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FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Jan 11, 2014, 10:36 am by EqualOppWARNING - The cancellation fee has been increased up to $200 for long haul premium awards as of Feb 2017 .
T&Cs here:
How to cancel a Lifemiles ticket:- Lifemiles tickets cannot be canceled or changed online, you need to call the Avianca/TACA call center
(+1 800 284 2622)(number updated to +1 866 919 0081 as of February 2024). #2 for English, then enter your Lifemiles number, enter #3 for Lifemiles then #3 again for transactions. - The cancellation fee is variable, $30-200. The change-fee is $150. This is per passenger/ticket. If you cancel, you will not get back the $25 booking fee paid when the ticket was issued.
- The cancellation fee for Awards booked after 20th/2/2017: Award Tickets are reimbursable by paying a fee that varies depending on the redeemed route, the redemption channel and other circumstances, Accurate information of the reimbursement cost shall be informed at the time of redeeming the Award Ticket. If you cancel, you will not get back the $25 booking fee paid when the ticket was issued.
- You need to set-up a phone PIN to do any changes to tickets on lifemiles.com before or during the call. Do this before you call as doing this while calling can add a couple of minutes to the call
- Make sure your address and phone number are up to date in your lifemiles account. This will help immensely as spelling out everything letter-by-letter to the phone agent.
- Your credit card information is collected via an automated system on the phone and not by the agent. The system first asks you for your card number (Visa, Mastercard, or American Express), followed by the expiration month/year in MMYY format, then followed by the Security Code. Press * to correct mistakes in entering numbers.
- You need to enter/confirm credit card information for every ticket seperately. The process is simpler for remaining tickets as you only need to: first confirm the last 4 digits of the card (1 - Yes; 2 - No); followed by the expiration Month; followed by the expiration Year; followed by the Security code. For AMEX,(and sometimes for visa too ) the whole cared number has to be entered again
- Similarly if you have used credit cards before, the system keeps information about your credit cards, so even for the first ticket, the process is simpler as you only need to confirm the last four digits of credit card, then expiration month, then expiration year last two digits only followed by the security code
- Be prepared to spend between 20 minutes and 3 hours on the phone to get your changes / cancellation done, depending on the agent you get, or if you're really unlucky, you may spend days getting it sorted out.
- Avianca transactions may trigger fraud alerts on your credit card, you may need to contact your bank about this.
- Miles should be back in your account instantaneously, tax refund can take longer (2-3 weeks)
- Money paid for miles purchased as part of "more money/less miles" choice will NOT be refunded in cash but as miles.
- As soon as your flight is ticketed, the refund for a cash & miles booking will be only in miles
- BE PATIENT: some agents are very knowledgeable and fast, others take hours to get a simple cancellation done
- TAXES ARE REFUNDABLE: if an agent claims that taxes are non-refundable you may need to write an email to [email protected] to follow-up
- You should be able to see your cancellation receipts under "Your Lifemiles" - "Print receipts" (Only works with Internet Explorer!)
- NEW RULE - Ticket cannot be cancelled in the T-48 to T+24 window. Ticket can be cancelled after T+24 as long as ticket is valid, which is up to 365 days after issuance date (not travel date!)
Some agents have stated that the ticket can be cancelled even AFTER the flight dates, as long as the ticket is "open". Confirmed by FTers @ #334, 336, 371 and 445.
- Lifemiles tickets cannot be canceled or changed online, you need to call the Avianca/TACA call center
gents....its strange that i cancelled a ticket and got my miles refunded back to my account, yet when i check on checkmytrip and on the airline website, the ticket is still valid and open for use. i can even do online checkin...should i go ahead and enjoy the free ride???
Quote:
I wouldn't risk it, but if you feel adventurous... They will cancel it at some point.Originally Posted by Tokyoite
gents....its strange that i cancelled a ticket and got my miles refunded back to my account, yet when i check on checkmytrip and on the airline website, the ticket is still valid and open for use. i can even do online checkin...should i go ahead and enjoy the free ride???
Just wanted to report on my experience in cancelling two LifeMile award itineraries. I called the call center, they verified my basic details and first itinerary booking reference number. I was on hold for about 8 minutes before a LM rep came on. He verified the various ticket details, I went through the automated system and entered my LM phone pin and my credit card info. For the second itinerary, I just had to just verify the card info already in their system, and then re-enter the expiration date and security code. The phone pin was not required again. The miles are already back in my account. I watched as my credit card's automated alerts came in my email, while I was still on the phone. (I have it set up so that I get an email alert of any transaction where the card is not physically present.)
