US Dividend Miles - post your SUCCESSFUL award bookings here.

[MEL_Traveller]

As I understand MPM (and correct me if I'm wrong) you are allowed to fly 25% more miles than what the direct flight would be, regardless of whether there is a direct flight or not (and regardless of whether there is availability or not).

If there was a direct flight SYD-GUM (which there is not), according to GCM it is 3289 miles - Great Circle Mapper
Therefore, if you want to go to GUM you are allowed to fly 3289 + 25% miles which is 4,111 miles. If the only way to get there is SYD-BKK-NRT/HND-GUM this is 9109 miles Great Circle Mapper which is way, way over the 4,111 miles and therefore should not be allowed.

Therefore, everyone who tries to book anything SYD-GUM via Asia (especially through Japan) should immediately be told NO, is it massively breaches the MPM. Fortunately for us many of the USDM rules (such as stopover must be *A hub and you must fly into that hub on the home carrier) are very rarely enforced and we can get away with just about anything we want.

I would not worry about MPM - if an agent says you are over MPM just HUACA. In the dozen or so agents I have spoken to in the call centre no-one has ever mentioned MPM.

I'm really hoping in the next 3 months the agents become even more lax about the rules for flights post 1 March as they know they won't have to deal with the consequences of bookings that breach the rules. I'm hoping they will give a standard 'now you know you can't change this reservation after 1 March because US is leaving *A etc etc etc' disclaimer at the start of the call and once they give that they'll let you do just about anything.

MPM is not actual mileage as per greatcirclemapper - it can vary. bcworld has produced a chart of MPMs for select origins and destinations (ex Australia) - you'll see from that the MPM for MEL-LAX is 11915 miles. Going by great circle mapper MPM+25 would only by 9901 miles. (the chart is available through a link here on AFF)

MPM was a major issue a few months ago - remember all the problems with people trying to get from east coast to LAX/SFO? They were told routings via BKK exceeded MPM. New Zealand was even worse - my friend there was told 'bad luck - no direct flights and via Asia exceeds MPM'.

This seems to have been forgotten about recently and not so strictly enforced... although still rears its head on the odd occasion.

 

[zainman]

can we still make bookings for travel after 1st March on *A carriers with USDM?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

can we still make bookings for travel after 1st March on *A carriers with USDM?

I'm not aware of any restrictions arising in the last day or so.

pick your flights carefully... stick to high volume or high frequency routes that have a lower chance of schedule changes.

if you can, book a day in between any tricky connections so that if any me segment is rescheduled by the airline you won't have to lose the rest if the itinerary.

 

[smit0847]

MPM is not actual mileage as per greatcirclemapper - it can vary. bcworld has produced a chart of MPMs for select origins and destinations (ex Australia) - you'll see from that the MPM for MEL-LAX is 11915 miles. Going by great circle mapper MPM+25 would only by 9901 miles. (the chart is available through a link here on AFF)

MPM was a major issue a few months ago - remember all the problems with people trying to get from east coast to LAX/SFO? They were told routings via BKK exceeded MPM. New Zealand was even worse - my friend there was told 'bad luck - no direct flights and via Asia exceeds MPM'.

This seems to have been forgotten about recently and not so strictly enforced... although still rears its head on the odd occasion.

Ahh, okay, thanks for the correction. I don't understand how it is calculated then.

I still wouldn't worry about it - just HUACA.

 

[bcworld]

Ahh, okay, thanks for the correction. I don't understand how it is calculated then.

I doubt is is actually calculated. Rather I would say someone sits down and comes up with a value for each and every city pair based on the likely routings available between the two. So each airline has a different value for MPM for a given city pair...we work with US's values and those are what is shown on my spreadhseet. They will all become redundant when we move to AA most likely.

 

[Foreigner]

How long were your transits?

Four hours in IAH, 12 in PEK.

 

[bcworld]

They will all become redundant when we move to AA most likely.

In fact we can be sure they will. AA is far less generous with routings than US and relies on published fares being available from origin to destination...so there will be no more cherry picking of routes for 23 hour stopovers while trying to remain under 25M sort of thing!

 

[appaz]

I'm not aware of any restrictions arising in the last day or so.

pick your flights carefully... stick to high volume or high frequency routes that have a lower chance of schedule changes.

if you can, book a day in between any tricky connections so that if any me segment is rescheduled by the airline you won't have to lose the rest if the itinerary.

i have a one hour 40 mins stop in PEK from NRT to SIN coming in on ANA and going out on Air China, fingers crossed the ANA flight doesn't get delayed

 

[MEL_Traveller]

i have a one hour 40 mins stop in PEK from NRT to SIN coming in on ANA and going out on Air China, fingers crossed the ANA flight doesn't get delayed

On the day of travel there won't be any problems. During IRROPS and under airport control the next airline can re-route and reticket.

after the transition to oneworld - the problem will be schedule changes before departure because USDM won't be able to access alternative *A inventory.

but you can minimise the potential damage... stay with the morning TG flight ex SYD for example. On the way home, don't leave just an hour between connections. On the day of travel no issue - but say a month in advance if the first flight is cancelled and there isn't one till the next day you put the whole ticket in jeopardy because the first carrier isn't under obligation to rebook subsequent flights.

 

[bcworld]

On the day of travel there won't be any problems. During IRROPS and under airport control the next airline can re-route and reticket.

My friends of course found Air China completely ineffectual in that scenario and had to resort to calling US for help.

 

[anat0l]

In fact we can be sure they will. AA is far less generous with routings than US and relies on published fares being available from origin to destination...so there will be no more cherry picking of routes for 23 hour stopovers while trying to remain under 25M sort of thing!

