Miles & More (Lufthansa, Austrian, Swiss, and other partners) - issuance of awards - tips for a desperate SEN

Im a US based Senator, and now need to get an urgent award (for myself) issued outside of my US base. Im now in EZE and want to issue a EZE-FRA-SIN-CGK award in Business Class.

The direct flights to/from EZE seem to be absolutely packed, so for my selection of dates (I have a 2-3 day window of flexibility) there seems to be nothing available. Not even in Economy. I do seem to have some options using partner airlines (RG via GRU and other weird options), but I would rather avoid going via Brazil - plus there is issue of partner airline awards costing more mileage.

Does anybody know the rules regarding waitlisting of award ticket requests, and how the last minute inventory management works in these cases? I was told by the agent that there are quite a few empty C seats (for revenue travel) for my dates.... is there any chance a waitlisted SEN can get a seat released for award travel sometime closer to the travel date?

Thanks.

The official rule is that you can't waitlist for an award, even as SEN (at least that's what I've been told by LH over the phone in the past). Like most rules, I suspect that if you ask the right person then they will waitlist you...

Could you also look at an LH/MM-issued Star Alliance award with a routing via the U.S.? Longer certainly, but still a 3 region award I assume?

If there are open C seats, I have been told that 1 week before departure they will sometimes open up more award seats (i.e. convert them to I). This is what I was told at the SEN desk in the US... could have been 1 persons opinion though, and not reality.

Could you also look at an LH/MM-issued Star Alliance award with a routing via the U.S.? Longer certainly, but still a 3 region award I assume?

Yes, Im also working on this for a plan "B".

Thanks to all for your tips, Im on the phone again later today with the LH folks in the States to see what I can work out.

The official rule is that you can't waitlist for an award, even as SEN (at least that's what I've been told by LH over the phone in the past). Like most rules, I suspect that if you ask the right person then they will waitlist you...

I have a guy at the local LH service center. He usually asks the people in FRA assigning the seats to free them up if the flight is wide open. They can reassign revenue seats to award tickets. If you can get hold of somebody to do this for you, you might be lucky. I wouldn't ask Senator line because they only deal with Senators and play by the book....

Best luck

Christian

Not sure if my requests are 'electronically waitlisted' or if my local LH angel in Zürich (Miss Daisy Hischier, Lufthansa (Schweiz) AG, Gutenbergstrasse 10, 8027 Zürich, Switzerland tf +41-1-2867222) just checks availability on a daily basis.

I know that it worked several times in the past (but I didn't take any award flights for more than a year now, as I am currently 'burning' those comped KLM Flying Dutchman miles).

...as I am currently 'burning' those comped KLM Flying Dutchman miles).
Please elucidate me, oh Enlightened One

I tried to rifle through your threads as I am sure you somewhere published how you got those comped miles on KLM. It must be a really heroic story and worth reading. Can you direct me into the correct post(s)?
Sorry for 'abusing' this thread to ask Rudi but the KLM heist just fascinates me.

I had a very similar experience with LH Switzerland when I wanted to hover in a friend using a dirt cheap FlySmart award. There was no availability but they rang me as soon as seats cleared and they already book it for me.
Great serivce! Keeps my hate / love relationship with LH going.

Please elucidate me
my pleasure: Summary of my KLM-Flying Dutchman ‘project’ Summary of my KLM-Flying Dutchman 'project' (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=62935&highlight=Rudi) , in spring 2002.

And it worked then, and even better, as a year later KLM (Flying Dutchman) did increase their points value by factor 1.8 when transferring them into miles. They also did, without any paid flight in 2003, extend voluntarily my Platinum status until feb-2005!

thanks a ton Rudi

OK.... so my award itin is currently this (in business class):

EZE-GRU on RG
GRU-FRA on RG
FRA-CGK on LH

then the return leg....

