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)
Mar 28, 2019, 2:31 pm
#1186
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,649
Dialing the original phone number the length of the keypress is not relevant, but I believe once the call is connected and you press a key the tone plays for as long as you hold down the key, at least this is the way I recall it to work on iPhone. I also have a (non modern) landline and may have used it for LifeMiles key entry since cell phones are more prone to signal issues on the connection.
On your end the sound you hear is, essentially, an emulation, to make you as a caller aware of what's going on. It does not get transmitted (again, with some exceptions). Same with the phone "white noise" you hear when the line is connected - it's artificial, and generated on your end.
That said, they could have a really old POTS system relying on actual audio dialtones, I suppose. Wouldn't be entirely surprised given the quality of Lifemiles/Avianca public facing IT infrastructure.
Mar 28, 2019, 3:42 pm
#1187
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,837
Managed to get my booking ticketed after a full week-long process.
My original routing A-B-C-D routing disappeared by the time they made the reservation, but got an decent A-X-C-D routing.
Unfortunately, I didn't realize until after completing the booking that it downgraded my all-aisle-access TG 359 for a crappy 2-2-2 TG 788. I guess I'll have to live with that.
My original routing A-B-C-D routing disappeared by the time they made the reservation, but got an decent A-X-C-D routing.
Unfortunately, I didn't realize until after completing the booking that it downgraded my all-aisle-access TG 359 for a crappy 2-2-2 TG 788. I guess I'll have to live with that.
Mar 28, 2019, 4:03 pm
#1188
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: UA, AS
Posts: 2,393
Not to get too far off topic, but with the modern phone protocols the sound you hear is not what actually goes on the line. Most of the time it is encoded in various ways and sent as a data stream. In particular, key presses are converted into specific signals. Those signals may also include indication of duration, but because they are purely digital, receiving system really does not care about the length. It's like a numeric value - '1'. Set means set.
On your end the sound you hear is, essentially, an emulation, to make you as a caller aware of what's going on. It does not get transmitted (again, with some exceptions). Same with the phone "white noise" you hear when the line is connected - it's artificial, and generated on your end.
That said, they could have a really old POTS system relying on actual audio dialtones, I suppose. Wouldn't be entirely surprised given the quality of Lifemiles/Avianca public facing IT infrastructure.
On your end the sound you hear is, essentially, an emulation, to make you as a caller aware of what's going on. It does not get transmitted (again, with some exceptions). Same with the phone "white noise" you hear when the line is connected - it's artificial, and generated on your end.
That said, they could have a really old POTS system relying on actual audio dialtones, I suppose. Wouldn't be entirely surprised given the quality of Lifemiles/Avianca public facing IT infrastructure.
Android can set a normal or long tone length. https://www.verizonwireless.com/supp...ge-base-97445/
iPhones issues are more varied. You can try holding down the key to get a long tone. Other suggestions I found online to workaround iPhone DTMF tone recognition issues were to disable WiFi Calling and to disable VOLTE.
Mar 28, 2019, 4:17 pm
#1189
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: HKG • Ex SFO, NYC
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP; Marriott Amb; Hyatt Globalist; Shangri-la Diamond; IHG SpireAmb; Hilton D; Accor G
Posts: 3,319
Mar 28, 2019, 5:30 pm
#1190
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,649
The story continues. As expected, no one called me today. So, I called the Spanish speaking service. Long story short, after 40 minutes on hold, and being transferred 3 times (each time "to my coworker who will take a payment") I was able to pay. The actual ticket has not been issued yet, but the last person promised that it will be in 3-4 hours.
Very frustrated - the effort and time wasted on dealing with these incompetent clowns is not worth the savings. (And it's not over yet - still no actual ticket. Miles have not been subtracted either, although I do see pending charges on my credit card)
Very frustrated - the effort and time wasted on dealing with these incompetent clowns is not worth the savings. (And it's not over yet - still no actual ticket. Miles have not been subtracted either, although I do see pending charges on my credit card)
Last edited by tr3k; Mar 28, 2019 at 5:36 pm
Mar 29, 2019, 12:21 am
#1191
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,837
The story continues. As expected, no one called me today. So, I called the Spanish speaking service. Long story short, after 40 minutes on hold, and being transferred 3 times (each time "to my coworker who will take a payment") I was able to pay. The actual ticket has not been issued yet, but the last person promised that it will be in 3-4 hours.
Very frustrated - the effort and time wasted on dealing with these incompetent clowns is not worth the savings. (And it's not over yet - still no actual ticket. Miles have not been subtracted either, although I do see pending charges on my credit card)
Very frustrated - the effort and time wasted on dealing with these incompetent clowns is not worth the savings. (And it's not over yet - still no actual ticket. Miles have not been subtracted either, although I do see pending charges on my credit card)
Mar 29, 2019, 12:58 am
#1192
Join Date: Feb 2001
Programs: IHG Diamond, HH Diamond, BW Diamond Select, Accor Silver, Marriott Gold
Posts: 4,227
The story continues. As expected, no one called me today. So, I called the Spanish speaking service. Long story short, after 40 minutes on hold, and being transferred 3 times (each time "to my coworker who will take a payment") I was able to pay. The actual ticket has not been issued yet, but the last person promised that it will be in 3-4 hours.
Mar 29, 2019, 8:28 am
#1193
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: HKG • Ex SFO, NYC
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP; Marriott Amb; Hyatt Globalist; Shangri-la Diamond; IHG SpireAmb; Hilton D; Accor G
Posts: 3,319
I got the confirmation e-ticket (pre paying) email 7 times.
