Reserving specific booking class
Oct 28, 2019 | 10:57 am
#1
Original Poster
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Location: YOW
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Reserving specific booking class
I'm hoping for some expert advice from AI travellers on how to purchase a specific booking class on an AI domestic flight. I would like to travel next month from DEL to UDR in a specific booking class (G), so I'm able to maximize the points received on my aeroplan account. Given that I'm based overseas, I'm unable to purchase the ticket via an AI toll-free reservation agent, since (s)he is only allowed to take credit cards from India. Does anyone know of an online travel website, where I can purchase the ticket via a specific booking class? Amex Travel doesn't have an agreement with AI, given that the company doesn't accept this credit card and Expedia doesn't offer AI as an option either.
I don't understand why AI can't take the international credit card information from overseas guests and when you arrive in India, you show proof of the credit card and your identification to ensure that no fraudulent activity occurred, similar to Eva Airways policy.
I don't understand why AI can't take the international credit card information from overseas guests and when you arrive in India, you show proof of the credit card and your identification to ensure that no fraudulent activity occurred, similar to Eva Airways policy.
Oct 29, 2019 | 4:33 am
#2
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not aware of any online ta where you can purchase in a specific class....the only thing i can think of is contacting a local travel agent....if you are interested then i can pm you the number & email of a couple of agencies my firm uses....
Oct 29, 2019 | 5:02 am
#3
Join Date: Jul 2017
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Which toll free number are you calling? I can't believe what you're saying is correct (even if this is AI). AI has offices and toll free numbers from around the world. I can't imagine those don't accept non Indian credit cards even for domestic flights.
You can trying going the TA route or call the nearest AI offices to see if they can help if you if the international toll free numbers don't get you someone who can.
You can trying going the TA route or call the nearest AI offices to see if they can help if you if the international toll free numbers don't get you someone who can.
Oct 29, 2019 | 2:12 pm
#4
Original Poster
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Location: YOW
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Which toll free number are you calling? I can't believe what you're saying is correct (even if this is AI). AI has offices and toll free numbers from around the world. I can't imagine those don't accept non Indian credit cards even for domestic flights.
You can trying going the TA route or call the nearest AI offices to see if they can help if you if the international toll free numbers don't get you someone who can.
You can trying going the TA route or call the nearest AI offices to see if they can help if you if the international toll free numbers don't get you someone who can.
Oct 29, 2019 | 2:26 pm
#5
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: KrisFlyer Gold, Marriott & SPG Plat, Hilton Gold, ShangriLa Jade, Enterprise Plat, Taj Gold
Posts: 3,766
Sadly, I wish this revelation was inaccurate. When I contacted AI's Canadian office toll-free reservations number, it is redirected to the AI call centre in India, and this policy was reiterated to me twice. I tried HUCA in the hopes that the first person didn't have a clue what they were telling me.
Doesn't the new booking portal airindia.in allow you to choose a fare bucket that works for you?
Oct 29, 2019 | 2:31 pm
#6
Original Poster
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Location: YOW
Programs: Altitude 75K, LT Marriott Platinum
Posts: 270
I was able to reserve the specific booking class by calling Cheapoair's toll-free number.
Oct 30, 2019 | 1:27 am
#7
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: YTO/DEL/BOM/GAU
Programs: A few airlines, hotel programs and car rentals
Posts: 1,271
I'm hoping for some expert advice from AI travellers on how to purchase a specific booking class on an AI domestic flight. I would like to travel next month from DEL to UDR in a specific booking class (G), so I'm able to maximize the points received on my aeroplan account. Given that I'm based overseas, I'm unable to purchase the ticket via an AI toll-free reservation agent, since (s)he is only allowed to take credit cards from India. Does anyone know of an online travel website, where I can purchase the ticket via a specific booking class? Amex Travel doesn't have an agreement with AI, given that the company doesn't accept this credit card and Expedia doesn't offer AI as an option either.
I don't understand why AI can't take the international credit card information from overseas guests and when you arrive in India, you show proof of the credit card and your identification to ensure that no fraudulent activity occurred, similar to Eva Airways policy.
