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Is SYD-VLI a valid routing for UMP redemption?

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Is SYD-VLI a valid routing for UMP redemption?

 
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Old Jan 2, 2007, 5:52 am
  #1  
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Question Is SYD-VLI a valid routing for UMP redemption?
Port Vila, Vanuatu (VLI) doesn't seem to come up as a recognized airport on the mileage plus award booking engine, but Air NZ definitely flys SYD-AKL-VLI.

I tried calling the MP bookings desk, but they couldn't find any availability SYD-VLI or AKL-VLI any day for the next 6 months (stopped checking after that). She couldn't definitively tell me whether this is because it's an invalid routing, or if it's a valid routing that's been fully booked.

Does anyone here know? If Air NZ flys there, shouldn't it be possible to book a *A award?
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Old Jan 2, 2007, 6:12 am
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There's a current known problem with Air NZ's computer systems that is preventing MP from seeing any award availability. Search should yield more info.
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Old Jan 2, 2007, 6:41 am
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It's flown by Air Vanuatu who are not a *A member.
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Old Jan 2, 2007, 7:10 am
  #4  
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Thanks alot for the very speedy responses!
Originally Posted by BrisbanePE
There's a current known problem with Air NZ's computer systems that is preventing MP from seeing any award availability. Search should yield more info.
Thanks a lot for pointing this out, I hadn't seen it. The woman I spoke with seems to be the only one who didn't get the memo about Air NZ's connection being down!

Originally Posted by rosesplus
It's flown by Air Vanuatu who are not a *A member.
But it's shown on Air NZ's route map as being operted by Air NZ, not a codeshare.

Also, I just got on Air NZ's website to try to buy an AKL-VLI flight, and saw this:

Flight No: NZ0878
Operated by Zeal320 Ltd
Full Air New Zealand Service
With no indication anywhere that it's a codeshared Air Vanuatu flight.

If it's really operated by Air Vanuatu, that's very shady on Air NZ's part.

So you're sure that there's no way to get a 20k SYD-VLI MP award?
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Old Jan 2, 2007, 7:14 am
  #5  
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Originally Posted by BrisbanePE
There's a current known problem with Air NZ's computer systems that is preventing MP from seeing any award availability. Search should yield more info.
As of when? While I know it was down for several weeks, it was up again as of the day before yesterday. I doubt the agent would be searching if the system was not working, so I think the availability was somewhat accurate.
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Old Jan 2, 2007, 5:05 pm
  #6  
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To correct some misinformation above. Until recently AKL-VLI vv was only flown by Air Vanuatu. NZ started flying on some days from end of October 2006. On other days Air Vanuatu flies. You have to get the right day of week to get NZ metal (yes A320 a/c).

NZ378, NZ379 are the flight numbers operated by Air Vanuatu (currently Wed & Sat). NZ878, NZ879 are the flight numbers operated by NZ (currently Sun only).

SYD-VLI would need to be via AKL. Does this exceed MPM for a single UA MP award? If so then need 2 awards.

Loads are generally fairly low on AKL-VLI so should be plenty of availability.
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Old Jan 2, 2007, 8:13 pm
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Originally Posted by lucky9876coins
As of when? While I know it was down for several weeks, it was up again as of the day before yesterday.
I hadn't seen any reports of the problem being rectified. Thanks for the update.
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Old Jan 2, 2007, 8:17 pm
  #8  
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Originally Posted by BrisbanePE
I hadn't seen any reports of the problem being rectified. Thanks for the update.
Yup, see this thread!
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Old Jan 3, 2007, 4:28 am
  #9  
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Originally Posted by Kiwi Flyer
To correct some misinformation above. Until recently AKL-VLI vv was only flown by Air Vanuatu. NZ started flying on some days from end of October 2006. On other days Air Vanuatu flies. You have to get the right day of week to get NZ metal (yes A320 a/c).

NZ378, NZ379 are the flight numbers operated by Air Vanuatu (currently Wed & Sat). NZ878, NZ879 are the flight numbers operated by NZ (currently Sun only).
Ahhh, ok, it all makes sense now. Thanks a lot Kiwi Flyer!

Originally Posted by Kiwi Flyer
SYD-VLI would need to be via AKL. Does this exceed MPM for a single UA MP award? If so then need 2 awards.
A very good point. After spending some time with the great circle mapper, and verifying with the SYD UA MP service centre, I've uncovered a delicious irony: Only islands far from Australia can be reached for 20k points. The MPM is actually forcing me into a redemption that's more expensive for UA.

