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Lifemiles serious booking problems - Beware (old legacy thread)

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Old Aug 17, 2013, 12:43 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: Tokyoite
Please do your homework before buying Lifemiles. It is what it is... for some that's useful, for others it's not.

Biggest complaints are about
- mixed class bookings are available but now many of the suitable connections dont show
- not being able to book anything that isn't available online (there are work-arounds, see screenshot method below)
- the quality of the call center (English speaking agents are scarce, you might get thrown in a loop with call transfers within their call center)
- no stopovers (>24H) or open jaws, but you can book one way awards
- no reservations on Certain subsidiaries of Star Alliance carriers (Lufthansa Cityline, Germanwings)

Problems with ticketing / lack of confirmation screen or email
- write down the confirmation number shown on the screen after confirming your purchase.
check here: http://serviciosenlinea.avianca.com/...doReserva.aspx

Sometimes, even if you cannot see the PNR, the record may have been created, so better to call them and give them flight details you were trying to book. They can find the PNR from those details.
- ticketing usually takes place within 10-15 min of booking
- but it may also take up to 2 days
- if miles have been deducted from your account and a temporary authorization has been placed on your CC, you're probably fine even if you did not see a confirmation screen
- if no e-ticket number is visible on checkmytrip.com after two days, you should contact LifeMiles. You can expedite the ticketing by emailing with your booking reference to: [email protected] after you have booked, especially if you have booked last minute flights, and need ticketing straight away

Screenshot method.
So, on a date you are looking for in the future, there is availability for LAX-NRT and NRT-BKK. But not LAX-NRT-BKK.
It may be a case of the LM system not offering the through connection.

Take three screen shots - two 'available' screen shots for LAX-NRT and NRT-BKK and the 'not available' screen for LAX-BKK.
Send them all off with a scan of your passport page (PDF) and LM will make the booking manually for you.

Send to these two email addresses, and CC yourself (just for your records)
[email protected]
[email protected]

Sample email:
====
Email topic: Urgent request for booking Lifemiles Award
====
Dear Sirs,

I have tried several times, over several days, but the following itinerary does not show on the website.
Please see the three attached screenshots I took just now.
Please do the manual booking First Class/Business class for xx,000 miles. (*Know how many miles the whole award should cost-here, to avoid surprises once ticketed)

The availability is only 1 seat for this date, so please process this request urgently before it is gone.

Los Angeles (LAX) - Bangkok (BKK)
Saturday August 11th 2018
NH 175 connecting to NH 807
(*Provide the specific flight numbers you want, to avoid surprises once ticketed)

My passport copy (Number xxxx, expiry 20xx/xx/xx, Nationality xxx) is attached in this email.

LifeMiles Number: xxx
First Name: xxx
Last name: xxx
Date of Birth: Month, date, year
Gender: Male/Female
Email: xxxx
Phone Number: +1-xxxx

Regards,
XXX
=========
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Lifemiles serious booking problems - Beware (old legacy thread)

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Old Jun 9, 2017, 8:09 pm
  #556  
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: NYC
Posts: 9,118
Originally Posted by Air Rarotonga

Somtimes LM shows phantom availability, what would lead you to an error page in the booking process...
Often I would say on LH, OS and LX. Call and ask if they see availability. If not a screenshot is not likely to work.
erik123 is offline  
Old Jun 10, 2017, 3:28 pm
  #557  
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: TLV
Posts: 522
Two support requests with screenshots in the past couple of weeks have gone unanswered.
Maayan is offline  
Old Jun 10, 2017, 3:53 pm
  #558  
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Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
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Originally Posted by Maayan
Two support requests with screenshots in the past couple of weeks have gone unanswered.
That's unusual. They do have two email addresses, apparently one isn't monitored. The one to use is: [email protected]
LHR/MEL/Europe FF is offline  
Old Jun 10, 2017, 5:45 pm
  #559  
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: TLV
Posts: 522
Originally Posted by LHR/MEL/Europe FF
That's unusual. They do have two email addresses, apparently one isn't monitored. The one to use is: [email protected]
OK, trying the support address instead of soporte. Will update. Thanks.
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Old Jun 10, 2017, 5:56 pm
  #560  
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Originally Posted by Maayan
OK, trying the support address instead of soporte. Will update. Thanks.
it has been reported before that the 'soporte' address doesn't get monitored/answered. The 'support' address should get you a response in 24 hours (48 max).
LHR/MEL/Europe FF is offline  
Old Jun 10, 2017, 6:11 pm
  #561  
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: UA, QF, VS, AA, US, HH, SPG
Posts: 974
Originally Posted by LHR/MEL/Europe FF
it has been reported before that the 'soporte' address doesn't get monitored/answered. The 'support' address should get you a response in 24 hours (48 max).
My most recent screen shot request (to the Support address) went completely unanswered - I just gave up and bought tickets (as the award seats disappeared after a few days). The one before that needed several follow up e-mails to get action.
pschafer is offline  
Old Jun 10, 2017, 8:13 pm
  #562  
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,720
Originally Posted by Maayan
Two support requests with screenshots in the past couple of weeks have gone unanswered.
I had a screenshot email booking request go unanswered because award availability had disappeared from their website shortly after I sent the email.

