Feb 6, 2015, 12:35 am
Last edit by: GuyFromBOM
AI-FR FAQs
Flight Ops
AI - Web Check-In
Baggage Info
Air India - Flying Returns FFP
FFP - Earning
FFP - Redemption
Contact Details
Membership Kit Related
Flight Ops
- All Air India flights in the range AI10 - AI399 and AI900 - AI999 operate from International terminals.
- At BOM - CSIA, all Air India flights (domestic and international) operate from International Terminal : T2 - with effect from October 1, 2015
- At AMD - Ahmedabad SVP Airport, all Air India flights operate from International Terminal : T2- including flight AI614.
- Check-in desks close 45 minutes before STD (Domestic flights)
- Check-in desks close 60 minutes before STD (Domestic flights operating from International Terminal) (For International flights refer to the copy of eticket)
- AirIndia Express is the LCC subsidary of AI (all Y seating) and doesn't have FFP concept in their systems.
- All flights operating under 9I-xxxx series or AI 9xxx are operated by AirIndia Regional (aka Alliance Air - subsidary of AI). FFP benefits: Mileage Earning Only- NO REDEMPTION.
AI - Web Check-In
- Web Check-In facility is available for most AI operated flights (except flights operated by 9I) from 48 hours prior to departure.
- Web Check-In on Mobile
Baggage Info
- AI-FR members get excess baggage allowance of 10kgs (Silver Club), 20kgs (Gold & Maharaja Club) OR 1 piece (upto 23kgs / 50lbs) for Silver, Gold & Maharaja Club members.
- StarAlliance Gold members flying on AI flights, get excess baggage allowance of 20kgs OR 1 piece (upto 23kgs / 50lbs).
- AI Baggage Allowance
Air India - Flying Returns FFP
FFP - Earning
- Earning AI-FR miles on AI flights
- Earning AI-FR miles on StarAlliance partner flights
- Earning AI-FR miles on Code-share flights operated on behalf of AI
FFP - Redemption
- Redeeming AI-FR miles for AI flights / upgrade (Redemption on AI flights can be processed online)
- Redeeming AI-FR miles for StarAlliance Awards / StarAlliance Upgrade Awards (Currently only processed at the AI City Offices)
- AI-FR miles CANNOT BE REDEEMED on Codeshare flights
- Award Request Form
- Upgrade Request Form
Contact Details
- AI Helpdesk - India
- AI Helpdesk - International locations
- For issues related to Flying Returns account: Helpline Numbers - 011-24624074, 011-24624075
- One of the easiest way to contact AI is using chat option from the AirIndia website. They are usually available 24x7. Next best option would be the AI team on Twitter
Membership Kit Related
- Contact the Membership Kit dispatch team on +91 (0)22 61342252 (Monday to Friday between 10:00 to 17:00) or send an email to: [email protected]
AirIndia - FlyingReturns
Dec 22, 2016, 8:00 am
#226
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: India
Programs: Star Alliance Gold, SkyTeam Elite Plus, Hilton Gold
Posts: 907
New Star Alliance Award Chart
Alas, Santa brings bad news for AI-FR !
Their aesthetically pleasing new Star Alliance award chart is now confirmed. The changes take place from tomorrow, 23rd December 2016.
Here's their old chart valid till midnight, 22nd December 2016: http://flyingreturns.co.in/images/do...ward_chart.pdf
And here's the new one. valid from 23rd December 2016 onwards: http://www.flyingreturns.co.in/image...pdated_SAC.pdf
Salient Summary of Enhancements-
- Every single redemption is costlier now, other than some intra-region short flights.
- India to North America: Y redemption goes from 55k one way to 100k one way. 81% increase.
- India to Europe: Y redemption goes from 32.5k one way to 90k one way. 177% increase.
- India to South Pacific: Y redemption goes from 42.5k one way to 90k one way. 146% increase.
- First Class redemptions were 250% of Economy in the earlier chart. Now they go up to 300%.
