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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 Oct 10, 2017, 10:47 pm
  #661  
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Programs: Flying: VA; Buying: AA, AS, AV, BA, UA!
Posts: 2,349
Originally Posted by longmanzz
When I search from BKK to TYO(NRT) around next Feb, I don't see any availability for most of the dates, in any cabin, while it is wide open on UA.com (TG, EVA, NH, OZ, etc). Is this a known issue
The recent updates to the search interface have essentially blocked everything. Whether or not they have done this on purpose or it's just technical ineptitude remains to be seen. While it lasts, open a browser in incognito mode, set the country to Colombia and you MAY still be able to search in the old interface and get normal results.
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Old Oct 11, 2017, 12:13 am
  #662  
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Programs: NH, JL, SQ
Posts: 164
Originally Posted by wheresmybagba
The recent updates to the search interface have essentially blocked everything. Whether or not they have done this on purpose or it's just technical ineptitude remains to be seen. ...
When the new interface came out availability was good, i managed to book SIN-BKK-HND-ORD (SQ J, TG J, NH F) for 2pax mid january. at some point they decided to block everything
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Old Oct 11, 2017, 4:53 am
  #663  
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Tokyo
Programs: Marriott Plat, HH G,Hyatt E,*A Gold, OW Emerald.
Posts: 3,023
Originally Posted by longmanzz
When I search from BKK to TYO(NRT) around next Feb, I don't see any availability for most of the dates, in any cabin, while it is wide open on UA.com (TG, EVA, NH, OZ, etc). Is this a known issue
Yes. Read the WIKI please.
If you get lucky to get the old interface, you might be able to book.
Otherwise, if you are indeed stuck on the new interface, search a ticket connecting via BKK, and send the screenshot. SIN,KUL seem to work well.
(NRT-BKK-SIN/KUL).
Tokyoite is offline  
Old Oct 11, 2017, 9:49 am
  #664  
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 192
Sure seems to me like the availability of the old GUI through the Colombia workaround is time sensitive. It worked yesterday morning (US-based), disappeared during the 9-5 work hours and then was available throughout the evening. Following the same pattern today...
kpottermn is offline  
Old Oct 11, 2017, 11:28 am
  #665  
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: DUS/AMS/HAM
Programs: HH-D / IHG-Sp / Marriott-P / LH-SEN / BA-S
Posts: 215
Thumbs down

I don't know what these Colombians are smoking, but apparently I found no more availability for many routes!! ICN-SIN ; SYD-ICN; SIN-HND ; NRT-HKG; SYD-PEK all has good availability around February & March on UA-engine but it doesn't show anything in LM!

Not even if I put Colombia as default country
sch7458 is offline  
Old Oct 13, 2017, 10:12 am
  #666  
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 192
Just booked with the Colombia workaround and within 3 minutes I'm selecting seats. Very relieved.
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Old Oct 15, 2017, 6:50 pm
  #667  
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Programs: AY Platinum, UA Premier Platinum, OneWorld Emerald, VA Platinum
Posts: 558
Old search page is down again for maintenance. New one still working.
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Old Oct 18, 2017, 4:38 am
  #668  
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Oslo, Norway
Posts: 819
No matter what I try to book on Avianca LM webpages I always get this error message:


Sorry, we could not process your request, please try again.
If the problem persists contact our Call Center Option 3 or send us an email to [email protected]

LifeMiles Team.

any idea what to do?
William S is offline  
Old Oct 18, 2017, 4:46 am
  #669  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,408
Originally Posted by William S
No matter what I try to book on Avianca LM webpages I always get this error message:


Sorry, we could not process your request, please try again.
If the problem persists contact our Call Center Option 3 or send us an email to [email protected]

LifeMiles Team.

any idea what to do?
If you can get the flights to show before you get the error message, take a screenshot and send it to support for them to book manually. If you can't get the flights to show, but know the availability exists from another source (say UA's tool), you can take a screenshot of the error page and send that off along with the flights you want them to book.

You'll need to include all the other things required for the screenshot process, and give it three-four days for them to get back to you for payment.
LHR/MEL/Europe FF is offline  
Old Oct 18, 2017, 8:59 am
  #670  
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 192
Originally Posted by William S
No matter what I try to book on Avianca LM webpages I always get this error message:


Sorry, we could not process your request, please try again.
If the problem persists contact our Call Center Option 3 or send us an email to [email protected]

LifeMiles Team.

any idea what to do?
Try several browsers. I got this error on Chrome but it worked perfect on IE.
view-with-a-room likes this.
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Old Oct 18, 2017, 10:09 pm
  #671  
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Programs: AY Platinum, UA Premier Platinum, OneWorld Emerald, VA Platinum
Posts: 558
IE with Columbia works. There's a snippet of code in the /../dynredpar.aspx script which redirects to the new engine if you don't select Columbia.
Guvner067 is offline  
Old Oct 19, 2017, 12:05 pm
  #672  
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: NCL and LBA
Programs: BD*G, BAGold, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat
Posts: 3,269
Originally Posted by wheresmybagba
The recent updates to the search interface have essentially blocked everything. Whether or not they have done this on purpose or it's just technical ineptitude remains to be seen. While it lasts, open a browser in incognito mode, set the country to Colombia and you MAY still be able to search in the old interface and get normal results.
Do we definitely know if this is award blocking or is it just a problem with the ne software? I am having trouble finding anything. The Colombia work around worked for me this morning but now it has gone. If you speak to an agent on the phone will they be able to see what was previously available through the old software?
pogonation is offline  
Old Oct 19, 2017, 4:49 pm
  #673  
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: SZX/NYC
Programs: Marriott/SPG Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 29
Originally Posted by pogonation
Do we definitely know if this is award blocking or is it just a problem with the ne software? I am having trouble finding anything. The Colombia work around worked for me this morning but now it has gone. If you speak to an agent on the phone will they be able to see what was previously available through the old software?
Same for me - the Colombia workaround is not working since this morning. However their call center is a bit more useful this time - in my case, I was looking for an OZ F transpacific flight, and the award seats showed up on United and Aeroplan as well as the old interface, but nothing showed up on the new interface. I just called them and the agent was able to find the availabilities that match the old interface. Hope this helps.
usr22 is offline  
Old Oct 19, 2017, 8:38 pm
  #674  
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: SZX/NYC
Programs: Marriott/SPG Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 29
Originally Posted by usr22
Same for me - the Colombia workaround is not working since this morning. However their call center is a bit more useful this time - in my case, I was looking for an OZ F transpacific flight, and the award seats showed up on United and Aeroplan as well as the old interface, but nothing showed up on the new interface. I just called them and the agent was able to find the availabilities that match the old interface. Hope this helps.
aaaand just a couple hours later they can't find anything at all. Tried HUCA but no dice.
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Old Oct 20, 2017, 1:01 am
  #675  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,408
Originally Posted by usr22
aaaand just a couple hours later they can't find anything at all. Tried HUCA but no dice.
Yes well... the flash 2-4-1 sale is finishing and no more availability! No surprise really
WolfvanWeen likes this.
LHR/MEL/Europe FF is offline  


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