Aug 17, 2013, 12:43 am
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
=========
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
=========
Lifemiles serious booking problems - Beware (old legacy thread)
Jul 9, 2014, 10:25 pm
#271
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: CA
Posts: 1,308
unbelievable
i input my credit card to book a ticket, the system tries to process my booking, i see an authorization on my CC, then it leads me back to their home page.
i call up their 800#, with the locator that was dispplayed, they tell me that the miles were not taken and it would not be ticketed. i'm like why wasn't it ticketed... they give me the option to cancel it or have a dept that handles such situations call me back. ...
the award wont go back to inventory. who knows when that dept would return my call to fix this..
i input my credit card to book a ticket, the system tries to process my booking, i see an authorization on my CC, then it leads me back to their home page.
i call up their 800#, with the locator that was dispplayed, they tell me that the miles were not taken and it would not be ticketed. i'm like why wasn't it ticketed... they give me the option to cancel it or have a dept that handles such situations call me back. ...
the award wont go back to inventory. who knows when that dept would return my call to fix this..
Jul 9, 2014, 10:37 pm
#272
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 66
Doesn't it usually go back to inventory within 24 hours or so? I'm also interested in this possibility at present...
Jul 9, 2014, 10:40 pm
#273
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Programs: Flying: VA; Buying: AA, AS, AV, BA, UA!
Posts: 2,349
Jul 10, 2014, 12:05 am
#274
Join Date: Jun 2013
Programs: SPG Plat 100, A3*G
Posts: 678
unbelievable
i input my credit card to book a ticket, the system tries to process my booking, i see an authorization on my CC, then it leads me back to their home page.
i call up their 800#, with the locator that was dispplayed, they tell me that the miles were not taken and it would not be ticketed. i'm like why wasn't it ticketed... they give me the option to cancel it or have a dept that handles such situations call me back. ...
the award wont go back to inventory. who knows when that dept would return my call to fix this..
i input my credit card to book a ticket, the system tries to process my booking, i see an authorization on my CC, then it leads me back to their home page.
i call up their 800#, with the locator that was dispplayed, they tell me that the miles were not taken and it would not be ticketed. i'm like why wasn't it ticketed... they give me the option to cancel it or have a dept that handles such situations call me back. ...
the award wont go back to inventory. who knows when that dept would return my call to fix this..
Called back, asked the agent to cancel the booking. She did and the space was immediately available again.
She stayed on the line while I successfully completed the booking process.
Jul 10, 2014, 10:58 am
#275
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: CA
Posts: 1,308
they are expecting me to chill n wait for their call than get me someone live to address the problem.
there's no guarantee that if you cancel your booking the award will go back to inventory immediately or if at all.
there's no guarantee that if you cancel your booking the award will go back to inventory immediately or if at all.
Jul 10, 2014, 5:40 pm
#276
Join Date: Jun 2013
Programs: SPG Plat 100, A3*G
Posts: 678
Based on the number of times they told me they will call me (credit card issues) and the fact that I never received a single call, I would say that the chance of the award going back into inventory is higher than you getting a call from LM
Jul 10, 2014, 7:13 pm
#277
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: CA
Posts: 1,308
and guess what happened.
they never called me back and CANCELLED my ticket without notice.
they never called me back and CANCELLED my ticket without notice.
Jul 12, 2014, 2:58 am
#278
Join Date: Jun 2013
Programs: SPG Plat 100, A3*G
Posts: 678
did the seats go back in the inventory?
Jul 14, 2014, 6:15 pm
#279
Join Date: Sep 2010
Programs: IC Royal Ambassador, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 486
Thinking of using LM to book one-ways back to DEN from ANC last minute instead of using my United miles. Availability has been slim to none except for about a week to maybe 3-4 days out with United. Almost all of my tickets with LM have ticketed within 24hrs and those have been TATL routings. How are they are on ticketing UA domestic? Do you think i'm safe to use LM and avoid UA's close in $75 fee?
Jul 16, 2014, 11:27 pm
#280
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: OZ *G; HH Diamond;
Posts: 1,644
Interesting one. Thanks for sharing. Now if they could only fix the website then and it would be golden. The one thing I did though was compare the BR "phantom" availability to ANA tool and it came up blank over there for same days/ routes that LM showed as supposedly available. Strange one. Will keep an eye on it.
The one thing I did though was compare the BR "phantom" availability to ANA tool and it came up blank over there for same days/ routes that LM showed as supposedly available. Strange one. Will keep an eye on it.The issue was with ANA.
There was a period of time ANA was not showing any award seat availability on BR. In fact, it marks them as "-", as if BR does not offer J service.
The issue seems to be gone now.
Last edited by geclub1; Jul 16, 2014 at 11:42 pm
Jul 17, 2014, 1:01 pm
#281
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: YYZ
Posts: 1,666
I booked 3 tickets to GUM just a few days before it was rezoned.
It's been almost 2 weeks and I haven't received a ticketing email from AV. That said, I do see ticket numbers on CheckMyTrip and when I check the itinerary on TK's system.
Should I be home safe?
It's been almost 2 weeks and I haven't received a ticketing email from AV. That said, I do see ticket numbers on CheckMyTrip and when I check the itinerary on TK's system.
Should I be home safe?
Jul 17, 2014, 6:17 pm
#282
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: TYO
Programs: AP 75k
Posts: 137
Should be fine, I don't seem to always get ticketing emails from AV either.
Jul 18, 2014, 8:03 am
#283
Join Date: May 2004
Location: SIN (LEJ once a year)
Programs: SQ, LH, BA, IHG Diamond AMB, HH Gold, SLH Indulged, Accor Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 7,739
I am pretty you have reached the conclusion that these BR availability was not phantom.
The issue was with ANA.
There was a period of time ANA was not showing any award seat availability on BR. In fact, it marks them as "-", as if BR does not offer J service.
The issue seems to be gone now.
The issue was with ANA.
There was a period of time ANA was not showing any award seat availability on BR. In fact, it marks them as "-", as if BR does not offer J service.
The issue seems to be gone now.
Jul 20, 2014, 12:11 am
#284
Join Date: Oct 2011
Programs: AA Exec Plat, UA , SPG Plat, Marriott Gold, United, Aeroplan, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 144
you cant book BR flights from tpe-lax and a few other places. its a glitch in their system. if you cant get though paying taxes, the seats prob don't exist
Jul 20, 2014, 6:42 pm
#285
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 40
Booked a flight on turkish airlines..got a confirmation email and everything. However, ANA and United shows no availability for that route while Life Miles continues to show availability? Should I be concerned?