I don't understand why AI can't take the international credit card information from overseas guests and when you arrive in India, you show proof of the credit card and your identification to ensure that no fraudulent activity occurred, similar to Eva Airways policy.
Oct 30, 2019 | 1:58 am
#8
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Oct 30, 2019 | 2:14 am
#9
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you can say that again....its a comedy of errors most of the time....
yesterday i booked an award ticket online, using ai miles on ua....after that i called to get my ua pnr so that i could use the ua app to check-in & select my seat....there was a long hold period & i was on hold for over 20 minutes....i hung up & tried again a few hours later....was on hold for another 20+ minutes & couldn't wait any longer so hung up again....
finally got through to them after another 20+ minute hold in the evening & i gave the agent my ai pnr....she went though the whole spiel of asking me my name, dob, email address, phone number, mother's maiden name, etc, etc & then asked me how she could help....i told her i needed my ua pnr for the flight & she responds back by saying the she cannot give me my 'united nations' pnr....i corrected her by saying it was 'united airlines' & not 'united nations' & asked why she can't retrieve the pnr....she replied saying they are not allowed to give the 'united nations' pnr....i once again corrected her on the name & told her that i have used miles to book on ua multiple times in the past & always call to get the ua pnr so it is definitely 'allowed' & she should check again....
she put me on hold for a minute & then comes back & tells me the air india & 'united nations' pnr is the same....i didn't bother with the name correction this time & told her that is not possible as the ai pnr has 5 characters & the ua pnr has 6 so she should check again & maybe ask a supervisor for help if she can't find it....another brief hold & then she comes back with the correct pnr....this time she called it the 'united airlines' pnr....
i would have hung up & called again if the call wait times weren't so long....i figured it would be better to spend 5-10 minutes explaining to her that united airlines & the united nations are two separate things than spend another 20 minutes on hold to get another agent who has no clue what they are doing....
yesterday i booked an award ticket online, using ai miles on ua....after that i called to get my ua pnr so that i could use the ua app to check-in & select my seat....there was a long hold period & i was on hold for over 20 minutes....i hung up & tried again a few hours later....was on hold for another 20+ minutes & couldn't wait any longer so hung up again....
finally got through to them after another 20+ minute hold in the evening & i gave the agent my ai pnr....she went though the whole spiel of asking me my name, dob, email address, phone number, mother's maiden name, etc, etc & then asked me how she could help....i told her i needed my ua pnr for the flight & she responds back by saying the she cannot give me my 'united nations' pnr....i corrected her by saying it was 'united airlines' & not 'united nations' & asked why she can't retrieve the pnr....she replied saying they are not allowed to give the 'united nations' pnr....i once again corrected her on the name & told her that i have used miles to book on ua multiple times in the past & always call to get the ua pnr so it is definitely 'allowed' & she should check again....
she put me on hold for a minute & then comes back & tells me the air india & 'united nations' pnr is the same....i didn't bother with the name correction this time & told her that is not possible as the ai pnr has 5 characters & the ua pnr has 6 so she should check again & maybe ask a supervisor for help if she can't find it....another brief hold & then she comes back with the correct pnr....this time she called it the 'united airlines' pnr....
i would have hung up & called again if the call wait times weren't so long....i figured it would be better to spend 5-10 minutes explaining to her that united airlines & the united nations are two separate things than spend another 20 minutes on hold to get another agent who has no clue what they are doing....
Oct 30, 2019 | 2:43 am
#10
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: YTO/DEL/BOM/GAU
Programs: A few airlines, hotel programs and car rentals
Posts: 1,271
you can say that again....its a comedy of errors most of the time....
yesterday i booked an award ticket online, using ai miles on ua....after that i called to get my ua pnr so that i could use the ua app to check-in & select my seat....there was a long hold period & i was on hold for over 20 minutes....i hung up & tried again a few hours later....was on hold for another 20+ minutes & couldn't wait any longer so hung up again....