You can have a bit of cherry, but it's certainly not as wide ranged or possible as US. AA have a similar thing where routings need to comply within 25M MPM.

Don't forget that AA normal awards have no stopovers allowed (with one exception). This means that gallivanting on a long itinerary that tries to skirt MPM rules is unlikely unless you like flying that much, or have planned in a long transit.

My friends of course found Air China completely ineffectual in that scenario and had to resort to calling US for help.

That sucks, though from what I have heard, seems par for course with CA.

 

[smit0847]

after the transition to oneworld - the problem will be schedule changes before departure because USDM won't be able to access alternative *A inventory.

but you can minimise the potential damage... stay with the morning TG flight ex SYD for example.

So what's the deal with the afternoon SYD-BKK flight? Is it only offered on some days and then cancelled and people moved to the morning flight if it isn't full? For obvious reasons, ex-SYD people much prefer to afternoon BKK flight than the morning one! (I'm also unsure if I would be in the mood for Dom and caviar at 10am!)

 

[MEL_Traveller]

So what's the deal with the afternoon SYD-BKK flight? Is it only offered on some days and then cancelled and people moved to the morning flight if it isn't full? For obvious reasons, ex-SYD people much prefer to afternoon BKK flight than the morning one! (I'm also unsure if I would be in the mood for Dom and caviar at 10am!)

exactly. could also be moved to the next day's flight as happened to another person for a flight ex BNE.

if you don't feel like caviar and dom at that there are other options available.

 

[ferni]

Haha oops forgot the list the last leg which of course is BKK-SYD in F.

Does anyone know if they will check our bags all the way from SYD to GUM? I'm guessing we will need to pick them up in SIN and KIX on the outbound and recheck them in. Same at HKG and BKK on the way home?

TG476 SYD-BKK F
TG401 BKK-SIN J
Overnight in SIN ~15Hours

SQ616 SIN-KIX J
Overnight in KIX ~23Hours

UA178 KIX-GUM J
2 Nights/3 Days in Guam

UA179 GUM-HKG Y
Overnight in HKG ~22Hours

TG607 HKG-BKK F
Overnight in BKK ~20Hours

TG475 BKK-SYD F

So I noticed this morning that a single Business seat as opened up on UA179 GUM-HKG. I tried calling US and asking if they could move my wife to business but they said they would have to cancel the reservation, charge $150 and rebook. Wasn't risking that... I've never had much luck getting an operator to change the booking class when a seat opens up without insisting on cancelling and rebooking the whole thing. Anyone who has managed to do it got any tips for me?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

So I noticed this morning that a single Business seat as opened up on UA179 GUM-HKG. I tried calling US and asking if they could move my wife to business but they said they would have to cancel the reservation, charge $150 and rebook. Wasn't risking that... I've never had much luck getting an operator to change the booking class when a seat opens up without insisting on cancelling and rebooking the whole thing. Anyone who has managed to do it got any tips for me?

they don't need to cancel the whole reservation. You just need to request a 'change'. they can cancel one segment and then put in another. and then revalidate the ticket.

I'd certainly be going for the business seat - it's a long flight.

I have best success with USDM calling in the PM australian time (after 8pm). I get a lot less 'computer says no'.

 

[ferni]

they don't need to cancel the whole reservation. You just need to request a 'change'. they can cancel one segment and then put in another. and then revalidate the ticket.

I'd certainly be going for the business seat - it's a long flight.

I have best success with USDM calling in the PM australian time (after 8pm). I get a lot less 'computer says no'.

Thanks... I'll try calling tonight. Have you had success in doing this before? I'm thinking something along the lines of "Hi, I'd like to change one segment from Economy to Business class for one passenger please"....

 

[smit0847]

Thanks... I'll try calling tonight. Have you had success in doing this before? I'm thinking something along the lines of "Hi, I'd like to change one segment from Economy to Business class for one passenger please"....

I'd lead with 'I have a first class booking and noticed that the only flight in economy now has availability in business class - could I please change this?' or something like that. They usually waive the change fee if you are simply upgrading on the same flight, especially if you have an F reservation and you are upgrading from Y to J.

I also usually call between 9pm and 11pm Australian time and have had very good luck during these periods. I think it's about 4am in Charlotte (or wherever the CC is) and the agents don't seem so alert. You can usually tell the mood and competence of an operator within a few minutes of speaking with them.

 

[hummel]

FWIW, I always call at a similar time but also am very friendly towards the agent. Perhaps tell them my plans for the trip.. anniversary, visiting my sick MIL etc It might not be all true but it can work wonders

 

[ferni]

FWIW, I always call at a similar time but also am very friendly towards the agent. Perhaps tell them my plans for the trip.. anniversary, visiting my sick MIL etc It might not be all true but it can work wonders

Well my wife is pregnant hence why I'm keen for her to get that J seat.... otherwise I'd make her sit in Y with me... j/k

 

[zainman]

they don't need to cancel the whole reservation. You just need to request a 'change'. they can cancel one segment and then put in another. and then revalidate the ticket.

I'd certainly be going for the business seat - it's a long flight.

I have best success with USDM calling in the PM australian time (after 8pm). I get a lot less 'computer says no'.

I have tried doing the same thing (changing the GUM-HKG flight to J from Y as availability is now there) but on 6 different calls they have all wanted to charge the $150 for the 'change' as it is voluntary. Some blogs and posts on FT suggest that it shouldn't be charged and can be avoided but I have had no such luck... Are there any magical words I need to use?