Finnair/AY award/redemption booking/ticket thread
Jan 6, 2019, 12:58 pm
#31
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels
Posts: 8,745
You can't.
No agent in their right mind will give you anything but "we don't know, it's hard to tell" in writing. Could all be used against them otherwise. Better to call and if you get the feeling you have a good agent, then try to extract something like "well, usually Tuesdays are pretty empty in J so if I were you, I'd opt for a Tuesday" or whatever happens to be the case (this Tuesday thing is just my invention, don't take it as advice!).
No agent in their right mind will give you anything but "we don't know, it's hard to tell" in writing. Could all be used against them otherwise. Better to call and if you get the feeling you have a good agent, then try to extract something like "well, usually Tuesdays are pretty empty in J so if I were you, I'd opt for a Tuesday" or whatever happens to be the case (this Tuesday thing is just my invention, don't take it as advice!).
Jan 6, 2019, 1:44 pm
#32
Join Date: May 2017
Programs: AY Plat (OWE), TK Elite (*G), BT VIP, HH D, BW DS
Posts: 484
If you have any flexibility with your dates, it might be a good idea to pick flights with the most I-class availability. In my experience, LH upgrades tend to clear pretty rapidly when there's I class seats still available. You can compare loadings on expertflyer.
Jan 7, 2019, 12:26 am
#33
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: 14,171
Previously, you could do just like this. Check the F-seat availability and find days when there was upgrade space. Then book your J and acompanying Y tickets and quickly upgrade them. It wasn't fool proof, but when you book for family, you are probably a bit flexible and can adjust date of travel a bit to fit the offered F availability.
Nowadays you are in the dark. For the family upgrade in OPs case, you need to bock 4 tickets in "good faith" and then hope for the best that the robot will clear F-seats.
I'd personally think this is a major disadvantage and one of the worst devaluations of the plat tier. Other love this change though, as their waitlisted upgrades "always gets cleared".
(A bit like the imaginary seat block perk. All platinums are not created equal)
Jan 7, 2019, 2:10 am
#34
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY, SK, TK
Posts: 7,595
I strongly suspect that AY has some robot/algorithm behind award space, since I see often "lucrative combos" out of space. Again something that I experienced, only stupider times available or BAoneworld options. However, called in Plat desk and waitlisted and they said it seems that the flight has lots seats for sale so wait a day or two if we can do something about it. Called in next day and they had good news for me, opened some award space. Thank you.
Jan 7, 2019, 12:44 pm
#35
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Tallinn, Estonia
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Accor Platinum, Radisson Rewards Gold, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 940
Right now I see 5+ upgrade availability to Singapore on 16 17 29 Jan and 19 Feb - all other days - 0. Any idea why these days are singled out?
Jan 7, 2019, 1:12 pm
#36
Join Date: May 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Plat (OWE), SK EBG (*A Gold), KQ Plat (STE+), Accor Plat
Posts: 3,157
Jan 8, 2019, 1:58 am
#37
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Tallinn, Estonia
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Accor Platinum, Radisson Rewards Gold, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 940
Dont think loads and forecasts are so readically different, during next few months, that 4 days with no loads and all other days with full load. i think its pure chaos and/or system error so recommend to book these if needed, as few weeks ago all flights were unavialable for 6 months.
Jan 9, 2019, 2:08 am
#38
Join Date: Dec 2013
Programs: AY+ Plat, A3*G
Posts: 672
Yes, that is definitely on the radar and something I have thought about! Is probably even my preferred scenario. At the moment the price I see for finnair.fi is quite a bit higher than what itamatrix gives, but I'm hoping that will change once we get 2-3 months into the year.
But can I be certain that there will be 3 upgrades available both ways?
I should have mentioned, that I sent a mail to platinum desk to ask whether they think it's likely that the award space will open up and also asking whether they have any recommendations/experiences. Testing a bit what they can be used for... Not holding my breath.
But can I be certain that there will be 3 upgrades available both ways?
I should have mentioned, that I sent a mail to platinum desk to ask whether they think it's likely that the award space will open up and also asking whether they have any recommendations/experiences. Testing a bit what they can be used for... Not holding my breath.