CGK-SIN on SQ
SIN-FRA on SQ
FRA-GRU on RG
GRU-EZE on RG

According to the LH VIP desk in the USA, this itinerary will cost me two separate awards, 160K + 60K, or a total of 220K miles - all because Im going to CGK through SIN. Appartently, I can only save the extra 60K miles if I can get my return leg out of CGK on the LH flight that is 'direct' from CGK to FRA.... :mad: (problem is that the darned LH flights are friggen full 3 days before and 10 days after my selected travel dates.....) :mad:

Wondering if the board gurus can confirm the 160 + 60 veredict, and if someone has some tip/hint that you can throw at me. At this point, if the 220K total is confirmed, Im thinking of just doing the award for 160 to SIN, and then booking a separate ticket for the SIN-CGK & return, either on a Y ticket award or even a chepo revenue fare.

Thanks.... ^

Are you able to make it an open jaw? That way you'd only need CGK-SIN oneway.

Are you able to make it an open jaw? That way you'd only need CGK-SIN oneway.

I dont know if this is allowed.... then again, with all the troubles that a oneway ticket entails, I dunno if its worth it.

I have used *A open jaw awards on other FFPs but not sure about LH. What troubles for one-way ticket?

I've used LH miles for an open jaw on TG/NZ flying SYD-AKL-TBU, returning NAN-AKL-SYD.

I would also try to get the open jaw award with miles&more and to the SIN-CGK on a paid one-way flight.

While I did never fly to Jakarta myself, in my experience one-way tickets ex SIN are exactly 50% of a (discounted return ticket). Not as 'elsewhere' when paying more for a one-way than for a return ticket ...

I would also try to get the open jaw award with miles&more and to the SIN-CGK on a paid one-way flight.

While I did never fly to Jakarta myself, in my experience one-way tickets ex SIN are exactly 50% of a (discounted return ticket). Not as 'elsewhere' when paying more for a one-way than for a return ticket ...

Thanks for the tip, Rudi. I wasnt aware that you could get tickets of this sort ex-SIN. Good to know... ^

Ive updated my Itin so I will ask this question again, thanks for bearing with me:

Im making reference to the LH three region award (South America/Europe/SE Asia). I would like to confirm with the resident experts that for such a three region award, I am allowed up to three transfers (Im not talking stopovers) before reaching my point of return (in this case CGK). At issue here are 60K miles.... since LH is insisting I need two awards.... 160K plus another 60K for the SIN to CGK.

My current updated (and finalized) itinerary is composed of the following segments:

Outbound Leg:

EZE-GRU on RG
(transfer 1)
GRU-FRA on RG
(transfer 2)
FRA-CGK on LH

The outbound leg has two transfers, one in GRU and one in FRA (sine the FRA-CGK is the same LH flight, although there is one pit stop in CGK there is no transfer of flight). I therefore understand I have one to spare.

Return Leg:

CGK-SIN on SQ
(transfer 1)
SIN-FRA on SQ
(transfer 2)
FRA-EZE on LH

As I see it, Im also using two transfers on the return leg. Hence, Im concluding that I am within the rules of a 3 region award, and do not need to draw two separate awards to get to CGK, as the LAX LH Vip Desk has been telling me. Can someone that is good with the rules please give me his/her opinion?

Thanks!!!

I found these rules:

http://cms.lufthansa.com/fly/us/en/mam/0,4974,0-0-871531,00.html

Connecting flights are only permitted within the same region.

1 transfer is permitted in each direction on awards for travel
in Economy Class = 25,000–30,000 miles,
in Business Class = 35,000-45,000 miles, and
in First Class = 50,000-60,000 miles.

2 transfers are permitted in each direction on awards for travel
in Economy Class = 50,000-90,000 miles,
in Business Class = 75,000-135,000 miles, and
in First Class = 100,000-180,000 miles.

3 transfers are permitted in each direction on awards for travel
in Economy Class = 120,000 miles,
in Business Class = 180,000 miles, and
in First Class = 240,000 miles.


So not sure what to make of this? Why the 'hole' from 135,000 - 180,000? Seems kind of weird to me if a 3-region C award is 160,000? (Did a 3-region C award used to be 180,000? If so, maybe the rules need to be updated?)

It seems like you should be able to get two transfers in each direction for 160,000 miles if you can get the same for 75,000 - 135,000, but it is confusing to me, right now anyway?

Three region used to be 180k miles.