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LM F and J routes (and the occasional trick-it) Rebooted v2.0

Old May 26, 2014, 8:47 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: SingaporeDon
Originally Posted by Moderator2
Every forum on Flyertalk has a personality. A forum gains a personality through user input over time, and Lifemiles is a very definitive example of how users have developed a unique community.

While Flyertalk boards actively encourage sharing of info, the Lifemiles community has developed and thrived via obscuring of certain data elements. It may not be easy for new participants to break through the codes and gain knowledge of the program's quirks, but the overall board community has adopted this unique approach. And frankly, that is not going to change overnight.

If a FT member wants to participate on this board, then they will need to respect other users. Hence, posts that run counter to this community's standards, will be removed.
Region definitions
C1 North America
C1.5 Caribbean, Bermuda
C2 Europe
C2.5 Middle East
C3 Asia
C4 South America
C5 Africa
C6 Oceania

2X, 3X: in the context of this LifeMiles thread, 2X and 3X refer to any 2nd and 3rd legs of a one-way award ticket.

LifeMiles' Star Alliance Award Chart

LifeMiles' old Star Alliance Award Chart (before Oct 15 2014) // Table of changes

Cash & Miles redemptions: the price per mile purchased during award booking varies significantly depending on how many miles are purchased. The "sweet spots" are between 38% and 58% of the total mileage required, where miles are purchased for 1.5 cents. See here for some examples.

Beware of Cabotage: LifeMiles has been known to issue tickets that constitute Cabotage, and at least one instance of denied boarding has been reported, stranding the passenger. An easily-seen example is travel on Copa from LAX to SJU (via PTY).

Understand Cabotage: Departing country 1, transiting country 2, returning to country 1 (no stopping) *is* cabotage (example: depart JFK, connect in YYZ to return to ORD, or depart Miami, connect in Bogota, return to San Francisco). On the other hand, departing country 1, going to completely unrelated country 2, and ending up in country 3, is not cabotage. So if you fly JFK-JNB-ZRH, for instance, this is completely not cabotage.

Availability: Seeing availability for *A award seats elsewhere is no guarantee they are accessible on Lifemiles. For instance award space shown on ANA often is not accessible on Lifemiles. Similarly, finding award space on single legs doesn't mean you'll get award space on the combined itinerary. And no, there is no way to overcome that.

Screenshot Method
Send email to [email protected] with attached screenshots on Lifemiles website of each individual leg showing availability. Also, screenshot showing no availability as one booking. Include passenger names, gender and DOB and copy of passenger passport. They will either call you for payment or email the itinerary and give you 3 days to call up and make payment by CC.

NOTE: This previous thread has been closed; it can be read here LM F and J routes (and the occasional trick-it)
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LM F and J routes (and the occasional trick-it) Rebooted v2.0

Old Nov 22, 2014, 12:54 am
  #1351  
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: ZRH
Posts: 2
Yeah I'm member since 2011 and I'm a quiet reader, but I don't understand some code words used in the his forum. I've been travelling around the world with dividend miles several times, it's not that I didn't do any homework at all. I wasn't aware that this forum is used to proof how smart and clever you are and not to ask any questions. I'm not asking for a panready trip, I'm asking for hints and tricks, without using a codeword so I can understand it. As my mothertongue obviously is different than english, it might be the problem for not getting the codes. Sorry for that. I haven't used Lifemiles so far and I wanted to give it a try. So if anyone is willing to introduce me to the big secret, very appreciated.
LX80 is offline  
Old Nov 22, 2014, 3:03 am
  #1352  
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,835
Originally Posted by WingedWorldExplorer
Oh no.

You sent informational PM to someone who has been member for 3+years but who uses who his first posting to ask for a free handout ?
Is this a serious question? Do you honestly believe I sent a PM? LOL

Originally Posted by WingedWorldExplorer
Landed 2 years ago

Last edited by mlqsko; Nov 22, 2014 at 5:19 am
mlqsko is offline  
Old Nov 22, 2014, 5:49 am
  #1353  
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Germany
Programs: LH FTL, BA Bronze
Posts: 829
Originally Posted by LX80
So if anyone is willing to introduce me to the big secret, very appreciated.
The big secret is to read the posts and think. It certainly took me much more than 20 minutes to figure most things out but it was fun and I am still exploring.
planestupid is offline  
Old Nov 22, 2014, 5:52 am
  #1354  
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,835
Originally Posted by planestupid
The big secret is to read the posts and think. It certainly took me much more than 20 minutes to figure most things out but it was fun and I am still exploring.
It is so much easier to ask and wait for an answer ^
mlqsko is offline  
Old Nov 22, 2014, 6:27 am
  #1355  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: New York Metropolitan Area 45 km from JFK
Programs: UA,AA,AS,BA
Posts: 4,607
[QUOTE]
Originally Posted by mlqsko
Is this a serious question? Do you honestly believe I sent a PM? LOL

Knowing you, it would be hard to believe. Feel better now .

Landed 2 years ago
Glad you found the humorous part of my link.

Last edited by WingedWorldExplorer; Nov 22, 2014 at 6:49 am
WingedWorldExplorer is offline  
Old Nov 22, 2014, 3:29 pm
  #1356  
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: UK
Programs: BA Blue / AAdvantage Platinum
Posts: 9
No availability as one ticket - but availability as two

Perhaps somebody can help me on this one...

I live near an airport which is only served by one Star Alliance airline and it has only one route in/out. I can find availability if I check for flights on that one route (A-B)

The same airline will also show availability on a onward flight if I check it separately (B-C) but I cannot get it to work for a combined flight A-C.