The entire call took exactly 21m12s according to my phone. I called around 10:30 pm US East Coast time. My first time using the call center and automated phone system, and it was painless.
The entire call took exactly 21m12s according to my phone. I called around 10:30 pm US East Coast time. My first time using the call center and automated phone system, and it was painless.
I have to report that my refund experience today was trouble free. I sent them an email asking them to call me as I'm in a totally different timezone; we agreed a mutually convenient time; they called; I paid; miles re-credited within a few hours
I included my LM credentials and PNR in the initial email, which may have cut down on the time as well
I included my LM credentials and PNR in the initial email, which may have cut down on the time as well
Call 1 on refund:
Spoke to first rep
"Oh, this is a lifemiles ticket, let me pass you to someone else"
Spoke to second rep
Entered in information in system and it said "successful"
"Something is wrong, I'll need to check with my credit card people"
Hung up on after 15 minutes on hold.
Same ol' AV...
I'll keep you posted. Anyone want to put an over/under on how many calls/hours I will need?
Spoke to first rep
"Oh, this is a lifemiles ticket, let me pass you to someone else"
Spoke to second rep
Entered in information in system and it said "successful"
"Something is wrong, I'll need to check with my credit card people"
Hung up on after 15 minutes on hold.
Same ol' AV...
I'll keep you posted. Anyone want to put an over/under on how many calls/hours I will need?
Quote:
Spoke to first rep
"Oh, this is a lifemiles ticket, let me pass you to someone else"
Spoke to second rep
Entered in information in system and it said "successful"
"Something is wrong, I'll need to check with my credit card people"
Hung up on after 15 minutes on hold.
Same ol' AV...
I'll keep you posted. Anyone want to put an over/under on how many calls/hours I will need?
The most efficient way to refund an award ticket is to write to [email protected], including your phone number, PNR and date of travel.Originally Posted by eponymous_coward
Call 1 on refund:Spoke to first rep
"Oh, this is a lifemiles ticket, let me pass you to someone else"
Spoke to second rep
Entered in information in system and it said "successful"
"Something is wrong, I'll need to check with my credit card people"
Hung up on after 15 minutes on hold.
Same ol' AV...
I'll keep you posted. Anyone want to put an over/under on how many calls/hours I will need?
Somebody will call you back in 24-48 hours to collect the $50.
Quote:
Somebody will call you back in 24-48 hours to collect the $50.
I guess so.Originally Posted by lewende
The most efficient way to refund an award ticket is to write to [email protected], including your phone number, PNR and date of travel.Somebody will call you back in 24-48 hours to collect the $50.
Call 2:
Rep #1 transfers me to LM
12 minute hold
Try again
Transaction declined by bank. It's not because of low balance (I've been using the card all day and it's got lots of balance available.) Contact bank. It's a fraud alert (they got the transaction and declined it).
Why do I even bother... Oh, right, because I actually want to cancel a flight.
Sigh.
Call 3:
Rep #1 transfers me to LM
10 minute hold
Try yet again
Transaction declined again by bank, fraud alert, after I specifically called my bank and told them, "no, really, I really DO want to make a $50 purchase from Avianca/Taca".
Rep #2 will have Revenue call me and take a credit card. They're cancelling the reservation. I don't see it any longer on checkmytrip.com. Miles aren't back in the account.
-sigh-
Avianca, you so crazy...
Rep #1 transfers me to LM
10 minute hold
Try yet again
Transaction declined again by bank, fraud alert, after I specifically called my bank and told them, "no, really, I really DO want to make a $50 purchase from Avianca/Taca".
Rep #2 will have Revenue call me and take a credit card. They're cancelling the reservation. I don't see it any longer on checkmytrip.com. Miles aren't back in the account.
-sigh-
Avianca, you so crazy...
It ain't really Avianca the crazy one in this case; you know that it's your annoying bank that blocked their attempt to charge...
Same thing just happened to me when buying miles earlier today. I called Chase, told them I was going to do an online charge of $xxx from either "Taca 2" or "Avianca LifeMiles" (as they appear on my statement from previous purchases). Told them it would come from either Panama, Colombia, El Salvador or even Miami. They noted and promised there would be no issue.
Sure enough the purchase failed and I immediately got Chase's "fraud alert" email. Fortunately, in this case I just clicked on the "not fraud" button in the email, repeated the purchase and it went through.
