roger77

Bkk-milan or rome. In january i tried to redeem awards for two business class tickets for travel dates in february, no seats.i thought it was too last minute. Then i tried 6 months in advance for july still no seats. I got a bit suspicious. I checked the seats for the full month of july day by day for both routes bkk-milan-bkk, bkk-rome-bkk, not one seat available for the full month of july. They keep you on waiting list for months not understanding that a passenger has to book his connecting flights online, request for visa which the procedure takes 15 days for europe and us visa. Have been on hold for good 45 minutes to an hour and had conversations with asia mils for one and a half hours, the staff try to help but are more than surprised than me that they cannot find a seat available throughout the month. At one point they even suggested why dont you redeem it for some other stuff. As a customer who choose to be a member of asia miles should be entitled to get what they want. Many of us intentionally collect miles for a vacation, the miles have not come free, the cost of miles have been included in airline ticket fares or credit fees whichever way each member has earned them. They should not treat customer thinking asia miles can give customer anything they feel like giving, you have indirectly charged us for these miles and should honor them. As a member of thai rop program as well, its a very different experience redeeming tickets, instantly yo are advised on alternatives to move your dates to get a confirmation or a better chance. But staff of asia miles have no information what is the status of the flight what flight should you move to to get the confirmation (actually nothing is available so what they can suggest as a asia miles member you are treated as a beggar, if some seat are left unsold they may consider passing it on to customer redeeming awards.

CanucksHKG

Try one year in advance.

Welcome to the world of Asia Miles

percysmith

Fortunately my first redemptions (HKG-SYD Y) were pretty easy with Asia Miles, but before you start earning miles for a new FFP, it's generally a good idea to play with that FFP's award engine to get a feel for what redemptions can be had.

Blackouts are a way of life.

I remember there's a thread in this forum about awards to Europe being blacked out for summer 2013 - can anyone find it?

I got me and my +1 a very nice pair of HKG-xMXP-oMAD-oMXP-HKG U tix for late October. We're accountants so October's our quiet season. Booked it last November, hope nothing comes up to stop me flying it! There're still seats available 21/29 Oct.

We love BKK. To the point I'm booked to go three times this year. Once in CNY (Golf), once Easter (Hua Hin) and once in December. The first two are revenue (yes I know what I said about not travelling revenue tix but my family booked it far too late) and even Dec 27/29 had to be done in U in order to clear, and I had to do it about 350 days out. BKK is just too popular for award travel.

Tried redeeming BKK for mid- or late June without luck. No June weekend will clear for BKK. We had three places we wanted to go on miles - TPE, BKK and PVG and had three times we wanted to do it - mid June (my birthday), mid September (her birthday) and 27/29 Dec. TPE won't clear for 27/29 Dec so we're doing BKK in U instead. PVG is available anytime so we're doing it for my birthday mid-June (originally was hers). TPE was booked for hers in lieu.

Late June is the handover day holiday and I even managed to grab a 3-day trip to MEL for ski, tho that was a 60,000 mile burn instead of the usual 45,000 cos I had to go through SYD instead of direct. And we also used a partner airline (QF) - I am able to access QF inventory info through QFFFP (entry fee charged) and redeem via Asia Miles but the info is also available via BAEC (entry fee free).

ELMOBOY

I thought it depends on the destination, some short haul flight quite easy to redeem, but not as long haul. Like I just redeemed 4 U class to YYZ, I need to book in a year advance, so I can confirmed the seat and not at waiting list status.

peasant

Yep, for a popular destination like Italy during peak holiday season, redemption seats will be snapped up a year in advance or so.

Psychiatrist

Milan and Rome are reasonable easy if you book U class. I've been able to book both cities very easily. Perhaps you need to be a bit more creative, routing to another place city (e.g. via LHR) or another carrier (RJ to AMM, then AMM-BKK).

Waiting lists often take a long time to clear (even as a GO or DM, they don't clear that easily, especially during peak season).

Trying to book 2 tickets makes it more difficult. Single tickets are usually easier.

Good luck and try booking earlier next time! CX releases inventory 360 days in advance, although more seats do get released closer to the date.

percysmith

I've never lived or studied in Canada tho I have plenty of "aunties" who do. YYZ always seem hard to redeem...so the key is to do 350 day?

unfrequentflyer

I have gotten YYZ J award 2 weeks prior to flight date. Does OP use expertflyer to find available awards?

ELMOBOY

Yes, I've checked that they won't release more than 5 U seats totally in the first day. The key is I have to book 4 together at the earliest time they release the tickets. Of course, the best day to redeem is the first release day, then you can make sure you have the "Confirm" status. You know that redeem 4 U at the same time is hard way, anyway thanks for help me last time.

garykung

FWIW - based on reports from AA forum, it sounds like it is easier to redeem premium class from AA operated by CX.

Beside - you are not the first or last person to complain this.

There is a reason why M+ can stay strong in HKG despite CX/KA's influence in HKG.

roger77

I did ask them to check availability in November/December 2013!! Still same result no seats!!

ELMOBOY

I just check there is 2 U available at Nov fm BKK - MXP



Sorry for the Chinese version, but it can still find some available.

Psychiatrist

CX releases inventory 360 days in advance. Currently released up to early January 2014.

For Nov/Dec 2013, you should have booked in Nov/Dec 2012.

hadsst

I can't see any general blackouts. I can still find availability for HKG-LHR and LHR-HKG, in J, W and Y, on certain dates in late July 2013.

percysmith

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/catha...tickets.html#8

(but this wasn't the quote I was thinking of)