Jul 21, 2014, 8:26 am
Air India (AI) joined *A - UA M+ RDMs/EQMs, Redemptions{now on ua.com},Experinces,...
Aug 17, 2014, 9:47 pm
#91
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: BUR / LAX
Programs: UA MM/Gold; WN A-list; HH something depending; Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,546
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (BB10; Kbd) AppleWebKit/537.35+ (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/10.2.1.3253 Mobile Safari/537.35+)
It was bad enough under the old UA charts that made India super pricey, but now, with the Star partners costing so much more I'm wondering if it makes sense to get close using UA miles and then buy a paid ticket to some place to India.
Originally Posted by hightide
A trip to India is on my list.
I'm a little shocked to find that Indonesia - India is 70k miles return!
I'm a little shocked to find that Indonesia - India is 70k miles return!
Last edited by abaheti; Aug 18, 2014 at 10:10 pm Reason: changed "from" to "to"
Aug 17, 2014, 9:58 pm
#92
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: ATL
Programs: All of Them
Posts: 511
Posted a trip report of my DEL-ORD F flight over in the community forum if anyone is interested: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-...maharajah.html
Aug 25, 2014, 7:35 pm
#93
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 638
Who knew aircraft maintenance was so easy? Just a #2 Phillips screwdriver and the tail pops right off!
Aug 25, 2014, 10:43 pm
#94
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 14,876
Flew a domestic segment on AI, first one since they've joined *. BOM-MAA. Short flight. Almost was on the dreamliner, but its a late flight, and i ended up being able to leave earlier, so it was just on a 319. Some notes:
- flight was fine - served a snack on a 5:00pm flight - took the Indian vegetarian: Poha, a sweet dish and also a piece of cake, along with a bottle of water.
- tea/coffee service, but not a full beverage service (and consistent with my previous AI domestic flight experiences)
- checked baggage, 33.5 kg. between wife and I - that's 3.5 kg over the normal allowance (though under the allowance for any AI Flying Returns member) Agent looked at the scale, and asked something like "that's all?"
- I asked about priority baggage since I didn't see her trying to put on the orange *A priority tags when attaching the tags. She said, of course, and proceeded to get out a white-backgrounded AI priority tag (said FC) without *A branding - it attached to the bag with the stringy tags (like the UA ID tags you get at US airports) - didn't ask about it, but I guess they are using up their old stock before transitioning to new priority tags for *A
- Lounge: agent at check-in proactively gave us lounge passes (guess twe need to use those), but didn't use the lounge at all. I had time, but cleared security assuming it was past it (habit), but lounge at BOM is before security. Didn't go back as I didn't want to re-clear
- Priority tags seemed to work - bags are pretty quick in general for domestic flights, they were on the carousel by the time I got there and appeared to be out first
- Miles to MP correctly posted - took 4 - 5 days. I was on an E class fare, so received 50% RDM/PQM, 0 PQS
Aug 26, 2014, 8:41 pm
#95
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 23
AI does NOT give Mileage to Kids below 12 years - unlike UA, ANA etc
I am booked for a trip to India on UA ---> ANA ---> AI
On AI the Mileage Drop Down (to Choose your Star Carrier - Mileage Plus for Example
does not show up --- based on Age) Only >> 12 years get the option to put Mileage Plus
FF Number
I am booked for a trip to India on UA ---> ANA ---> AI
On AI the Mileage Drop Down (to Choose your Star Carrier - Mileage Plus for Example
does not show up --- based on Age) Only >> 12 years get the option to put Mileage Plus
FF Number
Sep 24, 2014, 1:45 pm
#96
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: DFW
Programs: AA 1M
Posts: 31,465
Looks like we cannot book AI flights online. Anyone know why? Or if it will ever be allowed?
Sep 25, 2014, 6:38 pm
#97
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: En Route
Programs: Many
Posts: 6,798
Why isn't AI award info loaded into the system
Don't see any AI flights on any routes on ua.com, I know SQ is blocked from UA.com, which other *A partners won't show their award inventory on ua.com?
Sep 25, 2014, 6:45 pm
#98
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: LHR (sometimes CLE, SFO, BOS, LAX, SEA)
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 5,892
Sep 25, 2014, 6:45 pm
#99
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: En Route
Programs: Many
Posts: 6,798
Sep 27, 2014, 10:35 am
#100
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: IAD
Programs: UA Gold + 1MM; HHonors Gold; Marriott Plat
Posts: 746
You have to call reservations. I was booking BLR-DEL-MUC flights using UA miles. The BLR-DEL segment would not show up on ua.com. I saw it was available as an award on aeroplan's website. Called ua and gave them the AI flight #. They booked the whole trip it in minutes! There was no additional miles for the BLR-DEL segment (as expected), so its worth the call.
Sep 27, 2014, 11:32 am
#101
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2003
Programs: UA 1K 1MM (finally!), IHG AMB-Spire, HH Diamond
Posts: 60,144
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (BB10; Kbd) AppleWebKit/537.35+ (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/10.2.1.3253 Mobile Safari/537.35+)
It was bad enough under the old UA charts that made India super pricey, but now, with the Star partners costing so much more I'm wondering if it makes sense to get close using UA miles and then buy a paid ticket to some place to India.
Originally Posted by hightide
A trip to India is on my list.
I'm a little shocked to find that Indonesia - India is 70k miles return!
A trip to India is on my list.
I'm a little shocked to find that Indonesia - India is 70k miles return!
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Sep 27, 2014 at 12:19 pm Reason: fixed BBcode
Dec 17, 2014, 2:08 pm
#102
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 18
Booked an AI flight with UA. Flight is not ticketed yet and the agent told me it can take up to 24 hours for AI to confirm the flight in order to get ticketed.
Is this SOP for AI or should I call UA again and insist on manual ticketing?
Is this SOP for AI or should I call UA again and insist on manual ticketing?
Dec 17, 2014, 3:46 pm
#103
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 14,876
IATA rules actually allow the operating carrier 72 hours to confirm inventory at which point the flights are confirmed and then go to ticket (and CC charged) or deny it and then the ticket doesn't get issued or charged for. Believe there are stricter rules for *A high, and they are supposed to do so within 24 hours.
Dec 17, 2014, 8:41 pm
#104
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 18
SOP for any partner.
IATA rules actually allow the operating carrier 72 hours to confirm inventory at which point the flights are confirmed and then go to ticket (and CC charged) or deny it and then the ticket doesn't get issued or charged for. Believe there are stricter rules for *A high, and they are supposed to do so within 24 hours.
IATA rules actually allow the operating carrier 72 hours to confirm inventory at which point the flights are confirmed and then go to ticket (and CC charged) or deny it and then the ticket doesn't get issued or charged for. Believe there are stricter rules for *A high, and they are supposed to do so within 24 hours.
My concern is that the ressy still shows as a held reservation on UA.com and does not look like a purchased reservation that is awaiting ticketing.
