Air India Flying Returns - Major changes in FFP Program
Jan 5, 2016 | 11:41 am
#91
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: PDX
Programs: Don't think it matters...
Posts: 5,255
Kyc for financial institutions and intermediaries is common due to Aml etc.. But stringent Kycs for ffp is something i am not aware of.. Specially because miles will only be credited if ffp name and pax name match and pax has to provide some kinda government proof for the ticket anyway..so if kyc is ok for ticket issuance and travel, that same should be fine for ffp which anyway matches the name.
Jan 5, 2016 | 10:04 pm
#92
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: India
Programs: SkyTeam Elite Plus, Accor Gold
Posts: 953
Kyc for financial institutions and intermediaries is common due to Aml etc.. But stringent Kycs for ffp is something i am not aware of.. Specially because miles will only be credited if ffp name and pax name match and pax has to provide some kinda government proof for the ticket anyway..so if kyc is ok for ticket issuance and travel, that same should be fine for ffp which anyway matches the name.
Jan 5, 2016 | 10:19 pm
#93
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: India
Programs: SkyTeam Elite Plus, Accor Gold
Posts: 953
Can you please post the complete text in the email, without any personal details of course, if possible?
Jan 6, 2016 | 4:24 am
#94
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: PDX
Programs: Don't think it matters...
Posts: 5,255
The thing was, many travelers still use TAs for booking tickets. Some of those TAs would open an FF account in the name of their client and keep the login details to themselves. Client went on accruing FF miles in his account and these TAs used them for free travel. AI wanted to stop this.
Jan 6, 2016 | 4:29 am
#95
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: India
Programs: SkyTeam Elite Plus, Accor Gold
Posts: 953
Jan 10, 2016 | 2:25 am
#96
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: DownUnder
Programs: SQ Gold, QR Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 137
Received the new *A Gold kit. Included with are 2 domestic upgrade vouchers and 4 baggage tags.
Guess what - something's wrong with AI
Points mentioned in the welcome letter:
1. Upgrade vouchers for Int. sectors
2. Ability to upgrade with FFP miles at check-in counter
These two things planned to go live by Q2 2016.
Guess what - something's wrong with AI
Points mentioned in the welcome letter:
1. Upgrade vouchers for Int. sectors
2. Ability to upgrade with FFP miles at check-in counter
These two things planned to go live by Q2 2016.
Jan 10, 2016 | 8:42 am
#97
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: KFEG, EY Gold, AI Plat, Accor Plat
Posts: 166
Got my kit as well few weeks back. Noticed that the domestic upgrade voucher is no longer transferable. Also the welcome letter regrets the delay in sending the kit and as a token, they include domestic upgrade vouchers. That's pathetic because upgrade vouchers are part of the silver/gold status.
I am waiting for them to start miles upgrades/ *A redemption via the portal.
I am waiting for them to start miles upgrades/ *A redemption via the portal.
Jan 11, 2016 | 2:30 am
#98
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: DL Diamond, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, ALL Platinum, IHG Platinum
Posts: 30,697
was looking to book a star alliance award from ath-del via fco, with ath-fco on a3 & fco-del on ai....ai wants inr 27k in taxes for this ticket....if i book fco-del directly on ai then the amount comes down to inr 4k in taxes....i wonder why there is such a big difference, especially since ai removed yq when they gutted their redemption chart....
Jan 11, 2016 | 4:43 am
#99
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: India
Programs: SkyTeam Elite Plus, Accor Gold
Posts: 953
was looking to book a star alliance award from ath-del via fco, with ath-fco on a3 & fco-del on ai....ai wants inr 27k in taxes for this ticket....if i book fco-del directly on ai then the amount comes down to inr 4k in taxes....i wonder why there is such a big difference, especially since ai removed yq when they gutted their redemption chart....
A quick check reveals a revenue A3 business class seat prices out to be INR 23k !
Pretty sure its a bored and clueless agent, or maybe he was looking at a different routing than you provided? They seem to prefer FRA for transiting and want you to route through FRA if possible, for some weird reason..
Maybe its because LH used to be a redemption partner even before AI was in Star Alliance.
Sorry to end this with a question, but how many miles did the agent want to charge you for ATH-FCO-DEL? Only ATH-DEL or ATH-FCO + FCO-DEL???
Jan 11, 2016 | 5:11 am
#100
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: DL Diamond, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, ALL Platinum, IHG Platinum
Posts: 30,697
There shouldn't be this much difference, 23k for just ATH-FCO?!
