Please report your successful redemptions using Diamond Club miles (2009)
Jan 12, 2009, 1:24 pm
#136
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: GLA
Programs: BD (in memoriam), BA
Posts: 1,359
They certainly are. Answered immediately, and booked:
HKG-BKK (TG F, on a 346)
BKK-SIN (LX F)
SIN-LHR (SQ F, 744 but always hoping
)
35000 miles and quoted around £370 for taxes + miles - taxes loaded pretty much straight away. Will wait until it is ticketed and my card charged before checking the final amount against ITA (the pending amount on MBNA doesn't match up with what I was quoted...). The agent (Julie) was very good, availability exactly as shown on ANA and Expertflyer, and it took at grand total of 7 minutes and 30 seconds, from pressing dial to hanging up.
I didn't have to route via BKK, but as this is my first trip in F (and probably last for a long time), I thought I would take the opportunity to try as many lounges and airlines as possible!
HKG-BKK (TG F, on a 346)
BKK-SIN (LX F)
SIN-LHR (SQ F, 744 but always hoping
)35000 miles and quoted around £370 for taxes + miles - taxes loaded pretty much straight away. Will wait until it is ticketed and my card charged before checking the final amount against ITA (the pending amount on MBNA doesn't match up with what I was quoted...). The agent (Julie) was very good, availability exactly as shown on ANA and Expertflyer, and it took at grand total of 7 minutes and 30 seconds, from pressing dial to hanging up.
I didn't have to route via BKK, but as this is my first trip in F (and probably last for a long time), I thought I would take the opportunity to try as many lounges and airlines as possible!
Jan 12, 2009, 2:01 pm
#137
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: london, uk
Programs: some blue some silver some gold
Posts: 550
They certainly are. Answered immediately, and booked:
HKG-BKK (TG F, on a 346)
BKK-SIN (LX F)
SIN-LHR (SQ F, 744 but always hoping )
35000 miles and quoted around £370 for taxes + miles - taxes loaded pretty much straight away. Will wait until it is ticketed and my card charged before checking the final amount against ITA (the pending amount on MBNA doesn't match up with what I was quoted...). The agent (Julie) was very good, availability exactly as shown on ANA and Expertflyer, and it took at grand total of 7 minutes and 30 seconds, from pressing dial to hanging up.
I didn't have to route via BKK, but as this is my first trip in F (and probably last for a long time), I thought I would take the opportunity to try as many lounges and airlines as possible!
HKG-BKK (TG F, on a 346)
BKK-SIN (LX F)
SIN-LHR (SQ F, 744 but always hoping
)35000 miles and quoted around £370 for taxes + miles - taxes loaded pretty much straight away. Will wait until it is ticketed and my card charged before checking the final amount against ITA (the pending amount on MBNA doesn't match up with what I was quoted...). The agent (Julie) was very good, availability exactly as shown on ANA and Expertflyer, and it took at grand total of 7 minutes and 30 seconds, from pressing dial to hanging up.
I didn't have to route via BKK, but as this is my first trip in F (and probably last for a long time), I thought I would take the opportunity to try as many lounges and airlines as possible!
Jan 12, 2009, 3:03 pm
#138
Join Date: May 2006
Location: 5 miles from EMA
Programs: BD, BAEC Pleb, VS Pleb, Accor Pleb, HHonors Gold, Big White Season Pass
Posts: 5,925
The F lounge is lovely and the Spa is fab. Well worth booking a TG F ticket to find out.
Jan 12, 2009, 3:34 pm
#139
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: UK
Programs: BMI, BA, BA Amex, Marriott
Posts: 110
MAN-ZRH (SWISS business) 9th July
d: 18:45 a: 21:40
ZRH-BKK (SWISS first) 9th July
d: 22:45 a:14.35 +1
Stay 3 days in BKK
BKK - SIN (SWISS first) 13th July
d: 15.35 a: 18.55
SIN - NRT (SIA First) 14th July
d: 09.40 a: 17.35
35000 miles + cash (£240) + tax (£271) = £511
Agent was good once I read it sector by sector.
Many thanks to pogonation for his help!
