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)
Nov 11, 2017, 10:58 am
#706
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 302
[QUOTE=WolfvanWeen;29048263]
It seems the System is calculating the mileage price of Zone X > Zone Y and then adding the Connecting Flights as seperate entities.
Same for a search i did a few days ago
BKK-CDG (TG F) CDG-VIE (OS C) 111.190
BKK-MUC (TG F), MUC-VIE (LH C) 113.540
instead of 102.000 Lifemiles for Asia-Europe.
Same for a search i did a few days ago
BKK-CDG (TG F) CDG-VIE (OS C) 111.190
BKK-MUC (TG F), MUC-VIE (LH C) 113.540
instead of 102.000 Lifemiles for Asia-Europe.
Nov 11, 2017, 11:01 am
#707
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Valencia, Spain
Programs: Pascal and Python, no C++
Posts: 738
So that's what you mean. The new award search engine + award chart has a new "feature", much like Avianca redemption used to be: the chart information is a "from" price. So your actual price might be much higher. If you were to fly to FRA only, it would indeed be 87.000 miles.
That's why many of us still prefer the old search engine ;-)
That's why many of us still prefer the old search engine ;-)
Nov 11, 2017, 11:14 am
#708
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
I’m anticipating another lifemiles devaluation, and this kind of change in display was part of why. I first noticed it with domestic US flights. But I also considered that maybe this was their way to try to avoid gaming by customers seeking hidden-city/out of zone transit tickets.
Nov 12, 2017, 7:06 am
#709
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 162
It's supposed to be 87,000 miles period. Not 100k+. That's why I posted the chart. The number of segments should be irrelevant. I've done this route MANY times. It doesn't matter if it's US 1/2/3 or EU 1/2/3.
ORD to OTP is 87,000 in First. End of story.
ORD to OTP is 87,000 in First. End of story.
Nov 12, 2017, 7:35 am
#710
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Valencia, Spain
Programs: Pascal and Python, no C++
Posts: 738
Yes, that's what it was in the old system (for StarAlliance redemption, not for Avianca, Air Mexico and Iberia). I'm just trying to tell you it isn't anymore in the new system. Sorry. Don't kill the messenger.
Nov 13, 2017, 7:19 am
#711
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 302
WolfvanWeen is right ohiosux - here is the answer from lifemiles
[....] according to our new booking tool, the mileage will vary according to the cabin when you choose a mixed cabin product; therefore, the quoted mileage will be per segment.
In this case, the quoted mileage in the route involved is correct for a mixed cabin ticket.
[....] according to our new booking tool, the mileage will vary according to the cabin when you choose a mixed cabin product; therefore, the quoted mileage will be per segment.
In this case, the quoted mileage in the route involved is correct for a mixed cabin ticket.
Nov 28, 2017, 11:40 pm
#712
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: HKG YYZ SYD
Programs: oneworld *A,Nexus/GE
Posts: 134
Hi all, anyone experience this problem try to book redemption ticket.
Nov 29, 2017, 5:35 am
#713
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Tokyo
Programs: Marriott Plat, HH G,Hyatt E,*A Gold, OW Emerald.
Posts: 3,023
It has been reported numerous times. Depends on the airlines/route you are trying to book (phantom award space), credit card you are trying to use (some cards are blocked by CC vendors from use in Colombia, where Lifemiles is based) or a simple Lifemiles error.
Did you get a screen with a PNR (booking code) before this screen?
If you did, I hope you noted the PNR down. Call in to complete the booking.
If you didnt, try the booking again.
If it persists, check on other award programs (united/aeroplan/ana) if the award space is really there, one flight at a time.
If the award space is there and the issue persisits, try another easier to get route and see if it errors. Use the wrong CC number just so that you wont get charged for the booking, and see if an error comes up. (E.g. NRT-ICN or FRA-MUC or EWR-ORD).
If it still persists, , wait a day to try again.
If you are still stuck, give up?
Did you get a screen with a PNR (booking code) before this screen?
If you did, I hope you noted the PNR down. Call in to complete the booking.
If you didnt, try the booking again.
If it persists, check on other award programs (united/aeroplan/ana) if the award space is really there, one flight at a time.
If the award space is there and the issue persisits, try another easier to get route and see if it errors. Use the wrong CC number just so that you wont get charged for the booking, and see if an error comes up. (E.g. NRT-ICN or FRA-MUC or EWR-ORD).
If it still persists, , wait a day to try again.
If you are still stuck, give up?
Last edited by Tokyoite; Nov 29, 2017 at 5:44 am
Nov 29, 2017, 10:05 pm
#714
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: HKG YYZ SYD
Programs: oneworld *A,Nexus/GE
Posts: 134
It has been reported numerous times. Depends on the airlines/route you are trying to book (phantom award space), credit card you are trying to use (some cards are blocked by CC vendors from use in Colombia, where Lifemiles is based) or a simple Lifemiles error.
Did you get a screen with a PNR (booking code) before this screen?
If you did, I hope you noted the PNR down. Call in to complete the booking.
If you didnt, try the booking again.
If it persists, check on other award programs (united/aeroplan/ana) if the award space is really there, one flight at a time.