- No Date Changes allowed once award is booked, you have to cancel award and start new.
- If you cancel the award, you will forfeit 20% miles used for booking.
- Cancellations allowed only till 72 hours before the journey.
Now for the silver lining (!) :
- New chart allows for either 3 layovers, or 2 layovers + 1 stopover. This eliminates a huge frustrating nature of previous chart.
Previous chart only allowed for point-to-point ticketing. e.g. a BOM-FRA-EWR award used to cost BOM-FRA sector + FRA-EWR sector points. That's gone away now thankfully (hopefully?).
- No Fuel surcharge ! ^
However, they will collect INR 1000 per sector as ticketing fees.
- Intra-region short flights < 500 miles are cheaper across the board now. For Intra-USA, flights < 1000 miles also come out ahead in the new chart. In all other regions however, flights > 1000 miles go up.
I wished they might have implemented online booking of partner awards to at least counter their grossly incompetent agents, but I guess I will have to wait for next Christmas for that! I might have to ask myself why the AI-SBI card still loiters around in my wallet anymore.
Thoughts?
P.S.: Those who have a redemption coming and might now look at the old chart wistfully, you might want to move a bit quicker !!
Their aesthetically pleasing new Star Alliance award chart is now confirmed. The changes take place from tomorrow, 23rd December 2016.
Here's their old chart valid till midnight, 22nd December 2016: http://flyingreturns.co.in/images/do...ward_chart.pdf
And here's the new one. valid from 23rd December 2016 onwards: http://www.flyingreturns.co.in/image...pdated_SAC.pdf
Salient Summary of Enhancements-
- Every single redemption is costlier now, other than some intra-region short flights.
- India to North America: Y redemption goes from 55k one way to 100k one way. 81% increase.
- India to Europe: Y redemption goes from 32.5k one way to 90k one way. 177% increase.
- India to South Pacific: Y redemption goes from 42.5k one way to 90k one way. 146% increase.
- First Class redemptions were 250% of Economy in the earlier chart. Now they go up to 300%.
- No Date Changes allowed once award is booked, you have to cancel award and start new.
- If you cancel the award, you will forfeit 20% miles used for booking.
- Cancellations allowed only till 72 hours before the journey.
Now for the silver lining (!) :
- New chart allows for either 3 layovers, or 2 layovers + 1 stopover. This eliminates a huge frustrating nature of previous chart.
Previous chart only allowed for point-to-point ticketing. e.g. a BOM-FRA-EWR award used to cost BOM-FRA sector + FRA-EWR sector points. That's gone away now thankfully (hopefully?).
- No Fuel surcharge ! ^
However, they will collect INR 1000 per sector as ticketing fees.
- Intra-region short flights < 500 miles are cheaper across the board now. For Intra-USA, flights < 1000 miles also come out ahead in the new chart. In all other regions however, flights > 1000 miles go up.
I wished they might have implemented online booking of partner awards to at least counter their grossly incompetent agents, but I guess I will have to wait for next Christmas for that! I might have to ask myself why the AI-SBI card still loiters around in my wallet anymore.
Thoughts?
P.S.: Those who have a redemption coming and might now look at the old chart wistfully, you might want to move a bit quicker !!
Last edited by deovrat; Dec 24, 2016 at 5:58 am
Jan 4, 2017, 9:26 pm
#228
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: India
Programs: Star Alliance Gold, SkyTeam Elite Plus, Hilton Gold
Posts: 907
Jan 13, 2017, 3:11 am
#230
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,668
Jan 13, 2017, 3:19 am
#231
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: BOM-SIN-EWR
Programs: UA*G (1K again), Sixt Plat, *was*: SQ QPP01 & SK EBS/EBG, LH SEN, AA EXP, 9wPlat
Posts: 8,606
Are you planning to transit EWR or make it a stopover?