Ps - Travelling on my own so if anyone is around in the planes/lounges I am travelling via, please PM me if you fancy a drink!
d: 18:45 a: 21:40
ZRH-BKK (SWISS first) 9th July
d: 22:45 a:14.35 +1
Stay 3 days in BKK
BKK - SIN (SWISS first) 13th July
d: 15.35 a: 18.55
SIN - NRT (SIA First) 14th July
d: 09.40 a: 17.35
35000 miles + cash (£240) + tax (£271) = £511
Agent was good once I read it sector by sector.
Many thanks to pogonation for his help!
Ps - Travelling on my own so if anyone is around in the planes/lounges I am travelling via, please PM me if you fancy a drink!
Jan 12, 2009, 3:52 pm
#140
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: AUH
Posts: 8,267
Isn't there an earliner MAN flight to give you a bit more time in ZRH? The ZRH lounge is quite nice and also supposed to offer a very decent pre-flight dining facility after 6pm where you order off a menu.
Excellent redemption, by the way! Congrats. Just keep an eye on Checkmytrip to make sure it's ticketed on time!
Excellent redemption, by the way! Congrats. Just keep an eye on Checkmytrip to make sure it's ticketed on time!
Jan 12, 2009, 4:29 pm
#141
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: London
Programs: BA
Posts: 2,368
Isn't there an earliner MAN flight to give you a bit more time in ZRH? The ZRH lounge is quite nice and also supposed to offer a very decent pre-flight dining facility after 6pm where you order off a menu.
Excellent redemption, by the way! Congrats. Just keep an eye on Checkmytrip to make sure it's ticketed on time!
Excellent redemption, by the way! Congrats. Just keep an eye on Checkmytrip to make sure it's ticketed on time!
I spent 3 hours in the ZRH F Lounge in October (See trip report which contains a couple of pics of the lounge) and would throughly recommend it. The food and drink offerings were of a very high standard.
With a 1hr connection, I doubt you will get to the F lounge missing out on the above and the delightful car transfer from the lounge to the gate.
Jan 12, 2009, 9:43 pm
#142
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Cleveland
Programs: AF/KLM Plat For Life/UA Million Miler-PremEx For Life/SPG Gold
Posts: 5,054
PEK-BKK on TG in J 11250 plus 75GBP plus 45GBP taxes
Jan 12, 2009, 11:29 pm
#143
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 5
managed to book 3 separate flights for myself and my fiancee using 50% miles and 50% cash.
First Flight SYD-LHR with asiana, business class
Second Flight LHR - CPT with SAA, economy
Third Flight JNB - SYD with Singapore Air, Business
First two flights were booked on the first call I made. Last flight I had to call back 3 times as they couldn't work out taxes. Taxes themselves seemed to constitute about 50% of the cost.
Used the ANA site, spoke slowly and clearly to the ICC. The whole thing came to 150,000 miles and about 2k in cash.
happy days.
First Flight SYD-LHR with asiana, business class
Second Flight LHR - CPT with SAA, economy
Third Flight JNB - SYD with Singapore Air, Business
First two flights were booked on the first call I made. Last flight I had to call back 3 times as they couldn't work out taxes. Taxes themselves seemed to constitute about 50% of the cost.
Used the ANA site, spoke slowly and clearly to the ICC. The whole thing came to 150,000 miles and about 2k in cash.
happy days.
Jan 13, 2009, 8:00 am
#144
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: EDI
Posts: 699
2 * MAN-FRA-CPT LH Business @ 37,500 + 218.34GBP
2 * CPT-FRA-MAN LH Business @ 18,750 + 127.50GBP + 106.80GBP
or if you prefer 112,500 + 934.08 GBP.
Should probably have used M&M companion award 90K + 45K + 724GBP but as I won't be on holiday again until at least October seemed more sensible to burn bmi miles
2 * CPT-FRA-MAN LH Business @ 18,750 + 127.50GBP + 106.80GBP
or if you prefer 112,500 + 934.08 GBP.
Should probably have used M&M companion award 90K + 45K + 724GBP but as I won't be on holiday again until at least October seemed more sensible to burn bmi miles
Jan 13, 2009, 10:59 am
#145
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: UK
Programs: BMI, BA, BA Amex, Marriott
Posts: 110
The earlier flight leaves MAN at 13:40, arriving in ZRH at 16:35. Expertflyer shows that it is available.
I spent 3 hours in the ZRH F Lounge in October (See trip report which contains a couple of pics of the lounge) and would throughly recommend it. The food and drink offerings were of a very high standard.