If it did work it would mean a very inexpensive flight across the sea to New York!
andrewu is offline  
Old Nov 22, 2014, 3:36 pm
  #1357  
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Valencia, Spain
Programs: Pascal and Python, no C++
Posts: 738
Originally Posted by andrewu
Perhaps somebody can help me on this one...

I live near an airport which is only served by one Star Alliance airline and it has only one route in/out. I can find availability if I check for flights on that one route (A-B)

The same airline will also show availability on a onward flight if I check it separately (B-C) but I cannot get it to work for a combined flight A-C.

If it did work it would mean a very inexpensive flight across the sea to New York!
I hate to be the one to tell you the bad news, but this has been discussed here over and over. Married segments is the keyword, and there's nothing you can do about it.
WolfvanWeen is offline  
Old Nov 23, 2014, 5:27 am
  #1358  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Bruxelles Belgium
Programs: Avios - M&M - Senator - FLYBLU
Posts: 53
Originally Posted by LX80
Yeah I'm member since 2011 and I'm a quiet reader, but I don't understand some code words used in the his forum. I've been travelling around the world with dividend miles several times, it's not that I didn't do any homework at all. I wasn't aware that this forum is used to proof how smart and clever you are and not to ask any questions. I'm not asking for a panready trip, I'm asking for hints and tricks, without using a codeword so I can understand it. As my mothertongue obviously is different than english, it might be the problem for not getting the codes. Sorry for that. I haven't used Lifemiles so far and I wanted to give it a try. So if anyone is willing to introduce me to the big secret, very appreciated.
If you have no miles in a LM account already, have never used Life Miles before or do not already belong to the program, have problems with language, codes etc, then it is probably too late for you. There are many people on here whose mother tongue is not English and who joined later than you. Look how far they have made it.

I am no expert, far from, but I made friends outside of public postings and slowly built some knowledge that way.
BlueSmurf is offline  
Old Nov 23, 2014, 10:23 am
  #1359  
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: SFO
Programs: AY Plat, LH FTL
Posts: 7,354
re: not flying the last segment on a woodcutter

Originally Posted by work2fly
Given the 5 hour layover, I guess there's a decent chance we can get the bags short checked. If not, I guess there's plenty of time to get them once we land.

I'm guessing we would need to make this request at the airlines transit desk, prior to clearing customs?
Any advice as where it would be best to advise TK we won't be flying and request our offloaded bags?
work2fly is online now  
Old Nov 23, 2014, 10:47 am
  #1360  
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: ZRH/SFO
Programs: A3*G - AZ CFP- HH DIA
Posts: 3,666
Originally Posted by work2fly
Any advice as where it would be best to advise TK we won't be flying and request our offloaded bags?
At the check-in of all the flights...
Air Rarotonga is offline  
Old Nov 23, 2014, 11:29 am
  #1361  
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: SFO
Programs: AY Plat, LH FTL
Posts: 7,354
Originally Posted by Air Rarotonga
At the check-in of all the flights...
Thanks, but not really helpful.

Our initial check in is with UA, and if I tell them we won't be flying the last segment, there is likely no way we'll get the bags short checked.

We'll be told if we want to fly any of the segments, we and our bags will need to be checked in on all of the segments open for check in, which will likely be all the way.

It seems I can ask to be offloaded at a transfer desk, at TK check in, or TK baggage claim. Since our bags will need to clear customs, I'm guessing somewhere in the transit area would be the best first place to ask.

Surely, I'm not the first person on a woodcutter who will need to retrieve a checked bag when I'm finished flying the segments I want to fly. I understand the risks I'm taking, and if anyone can point me in the right direction, I'd greatly appreciate it.
work2fly is online now  
Old Nov 23, 2014, 11:55 am
  #1362  
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: TXL
Programs: A3 Silver
Posts: 1,116
Originally Posted by work2fly
Thanks, but not really helpful.

Our initial check in is with UA, and if I tell them we won't be flying the last segment, there is likely no way we'll get the bags short checked.

We'll be told if we want to fly any of the segments, we and our bags will need to be checked in on all of the segments open for check in, which will likely be all the way.

It seems I can ask to be offloaded at a transfer desk, at TK check in, or TK baggage claim. Since our bags will need to clear customs, I'm guessing somewhere in the transit area would be the best first place to ask.

Surely, I'm not the first person on a woodcutter who will need to retrieve a checked bag when I'm finished flying the segments I want to fly. I understand the risks I'm taking, and if anyone can point me in the right direction, I'd greatly appreciate it.
There's no magic way of accomplishing this. You're doing something that airlines loathe. The best bet is to hope for a nice agent.
montezume is offline  
Old Nov 23, 2014, 11:59 am
  #1363  
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,835
Bags don't travel without the passengers being present on a plane. Do they?
mlqsko is offline  
Old Nov 23, 2014, 12:31 pm
  #1364  
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: ZRH/SFO
Programs: A3*G - AZ CFP- HH DIA
Posts: 3,666
Originally Posted by work2fly
Any advice as where it would be best to advise TK we won't be flying and request our offloaded bags?
Originally Posted by work2fly
Thanks, but not really helpful.
Aehm, you asked where it "would be the best"... I don't see any better place to let short check your bags than at the check-in... Of course, you can also no-show the flight, but that can cause problems with the airline and I would not try that...
Air Rarotonga is offline  
Old Nov 23, 2014, 12:34 pm
  #1365  
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: SFO
Programs: AY Plat, LH FTL
Posts: 7,354
I appreciate the responses.

We'll use friendliness and charm at every opportunity, knowing that we'll eventually get our bags.

work2fly is online now  

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