Not the ideal solution, but that seems to be the name of the game nowadays if one doesn't want to risk sitting in the back.
Jan 9, 2019, 3:11 am
#40
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY, SK, TK
Posts: 7,595
One option is to book J ticket for you and 3 Y for the family, call Plat desk to process the family upgrades. If no immediate availability, waitlist. If no success cancel all tickets within 24 hour cancellation window. Would do this around noon Finnish time to get two working days of "other department's" time
Not the ideal solution, but that seems to be the name of the game nowadays if one doesn't want to risk sitting in the back.
Not the ideal solution, but that seems to be the name of the game nowadays if one doesn't want to risk sitting in the back.
But yes, it is the name of the game.
Jan 9, 2019, 8:33 am
#41
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Helsinki
Programs: AY Platinum, IHG Gold, Diners
Posts: 1,276
I got a reply - they suggested flying in Economy or waitlisting.
It’s actually a pretty interesting scenario. If I buy a ticket for myself, that leaves my wife + kids 6 and 4 yrs. There’s for the outbound two J awards and two upgrades available. Educated guesses if that is 2+2 = no problem or if upgrading removes the award space (and vv)?
If the total is 2, then how will they waitlist my family? Leave my wife in Economy and put the two kids to Business (remember, I’d be on separate booking)? Or leave one of the kids alone in Economy? Or not agree to waitlist at all?
It looks like there is a 330 day window both for upgrades and awards. Can anyone confirm that is the case?
It’s actually a pretty interesting scenario. If I buy a ticket for myself, that leaves my wife + kids 6 and 4 yrs. There’s for the outbound two J awards and two upgrades available. Educated guesses if that is 2+2 = no problem or if upgrading removes the award space (and vv)?
If the total is 2, then how will they waitlist my family? Leave my wife in Economy and put the two kids to Business (remember, I’d be on separate booking)? Or leave one of the kids alone in Economy? Or not agree to waitlist at all?
It looks like there is a 330 day window both for upgrades and awards. Can anyone confirm that is the case?
Jan 9, 2019, 8:43 am
#42
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY, SK, TK
Posts: 7,595
FWiW, I have had case where they have separated upgrade waitlisted family persons so that at one point kids were risking of staying in Y cabin while parents in J. I asked about if that is Kosher and they murmured it is not really clean but doable so they did what they did. In the end, all cleared so question became moot
Jan 9, 2019, 4:30 pm
#43
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: TLL
Programs: AY LUMO (500K+), Marriott Abassador, Hertz President Circle, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 214
I would take a hit, with upgrades, put them even all as separate - so they would get one by one, as those seats become available. Been travelling on upgrades with 4 pax, me as Platinum, others as Gold - it works fine, just a bit of uncertainty first.
For the kids its probably better to buy tickets, as it would be 25% cheaper and u still get full points, taxes are apprx 250-300 on award tickets.
For the kids its probably better to buy tickets, as it would be 25% cheaper and u still get full points, taxes are apprx 250-300 on award tickets.
Jan 13, 2019, 6:35 am
#44
Join Date: May 2017
Programs: AY Plat (OWE), TK Elite (*G), BT VIP, HH D, BW DS
Posts: 484
Booked my first ever LH awards that I waitlisted with vouchers. Two questions for the seasoned redeemers:
1) When waitlisting an X-class flight for business upgrade, the waitlist shows U-class. Any idea whether this inventory follows similar logic to that of F-class?
2) Plat line told me that changes on the awards would actually be free, and quoted it as a plat perk. I was hesitant to believe but now I suppose there's a phone recording if a change is needed. Is this just a commonly known policy that Ive missed?
1) When waitlisting an X-class flight for business upgrade, the waitlist shows U-class. Any idea whether this inventory follows similar logic to that of F-class?
2) Plat line told me that changes on the awards would actually be free, and quoted it as a plat perk. I was hesitant to believe but now I suppose there's a phone recording if a change is needed. Is this just a commonly known policy that Ive missed?
Jan 13, 2019, 7:01 am
#45
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Plat Lumo
Posts: 1,519
It is indeed a plat perk (undocumented afaik).