Turned AY+ Gold again - Few observations after the fact...
Apr 13, 2018, 2:11 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Switzerland
Programs: AY Plat (OWE), Bonvoy Gold, ALL Silver
Posts: 3,038
Turned AY+ Gold again - Few observations after the fact...
I turned AY+ Gold again after my return from HKG last weekend and noticed a few things...
1) For some reason the miles took much longer to post than normal (BKK-HKG-HEL-ZRH = > doesn't matter)
2) I turned gold somewhere above Russian (HKG-HEL segment) so the HEL-ZRH flight posted 4'400 miles when in fact it really should have been 4'000 base miles +15% = 4'600 miles (doesn't really matter)
3) My account shows gold, but I cannot get "free" seat allocation on a few flights coming up now towards the end of May GVA-HEL-OUL//OUL-HEL (was counting on voucher upgrade GVA-HEL but all had gone in the meanwhile) and this does matter...
So for point (3) I contacted AY, through their website chatter option, and was told that I was indeed entitled to free seat allocation BUT it wouldn't be available before a few days after I moved up the tiers.
My question is, how many days are a few days in AY lingo translated into actual days? Anyone else encountered this?
1) For some reason the miles took much longer to post than normal (BKK-HKG-HEL-ZRH = > doesn't matter)
2) I turned gold somewhere above Russian (HKG-HEL segment) so the HEL-ZRH flight posted 4'400 miles when in fact it really should have been 4'000 base miles +15% = 4'600 miles (doesn't really matter)
3) My account shows gold, but I cannot get "free" seat allocation on a few flights coming up now towards the end of May GVA-HEL-OUL//OUL-HEL (was counting on voucher upgrade GVA-HEL but all had gone in the meanwhile) and this does matter...
So for point (3) I contacted AY, through their website chatter option, and was told that I was indeed entitled to free seat allocation BUT it wouldn't be available before a few days after I moved up the tiers.
My question is, how many days are a few days in AY lingo translated into actual days? Anyone else encountered this?
Apr 13, 2018, 3:39 am
#2
Join Date: Jun 2015
Programs: AY+, SK EB
Posts: 2,958
You are AY+ Gold when the required points are credited, not before. Therefore the 4400 points are correct.
As it seems you are still Silver. You will get your Gold benefits as soon as the points are credited. It might be that the free seat benefit doesn't work online immediately, but CS can do it then for you.
As it seems you are still Silver. You will get your Gold benefits as soon as the points are credited. It might be that the free seat benefit doesn't work online immediately, but CS can do it then for you.
Apr 13, 2018, 5:45 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Switzerland
Programs: AY Plat (OWE), Bonvoy Gold, ALL Silver
Posts: 3,038
You are AY+ Gold when the required points are credited, not before. Therefore the 4400 points are correct.
As it seems you are still Silver. You will get your Gold benefits as soon as the points are credited. It might be that the free seat benefit doesn't work online immediately, but CS can do it then for you.
As it seems you are still Silver. You will get your Gold benefits as soon as the points are credited. It might be that the free seat benefit doesn't work online immediately, but CS can do it then for you.
1) When I touched down in HEL I was over the 80'000 miles threshold so technically Gold at that very moment...
If the HEL-ZRH had not posted, and I would had to do this retrospectively, I would have gotten the AY+ additional bonus miles as I technically would have been AYG PRIOR to the following segment.
2) As I said, CS could not do anything about the seats (even through my account shows I'm gold and which was confirmed by the CS agent) when I was chatting with them. The agent I "spoke" to was also in touch with the AY tech team while I was online with her and was told it would take a few days for the free seat allocation option would be available online (still my account showed Gold)...
Apr 13, 2018, 7:48 am
#4
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Gold, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,172
What the eff is that for an answer?! "Yes you are gold but we can't give you the associated perks. "
Get real, finnair.