With a 1hr connection, I doubt you will get to the F lounge missing out on the above and the delightful car transfer from the lounge to the gate.
I spent 3 hours in the ZRH F Lounge in October (See trip report which contains a couple of pics of the lounge) and would throughly recommend it. The food and drink offerings were of a very high standard.
With a 1hr connection, I doubt you will get to the F lounge missing out on the above and the delightful car transfer from the lounge to the gate.
Been back on the phone to the call centre today to try and change the 18.45 MAN - ZRH flight to the earlier one.
2 calls, both agents say nothing available. 3rd try I asked the agent to check availability first (without giving them my booking reference), she says yes there is availability on that flight - so I give her my booking ref and ask her to cancel the 18.45 MAN-ZRH and change me onto the 13.40 MAN – ZRH. She places me on hold for about 2 minutes.
When she comes back she says that it can not be done as she can not cancel the 18.45 MAN-ZRH flight as it is a connecting flight? I ask and beg but she's says no.
I thought try again later, but when I checked my booking with checkmytrip.com I found that I now have both the 13.40 and the 18.45 flight booked under the same reference number!
So my booking looks like this on checkmytrip.com and Swiss manage my booking -
MAN-ZRH (SWISS business) 9th July
d: 13.40 a: 16.35
MAN-ZRH (SWISS business) 9th July
d: 18:45 a: 21:40
ZRH-BKK (SWISS first) 9th July
d: 22:45 a:14.35 +1
Stay 3 days in BKK
BKK - SIN (SWISS first) 13th July
d: 15.35 a: 18.55
I rang Swiss and they confirmed it and said that I would need to speak to diamond club. I rand diamond club and they were very confused and didn’t really no what to do
What is the best thing to do? I want the earlier flight (so don't want to cancel it), but will having 2 flights mess things up if I do nothing? How would you approach this?
Thanks
BTW checkmytrip is showing - Document 236-21*****064: Manchester - Tokyo - does this mean it has been ticketed
Jan 13, 2009, 11:19 am
#146
Join Date: May 2006
Location: 5 miles from EMA
Programs: BD, BAEC Pleb, VS Pleb, Accor Pleb, HHonors Gold, Big White Season Pass
Posts: 5,925
Been back on the phone to the call centre today to try and change the 18.45 MAN - ZRH flight to the earlier one.
2 calls, both agents say nothing available. 3rd try I asked the agent to check availability first (without giving them my booking reference), she says yes there is availability on that flight - so I give her my booking ref and ask her to cancel the 18.45 MAN-ZRH and change me onto the 13.40 MAN – ZRH. She places me on hold for about 2 minutes.
When she comes back she says that it can not be done as she can not cancel the 18.45 MAN-ZRH flight as it is a connecting flight? I ask and beg but she's says no.
I thought try again later, but when I checked my booking with checkmytrip.com I found that I now have both the 13.40 and the 18.45 flight booked under the same reference number!
So my booking looks like this on checkmytrip.com and Swiss manage my booking -
MAN-ZRH (SWISS business) 9th July
d: 13.40 a: 16.35
MAN-ZRH (SWISS business) 9th July
d: 18:45 a: 21:40
ZRH-BKK (SWISS first) 9th July
d: 22:45 a:14.35 +1
Stay 3 days in BKK
BKK - SIN (SWISS first) 13th July
d: 15.35 a: 18.55
I rang Swiss and they confirmed it and said that I would need to speak to diamond club. I rand diamond club and they were very confused and didn’t really no what to do
What is the best thing to do? I want the earlier flight (so don't want to cancel it), but will having 2 flights mess things up if I do nothing? How would you approach this?
Thanks
BTW checkmytrip is showing - Document 236-21*****064: Manchester - Tokyo - does this mean it has been ticketed
2 calls, both agents say nothing available. 3rd try I asked the agent to check availability first (without giving them my booking reference), she says yes there is availability on that flight - so I give her my booking ref and ask her to cancel the 18.45 MAN-ZRH and change me onto the 13.40 MAN – ZRH. She places me on hold for about 2 minutes.
When she comes back she says that it can not be done as she can not cancel the 18.45 MAN-ZRH flight as it is a connecting flight? I ask and beg but she's says no.
I thought try again later, but when I checked my booking with checkmytrip.com I found that I now have both the 13.40 and the 18.45 flight booked under the same reference number!
