Jan 17, 2022, 5:12 pm
Last edit by: italdesign
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)
- no availability showing at all on the website (try logging out and logging back in)
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.
You need to have 40% of the miles in your account for them to make the booking. On some occasions, credit card points do not transfer over immediately. In such cases also send screenshots of the points being debited from your credit card. In some cases the LM account will immediately show the points transferred in the account activity section. Send a screenshot of that as well.
After a day or two, you will get a reply via email saying the matter has been escalated to an internal area. The next day someone will call you from 305 447 2819 and will process the payment over the phone. You will need to set a PIN which you can do in your online LM account (under the account access section of your online profile).
Send to these two email addresses, and CC yourself (just for your records)
[email protected] (invalid as of July 2022)
[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 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)
- no availability showing at all on the website (try logging out and logging back in)
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.
You need to have 40% of the miles in your account for them to make the booking. On some occasions, credit card points do not transfer over immediately. In such cases also send screenshots of the points being debited from your credit card. In some cases the LM account will immediately show the points transferred in the account activity section. Send a screenshot of that as well.
After a day or two, you will get a reply via email saying the matter has been escalated to an internal area. The next day someone will call you from 305 447 2819 and will process the payment over the phone. You will need to set a PIN which you can do in your online LM account (under the account access section of your online profile).
Send to these two email addresses, and CC yourself (just for your records)
[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 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 (from January 2022 onwards)
Feb 27, 2022, 6:52 am
#107
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: CHA/TYS
Programs: The Mac Daddy of Heimlich County (and low-ball status)
Posts: 2,868
I submitted my request yesterday which involved a UA flight not showing on their end. Response already came back essentially saying he just didn't want to look it up:
"take into consideration that the availability you may see in the other carrier web page is different than the one that we can offer you, all the availability we can offer you depends of the seats that our partners allow us, for this reason we cannot escalate this request with our internal department."
I replied back asking him to escalate as originally requested and with screenshot showing the available flight.
"take into consideration that the availability you may see in the other carrier web page is different than the one that we can offer you, all the availability we can offer you depends of the seats that our partners allow us, for this reason we cannot escalate this request with our internal department."
I replied back asking him to escalate as originally requested and with screenshot showing the available flight.
Feb 27, 2022, 7:13 am
#108
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: Alpharetta, GA, USA
Posts: 943
I submitted my request yesterday which involved a UA flight not showing on their end. Response already came back essentially saying he just didn't want to look it up:
"take into consideration that the availability you may see in the other carrier web page is different than the one that we can offer you, all the availability we can offer you depends of the seats that our partners allow us, for this reason we cannot escalate this request with our internal department."
I replied back asking him to escalate as originally requested and with screenshot showing the available flight.
"take into consideration that the availability you may see in the other carrier web page is different than the one that we can offer you, all the availability we can offer you depends of the seats that our partners allow us, for this reason we cannot escalate this request with our internal department."
I replied back asking him to escalate as originally requested and with screenshot showing the available flight.
"Regarding your inquiry, we've been able to verify the manual booking request has similar itinerary details to the case that was previously closed. Let us remind you that Award ticket availabilities & required mileage are in constant changes and will be confirmed up to the moment of the purchase.
In this case, Award ticket seats for Air Canada flights ACXXX / ACXXX do not show any availabilities left. Keep in mind the website might've not been updated yet, however our system does not display the 2 seats left mentioned in the screenshot you share.
Taking the previous information into account, we can only suggest you to try and book your Award Ticket in different dates or routings and if the error message persists within our web platform, please send a new request in order to assist you in the best way possible with a valid contact number"
Feb 27, 2022, 1:33 pm
#109
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,401
The screenshot method is for flights that appear on the LM system individually but not as part of a longer sequence. So A-B and B-C show, but not A-B-C as a through ticket.
It's not designed for flights that appear on other *A booking engines that don't show up on LM.
It's not designed for flights that appear on other *A booking engines that don't show up on LM.