If the award space is there and the issue persisits, try another easier to get route and see if it errors. Use the wrong CC number just so that you wont get charged for the booking, and see if an error comes up. (E.g. NRT-ICN or FRA-MUC or EWR-ORD).
If it still persists, , wait a day to try again.
If you are still stuck, give up?
Did you get a screen with a PNR (booking code) before this screen?
If you did, I hope you noted the PNR down. Call in to complete the booking.
If you didnt, try the booking again.
If it persists, check on other award programs (united/aeroplan/ana) if the award space is really there, one flight at a time.
If the award space is there and the issue persisits, try another easier to get route and see if it errors. Use the wrong CC number just so that you wont get charged for the booking, and see if an error comes up. (E.g. NRT-ICN or FRA-MUC or EWR-ORD).
If it still persists, , wait a day to try again.
If you are still stuck, give up?
Nov 30, 2017, 1:19 am
#716
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 286
It has been reported numerous times. Depends on the airlines/route you are trying to book (phantom award space), credit card you are trying to use (some cards are blocked by CC vendors from use in Colombia, where Lifemiles is based) or a simple Lifemiles error.
Did you get a screen with a PNR (booking code) before this screen?
If you did, I hope you noted the PNR down. Call in to complete the booking.
If you didnt, try the booking again.
If it persists, check on other award programs (united/aeroplan/ana) if the award space is really there, one flight at a time.
If the award space is there and the issue persisits, try another easier to get route and see if it errors. Use the wrong CC number just so that you wont get charged for the booking, and see if an error comes up. (E.g. NRT-ICN or FRA-MUC or EWR-ORD).
If it still persists, , wait a day to try again.
If you are still stuck, give up?
Did you get a screen with a PNR (booking code) before this screen?
If you did, I hope you noted the PNR down. Call in to complete the booking.
If you didnt, try the booking again.
If it persists, check on other award programs (united/aeroplan/ana) if the award space is really there, one flight at a time.
If the award space is there and the issue persisits, try another easier to get route and see if it errors. Use the wrong CC number just so that you wont get charged for the booking, and see if an error comes up. (E.g. NRT-ICN or FRA-MUC or EWR-ORD).
If it still persists, , wait a day to try again.
If you are still stuck, give up?
Nov 30, 2017, 1:30 pm
#717
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,226
Lifemiles' website is absolutely horrific. It's almost completely dysfunctional. It makes me question whether I should even book a flight on a central American carrier. They're THAT incompetent.
Dec 2, 2017, 8:56 pm
#719
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Programs: UA peasant, QF tin, VA drycracker
Posts: 182
This afternoon I decided to check availability before giving them another call. I'd read in this thread that the old booking engine sometimes would work, and lo and behold, the old one was the one I got when I logged in today! It also showed seats on an even better day, which hadn't been available when I tried to book three days ago. Alas, I had to check a few date details elsewhere and it timed out, so when I tried again, I got the new booking interface. Noooooo! But yes... it all worked out...
Amazingly, no really, amazingly... not only were seats showing on the previously unavailable days, but the system was responding snappily, it didn't fail when I submitted passenger details... got to the payment page, it took about 3 minutes to get from the "be patient" screen to a confirmation screen. What's more, the e-ticket was generated immediately, and I could go straight to the TG's website to do seat selection! Phew. Lifemiles is not for the faint-hearted.
Dec 2, 2017, 10:46 pm
#720
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,724
This is exactly how I felt on Thursday night when I tried to go ahead with a booking. (And the preceding days of malfunctioning website, and having bought a lot of discounted miles a week beforehand!) Despite calling, and sending two emails with the necessary details for them to manually create a booking, nothing had happened 60 hours later (and the number of ostensibly available seats had not changed, so there didn't seem to have been a booking in progress behind the scenes).
This afternoon I decided to check availability before giving them another call. I'd read in this thread that the old booking engine sometimes would work, and lo and behold, the old one was the one I got when I logged in today! It also showed seats on an even better day, which hadn't been available when I tried to book three days ago. Alas, I had to check a few date details elsewhere and it timed out, so when I tried again, I got the new booking interface. Noooooo! But yes... it all worked out...
Amazingly, no really, amazingly... not only were seats showing on the previously unavailable days, but the system was responding snappily, it didn't fail when I submitted passenger details... got to the payment page, it took about 3 minutes to get from the "be patient" screen to a confirmation screen. What's more, the e-ticket was generated immediately, and I could go straight to the TG's website to do seat selection! Phew. Lifemiles is not for the faint-hearted.
This afternoon I decided to check availability before giving them another call. I'd read in this thread that the old booking engine sometimes would work, and lo and behold, the old one was the one I got when I logged in today! It also showed seats on an even better day, which hadn't been available when I tried to book three days ago. Alas, I had to check a few date details elsewhere and it timed out, so when I tried again, I got the new booking interface. Noooooo! But yes... it all worked out...
Amazingly, no really, amazingly... not only were seats showing on the previously unavailable days, but the system was responding snappily, it didn't fail when I submitted passenger details... got to the payment page, it took about 3 minutes to get from the "be patient" screen to a confirmation screen. What's more, the e-ticket was generated immediately, and I could go straight to the TG's website to do seat selection! Phew. Lifemiles is not for the faint-hearted.
Last edited by iluvdoco; Dec 2, 2017 at 11:17 pm