So my booking looks like this on checkmytrip.com and Swiss manage my booking -
MAN-ZRH (SWISS business) 9th July
d: 13.40 a: 16.35
MAN-ZRH (SWISS business) 9th July
d: 18:45 a: 21:40
ZRH-BKK (SWISS first) 9th July
d: 22:45 a:14.35 +1
Stay 3 days in BKK
BKK - SIN (SWISS first) 13th July
d: 15.35 a: 18.55
I rang Swiss and they confirmed it and said that I would need to speak to diamond club. I rand diamond club and they were very confused and didn’t really no what to do
What is the best thing to do? I want the earlier flight (so don't want to cancel it), but will having 2 flights mess things up if I do nothing? How would you approach this?
Thanks
BTW checkmytrip is showing - Document 236-21*****064: Manchester - Tokyo - does this mean it has been ticketed
It sounds like they are trying the married segments malarkey on you. Ring back and speak to a supervisor. There are people there who know how to break the connection on the married segments.
The non ticketed booking (i.e. the earlier of the 2 flights) will just auto cancel tomorrow if you don't get it sorted.
Jan 13, 2009, 12:42 pm
#147
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2004
Programs: Nah.
Posts: 13,967
Booked SYD-ICN in C on OZ for 18750 miles + 127.50 GBP + 186.95 AUD in taxes. Woo!
Jan 13, 2009, 2:36 pm
#148
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Manchester, England
Programs: Bonvoy LT Plat, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, BMI Gold (RIP)
Posts: 8,032
Subject to ticketing I have the following booked for July:
Booking 1
MAN-ZRH (LX J) (With 6 hour connection for the F lounge)
ZRH-SIN (LX F)
SIN-MLE (SQ J)
2 adults at 25,000 miles each, plus cash plus a gazillion pounds in taxes to HM Treasury
Booking 2
MLE-SIN (SQ J)
SIN-LHR (SQ J) (No option for even 1 ticket in F, so J it is)
LHR-MAN (BD Y)
2 adults at 18,750 miles each, plus cash and about £2.50 in taxes not to HM Treasury
Thought we'd get this booked now for a few reasons. Firstly Mrs RAPC wants to go the Maldives. Secondly we wanted to keep the bmi miles low 'just in case'. Finally, just figured we'd do SQ on the jumbo in case that get gets pulled and replaced with anything a bit more posh. Unlikely, but you can't win the lottery without buying a ticket
Booking 1
MAN-ZRH (LX J) (With 6 hour connection for the F lounge)
ZRH-SIN (LX F)
SIN-MLE (SQ J)
2 adults at 25,000 miles each, plus cash plus a gazillion pounds in taxes to HM Treasury
Booking 2
MLE-SIN (SQ J)
SIN-LHR (SQ J) (No option for even 1 ticket in F, so J it is)
LHR-MAN (BD Y)
2 adults at 18,750 miles each, plus cash and about £2.50 in taxes not to HM Treasury
Thought we'd get this booked now for a few reasons. Firstly Mrs RAPC wants to go the Maldives. Secondly we wanted to keep the bmi miles low 'just in case'. Finally, just figured we'd do SQ on the jumbo in case that get gets pulled and replaced with anything a bit more posh. Unlikely, but you can't win the lottery without buying a ticket
Jan 13, 2009, 3:22 pm
#149
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: London
Programs: BA
Posts: 2,368
Yes it has been ticketed.
It sounds like they are trying the married segments malarkey on you. Ring back and speak to a supervisor. There are people there who know how to break the connection on the married segments.
The non ticketed booking (i.e. the earlier of the 2 flights) will just auto cancel tomorrow if you don't get it sorted.
It sounds like they are trying the married segments malarkey on you. Ring back and speak to a supervisor. There are people there who know how to break the connection on the married segments.
The non ticketed booking (i.e. the earlier of the 2 flights) will just auto cancel tomorrow if you don't get it sorted.
The married segment concept can be legitimately overridden, but it seems that only the more experienced staff and supervisors know how to do so.
Whatever you do, make sure that the person you are speaking to does not cancel the entire booking and start again - make that very plain at the start of any conversation with each agent you speak to.
Jan 14, 2009, 2:42 am
#150
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 50
Upgrade
Thanks Raffles. Although the return J Burg to Heathrow is with SA Airways. This is the one Im looking for an upgrade on. I will keep an eye on ANA and fingers crossed.