Feb 27, 2022, 5:13 pm
#110
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: Alpharetta, GA, USA
Posts: 943
The screenshot method is for flights that appear on the LM system individually but not as part of a longer sequence. So A-B and B-C show, but not A-B-C as a through ticket.
It's not designed for flights that appear on other *A booking engines that don't show up on LM.
It's not designed for flights that appear on other *A booking engines that don't show up on LM.
Feb 28, 2022, 10:02 am
#113
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: CHA/TYS
Programs: The Mac Daddy of Heimlich County (and low-ball status)
Posts: 2,868
They're just flat-out not going to do it. Most recent response is that I need to book both tickets separately and to respond back to them if I encounter an error doing that. They won't do anything for me unless there is specifically an error during the booking process and I have to attach a screen shot of that.
edit: ticket booked and confirmed as of a few minutes ago. I finally had an agent reply and they said they'd send to internal dept. Saved the number in my phone from above, fortunately, so knew to answer. Agent took CC info, quoted the route and mileage/dollar total, then placed on hold for about 7 or 8 minutes while the itinerary was processed.
So, screen shot method still works, but seems like a bigger hassle at the moment with some of these agents just not cooperating
edit: ticket booked and confirmed as of a few minutes ago. I finally had an agent reply and they said they'd send to internal dept. Saved the number in my phone from above, fortunately, so knew to answer. Agent took CC info, quoted the route and mileage/dollar total, then placed on hold for about 7 or 8 minutes while the itinerary was processed.
So, screen shot method still works, but seems like a bigger hassle at the moment with some of these agents just not cooperating
Last edited by mrredskin; Mar 1, 2022 at 9:59 am
Mar 8, 2022, 8:47 am
#114
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 6
The screenshot method is for flights that appear on the LM system individually but not as part of a longer sequence. So A-B and B-C show, but not A-B-C as a through ticket.
It's not designed for flights that appear on other *A booking engines that don't show up on LM.
It's not designed for flights that appear on other *A booking engines that don't show up on LM.
Can I still use the screenshot method to book A-D? Any help is greatly appreciated.
Mar 8, 2022, 1:06 pm
#115
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,401
That's exactly ok! So for example if LHR-AKL showed nothing, but you could find LHR-BKK-SYD on TG, and SYD-AKL on NZ, you could screenshot both of those for an end-to-end LHR-AKL redemption. 'Individual segments' can include multiple flights.
Mar 8, 2022, 3:23 pm
#116
formerly mattking2000
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: DXB
Programs: BA|AC|AZ|SPG|H|FPC
Posts: 1,182
Is this a known problem on the LM booking platform ...?
First taxes quotation on a search of a flight:
Second taxes quotation upon selecting the above flights in question:
And then when you finally get to the payment page:
Why do the taxes keep creeping up with each step?
First taxes quotation on a search of a flight:
Second taxes quotation upon selecting the above flights in question:
And then when you finally get to the payment page:
Why do the taxes keep creeping up with each step?
Mar 8, 2022, 5:22 pm
#118
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,401
There’s as USD25 booking fee for partner awards, so that would be around COP95,000? Not sure where the rest of the increase came from, looks like some small additional fee which might not have made it to the booking page yet (but needs to be collected).
Mar 9, 2022, 2:03 pm
#119
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 367
Looks like Air Canada is becoming more and more difficult, if not impossible, to book with Lifemiles currently. Had a reward with availability on the Lifemiles site, with inventory also showing up as saver on united.com (so should be available across the board for *A partners) for a simple non-stop round-trip itinerary for two (MSP - YYZ) in coach and Lifemiles could not book it. The website errored out, the phone agent was unable to book it, and when I contacted them via email they escalated it to their internal department which reported back that it could not be booked and that they've had issues with seat availability with Air Canada. (They also said that the internal department called me, but I had no missed calls or voicemails.)
Quite disappointing to see, but at least it's at the point where Avianca seems to at least be aware of some glitch in their system.
Quite disappointing to see, but at least it's at the point where Avianca seems to at least be aware of some glitch in their system.
