deovrat

Done

bluecrabs

On a side note, I wonder why these issues are not nipped in the bud permanently and why the transitional customer service is not aware.. Oh well...

Bioflyer

its AI...(just completing ur sentence )

rajdeep181

Does AI allow Stop Over and Open Jaw options while booking tickets via miles either on its own metal or *A?

paag

Open jaw is possible, but not stopovers on their own metal or *A.
They don't have a stopover yet. Each itinerary will be priced differently.

deovrat

AI allows one-way redemptions, so open-jaw is redundant and hence out of question.
Stopover is available on Star Alliance redemptions theoretically, but good luck getting an agent to understand that and process the same for you. We haven't known anyone getting a stopover successfully on a single itinerary.

Bioflyer

I assume we all discussed earlier that AI systems basically do not support a redemption of A to C via B - i.e we have to shed out separate miles for each sector - A to B and than B to C - which in-turn can serve the purpose of Stopover.

Please advise if I am missing something!

deovrat

Indeed we did, here.

However, it doesn't technically serve the stop-over purpose. A stop-over should let you make a stop at B while going from A to C at the same price that you'd be charged for a direct flight from A to C.

deovrat

Just woke up to this email from AI-FR which stated the following:


1) They've already enhanced award availability from 15 Aug 2015 - 22 Oct 2015.

2) For Domestic Sectors, they will release more seats for redemption 14 days out.
On 7 day mark, they will release even more seats.

3) For International Sectors, they will release more seats for redemption 21 days out.
11 days out, they will release even more seats.

4) The above only applicable from 15 Aug 2015 - 22 Oct 2015.


Thoughts?
AI being generous or is this some sort of added inventory to its own FF members? Currently AI makes the same award inventory available for both its own members and other Star Alliance airlines.

For what its worth, I checked some random close-in dates for both international and domestic sectors for which I know the availability patterns beforehand, and there is no extra inventory as of now. Furthermore, all Star Alliance airlines currently show the same space that AI shows its own members.
Mark this one as developing, but good to see someone in AI's FR program taking some initiative.. ^

Keyser

same here....i've been watching award availability for a couple of sectors for the last few weeks & checking those routes & dates show no change as of today....hopefully that will change....

tirajat

I intend to upgrade from Y to J using miles, but it seems AI allows it only if the the ticket is booked in certain classes. Any idea if I book in a lower class (through an OTA), can I change my ticket to a higher class later by directly contacting AI - I did it a few years ago with Jet for using upgrade vouchers, but not sure if AI will allow it.

Thanks

deovrat

I tried this recently over phone, but the call center agents say it cannot be done. You have to cancel your existing ticket and buy a new one; no matter if the original one is purchased through OTA or AI itself.

tirajat

I guess I can't do it at all then, since I am travelling on Mumbai-Manila sector - I am not able to book it on AI wensite and with an OTA, I cannot choose the class of booking. Will call AI to book on phone and see if that works.

deovrat

Is your first sector on AI and are you trying to upgrade that sector only? Or all the sectors?
If the cost difference in 2 classes of fares is too big, you'd be better off going for a full award in some cases. Obviously you need to do your math here, but I've found that even buying some AI miles to top up for a full award could come out cheaper in some cases than paying for a higher fare class and still paying a reasonable chunk of miles for upgrade.

deovrat

News: Since Oct 1 2015, all Air India flights (domestic + international) from BOM will depart from Terminal 2 exclusively.

Wiki updated to that effect.