finally got through to them after another 20+ minute hold in the evening & i gave the agent my ai pnr....she went though the whole spiel of asking me my name, dob, email address, phone number, mother's maiden name, etc, etc & then asked me how she could help....i told her i needed my ua pnr for the flight & she responds back by saying the she cannot give me my 'united nations' pnr....i corrected her by saying it was 'united airlines' & not 'united nations' & asked why she can't retrieve the pnr....she replied saying they are not allowed to give the 'united nations' pnr....i once again corrected her on the name & told her that i have used miles to book on ua multiple times in the past & always call to get the ua pnr so it is definitely 'allowed' & she should check again....
she put me on hold for a minute & then comes back & tells me the air india & 'united nations' pnr is the same....i didn't bother with the name correction this time & told her that is not possible as the ai pnr has 5 characters & the ua pnr has 6 so she should check again & maybe ask a supervisor for help if she can't find it....another brief hold & then she comes back with the correct pnr....this time she called it the 'united airlines' pnr....
i would have hung up & called again if the call wait times weren't so long....i figured it would be better to spend 5-10 minutes explaining to her that united airlines & the united nations are two separate things than spend another 20 minutes on hold to get another agent who has no clue what they are doing....
yesterday i booked an award ticket online, using ai miles on ua....after that i called to get my ua pnr so that i could use the ua app to check-in & select my seat....there was a long hold period & i was on hold for over 20 minutes....i hung up & tried again a few hours later....was on hold for another 20+ minutes & couldn't wait any longer so hung up again....
finally got through to them after another 20+ minute hold in the evening & i gave the agent my ai pnr....she went though the whole spiel of asking me my name, dob, email address, phone number, mother's maiden name, etc, etc & then asked me how she could help....i told her i needed my ua pnr for the flight & she responds back by saying the she cannot give me my 'united nations' pnr....i corrected her by saying it was 'united airlines' & not 'united nations' & asked why she can't retrieve the pnr....she replied saying they are not allowed to give the 'united nations' pnr....i once again corrected her on the name & told her that i have used miles to book on ua multiple times in the past & always call to get the ua pnr so it is definitely 'allowed' & she should check again....
she put me on hold for a minute & then comes back & tells me the air india & 'united nations' pnr is the same....i didn't bother with the name correction this time & told her that is not possible as the ai pnr has 5 characters & the ua pnr has 6 so she should check again & maybe ask a supervisor for help if she can't find it....another brief hold & then she comes back with the correct pnr....this time she called it the 'united airlines' pnr....
i would have hung up & called again if the call wait times weren't so long....i figured it would be better to spend 5-10 minutes explaining to her that united airlines & the united nations are two separate things than spend another 20 minutes on hold to get another agent who has no clue what they are doing....
"United Nations PNR" - this is EPIC!
Oct 30, 2019 | 11:46 am
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: YOW
Programs: Altitude 75K, LT Marriott Platinum
Posts: 270
This might not be useful for you since you have already purchased your ticket, but, AI does accept US (as well as India) issued AMEX ONLINE and in-person at the check-in desks / airport ticketing offices. I normally use my US-issued AMEX for the 5x. Now, finding a specific booking code online or dealing with their reps on phone is a whole another story!
Sadly, AMEX ONLINE CANADA doesn't have AI as one of their flight options.
Oct 31, 2019 | 6:52 am
#12
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 52,647
yesterday i booked an award ticket online, using ai miles on ua....after that i called to get my ua pnr so that i could use the ua app to check-in & select my seat....there was a long hold period & i was on hold for over 20 minutes....i hung up & tried again a few hours later....was on hold for another 20+ minutes & couldn't wait any longer so hung up again....
