Air India Flying Returns - Major changes in FFP Program
 

Hot update on AI Flying returns:

AI revamped the program to not charging YQ on international award tickets for AI metal, however redemption miles needed have been bumped up by 80% or so. One way DEL-ORD used to be 45k in Y, now it is 80k with no YQ. Miles needed double for J class.Huge devaluation especially for J

Do you have the chart or a link to the same?
The website page says "Under Construction" right now.

If J redemptions are really increasing by 100%, then this is a huge blow, YQ or no YQ.

I now just hope that the already exorbitant Star Alliance chart does not receive such an 'improvement'. :(

Were you trying to login through AI's main website ?
I did it through FR's website and bingo it worked !!

Thanks for the tip ! @:-)

major devaluation if this is true....

tried that on the first day....no luck....

were you able to change the number back after registration????

Worked for me an hour back..

i guess i'll try again....hopefully it should work this time....

+1

AI website each time leads to crap OTP requirement which never comes, FR website just works fine

Other way around, try logging in from AI website and once on OTP page, click "Logout" and re-login - It works fine each time without OTP sh*t!

I visited the local AI office to process a redemption, the lady at the desk informed me of this and showed me an internal email containing the new chart, noted down a couple of sectors that I use. BOM-LHR is 45K OW and All India to North America sectors (SFO,YYZ,EWR,ORD,JFK) got repriced to 80K OW. Another new levy is additional 5K miles charge if you use offline (city office, telephone(?) etc) booking.

On par with United's redemptions. (Except for the 5k in person bit...)

Question is, how much YQ??

Thanks for the info.
The additional offline charge is a rip-off !

I just fear that some incompetent folks at AI FFP will also want to charge these fees for Star A redemptions, which can't be made online at all.

The OP states that they have removed YQ component as a softener for this devaluation.

Just noticed this on AI-FR website, which wasn't present earlier (bolding mine):


"YQ is no longer chargeable on international award tickets. Only non airline taxes are to be paid plus miles.
Flying Returns members can also redeem miles for upgrading the eligible paid class tickets in domestic and international network of Air India.
The miles required for economy to business class upgrade depend on the RBD/Booking class of the Economy class ticket to be upgraded and range from 60% to 190% of normal economy class redemption miles for that sector."


60% - 190% !! Previously it was a flat 75%.
Huge devaluation in most cases of booking classes then.

YYZ ? Interesting.
Have they finally eliminated charging on a point to point basis thereby allowing stopovers and open jaws ?