In case of irreg AI as an IATA member can rebook you onto any IATA carrier to get you to your final destination. The paper you were handed was a FIM.

More here: https://www.caymanairways.net/iata/m...st-Ed-2002.pdf

you can get original routing credit when asking AI-FR and earn miles on 9W

This is the best thing I like about AI. Incase of IrrOps, they are smart enough to minimise the impact by issuing endorsments onto another carrier. Other carriers, usually just offer a full refund in case of a delay and not as eager to offer endorsments onto another carrier.

Since you were originally booked onto AI and they 'involuntarily' bumped you off to another carrier, logically, you should earn the same miles / segments as AI- no more, no less.

To clarify this, contact the AI-FR team either on email or using the chat feature on the AI website.

Hello,

I am looking to book an award ticket from Europe to Delhi in mid-July on AI using UA miles. When I searched last Sunday, there was availability showing in all classes from all of their European gateways on my selected date. Now, LHR only shows First, while MXP and FRA show only Business; CDG doesn't appear at all. This is consistent with AI's own search tool. This would have been oddly coincidental (and unfortunate) for all of them to have filled so quickly. Is it possible that this is a bug? Have others experienced this?

Thanks.

Hi intltravel90, first of all AI only has a First cabin on its 77Ws which fly to LHR and JFK/EWR routes. MXP, FRA, BHX, FCO, CDG and DME are operated by 787 Dreamliners which are configured only in 2 classes, Business and Economy. Hence, I'd say that if UA website was showing First class on the routes other than London and NYC, then it was a glitch.

Secondly, AI opens up the same number of award seats for both its own members and to Star Alliance partners. Hence, if you can see a seat via AI's own tool, then you can book it by UA miles.

In my experience, AI releases 2 seats in Business and 2 seats in First consistently for its 77W flights. So its possible that the business class awards may have been snapped up and you may only be seeing F award from LHR. AI does not open any award space closer to departure, so that might be that for a given date.



P.S.: This is the availability for 15th July from LHR - Both J and F available!

deovrat, thank you for this thoughtful reply.

As a data point, and to my surprise, when I called United, they were able to book the ticket I was looking for (Economy, which was not clear in my original message). This ticket was not showing on the United website, the Air India website, or the Air India call center. The agent on the phone had no difficulty accessing it.

Wow! United having secret access to hidden award space! Somewhere Smisek will be pulling his hair out.

Thank you for this data point, this is a new occurrence for us.
Is the booking all ticketed with an e-ticket no?
Have any of our other members experienced this?

Yes, I am able to view the ticket on both United's site and AI's site, including the e-ticket number and separate PNRs. I'm able to select seats, too.

As I noted, all of AI's European flights except FCO (but including MXP) went from availability in Economy to none overnight early this week, so it does seem like this may be a glitch.

Glad your booking's worked out and have a good trip

Thanks!

[Moved the rest of the question to the DEL transfer thread.]

What are the cancellation charges for award tickets ?

On AI, it's 500 Miles.

Cancellation of a award on *A partner is listed as 500 Miles + additional charge (depending on partner / availability).

Any option to deduct money and not miles ?

Why would you want to deduct money anyway?
Even if they did allow this (which I'm pretty sure they wouldn't), AI value their own miles at Re.1/mile and would likely charge Rs. 500 for the same.

I value them for a lot less than this (around 70-75p), so this is a no-brainer for me.

Contacted AI FFP team.. they credited the miles as per the original route (DME - DEL - CCU) .. and importantly, they credited the same to my AI ffp account even though DME - DEL was cancelled and ticket endorsed and rerouted to Etihad via AUH..

Good to know how AI FFP handle things in case of IRROPS. ^