For the benefit of others who may read this thread later, the following island destinations may be reached from SYD for 20k UA miles:
  • Tahiti (Papeete)
  • Cook Islands (Rarotonga)
  • Samoa (Apia)
  • Tonga
  • Niue
These destinations, however, are too close to SYD, and so can't be reached on a 20k UA award -- if you want to travel here you'll need to redeem two distinct 20k awards. This is because the distance SYD-AKL-XXX > 1.25 * (the SYD-XXX distance), so it would violate the MPM rules:
  • Vanuatu (Port Vila)
  • Fiji (Nadi)
  • New Caledonia (Nouméa)
  • Norfolk Island
Time for me to investigate what some of these other islands have to offer...
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Old Jan 3, 2007, 12:58 pm
  #10  
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Of the 5 you are looking into, Niue is least touristed but only 1 flight a week each way (and all economy). Tahiti is most expensive and luxurious. Tonga currently undergoing some tensions re democracy, shouldn't affect tourists but you may be unlucky and find flights cancelled for a few days if another riot happens. Cook Islands are very nice and laid back - best scenery however is on Aitutaki (a further flight away). Samoa is similar, but not quite as laid back.
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Old Jan 4, 2007, 12:48 am
  #11  
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Originally Posted by Kiwi Flyer
Of the 5 you are looking into, Niue is least touristed but only 1 flight a week each way (and all economy). Tahiti is most expensive and luxurious. Tonga currently undergoing some tensions re democracy, shouldn't affect tourists but you may be unlucky and find flights cancelled for a few days if another riot happens. Cook Islands are very nice and laid back - best scenery however is on Aitutaki (a further flight away). Samoa is similar, but not quite as laid back.
Great info... I'll have to look into the Cook Islands a bit more. Thanks a lot!
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Old Jan 4, 2007, 4:39 am
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A bit OT: SYD to South America and MPM rules?
Originally Posted by Nobby
Ahhh, ok, it all makes sense now. Thanks a lot Kiwi Flyer!
For the benefit of others who may read this thread later, the following island destinations may be reached from SYD for 20k UA miles:
  • Tahiti (Papeete)
  • Cook Islands (Rarotonga)
  • Samoa (Apia)
  • Tonga
  • Niue
These destinations, however, are too close to SYD, and so can't be reached on a 20k UA award -- if you want to travel here you'll need to redeem two distinct 20k awards. This is because the distance SYD-AKL-XXX > 1.25 * (the SYD-XXX distance), so it would violate the MPM rules:
  • Vanuatu (Port Vila)
  • Fiji (Nadi)
  • New Caledonia (Nouméa)
  • Norfolk Island
Time for me to investigate what some of these other islands have to offer...
That's interesting! We did book a SYD-CHC-AKL-NAN 20K award a couple of years ago, and we got to make a stopover in CHC. I guess that wouldn't be allowed anymore, too bad!

Sorry for the OT detour: with the new mileage requirements for *A travel, it seems that I could use the same amount of miles to fly to South America as North America. Has anyone tried that yet, and would MPM get in the way of flying, say, SYD-LAX-EZE R/T (with a stopover on the West Coast, of course)?
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Old Mar 14, 2007, 12:25 am
  #13  
 
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Originally Posted by Nobby
Great info... I'll have to look into the Cook Islands a bit more. Thanks a lot!
G'day Nobby,

How are you going with your bookings?

I'm in exactly the same situation. I've got 20,000 points and will be flying out of Sydney. I was going to head to Vanuatu but that's a no go now Cook Islands might be good though

J
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Old Mar 14, 2007, 3:46 am
  #14  
 
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For those flying from MEL...

A couple of weeks ago, I booked the following for an April trip:
MEL-AKL-TBU (Tonga, stopover)
TBU-APW (Samoa, 20h "connection")
APW-AKL-MEL
All NZ metal, though two segments are operated by Zeal320.

Actually got two award seats, one on Aeroplan and one as a MP 40k Oceania business award. It was tricky matching availability, and both are a mixture of business and economy seats. Extremely good value, as even economy seats on that routing would cost >AU$1000.
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Old Mar 14, 2007, 3:47 am
  #15  
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I never knew Niue was now an optipn - will look into that one.
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