Apr 13, 2018, 8:06 am
#5
Join Date: Jun 2015
Programs: AY+, SK EB
Posts: 2,958
This part is just as silly as it gets. So now the hunt for monies through the seat selection system has come to a point there the entire loyalty system is degraded?
What the eff is that for an answer?! "Yes you are gold but we can't give you the associated perks. "
Get real, finnair.
What the eff is that for an answer?! "Yes you are gold but we can't give you the associated perks. "
Get real, finnair.
Apr 13, 2018, 8:15 am
#6
Join Date: May 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Plat (OWE), SK EBG (*A Gold), KQ Plat (STE+), Accor Plat
Posts: 3,157
I had the same experience. Therefore, I suggest Cupart would just HUACA.
Apr 14, 2018, 12:04 am
#7
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Programs: Finnair (AY) Platinum, Air France Silver, Tallink Club One Silver :)
Posts: 1,655
This is not an enhancement (or at least not a new one), this is AY's IT at its best... 
Few years back when I turned gold from silver, as I knew that is about to happen, I did not pay for seat selection while being silver. So on day 1 when I turned gold, wanted to reserve the seats that I had in mind, but system still wanted to charge me for it. Called CS and they booked the seats for me for free.
Few years back when I turned gold from silver, as I knew that is about to happen, I did not pay for seat selection while being silver. So on day 1 when I turned gold, wanted to reserve the seats that I had in mind, but system still wanted to charge me for it. Called CS and they booked the seats for me for free.
Apr 14, 2018, 12:25 am
#8
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Gold, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,172
The change might be that CS reps now have been told not to book anything free of charge? Let's see if @Cupart calls gold line and they will fix it. If they also deny action then there seems to be a change in attitude.
Apr 14, 2018, 1:09 am
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Switzerland
Programs: AY Plat (OWE), Bonvoy Gold, ALL Silver
Posts: 3,038
Huaca???
"In the Quechuan languages of South America, a huaca or wak'a is an object that represents something revered, typically a monument of some kind. The term huaca can refer to natural locations, such as immense rocks. Some huacas have been associated with veneration and ritual."
"In the Quechuan languages of South America, a huaca or wak'a is an object that represents something revered, typically a monument of some kind. The term huaca can refer to natural locations, such as immense rocks. Some huacas have been associated with veneration and ritual."
Apr 14, 2018, 1:20 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Switzerland
Programs: AY Plat (OWE), Bonvoy Gold, ALL Silver
Posts: 3,038
The change might be that CS reps now have been told not to book anything free of charge? Let's see if @Cupart calls gold line and they will fix it. If they also deny action then there seems to be a change in attitude.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, AY’s IT is just unbelievably poor.
1) HTTPS proxy error on their website quite often,
2) Dead eneded links on their website,
3) iPhone App doesn’t refresh automatically (need to log off/on)
4) iPad app - had to remove it as I could not login 99% of the time (believe it just directed user to the website anyway, but may be wrong)
5) Tier change perks not instantly updated (as per this post). Why this is not technically possible I don’t know...
Apr 14, 2018, 1:37 am
#11
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Gold, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,172
No worries, you don't need to do anything you don't want to. All I was saying was that if you did that, it would be beneficial to the forum to know what happened - has there been a change in attitude or is it just like it used to be (bad IT but fixable via CS).
Others in similar situation have been able to get free seat selection from gold line (reachable via mail too) so it is only natural you will get that advice here.
As for the tech issues you are preaching to the choir.
Others in similar situation have been able to get free seat selection from gold line (reachable via mail too) so it is only natural you will get that advice here.
As for the tech issues you are preaching to the choir.
Apr 14, 2018, 8:13 am
#13
Join Date: May 2012
Location: HEL
Programs: AY+ Platinum (OWE), HH Diamond, Marriott Platinum, AX
Posts: 190
This is not an enhancement (or at least not a new one), this is AY's IT at its best... Few years back when I turned gold from silver, as I knew that is about to happen, I did not pay for seat selection while being silver. So on day 1 when I turned gold, wanted to reserve the seats that I had in mind, but system still wanted to charge me for it. Called CS and they booked the seats for me for free.
