US Dividend Miles - post your SUCCESSFUL award bookings here.

[MEL_Traveller]

The first one didn't like the hassle and kicked me out of the line once I insisted on putting my itinerary together

you actually have no 'right' to insist on your own itinerary, despite what people claim. USDM reserves the right to determine your itinerary. I always allow the agent to do their own research first, sometimes it turns up gems that you might not have been able to see via another search tool (some reports that USDM has offered LX C for example when ANA returned 0). If they can't then you can offer flights you may have found.

 

[anat0l]

you actually have no 'right' to insist on your own itinerary, despite what people claim. USDM reserves the right to determine your itinerary.

They reserve the right, but are they 'cracking down' and becoming more 'insistent' on finding options first?

When I booked my itinerary in February this year, I told the agent that "I've done all the leg work, and got a routing, so shall we work through that". Perhaps not my exact words, but to the same effect. Agent was only too happy to go along.

If the answer to my question is, "yes, they are cracking down", I'll need to take that on board for my next bookings....

 

[MEL_Traveller]

They reserve the right, but are they 'cracking down' and becoming more 'insistent' on finding options first?

When I booked my itinerary in February this year, I told the agent that "I've done all the leg work, and got a routing, so shall we work through that". Perhaps not my exact words, but to the same effect. Agent was only too happy to go along.

If the answer to my question is, "yes, they are cracking down", I'll need to take that on board for my next bookings....

It all depends on the agent. But it's fair to say the old 'I have a route can you please try and book it' is becoming harder - especially because they want to use the star booking tool to validate your route AND because of the new MPM requirements (which are becoming more frequently enforced). With the number of agents willing to just accept your itinerary fast diminishing, I find it easier to spend 15 minutes on hold while they go off looking (then negotiate!) rather than calling over and over to get the right agent willing to do it.

there was nothing challenging about berlin's itinerary - the agent would likely have come up with the same given the lack of First class on anyone but TG for Europe... barring maybe the additional CDG/FRA (they probably would have flown straight to FRA or MUC then London).

I think overall the agents are very fair. They appreciate for example that getting to the USA from AU is very hard and are willing to activelly look via Asia and Europe.

 

[Berlin]

the agent would likely have come up with the same given the lack of First class on anyone but TG for Europe... barring maybe the additional CDG/FRA

Actually- the very first lady, the one who ended kicking me out of the line, insisted on looking up a connection herself first and ended up telling me there is no way going first class as the connection coming up went via LAX and back to Europe the other way! :shock:

Saying that- my second agent seemed much more knowledgeable and appeared almost glad to get a booking which is a bit of a challenge. She totally warmed up once we got into the +24 hour issues of connecting flights crossing the midnight mark and happily told me stuff about having distant relatives in Germany...

 

[smit0847]

Actually- the very first lady, the one who ended kicking me out of the line, insisted on looking up a connection herself first and ended up telling me there is no way going first class as the connection coming up went via LAX and back to Europe the other way! :shock:

Saying that- my second agent seemed much more knowledgeable and appeared almost glad to get a booking which is a bit of a challenge. She totally warmed up once we got into the +24 hour issues of connecting flights crossing the midnight mark and happily told me stuff about having distant relatives in Germany...

I've only spoken to one agent and done one booking but as soon as I said my destination was KEF and heard the hesitation in her voice I jumped in and asked if she could check what I thought was a valid routing - she happily agreed and booked the flights as I read them off awardtravelr. Whether she couldn't be bothered finding her own route, or was just in a good mood I don't know but I certainly hope every agent I speak to is like this. She was extremely courteous and friendly apologising for every delay etc.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Whether she couldn't be bothered finding her own route, or was just in a good mood I don't know but I certainly hope every agent I speak to is like this.

don't get too excited - they won't be!!

 

[casanovawa]

Yes i have had some good and some totally painful experiences now....

Some agents (well most) are relatively great and you can get straight down to it, some are just a bit clueless, and when their supervisor then is also clueless it becomes a chore (like the other night when i was trying to book a redemption and i was told that my flight that arrived into BKK at 10.40pm or so and then the next flight to FRA that departed at 5 minutes past midnight would be counted as a stopover as it was the next day... Then also it being a fairly straight forward OZ-via Asia-EUR-US-via Asia-OZ booking would cost me 300,000 miles... then even though pretty straight forward and direct i was 1000 miles over the MPM...) After about 2 hours of circular nonsense i gave up and plan to call again tonight or tomorrow... this should be getting close to about 10 hours i have now spent on a couple of attempts to get this one done, although i have had started over a couple of times admittedly... Sorry if that sounds a bit entitled as well....

There was the night i spent about 3 hours on the phone and if it there wasn't one probelm, there was another, we thought we had sorted it out and off to the rate desk, then some entirely new issue came up, solve that back to the rate desk and then something else out of left field... I did ask at one point if US Air just didn't want me to fly with them... But because the deal can be so good and i have lots of points i will keep perservering...

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yes i have had some good and some totally painful experiences now....

