Last edit by: SingaporeDon
Every forum on Flyertalk has a personality. A forum gains a personality through user input over time, and Lifemiles is a very definitive example of how users have developed a unique community.
While Flyertalk boards actively encourage sharing of info, the Lifemiles community has developed and thrived via obscuring of certain data elements. It may not be easy for new participants to break through the codes and gain knowledge of the program's quirks, but the overall board community has adopted this unique approach. And frankly, that is not going to change overnight.
If a FT member wants to participate on this board, then they will need to respect other users. Hence, posts that run counter to this community's standards, will be removed.
While Flyertalk boards actively encourage sharing of info, the Lifemiles community has developed and thrived via obscuring of certain data elements. It may not be easy for new participants to break through the codes and gain knowledge of the program's quirks, but the overall board community has adopted this unique approach. And frankly, that is not going to change overnight.
If a FT member wants to participate on this board, then they will need to respect other users. Hence, posts that run counter to this community's standards, will be removed.
C1 North America
C1.5 Caribbean, Bermuda
C2 Europe
C2.5 Middle East
C3 Asia
C4 South America
C5 Africa
C6 Oceania
2X, 3X: in the context of this LifeMiles thread, 2X and 3X refer to any 2nd and 3rd legs of a one-way award ticket.
LifeMiles' Star Alliance Award Chart
LifeMiles' old Star Alliance Award Chart (before Oct 15 2014) // Table of changes
Cash & Miles redemptions: the price per mile purchased during award booking varies significantly depending on how many miles are purchased. The "sweet spots" are between 38% and 58% of the total mileage required, where miles are purchased for 1.5 cents. See here for some examples.
Beware of Cabotage: LifeMiles has been known to issue tickets that constitute Cabotage, and at least one instance of denied boarding has been reported, stranding the passenger. An easily-seen example is travel on Copa from LAX to SJU (via PTY).
Understand Cabotage: Departing country 1, transiting country 2, returning to country 1 (no stopping) *is* cabotage (example: depart JFK, connect in YYZ to return to ORD, or depart Miami, connect in Bogota, return to San Francisco). On the other hand, departing country 1, going to completely unrelated country 2, and ending up in country 3, is not cabotage. So if you fly JFK-JNB-ZRH, for instance, this is completely not cabotage.
Availability: Seeing availability for *A award seats elsewhere is no guarantee they are accessible on Lifemiles. For instance award space shown on ANA often is not accessible on Lifemiles. Similarly, finding award space on single legs doesn't mean you'll get award space on the combined itinerary. And no, there is no way to overcome that.
Screenshot Method
Send email to [email protected] with attached screenshots on Lifemiles website of each individual leg showing availability. Also, screenshot showing no availability as one booking. Include passenger names, gender and DOB and copy of passenger passport. They will either call you for payment or email the itinerary and give you 3 days to call up and make payment by CC.
NOTE: This previous thread has been closed; it can be read here LM F and J routes (and the occasional trick-it)
LM F and J routes (and the occasional trick-it) Rebooted v2.0
#333
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Matre-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
A reminder to those with poor closure skills or are just unable to let go:
You want to keep this thread and your membership active, keep the thread productive and invective / revenge / personal comment free.
Regards and safe, comfortable travels.
JDiver
Senior Moderator
Felow Lifemile enthusiasts,
following a rather nasty turn in the previous thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/avian...nal-trick.html
The senior mods (who have the pleasure of moderating this corner of FT) decided to reboot the thread and start afresh.
So... share away, in whatever trick(y) language you can find. Keep in mind that this is FT, and while sharing (of opinions, tricks, ideas, opinions etc) is explicitly desired and allowed, one simple rule applies:
If you don't have anything to say on the topic, just don't say it.
Talking about others, the ethics or it all and similar personal things remains off topic and will be deleted.
So trick away!
Regards Oliver2002
Senior Mod
following a rather nasty turn in the previous thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/avian...nal-trick.html
The senior mods (who have the pleasure of moderating this corner of FT) decided to reboot the thread and start afresh.
So... share away, in whatever trick(y) language you can find. Keep in mind that this is FT, and while sharing (of opinions, tricks, ideas, opinions etc) is explicitly desired and allowed, one simple rule applies:
If you don't have anything to say on the topic, just don't say it.
Talking about others, the ethics or it all and similar personal things remains off topic and will be deleted.
So trick away!
Regards Oliver2002
Senior Mod
Regards and safe, comfortable travels.
JDiver
Senior Moderator
#337
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: New York Metropolitan Area 45 km from JFK
Programs: UA,AA,AS,BA
Posts: 4,607
It seems that availabilities are expanding again. TeaParty, Rockaway and Crazy Mayor departures can also produce good results especially with long dated search.
#339
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Germany / Thailand
Programs: M&M/S SPG livetime gold, but not running behind status & points anymore! Now only book value for $
Posts: 3,090
via C2 !
And nothing really positive ! @ least not with the recent product.
#340
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 988
flight cancelled
got a huge problem guys. I have chainsaw booked by an operating carrier that will be discontinuing that route. What options do I have? Can I show up to the airport and have the operating carrier provide me a different routing? Currently, I am scheduled to arrive in city A, but have no problems with being re-routed to city B, if they allow me. Or would I have to contact lifemiles? problem with contacting lifemiles is that chainsaw is no longer available on the dates that I had originally scheduled, nor any date range close to it. Please advise
#341
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Valencia, Spain
Programs: Pascal and Python, no C++
Posts: 738
got a huge problem guys. I have chainsaw booked by an operating carrier that will be discontinuing that route. What options do I have? Can I show up to the airport and have the operating carrier provide me a different routing? Currently, I am scheduled to arrive in city A, but have no problems with being re-routed to city B, if they allow me. Or would I have to contact lifemiles? problem with contacting lifemiles is that chainsaw is no longer available on the dates that I had originally scheduled, nor any date range close to it. Please advise
Last edited by WolfvanWeen; Jul 2, 2014 at 3:45 am Reason: clarity before charm
#342
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 988
it is a two segment routing and this is the second part (the trans atlantic portion......) but the operating carrier does operate a different route to another city, will they simply re-route me to it? its about 5 hour drive away and I can live with that.....
#343
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Valencia, Spain
Programs: Pascal and Python, no C++
Posts: 738
The worst thing that can happen is they refer you back to Avianca.
#344
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: London
Programs: SK Gold, ITA Executive, Sixt Diamond, Hertz PC, Avis PC, IHG Platinum
Posts: 5,163
got a huge problem guys. I have chainsaw booked by an operating carrier that will be discontinuing that route. What options do I have? Can I show up to the airport and have the operating carrier provide me a different routing? Currently, I am scheduled to arrive in city A, but have no problems with being re-routed to city B, if they allow me. Or would I have to contact lifemiles? problem with contacting lifemiles is that chainsaw is no longer available on the dates that I had originally scheduled, nor any date range close to it. Please advise
#345
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,001
The operating airline will most probably assist you infinding an alternative routing, but still ask you to contact AV to reissue the ticket with the new routing, since they don't have control of the coupon yet. Your only chance is to play dumb and show up at the airport, since at that point the operating airline gets control of the coupon(s) and can exchange/reissue them, if required.