Mar 29, 2019, 10:13 am
#1194
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,649
Not to leave the story hanging - this morning I did find ticket confirmation email in my mailbox. So, it worked. Only took 3 hours of hold time on the phone and some extra frustration trying to understand agents (who are not particularly well spoken in either English or Spanish), and listening for hours to the same (outdated, expired last year) promo ads.
I guess that's the price one must pay for a less expensive business class ticket.
Now on to call Air China to verify that my birth date is correct on the booking (first Lifemiles agent got it wrong while *copying* from my LM account, second agent presumably fixed it but not sure if propagated all the way to AC). Another hour on hold awaits (but not LM fault at this point)
I guess that's the price one must pay for a less expensive business class ticket.
Now on to call Air China to verify that my birth date is correct on the booking (first Lifemiles agent got it wrong while *copying* from my LM account, second agent presumably fixed it but not sure if propagated all the way to AC). Another hour on hold awaits (but not LM fault at this point)
Mar 29, 2019, 4:19 pm
#1195
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,401
Not to leave the story hanging - this morning I did find ticket confirmation email in my mailbox. So, it worked. Only took 3 hours of hold time on the phone and some extra frustration trying to understand agents (who are not particularly well spoken in either English or Spanish), and listening for hours to the same (outdated, expired last year) promo ads.
I guess that's the price one must pay for a less expensive business class ticket.
Now on to call Air China to verify that my birth date is correct on the booking (first Lifemiles agent got it wrong while *copying* from my LM account, second agent presumably fixed it but not sure if propagated all the way to AC). Another hour on hold awaits (but not LM fault at this point)
I guess that's the price one must pay for a less expensive business class ticket.
Now on to call Air China to verify that my birth date is correct on the booking (first Lifemiles agent got it wrong while *copying* from my LM account, second agent presumably fixed it but not sure if propagated all the way to AC). Another hour on hold awaits (but not LM fault at this point)
The key is patience.
Online availability has always been patchy (doesn't show all carriers, doesn't show long connections, doesn't match availability shown on other *A booking tools).
The screenshot method has also gone from as little as overnight for a reponse to as long as 10 days now.
But, it really is a case of sending off the information, sitting back and waiting for them to do their stuff. If your original availability goes they will usually find somethuing else. Not always better (helvetic got changed from a 359 to 788), but sometimes it is better (I got put on SQ long haul premium biz class with a much shorter layover).
If you do it all in their time they make the booking, send the receipt, you call in, they take payment, and you have your ticket. Waiting aside, the last bits all take less than 30 minutes.
It helps to have an alternative (possibly paid) routing just in case they can't get a ticket, but I (fortunately) haven't ever had that happen yet.
The trade-off is cheap travel.
Mar 30, 2019, 7:59 am
#1196
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,649
Just realized that the ticket does not include my daughter's middle name. As it was booked over the phone (with all corresponding communication issues) - not entirely surprised.
Checked with Avianca - even though it was less than 24 hours since the issue at the time, all they could offer is to cancel the ticket (at an extra fee) and book a new one (not discussed, but I suspect since the award space is no longer available, new one ain't gonna work).
Will just take our chances here, but one more buyer-beware kinda moment.
Checked with Avianca - even though it was less than 24 hours since the issue at the time, all they could offer is to cancel the ticket (at an extra fee) and book a new one (not discussed, but I suspect since the award space is no longer available, new one ain't gonna work).
Will just take our chances here, but one more buyer-beware kinda moment.
Mar 30, 2019, 8:13 am
#1197
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,401
Just realized that the ticket does not include my daughter's middle name. As it was booked over the phone (with all corresponding communication issues) - not entirely surprised.
Checked with Avianca - even though it was less than 24 hours since the issue at the time, all they could offer is to cancel the ticket (at an extra fee) and book a new one (not discussed, but I suspect since the award space is no longer available, new one ain't gonna work).
Will just take our chances here, but one more buyer-beware kinda moment.
Checked with Avianca - even though it was less than 24 hours since the issue at the time, all they could offer is to cancel the ticket (at an extra fee) and book a new one (not discussed, but I suspect since the award space is no longer available, new one ain't gonna work).
Will just take our chances here, but one more buyer-beware kinda moment.
Mar 30, 2019, 9:03 am
#1198
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,649
I did catch the error in my DOB. It took an extra 15 minutes to explain to the CS rep that it needed to be fixed (that was the point where I switched to Spanish, because English just did not do it anymore
). Also carefully checked the last name (all 15 characters of it ). The middle name did not really register. Booking over the phone, with people who are not fluent in English (and mumble in Spanish), and who are not used to handling non-Hispanic sounding names, is challenging.
That said, I don't want to lay blame on any particular LM employee. I should have checked and double checked everything I possibly could. It's a systemic issue due to, likely, poor training, and running the whole operation on a shoestring budget. Par for the course that it will take hours and lots of frustration to do anything, and they will probably get wrong anything they can get wrong.
Caveat emptor.
Mar 30, 2019, 9:14 am
#1199
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,401
I guess that’s why they ask you to send in a copy of your passport for each passenger for screenshot bookings.
They include both my middle names with screenshots (as opposed to none when I do it myself online).
They include both my middle names with screenshots (as opposed to none when I do it myself online).
Mar 30, 2019, 9:41 am
#1200
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,649
I sent the same request to ticket my reservation by email, with attached passport copies. That email was never even acknowledged.
