiles. Had been hoping for a near whole day to look around Taipei. Oh well.

It's not the program for cherry-picked itineraries. Never has been and never will be.

 

[Keith009]

Avianca "Life Miles" - New FF program in *A

Sure...but there's Dom...and Rimowa amenity kits...in J class!

As it's a day flight I don't think it would too punishing either.

I did mention that it's a great alternative to TG (the other carrier which seems readily available in J ex BNE) product wise. If I weren't burning in F I'd certainly go with BR over TG.

 

[bcworld]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - New FF program in *A

I did mention that it's a great alternative to TG (the other carrier which seems readily available in J ex BNE) product wise. If I weren't burning in F I'd certainly go with BR over TG.

From Feb the ideal combo would probably be BNE-BKK on TG on the 2 class 77W and BKK-LHR on BR...however that of course doesn't connect either so two awards on LM. Perhaps the additional cost could be reclaimed by sticking the Rimowa's on Ebay!

 

[anat0l]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - New FF program in *A

...always appears to be stacks of availability on BR.

Maybe I'm not looking far enough ahead or in the peak, but I find this to be not quite true.

The availability varies in BR J, IME, from a nice splattering to stark none. Of course, I'm only mainly concerning myself with the 77W operated routes (other J operated routes do not have the new product). Unless ANA under-shows the BR availability.

 

[smit0847]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - New FF program in *A

From Feb the ideal combo would probably be BNE-BKK on TG on the 2 class 77W and BKK-LHR on BR...

For a day flight I would probably prefer to old 777-200 J product on TG than the 1-2-1 77W/A380 product. While the fully-flat 77W/A380 product is fantastic for overnight flights the seats seem to have been designed with only two things in mind: 1) fully flat and 2) all seats have direct aisle access, at the expense of everything else. The seats are pretty narrow, a bit tricky to get in and out of and there didn't seem to be much storage.

In comparison I found the 777-200 cabin to be extremely spacious, heaps of room and storage and perfect for a day-time flight.

YMMV of course.

 

[Keith009]

re: Avianca "Life Miles" - New FF program in *A

From Feb the ideal combo would probably be BNE-BKK on TG on the 2 class 77W and BKK-LHR on BR...however that of course doesn't connect either so two awards on LM. Perhaps the additional cost could be reclaimed by sticking the Rimowa's on Ebay!

... or downing one's body weight in Dom (unless they're *still* serving the 2003 as SQ was in Oct - bleurgh). There should also be a small saving over redeeming in F, and F isn't available ex BNE hence further saving on repositioning costs down to SYD.

But I'm still going ex SYD....

Meanwhile I wonder if our lovely but rather less-than-useful SQ Sotheby's kits (no more Kiehl's ) would attract much interest on Ebay...