Please report your successful redemptions using Diamond Club miles (2009)
Dec 31, 2009, 2:26 am
#1726
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: UK
Posts: 415
Booked for Sept - 6 pax C on LX
DUB-ZUR
Overnight Zurich
ZUR-LAX
2 weeks in Calfornia
LAX-ZUR
ZUR-LHR-BHD
37.5k miles, 210 cash, 305 taxes, 4.50 credit card fee ( x 6
)
Good experience with the ICC - first attempt I got Rohan, who I see has been mentioned as reliable above. 31 mins in total - built it from the main sectors, no issues with seeing availablity, etc, call length was due to the fact that I wanted to book it over two tickets and the hold time when taxes were being loaded.
As always many thanks for the helpful advice from the board ! I really no clue how somebody would achieve the redemptions we see on this and the previous threads without your help.
DUB-ZUR
Overnight Zurich
ZUR-LAX
2 weeks in Calfornia
LAX-ZUR
ZUR-LHR-BHD
37.5k miles, 210 cash, 305 taxes, 4.50 credit card fee ( x 6
) Good experience with the ICC - first attempt I got Rohan, who I see has been mentioned as reliable above. 31 mins in total - built it from the main sectors, no issues with seeing availablity, etc, call length was due to the fact that I wanted to book it over two tickets and the hold time when taxes were being loaded.
As always many thanks for the helpful advice from the board ! I really no clue how somebody would achieve the redemptions we see on this and the previous threads without your help.
Dec 31, 2009, 7:26 am
#1727
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: BA Blue, EI Silver, Honours Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,209
booked
DUB-ZRH-LAX-YYZ with LX & AC 17,250 miles + 275.40GBP TAX & CASH (for three)
YYZ-LHR-DUB with AC & BD 17,250 miles + 194.20 TAX + CASH (for two)
YYZ-LHR-DUB with AC & BD 12,500 miles + 159.30 TAX + CASH (for one)
All in C except for LAX-YYZ in Y and one YYz-LHR seat in Y as well - no availability, Im keeping my fingers crossed
Less than 1600 GBP for 3 passengers in business class over the Atlantic in summer? Pretty good, I reckon.
Brian.
DUB-ZRH-LAX-YYZ with LX & AC 17,250 miles + 275.40GBP TAX & CASH (for three)
YYZ-LHR-DUB with AC & BD 17,250 miles + 194.20 TAX + CASH (for two)
YYZ-LHR-DUB with AC & BD 12,500 miles + 159.30 TAX + CASH (for one)
All in C except for LAX-YYZ in Y and one YYz-LHR seat in Y as well - no availability, Im keeping my fingers crossed
Less than 1600 GBP for 3 passengers in business class over the Atlantic in summer? Pretty good, I reckon.
Brian.
Jan 1, 2010, 10:26 am
#1728
Join Date: Apr 2007
Programs: A3 *G
Posts: 171
Thanks Airframe; my brother and I have decided to cash out the majority of our remaining miles whilst we can still get to the far side of the US for 37.5k miles ( plus cash ) in C. I hadn't planned a big trip this year, but the small "enhancements" in the program over the year pushed us into making a decision.
Jan 1, 2010, 2:05 pm
#1729
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: London, England
Programs: Flying Blue Platinum, BA Executive Club Gold, Diamond Club Gold
Posts: 7
Please report your successful redemptions using Diamond Club miles (2010)
(I think we need a "2010" thread?-- but I'll stay on this one.)
2 x LHR-BKK return in C
120000 miles + £297.60 taxes per person.
I was lucky to find a good agent (Soheta?). Polite and efficient (although it took 15 minutes, it was a pleasant experience). Impressed, especially as the dates coincide with school / Easter holidays.
Strange that even after 11 hours the booking does not appear anywhere yet. Is this normal?
Overall, though, the DC redemption experience is absolutely appalling. If I hadn’t got such a lot of other commitments over Christmas it would have driven me to an early grave… I took the opportunity in the festive holiday to deal with the effort of spending hard earned miles to get a simple flight with a variety of *A carriers for a holiday in any – yes any - destination in central or south America. I endured five frustrating fruitless calls, where all ANA and EF research was rebuffed by agents whose sole aim in life seemed be to either politely say there is no availability (even though there was strong evidence to the contrary) and/or to turn off their phones or monitors at going-home time.
Then I did two things…(a) turned my attention to Asia and (b) luckily found Soheta who was helpful and sounded happy with her work – more than can be said for the other five. Why are some parts of the *A world fairly difficult and others impossible? 
I’m very pleased to have pretty much blown out Mrs gmbodio’s and my bmi accounts.
Now I will concentrate on earning miles where the spend is relatively easy (like with a self booking tool – as per many ff schemes - isn’t that easier for everybody?)
Happy New Year everybody!
2 x LHR-BKK return in C
120000 miles + £297.60 taxes per person.
I was lucky to find a good agent (Soheta?). Polite and efficient (although it took 15 minutes, it was a pleasant experience). Impressed, especially as the dates coincide with school / Easter holidays.Strange that even after 11 hours the booking does not appear anywhere yet. Is this normal?
Overall, though, the DC redemption experience is absolutely appalling. If I hadn’t got such a lot of other commitments over Christmas it would have driven me to an early grave… I took the opportunity in the festive holiday to deal with the effort of spending hard earned miles to get a simple flight with a variety of *A carriers for a holiday in any – yes any - destination in central or south America. I endured five frustrating fruitless calls, where all ANA and EF research was rebuffed by agents whose sole aim in life seemed be to either politely say there is no availability (even though there was strong evidence to the contrary) and/or to turn off their phones or monitors at going-home time.
Then I did two things…(a) turned my attention to Asia and (b) luckily found Soheta who was helpful and sounded happy with her work – more than can be said for the other five. Why are some parts of the *A world fairly difficult and others impossible? I’m very pleased to have pretty much blown out Mrs gmbodio’s and my bmi accounts.
Now I will concentrate on earning miles where the spend is relatively easy (like with a self booking tool – as per many ff schemes - isn’t that easier for everybody?)Happy New Year everybody!
Jan 1, 2010, 2:28 pm
#1730
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Marriott Bonvoy
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Englandshire
Programs: SPG LT Plat, BA G, BD*LG, MG Blue+ ...
Posts: 16,035
Well, that rounds off a rather eventful 2009 on the bmi FT board : please continue in the 2010 redemptions thread.
Happy New Year.
Happy New Year.
Last edited by GoldCircle; Jan 3, 2010 at 11:20 am Reason: 'cos Oxon Flyer can't even past a simple link correctly!