Originally Posted by gvipin (Post 25002088)

Hi,
Has anyone tried redeeming AI miles on *A partners while being outside India. I am in KL and trying to book an AirNewZealand flight from Sydney-Christchurch and return and have been ping ponged so far. Emailed to FFP, they told me to contact KL office, contacted they are saying since ANZ office in SG, so they have sent it to SG (how stupid is that) and I am sent back to FFP.

Must be an easier way out?

Originally Posted by deovrat (Post 25000065)

I can see that you have posted into AI-SBI thread for a similar question as well.
I hope I can simplify it for you.

Imagine that the miles are categorized into 2 categories.
Lets call them:
1) Status/Tier Miles
2) Redeemable Miles

Now, the first type of miles are the only miles that are responsible for determining your frequent flyer tier.

The second type, redeemable miles, do not contribute to your member tier at all. Rather, you can only use them for redemption for flights, or any other thing.
e.g. I can be a base tier member with 1 million redeemable miles, but zero status miles. That does not make me a Gold Tier/Maharajah member. I will only be able to redeem those redeemable miles towards something, like free flights.

If that's clear enough, then we move towards how to obtain these two types of miles.

a) Status/Tier miles can only be obtained by directly flying Air India flights/Air India codeshare flights. There is no other method/shortcut to accrue them.

b)Redeemable miles can be obtained from a variety of sources, not limited to:
-Direct flying AI/Codeshare flights (Yes, these miles can act both as Status as well as Redeemable miles)
-Credit card signup bonus/spend bonus
-Flying a Star Alliance airline and crediting the miles to your AI FFP number
-Buying miles from AI for hard cash
-Any other method

Again, at the expense of repeating myself, these can only be used for redemption towards AI/Star Alliance flights. NOT towards Status/FFP tier.

Hope that wasn't too confusing.

So, coming back to your original query, you can combine your and spouse's miles, but they are only of redeemable variety. So, none of you will move up/down a tier. You will only pool the miles for use towards redemption.

Feel free to ask any follow-up questions.

Originally Posted by deovrat (Post 25001331)

@GuyFromBOM: I noticed that AI website had moved Live Chat option from Frequent Flyer tab to general Contact tab.
Verified that they are catering to all general queries now, and not solely FFP queries. Hence modified the wiki.

Originally Posted by gvipin (Post 25002088)

Hi,
Has anyone tried redeeming AI miles on *A partners while being outside India. I am in KL and trying to book an AirNewZealand flight from Sydney-Christchurch and return and have been ping ponged so far. Emailed to FFP, they told me to contact KL office, contacted they are saying since ANZ office in SG, so they have sent it to SG (how stupid is that) and I am sent back to FFP.

Must be an easier way out?

Originally Posted by GuyFromBOM (Post 25006739)

^



Try contacting the AI Twitter team and / or the Chat option on AI the website.

Additionally, may I suggest that you check the YQ component of the fare and the mileage required for the redemption for the *A partner booking before contacting AI. AI will charge not just the miles, but Fuel Surcharge (YQ) as well.

An estimate of YQ can be derived by searching your flights on ITA Matrix.

Originally Posted by gvipin (Post 25023802)

Thanks GfB. I searched on ITA Matrix and this is what I got...not sure how to see YQ in this

Originally Posted by monkatpeace (Post 25067418)

Quoting this thread's wiki:



Brief history:
I am AI FFP program member, currently very close to the silver tier (just 1 flight away).

Two queries:

1. The wiki says that even the non-tiered FR members get an excess baggage allowance of 10kgs. Has anyone tested this i.e. You exceed you baggage allowance by a couple kgs, but tell the boarding agent that should be okay because you are a AI FR member? Does that work?
2. From online discussions, I believe receiving the membership kit (silver, gold,..) will take a really really long time. How can we ensure we are not denied our tier benefits (eg: excess baggage allowance, extra carry-on bag, priority check-in and boarding,....)?

Thanks,
Monk

Originally Posted by GuyFromBOM (Post 25067518)

Once the FFP # is added to the PNR, the booking system alerts the current tier of the FFP account. And subsequently the benefits can be availed.

Originally Posted by monkatpeace (Post 25067557)

Thanks .. just one query though. So non-tiered FR members do get that 10kg extra bag allowance right? :)

Thanks,
Monk

Originally Posted by deovrat (Post 25071685)

Since when did you see any AI employees being stringent with the baggage weight? ;)
Everyone's an FR member for them!

Originally Posted by Keyser (Post 25072263)

they are strict in del....i've seen them stop a few people for overweight bags & the excess baggage counter always seems to have a line....

Originally Posted by deovrat (Post 25071685)

Since when did you see any AI employees being stringent with the baggage weight? ;)
Everyone's an FR member for them!

Originally Posted by deovrat (Post 25072783)

Oh! Well then that's good for AI's sake :)

Originally Posted by Keyser (Post 25072263)

they are strict in del....i've seen them stop a few people for overweight bags & the excess baggage counter always seems to have a line....