Jan 13, 2017, 4:15 am
#232
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 336
I have had to email them and they've said I'll receive a clarification from them. I have given up hope and just booked a direct LAS-DTW on Delta using my HDFC Diners points. I was just hoping to use some of these useless AI miles that I seem to be swimming in.
Jan 13, 2017, 5:21 am
#233
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,158
By routing thru EWR you are exceeding the TPM by >25%. ORD or DEN as transit are possible and within 25% of TPM, hence the rejection.
Code:
>fqm las dtt
FQM LAS DTT
CTY DC TPM CUM MPM DC LVL <HGL >LWL 25M XTRA
LAS 1
DTT 1 US 1749 1749
> PAGE 1/ 1
>fqm las den dtt
FQM LAS DEN DTT
CTY DC TPM CUM MPM DC LVL <HGL >LWL 25M XTRA
LAS 1
DEN 1 US 609 609
DTT 1 US 1142 1751
> PAGE 1/ 1
>fqm las nyc dtt
FQM LAS NYC DTT
CTY DC TPM CUM MPM DC LVL <HGL >LWL 25M XTRA
LAS 1
NYC 1 US 2225 2225
DTT 1 US 485 2710
> PAGE 1/ 1
>fqm las chi dtt
FQM LAS CHI DTT
CTY DC TPM CUM MPM DC LVL <HGL >LWL 25M XTRA
LAS 1
CHI 1 US 1509 1509
DTT 1 US 240 1749
> PAGE 1/ 1
>
Jan 13, 2017, 5:58 am
#234
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 336
By routing thru EWR you are exceeding the TPM by >25%. ORD or DEN as transit are possible and within 25% of TPM, hence the rejection.
Code:
>fqm las dtt
FQM LAS DTT
CTY DC TPM CUM MPM DC LVL <HGL >LWL 25M XTRA
LAS 1
DTT 1 US 1749 1749
> PAGE 1/ 1
>fqm las den dtt
FQM LAS DEN DTT
CTY DC TPM CUM MPM DC LVL <HGL >LWL 25M XTRA
LAS 1
DEN 1 US 609 609
DTT 1 US 1142 1751
> PAGE 1/ 1
>fqm las nyc dtt
FQM LAS NYC DTT
CTY DC TPM CUM MPM DC LVL <HGL >LWL 25M XTRA
LAS 1
NYC 1 US 2225 2225
DTT 1 US 485 2710
> PAGE 1/ 1
>fqm las chi dtt
FQM LAS CHI DTT
CTY DC TPM CUM MPM DC LVL <HGL >LWL 25M XTRA
LAS 1
CHI 1 US 1509 1509
DTT 1 US 240 1749
> PAGE 1/ 1
>
Jan 26, 2017, 12:51 pm
#235
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: DownUnder
Programs: SQ Gold, QR Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 134
Cancellation before 72 hours now being charged 20 percent of points for award redemption. Not sure when this was changed from the flat 500 (or 1000) points.
Last edited by paag; Jan 26, 2017 at 1:00 pm
Jan 26, 2017, 2:27 pm
#236
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: India
Programs: Star Alliance Gold, SkyTeam Elite Plus, Hilton Gold
Posts: 907
Jan 30, 2017, 11:29 pm
#237
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: United Silver Hilton Gold Virgin Atlantic Silver Le Accos Platinum Air India Silver
Posts: 58
Successfully booked a UA award flight using Flying returns miles. ( SFO-DEN-MEM )
Data points - Had to call thrice to complete the booking. Called their US tool free number, and the agent was polite enough to transfer to the Star Alliance desk, and the second agent was good enough when I feeded him the UA flight numbers ( the award availability matched the UA website for X inventory ). Was placed on multiple holds throughout the call for the agent to check the flights, number of miles required, tax amount etc, but eventually the agent could generate a PNR and was asked to call back after couple of hours by when the agent said UA would confirm the availability ( I thought that happened instantly !! ).