BTW, I'm flying to the US tomorrow and have united flights as part of my LH ticket. In amadeus the RL command didn't yield and UA PNR number, so out of curiousity I plugged in the amadeus PNR into the UA.com website. To my surprise it pulled up the LH booking and showed the UA/Shares PNR code there. Maybe you could try it out with the AI PNR to see what happens. ^
Oct 31, 2019 | 11:21 am
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Next time united nations (or the operating airline) directly, they usually look up the reservation based on flight date and name. BTW, I'm flying to the US tomorrow and have united flights as part of my LH ticket. In amadeus the RL command didn't yield and UA PNR number, so out of curiousity I plugged in the amadeus PNR into the UA.com website. To my surprise it pulled up the LH booking and showed the UA/Shares PNR code there. Maybe you could try it out with the AI PNR to see what happens. ^
BTW, I'm flying to the US tomorrow and have united flights as part of my LH ticket. In amadeus the RL command didn't yield and UA PNR number, so out of curiousity I plugged in the amadeus PNR into the UA.com website. To my surprise it pulled up the LH booking and showed the UA/Shares PNR code there. Maybe you could try it out with the AI PNR to see what happens. ^the ai pnr doesn't work on ua....tried that as well....
the amadeus pnr works on some airlines....it used to work on 9w & works on dl as well....never tried it on ua though....
Nov 1, 2019 | 10:54 am
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: YOW
Programs: Altitude 75K, LT Marriott Platinum
Posts: 270
I needed a laugh - thanks
you can say that again....its a comedy of errors most of the time....
yesterday i booked an award ticket online, using ai miles on ua....after that i called to get my ua pnr so that i could use the ua app to check-in & select my seat....there was a long hold period & i was on hold for over 20 minutes....i hung up & tried again a few hours later....was on hold for another 20+ minutes & couldn't wait any longer so hung up again....
finally got through to them after another 20+ minute hold in the evening & i gave the agent my ai pnr....she went though the whole spiel of asking me my name, dob, email address, phone number, mother's maiden name, etc, etc & then asked me how she could help....i told her i needed my ua pnr for the flight & she responds back by saying the she cannot give me my 'united nations' pnr....i corrected her by saying it was 'united airlines' & not 'united nations' & asked why she can't retrieve the pnr....she replied saying they are not allowed to give the 'united nations' pnr....i once again corrected her on the name & told her that i have used miles to book on ua multiple times in the past & always call to get the ua pnr so it is definitely 'allowed' & she should check again....
she put me on hold for a minute & then comes back & tells me the air india & 'united nations' pnr is the same....i didn't bother with the name correction this time & told her that is not possible as the ai pnr has 5 characters & the ua pnr has 6 so she should check again & maybe ask a supervisor for help if she can't find it....another brief hold & then she comes back with the correct pnr....this time she called it the 'united airlines' pnr....
i would have hung up & called again if the call wait times weren't so long....i figured it would be better to spend 5-10 minutes explaining to her that united airlines & the united nations are two separate things than spend another 20 minutes on hold to get another agent who has no clue what they are doing....
yesterday i booked an award ticket online, using ai miles on ua....after that i called to get my ua pnr so that i could use the ua app to check-in & select my seat....there was a long hold period & i was on hold for over 20 minutes....i hung up & tried again a few hours later....was on hold for another 20+ minutes & couldn't wait any longer so hung up again....
finally got through to them after another 20+ minute hold in the evening & i gave the agent my ai pnr....she went though the whole spiel of asking me my name, dob, email address, phone number, mother's maiden name, etc, etc & then asked me how she could help....i told her i needed my ua pnr for the flight & she responds back by saying the she cannot give me my 'united nations' pnr....i corrected her by saying it was 'united airlines' & not 'united nations' & asked why she can't retrieve the pnr....she replied saying they are not allowed to give the 'united nations' pnr....i once again corrected her on the name & told her that i have used miles to book on ua multiple times in the past & always call to get the ua pnr so it is definitely 'allowed' & she should check again....
she put me on hold for a minute & then comes back & tells me the air india & 'united nations' pnr is the same....i didn't bother with the name correction this time & told her that is not possible as the ai pnr has 5 characters & the ua pnr has 6 so she should check again & maybe ask a supervisor for help if she can't find it....another brief hold & then she comes back with the correct pnr....this time she called it the 'united airlines' pnr....
i would have hung up & called again if the call wait times weren't so long....i figured it would be better to spend 5-10 minutes explaining to her that united airlines & the united nations are two separate things than spend another 20 minutes on hold to get another agent who has no clue what they are doing....