Few years back when I turned gold from silver, as I knew that is about to happen, I did not pay for seat selection while being silver. So on day 1 when I turned gold, wanted to reserve the seats that I had in mind, but system still wanted to charge me for it. Called CS and they booked the seats for me for free.Last edited by Guillou; Apr 14, 2018 at 10:22 am Reason: typos
Apr 14, 2018, 9:57 am
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Switzerland
Programs: AY Plat (OWE), Bonvoy Gold, ALL Silver
Posts: 3,038
UPDATE. Contacted CS and spoke to an agent that had no clue what the hell was going on. She checked my booking ref and told me it was recorded as Ruby FF AY+ and that I indeed (again) was Gold...
Me: "OK, I don’t care what it is recorded under as I’m gold so can you please fix it?"
CS: "what is you AY+ number? Is it 610XXXXXX?”
Me: "No, that is my partners AY+ number... She booked the flights but she is also Gold"
CS: "So your number is 610XXXXXX?"
Me: "No... I gave you my number at the beginning..."
CS: "OK, so your number is 635XXXXXX?"
..... 15 min back and forth
CS: "OK, I’m not very familliar with FF rules I’ll transfer you to ’K’"
Me: "erh... ok"
..... 5 min later on hold
CS’K’: "Hi, sorry for the waiting. We cannot do anything right now, but you can try again in a week"
Me: "OK... bye then"
Me: "OK, I don’t care what it is recorded under as I’m gold so can you please fix it?"
CS: "what is you AY+ number? Is it 610XXXXXX?”
Me: "No, that is my partners AY+ number... She booked the flights but she is also Gold"
CS: "So your number is 610XXXXXX?"
Me: "No... I gave you my number at the beginning..."
CS: "OK, so your number is 635XXXXXX?"
..... 15 min back and forth
CS: "OK, I’m not very familliar with FF rules I’ll transfer you to ’K’"
Me: "erh... ok"
..... 5 min later on hold
CS’K’: "Hi, sorry for the waiting. We cannot do anything right now, but you can try again in a week"
Me: "OK... bye then"
Apr 14, 2018, 10:38 am
#15
Join Date: Oct 2008
Programs: AY Plat Lumo+LTG, FI Gold, DL Silver, BA, SK, AX Plat, Priority Pass, Marriott Ambassador & others
Posts: 634
UPDATE. Contacted CS and spoke to an agent that had no clue what the hell was going on. She checked my booking ref and told me it was recorded as Ruby FF AY+ and that I indeed (again) was Gold...
Me: "OK, I don’t care what it is recorded under as I’m gold so can you please fix it?"
CS: "what is you AY+ number? Is it 610XXXXXX?”
Me: "No, that is my partners AY+ number... She booked the flights but she is also Gold"
CS: "So your number is 610XXXXXX?"
Me: "No... I gave you my number at the beginning..."
CS: "OK, so your number is 635XXXXXX?"
..... 15 min back and forth
CS: "OK, I’m not very familliar with FF rules I’ll transfer you to ’K’"
Me: "erh... ok"
..... 5 min later on hold
CS’K’: "Hi, sorry for the waiting. We cannot do anything right now, but you can try again in a week"
Me: "OK... bye then"
Me: "OK, I don’t care what it is recorded under as I’m gold so can you please fix it?"
CS: "what is you AY+ number? Is it 610XXXXXX?”
Me: "No, that is my partners AY+ number... She booked the flights but she is also Gold"
CS: "So your number is 610XXXXXX?"
Me: "No... I gave you my number at the beginning..."
CS: "OK, so your number is 635XXXXXX?"
..... 15 min back and forth
CS: "OK, I’m not very familliar with FF rules I’ll transfer you to ’K’"
Me: "erh... ok"
..... 5 min later on hold
CS’K’: "Hi, sorry for the waiting. We cannot do anything right now, but you can try again in a week"
Me: "OK... bye then"