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)
Jun 10, 2019, 7:57 pm
#1351
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Programs: ANA SFC (*G)
Posts: 528
I booked a couple of Air China flights using LM. Should I call Air China to get a ticket number/seat assignment before Avianca and/or LM collapses? If Avianca/LM collapses would I still get to fly?
Jun 10, 2019, 9:09 pm
#1352
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: UA, AS
Posts: 2,393
Do you have travel insurance?
Jun 10, 2019, 10:30 pm
#1353
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Programs: ANA SFC (*G)
Posts: 528
As the travel insurance. Not really. I used a premium card to buy the miles and that card has some travel insurance, I will check if that applies to this card.
In case I don't have travel insurance and Avianca / LM goes bankrupt I wont be able to fly? Since the miles are already redeemed to a flight I thought I was safe...
Jun 11, 2019, 8:07 am
#1354
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: UA, AS
Posts: 2,393
Thank you. I will try that.
As the travel insurance. Not really. I used a premium card to buy the miles and that card has some travel insurance, I will check if that applies to this card.
In case I don't have travel insurance and Avianca / LM goes bankrupt I wont be able to fly? Since the miles are already redeemed to a flight I thought I was safe...
As the travel insurance. Not really. I used a premium card to buy the miles and that card has some travel insurance, I will check if that applies to this card.
In case I don't have travel insurance and Avianca / LM goes bankrupt I wont be able to fly? Since the miles are already redeemed to a flight I thought I was safe...
I do not believe LifeMiles is going under anytime soon (within the next year at least). Even if Avianca files for bankruptcy they will likely file to restructure and continue operations and if history is any guide the mileage program will continue. US airlines have filed for bankruptcy many times and I believe throughout those times the ones that restructured and kept flying maintained their frequent flyer mileage programs.
Jun 12, 2019, 12:03 am
#1355
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 94
So, as I posted earlier, I finally completed booking my AC flights over the phone on June 5th. Paid the taxes and fees, and those posted to my card already. I have an AC PNR, AC site shows the ticket number under this PNR, and the agent was able to select seats for me (I initially messaged them before a ticket number was issued and they were unable to select seats).
However, the miles have still not been subtracted from my account. Is this normal?
However, the miles have still not been subtracted from my account. Is this normal?
Last edited by forthecookies; Jun 12, 2019 at 12:23 am
Jun 12, 2019, 12:35 am
#1356
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,837
So, as I posted earlier, I finally completed booking my AC flights over the phone on June 5th. Paid the taxes and fees, and those posted to my card already. I have an AC PNR, AC site shows the ticket number under this PNR, and the agent was able to select seats for me (I initially messaged them before a ticket number was issued and they were unable to select seats).
However, the miles have still not been subtracted from my account. Is this normal?
However, the miles have still not been subtracted from my account. Is this normal?
Jun 13, 2019, 12:22 am
#1357
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Gringolandia y LatinoAmerica a veces EU y Asia
Programs: AV, AA, BA, CM, UA, Hertz, Marriott, Hilton
Posts: 153
!Hola! I too am having severe problems with LM bookings. I find space online and the website shows availability for these sectors. Also the mileage required. Then I try the booking but exactly at the final screen after I select passengers and press to purchase then the website throws an error message. This error is consistent for several airlines. I used LM for years and it was not so bad. The new IT arquitectura system is terrible because it makes the boooking so painful and often pointless!!
Jun 13, 2019, 1:50 am
#1358
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,401
!Hola! I too am having severe problems with LM bookings. I find space online and the website shows availability for these sectors. Also the mileage required. Then I try the booking but exactly at the final screen after I select passengers and press to purchase then the website throws an error message. This error is consistent for several airlines. I used LM for years and it was not so bad. The new IT arquitectura system is terrible because it makes the boooking so painful and often pointless!!
In these situations you can try one of two things (a) choose the specific airline from the drop down list of available airlines (so select 'Air China' instead of 'smart search', etc), or (b) if that doesn't work, you can call the call centre and they can book it for you over the phone.
Jun 13, 2019, 5:34 pm
#1359
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)
Posts: 8,937
My understanding is that Avianca Brazil is bankrupt, not the main Avianca, which is based in Colombia and is not bankrupt. So neither the main Avianca nor Lifemiles should be at risk of collapsing.
Jun 13, 2019, 8:17 pm
#1360
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: UA, AS
Posts: 2,393
Lifemiles and Avianca Colombia are still in operation and not in bankruptcy so it is still operation as normal for LifeMiles. United owns a large amount of their debt and could in theory take a significant ownership in the airline by converting unpaid debt to ownership but they cannot due to a labor agreement with one of their unions. United did force a change of management which hopefully will make changes to put Avianca back on the path to profitability.
Last edited by skimthetrees; Jun 14, 2019 at 7:03 am
Jun 13, 2019, 10:43 pm
#1361
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: UA MP 1K
Posts: 119
That's right. I had assumed others were aware of the situation but I guess not everyone.
Lifemiles and Avianca Columbia are still in operation and not in bankruptcy so it is still operation as normal for LifeMiles. United owns a large amount of their debt and could in theory take a significant ownership in the airline by converting unpaid debt to ownership but they cannot due to a labor agreement with one of their unions. United did force a change of management which hopefully will make changes to put Avianca back on the path to profitability.
Lifemiles and Avianca Columbia are still in operation and not in bankruptcy so it is still operation as normal for LifeMiles. United owns a large amount of their debt and could in theory take a significant ownership in the airline by converting unpaid debt to ownership but they cannot due to a labor agreement with one of their unions. United did force a change of management which hopefully will make changes to put Avianca back on the path to profitability.
Jun 14, 2019, 9:32 am
#1363
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: BGI | MIA
Programs: AA Platinum Pro | Hyatt Globalist | HH Diamond | SPG Gold
Posts: 316
Is it possible book mixed airport connections through lifemiles somehow ?
The flights I want have availability of ORD-NRT and then HND-KUL. 7 hour connection so it should be legal. I cant find a way through life miles website
Booking it separately raises the costs and it also voids the single ticket protections
Any issues booking ANA one ways through lifemiles ?
The flights I want have availability of ORD-NRT and then HND-KUL. 7 hour connection so it should be legal. I cant find a way through life miles website
Booking it separately raises the costs and it also voids the single ticket protections
Any issues booking ANA one ways through lifemiles ?
Jun 14, 2019, 3:47 pm
#1364
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,401
Is it possible book mixed airport connections through lifemiles somehow ?
The flights I want have availability of ORD-NRT and then HND-KUL. 7 hour connection so it should be legal. I cant find a way through life miles website
Booking it separately raises the costs and it also voids the single ticket protections
Any issues booking ANA one ways through lifemiles ?
The flights I want have availability of ORD-NRT and then HND-KUL. 7 hour connection so it should be legal. I cant find a way through life miles website
Booking it separately raises the costs and it also voids the single ticket protections
Any issues booking ANA one ways through lifemiles ?
Jun 14, 2019, 4:07 pm
#1365
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: SFO
Programs: OZ Diamond/*G, IHG Diamond Amb, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,239
Is the screenshot working for anyone right now? I've emailed a week ago and got 2 emails from support saying that the special team is working on it but space hasn't been reserved and I'm getting nervous. It's a pretty simple one way China-USA 1 stop on BR too so not sure what the hold up could be.
I do notice however that if you get far enough along in booking on lifemiles.com it pulls the award inventory from the partner even if you have not ticketed it and abandon it without doing so.