US Dividend Miles - Award Booking Questions and General Discussion

[MEL_Traveller]

Looking at making my first (and probably final) USDM redemption to Europe. Appreciate people's advice on preferred hard product (as I'm typically a *O guy) to Europe.

Air China + Lufthansa
Thai + Swiss
Asiana + Turkish

I think they're all the old, angled product in J.

air china and Swiss are likely flat.

turkish may be full flat.

Lufthansa most likely angled.

 

[appaz]

air china and Swiss are likely flat.

turkish may be full flat.

Lufthansa most likely angled.

Swiss is fully flat, some air china is and turkish as well...

check seat guru or beta award travelr

 

[smit0847]

For those heading off to that magical Microniesian island this year - I've started my full GUM trip report - http://www.australianfrequentflyer....guam-visiting-somewhere-obscure-no-57830.html

 

[Beta4Me]

I've been trying to call to book a GUM trip departing tomorrow night at 7:30pm (14/02) since about 8pm yesterday. I keep going through all the prompts with the IVR and then get hung up on after getting a message saying "due to extreme weather at many of our airports we can’t take your call right now."

What the hell do I do now?!?

 

[bcworld]

Managed to get through and got a new itinerary, and scored 2xF from LAX-ICN. It's no OZ suites, but it's the only F product across the pacific, so I'm excited!

This is for Dec right? There's a chance the OZ A380 will be operating to LAX by then. Delivery is in Q2 I think and LAX is slated to be the first long haul route.

Asiana have announced overnight that A380 service to LAX starts on 30 July. Presumably it will replace the 747 service...so it probably is OZ suites!

It will temporarily operate routes to NRT, KIX, HKG, BKK and perhaps others from June.

https://www.facebook.com/AsianaAirl...18155/10152266836868156/?type=1&stream_ref=10

 

[bigsleep55]

I've been trying to call to book a GUM trip departing tomorrow night at 7:30pm (14/02) since about 8pm yesterday. I keep going through all the prompts with the IVR and then get hung up on after getting a message saying "due to extreme weather at many of our airports we can’t take your call right now."

What the hell do I do now?!?

Same boat. I'm trying to book some US flights and haven't been able to get through since yesterday (12th Feb) morning. Any ideas? I've trying the online booking but the only origin they recognise in Australia is Alice Springs (!?!?!).

 

[NDiddy]

Same boat. I'm trying to book some US flights and haven't been able to get through since yesterday (12th Feb) morning. Any ideas? I've trying the online booking but the only origin they recognise in Australia is Alice Springs (!?!?!).

Award redemptions from AU must be done over the phone unfortunately. We've had very good luck calling between 9:00 - 11:00pm on weekdays and about lunch time on weekends.

 

[smit0847]

Award redemptions from AU must be done over the phone unfortunately. We've had very good luck calling between 9:00 - 11:00pm on weekdays and about lunch time on weekends.

Yeah I've called at various time between 8pm and midnight and had no issues getting through.

 

[bigsleep55]

Yeah I've called at various time between 8pm and midnight and had no issues getting through.

What about in the last day or two? Because I've called anywhere from 8am WST to 12pm WST to 9pm WST and had no luck. They are having some issues with the weather therefore a heap of calls and therefore we can't seem to get through for an award travel query.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

When you call the USDM Skype number +18006221015 - how do you finally get to talk to a rep except for sit there and scream obscenities into your computer until the recording finally says 'Please stay on the line and we will connect you with an operator as soon as we can'

Like is there special keys or prompts to push to short circuit the process?

 

[NDiddy]

What about in the last day or two? Because I've called anywhere from 8am WST to 12pm WST to 9pm WST and had no luck. They are having some issues with the weather therefore a heap of calls and therefore we can't seem to get through for an award travel query.

We called on the 6th of Feb and from memory there were weather/travel advisories as well but managed to get through. Could be particularly bad this week though, not much in terms of advice except to keep persisting and make sure that when you eventually get through that the award flights you want are still available. Good luck!

 

[NDiddy]

When you call the USDM Skype number +18006221015 - how do you finally get to talk to a rep except for sit there and scream obscenities into your computer until the recording finally says 'Please stay on the line and we will connect you with an operator as soon as we can'

Like is there special keys or prompts to push to short circuit the process?

Full credit to MEL_Traveller for this one:

When calling you can go directly to an operator by saying the following at the prompts:

• what do you wanna do? (respond) 'award travel'
• ok, let's get started, where do you want to fly from? (respond) 'agent'
• is this for travel within the USA? (respond) 'no'

 

[get me outta here]

When you call the USDM Skype number +18006221015 - how do you finally get to talk to a rep except for sit there and scream obscenities into your computer until the recording finally says 'Please stay on the line and we will connect you with an operator as soon as we can'

Like is there special keys or prompts to push to short circuit the process?

Without remembering precisely, I think that I just remained silent and someone came on the line pretty quickly last Sunday.

 

[hummel]

Full credit to MEL_Traveller for this one:

It work 99% of the time too.

I once said agent and the system thought I was leaving from Seoul, Incheon... part of the game!

 

[smit0847]

What about in the last day or two? Because I've called anywhere from 8am WST to 12pm WST to 9pm WST and had no luck. They are having some issues with the weather therefore a heap of calls and therefore we can't seem to get through for an award travel query.

I called on Sunday at 11pm AEDST and on Monday at 10pm AEDST and got straight through both times. Just keep saying 'agent' - dont bother trying to tell the machine your cities.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Thanks so much guys - will give it a twirl Sat morn - thanks again to MEL_Traveller

 

[NDiddy]

It work 99% of the time too.

I once said agent and the system thought I was leaving from Seoul, Incheon... part of the game!

I must admit I go through the whole process (Award travel -> departure -> arrival -> multi city -> dates or whatever the sequence is every time) and it does get frustrating especially when trying to HUACA. But as you said, part of the game...

 

[smit0847]

As frustrating as it can be when you're cut off, or they tell you 'no' I actually really enjoy the game of calling the agents. Knowing that with the right agent you can get away with murder makes it really fun for me. I like trying to guess as early as possible how 'flexible' the agent will be based on how they respond to my initial questions/comments.

The adrenalin rush when you request something ridiculous and then hold your breath while they consider it and then wait for the magic words 'that's fine - would you like to place it on hold or pay for that now?' is awesome!

 

[get me outta here]

Def not working right now. Just tried 4 times to get my flt changed to an F seat, no progress saying anything - bad weather again.

 

[smit0847]

I must admit I go through the whole process (Award travel -> departure -> arrival -> multi city -> dates or whatever the sequence is every time) and it does get frustrating especially when trying to HUACA. But as you said, part of the game...

I actually had an agent say to me the other night 'if you want to have a stopover it has to be a *A hub city and you have to fly into that hub on the local carrier so for TG your stopover can only be BKK, HKT, CNX or KRB'.

I giggled almost replied 'yeah, THAT's the rule you should enforce!' and then HUACA.