So maybe the process to cancel a ticket (for Chase cardholders) should be:
- Call LM, go through the cancelation process
- If the transaction fails, ask the agent to wait a minute
- Get the fraud alert email from Chase (they seem to always come instantly)
- Click the "not fraud" button in the email
- Ask the LM agent to try again. It will go through.
Same thing just happened to me when buying miles earlier today. I called Chase, told them I was going to do an online charge of $xxx from either "Taca 2" or "Avianca LifeMiles" (as they appear on my statement from previous purchases). Told them it would come from either Panama, Colombia, El Salvador or even Miami. They noted and promised there would be no issue.
Sure enough the purchase failed and I immediately got Chase's "fraud alert" email. Fortunately, in this case I just clicked on the "not fraud" button in the email, repeated the purchase and it went through.
So maybe the process to cancel a ticket (for Chase cardholders) should be:
- Call LM, go through the cancelation process
- If the transaction fails, ask the agent to wait a minute
- Get the fraud alert email from Chase (they seem to always come instantly)
- Click the "not fraud" button in the email
- Ask the LM agent to try again. It will go through.
I'm not with Chase, I don't get fraud alert emails, and I specifically called my bank about this and got a "oh, it'll be OK" before Round 3.
I also have a $50 pending charge on that card from TACA now. But no miles back.
What a freakin' disaster. I'm going to be unhappy if my miles AND my money have gone into the ether... I guess I wait for the 24-72 hours I was promised.
I also have a $50 pending charge on that card from TACA now. But no miles back.
What a freakin' disaster. I'm going to be unhappy if my miles AND my money have gone into the ether... I guess I wait for the 24-72 hours I was promised.
Got a call back from Avianca... in Spanish. "No habla Espaol" and "Ingles" didn't work to get me an English speaker. Didn't understand what was being said other than "Avianca".
Sheesh.
Sheesh.
Another call from Avianca out of a 305 area code. Unfortunately I was in a meeting, so it went to voicemail. (That part's not their fault, surely.)
That's not their fault... and they did speak in heavily accented English this time... but heavily accented enough that I had no idea what they were saying, other than they'll keep calling back. I think.
And then the call went on for 5 more minutes, with me hearing what was being said in the office in Spanish.
I... uh, wow.
-sigh-
Pity it's a thousand dollars or so in AV miles.
I'll put the over/under at three more calls. The wiki isn't kidding about how this can turn into a total (expletive deleted)show...
That's not their fault... and they did speak in heavily accented English this time... but heavily accented enough that I had no idea what they were saying, other than they'll keep calling back. I think.
And then the call went on for 5 more minutes, with me hearing what was being said in the office in Spanish.
I... uh, wow.
-sigh-
Pity it's a thousand dollars or so in AV miles.
I'll put the over/under at three more calls. The wiki isn't kidding about how this can turn into a total (expletive deleted)show...
Call number 5.
(I'm well into over three hours on this.)
Got transferred to the wrong department. Hung up on in the middle of the call (second time this has happened to me while calling them). Awesome. Avianca rocks. Amazing customer service.
(I'm well into over three hours on this.)
Got transferred to the wrong department. Hung up on in the middle of the call (second time this has happened to me while calling them). Awesome. Avianca rocks. Amazing customer service.
Call number 6.
I get an email from [email protected] saying:
"The agent assisting you will perform a conference call with the respective department to attempt a manual payment procedure."
So of course the agent I get puts me through using the automated system, despite me asking "is this a manual payment"?
And of course it doesn't work. Two different credit cards
Call number 7 ahoy...
I get an email from [email protected] saying:
"The agent assisting you will perform a conference call with the respective department to attempt a manual payment procedure."
So of course the agent I get puts me through using the automated system, despite me asking "is this a manual payment"?
And of course it doesn't work. Two different credit cards
Call number 7 ahoy...
Call 7:
We do the song and dance again. The charge shows up on my card. But AV is messing it up somehow.
It took an hour and they had to take my credit card over the phone as I read it to the agent... but it happened.
Yeesh. This might actually have been more annoying than dealing with Comcast (but I thanked this agent for getting it done).
We do the song and dance again. The charge shows up on my card. But AV is messing it up somehow.
It took an hour and they had to take my credit card over the phone as I read it to the agent... but it happened.
Yeesh. This might actually have been more annoying than dealing with Comcast (but I thanked this agent for getting it done).