So you may want to double check that the availability is still there.

I always email both the support@ and soporte@ addresses.
iluvdoco is offline  
Old Jun 10, 2017, 10:34 pm
  #563  
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: TLV
Posts: 522
Originally Posted by iluvdoco
I had a screenshot email booking request go unanswered because award availability had disappeared from their website shortly after I sent the email.

So you may want to double check that the availability is still there.

I always email both the support@ and soporte@ addresses.
Yes, the availability is there, has been showing up on LM for weeks. I suspected that this might be phantom, so a couple of weeks ago I tried to book the same flight using UA miles. Usually when it's phantom (as is sometimes the case with OS TLV-VIE), UA will come back with a failure message at the very end of the process, after putting in the CC and clicking the purchase button. But this one went through and ticketed, which I then canceled, as I prefer to save the expensive-and-highly-usable UA miles for a rainy day. I can wait a couple of weeks more before I give up on LM and book it with UA just before the $75 close-in fee kicks in.
Maayan is offline  
Old Jun 14, 2017, 7:13 pm
  #564  
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: TLV
Posts: 522
Originally Posted by LHR/MEL/Europe FF
That's unusual. They do have two email addresses, apparently one isn't monitored. The one to use is: [email protected]
Originally Posted by Maayan
OK, trying the support address instead of soporte. Will update. Thanks.
Still no response. Maybe they too are scratching their heads why flights on EU carriers out of LAX won't book for them in C either. LM is still showing the flights available, as does UA.
Maayan is offline  
Old Jun 14, 2017, 9:20 pm
  #565  
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,720
Originally Posted by Maayan
Still no response. Maybe they too are scratching their heads why flights on EU carriers out of LAX won't book for them in C either. LM is still showing the flights available, as does UA.
Wow, sorry to hear that! Not sure what's going on. They've always been very responsive to my requests. No outstanding typographical errors that would frustrate the booking?

I recall this happened to me once. I called Lifemiles, the agent was very helpful, and issued the tickets immediately thereafter.
iluvdoco is offline  
Old Jun 15, 2017, 4:54 pm
  #566  
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: TLV
Posts: 522
Originally Posted by iluvdoco
I recall this happened to me once. I called Lifemiles, the agent was very helpful, and issued the tickets immediately thereafter.
Called on the phone just now. The agent got the same error and told me the only option was to email support...
Maayan is offline  
Old Jun 20, 2017, 9:31 pm
  #567  
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: TLV
Posts: 522
Never got a response from LM. Went ahead and used UA miles instead before the close-in fee kicked in.
Maayan is offline  
Old Jul 5, 2017, 1:31 am
  #568  
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Programs: AY Platinum, UA Premier Platinum, OneWorld Emerald, VA Platinum
Posts: 558
Website down for maintenance again. I wonder what enhancements we are in for.
Guvner067 is offline  
Old Jul 29, 2017, 6:44 am
  #569  
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: DFW
Programs: AAdvantage Platinum, Hilton HHonors Gold
Posts: 2,863
Originally Posted by Maayan
Never got a response from LM. Went ahead and used UA miles instead before the close-in fee kicked in.
I used the support email twice in the last month of a half, and both times booking was smooth.

I am trying to book another itinerary (which is clearly available as I had just booked it through support a few days back) and this time - while I got the email they have escalated the issue - they have been somewhat slower.

Hopefully everything goes well and hopefully they work on saturday!
oneworld82 is offline  
Old Jul 29, 2017, 6:49 am
  #570  
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: DFW
Programs: AAdvantage Platinum, Hilton HHonors Gold
Posts: 2,863
Originally Posted by erik123
Often I would say on LH, OS and LX. Call and ask if they see availability. If not a screenshot is not likely to work.
Yes,

availability was shown everywhere and eventually was able to book it.
oneworld82 is offline  


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