A quick check reveals a revenue A3 business class seat prices out to be INR 23k !
Pretty sure its a bored and clueless agent, or maybe he was looking at a different routing than you provided? They seem to prefer FRA for transiting and want you to route through FRA if possible, for some weird reason..
Maybe its because LH used to be a redemption partner even before AI was in Star Alliance.
Sorry to end this with a question, but how many miles did the agent want to charge you for ATH-FCO-DEL? Only ATH-DEL or ATH-FCO + FCO-DEL???
A quick check reveals a revenue A3 business class seat prices out to be INR 23k !
Pretty sure its a bored and clueless agent, or maybe he was looking at a different routing than you provided? They seem to prefer FRA for transiting and want you to route through FRA if possible, for some weird reason..
Maybe its because LH used to be a redemption partner even before AI was in Star Alliance.
Sorry to end this with a question, but how many miles did the agent want to charge you for ATH-FCO-DEL? Only ATH-DEL or ATH-FCO + FCO-DEL???
Jan 11, 2016 | 5:30 am
#101
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: India
Programs: SkyTeam Elite Plus, Accor Gold
Posts: 953
65k for FCO-DEL sector + 35k for ATH-FCO sector.
Not to say this absolves her of the stupendous taxes amount, but it could easily have been much worse. New AI Star Alliance redemption rules can't come quickly enough !
Jan 11, 2016 | 5:39 am
#102
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: DL Diamond, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, ALL Platinum, IHG Platinum
Posts: 30,697
Tell you what, her quoting 65k miles is a small victory in itself. I bet you next time you call, you'll get an agent who'll quote 100 k miles for this itinerary..
65k for FCO-DEL sector + 35k for ATH-FCO sector.
Not to say this absolves her of the stupendous taxes amount, but it could easily have been much worse. New AI Star Alliance redemption rules can't come quickly enough !
65k for FCO-DEL sector + 35k for ATH-FCO sector.
Not to say this absolves her of the stupendous taxes amount, but it could easily have been much worse. New AI Star Alliance redemption rules can't come quickly enough !
Jan 17, 2016 | 9:30 pm
#103
Join Date: Feb 2014
Programs: FlyingReturns
Posts: 1
Then why hold redemption of miles
If the purpose is only to verify address for sending membership package, why hold redemption of miles. The site states that you can only accrue miles but not redeem. I called up at the call center and they said its a new "IATA" rule which is totally incorrect.
If you read the FAQs on AI website, the KYC is only to verify the name and address. So if you are a resident outside India, then you just need some valid document with address proof.
I think what AI really needs to say is that "Address Verification" and not really KYC. But maybe there is no standard address verification form, so they probably picked KYC.
It is quite likely that AI wants the correct address before they can send the FFP cards or the membership package.
I think what AI really needs to say is that "Address Verification" and not really KYC. But maybe there is no standard address verification form, so they probably picked KYC.
It is quite likely that AI wants the correct address before they can send the FFP cards or the membership package.
Jan 17, 2016 | 9:36 pm
#104
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: India
Programs: SkyTeam Elite Plus, Accor Gold
Posts: 953
The call center is wrong, IATA has nothing to do with airlines' policies regarding frequent flyer programs. These rules are conceived and implemented by Air India alone.
Regarding verification, the main purpose is NOT to send membership packages correctly, but to stop unauthorized redemption of miles by travel agents.
Jan 18, 2016 | 3:23 am
#105
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: DL Diamond, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, ALL Platinum, IHG Platinum
Posts: 30,697
has anyone else noticed that ai is charging around 5 times the taxes & fees for a child redemption ticket????
i've checked a number of different sectors like:
del - sin....adult taxes & fees is inr 2,180 & for a child its inr 12,110....
fco - del....adult taxes & fees is 62.21 & for a child its 181.75....
del - jfk....adult taxes & fees is inr 4,754 & for a child its inr 25,694....
looks like they are still charging the yq amount for children redemption tickets....trust ai to have overlooked something like this....i'm dreading a call to their call center to try & get a ticket issued....
i've checked a number of different sectors like:
del - sin....adult taxes & fees is inr 2,180 & for a child its inr 12,110....
fco - del....adult taxes & fees is 62.21 & for a child its 181.75....
del - jfk....adult taxes & fees is inr 4,754 & for a child its inr 25,694....
looks like they are still charging the yq amount for children redemption tickets....trust ai to have overlooked something like this....i'm dreading a call to their call center to try & get a ticket issued....