Called this morning to check if I can get it ticketed, only to be informed that it's not possible yet. Called the third time and the agent walked me through the process of completing the booking, used a US credit card over the IVR and it went through successfully, was charged 15k miles plus 1532INR.( The same flight would have set me back by $320 )
Not the easiest redemption booking I have done by I must say AI is coming of age with their customer service, all 3 agents I dealt with were very polite and sincerely wanted to help, although I would appreciate AI giving their agents a bit more training when to comes to searching for awards.
Glad to help others if they have any questions.
Data points - Had to call thrice to complete the booking. Called their US tool free number, and the agent was polite enough to transfer to the Star Alliance desk, and the second agent was good enough when I feeded him the UA flight numbers ( the award availability matched the UA website for X inventory ). Was placed on multiple holds throughout the call for the agent to check the flights, number of miles required, tax amount etc, but eventually the agent could generate a PNR and was asked to call back after couple of hours by when the agent said UA would confirm the availability ( I thought that happened instantly !! ).
Called this morning to check if I can get it ticketed, only to be informed that it's not possible yet. Called the third time and the agent walked me through the process of completing the booking, used a US credit card over the IVR and it went through successfully, was charged 15k miles plus 1532INR.( The same flight would have set me back by $320 )
Not the easiest redemption booking I have done by I must say AI is coming of age with their customer service, all 3 agents I dealt with were very polite and sincerely wanted to help, although I would appreciate AI giving their agents a bit more training when to comes to searching for awards.
Glad to help others if they have any questions.
Jan 31, 2017, 3:10 am
#238
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,668
Successfully booked a UA award flight using Flying returns miles. ( SFO-DEN-MEM )
Data points - Had to call thrice to complete the booking. Called their US tool free number, and the agent was polite enough to transfer to the Star Alliance desk, and the second agent was good enough when I feeded him the UA flight numbers ( the award availability matched the UA website for X inventory ). Was placed on multiple holds throughout the call for the agent to check the flights, number of miles required, tax amount etc, but eventually the agent could generate a PNR and was asked to call back after couple of hours by when the agent said UA would confirm the availability ( I thought that happened instantly !! ).
Called this morning to check if I can get it ticketed, only to be informed that it's not possible yet. Called the third time and the agent walked me through the process of completing the booking, used a US credit card over the IVR and it went through successfully, was charged 15k miles plus 1532INR.( The same flight would have set me back by $320 )
Not the easiest redemption booking I have done by I must say AI is coming of age with their customer service, all 3 agents I dealt with were very polite and sincerely wanted to help, although I would appreciate AI giving their agents a bit more training when to comes to searching for awards.
Glad to help others if they have any questions.
Data points - Had to call thrice to complete the booking. Called their US tool free number, and the agent was polite enough to transfer to the Star Alliance desk, and the second agent was good enough when I feeded him the UA flight numbers ( the award availability matched the UA website for X inventory ). Was placed on multiple holds throughout the call for the agent to check the flights, number of miles required, tax amount etc, but eventually the agent could generate a PNR and was asked to call back after couple of hours by when the agent said UA would confirm the availability ( I thought that happened instantly !! ).
Called this morning to check if I can get it ticketed, only to be informed that it's not possible yet. Called the third time and the agent walked me through the process of completing the booking, used a US credit card over the IVR and it went through successfully, was charged 15k miles plus 1532INR.( The same flight would have set me back by $320 )
Not the easiest redemption booking I have done by I must say AI is coming of age with their customer service, all 3 agents I dealt with were very polite and sincerely wanted to help, although I would appreciate AI giving their agents a bit more training when to comes to searching for awards.
Glad to help others if they have any questions.
Jan 31, 2017, 4:14 am
#239
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: India
Programs: Star Alliance Gold, SkyTeam Elite Plus, Hilton Gold
Posts: 907
I've found that sometimes Aeroplan shows United space available to Star partners more accurately than UA's own website. If availability matches on AC, AI should probably be able to see it.
Jan 31, 2017, 4:35 am
#240
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,668