Some agents (well most) are relatively great and you can get straight down to it, some are just a bit clueless, and when their supervisor then is also clueless it becomes a chore (like the other night when i was trying to book a redemption and i was told that my flight that arrived into BKK at 10.40pm or so and then the next flight to FRA that departed at 5 minutes past midnight would be counted as a stopover as it was the next day... Then also it being a fairly straight forward OZ-via Asia-EUR-US-via Asia-OZ booking would cost me 300,000 miles... then even though pretty straight forward and direct i was 1000 miles over the MPM...) After about 2 hours of circular nonsense i gave up and plan to call again tonight or tomorrow... this should be getting close to about 10 hours i have now spent on a couple of attempts to get this one done, although i have had started over a couple of times admittedly... Sorry if that sounds a bit entitled as well....

There was the night i spent about 3 hours on the phone and if it there wasn't one probelm, there was another, we thought we had sorted it out and off to the rate desk, then some entirely new issue came up, solve that back to the rate desk and then something else out of left field... I did ask at one point if US Air just didn't want me to fly with them... But because the deal can be so good and i have lots of points i will keep perservering...

and yet my round the world with only a partially clued agent took 30 mins! Her going off to search came back with the very RTW routing which seemed to give trouble in this case. Time saved.

MPM is MPM. 1000 over is over. (it's already +25% anyway)

if you need to fly - let them help you if they can.

 

[Insaneous]

hmmm attempt number 1 at booking flights didn't go so well....

Didnt start off well, she had a bit of trouble hearing me. Got that out of the way and asked when I wanted to travel to Houston.... i'm like no I want to travel SYD-LAX. Couldn't find any direct flights in first... so I suggested via bangkok, then remember too mention I am booking for two. She said I would need to do two separate bookings (?) if they are seperate accs or transfer all the miles to the one account!

I think i will HUACA, and mention two accounts at the start!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

hmmm attempt number 1 at booking flights didn't go so well....

Didnt start off well, she had a bit of trouble hearing me. Got that out of the way and asked when I wanted to travel to Houston.... i'm like no I want to travel SYD-LAX. Couldn't find any direct flights in first... so I suggested via bangkok, then remember too mention I am booking for two. She said I would need to do two separate bookings (?) if they are seperate accs or transfer all the miles to the one account!

I think i will HUACA, and mention two accounts at the start!

two separate bookings is fine if the miles are coming from two different accounts. thats how it should be! they will do them both at the same time, searching for two seats segment by segment, nothing for you to worry about.

there is no reason to need to call again.

 

[Insaneous]

two separate bookings is fine if the miles are coming from two different accounts. thats how it should be! they will do them both at the same time, searching for two seats segment by segment, nothing for you to worry about.

there is no reason to need to call again.

Hmm i was sort of getting the feeling from her that she meant I would need to recall again....

Second attempt didn't go so well. Looking to book SYD-BKK-ICN-LAX. Agent went away and looked up SYD-LAX, she could only find something via ICN. I suggested via BKK but immediately said not available. Might try different tact.

 

[Insaneous]

Are the agents supposed to take your Div Miles acc numbers before looking for the flights? Both times they have just jumped in without getting details (or asking how many people).

 

[Flashback]

Hmm i was sort of getting the feeling from her that she meant I would need to recall again....

Second attempt didn't go so well. Looking to book SYD-BKK-ICN-LAX. Agent went away and looked up SYD-LAX, she could only find something via ICN. I suggested via BKK but immediately said not available. Might try different tact.

That makes sense, BKK is an unnecessary stop (although if redeeming F you may be able to push for it (as I don't think OZ does F SYD-ICN, but if going J - good luck).

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Are the agents supposed to take your Div Miles acc numbers before looking for the flights? Both times they have just jumped in without getting details (or asking how many people).

nope. they can just make the booking first and then ask for your DM number. some agents will ask up front but it makes no difference either way.

were the flights available via bkk? (confirmed on awardtravlr or ANA?).

as i said - really no reason to call back just because of the two accounts issue. but reason to call back if you think the agent wasn't up to it.

 

[Insaneous]

nope. they can just make the booking first and then ask for your DM number. some agents will ask up front but it makes no difference either way.

were the flights available via bkk? (confirmed on awardtravlr or ANA?).

as i said - really no reason to call back just because of the two accounts issue. but reason to call back if you think the agent wasn't up to it.

Flights definetly available on ANA (KVS), but as Flashware says, SYD-BKK-ICN-LAX is not an option on the staralliance.com booking tool, so I would imagine it doesn't appear for some of them...

I might try an be a bit more direct, first couple of calls i've just asked for SYD-LAX in F on such and such date, they come back telling me only J via ICN, and couldn't find anything via BKK....

 

[Insaneous]

ooooo potential success... Agent is off checking to see if the routing is legit.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

ooooo potential success... Agent is off checking to see if the routing is legit.

what are they checking?

 

[Insaneous]

what are they checking?

She had to go confirm the itinerary and the miles. I assume this mean checking with supervisor which seems to happen with some of the other bookings (she didn't specify she was checking with anyone)?

 

[Insaneous]

Success!

I think she was away processing the tickets.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

She had to go confirm the itinerary and the miles. I assume this mean checking with supervisor which seems to happen with some of the other bookings (she didn't specify she was checking with anyone)?

what routing?