Cheap Business and First Class Ticket offered on auction sites
Nov 2, 2009, 2:59 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: CH
Programs: Quite a few...
Posts: 128
Cheap Business and First Class Ticket offered on auction sites
Does anyone have any experience with buying and using the cheap business and first class tickets offered on auction sites such as ebay? Private sellers offer TATL tickets for EUR 1'699 in Business and 2'999 in First Class (including taxes and fees). They state that the tickets are "Cooperate Vouchers" (Corporate?) and you won't get any miles... The offers are tempting pricewise, but I'm not sure what to think of it.
Nov 2, 2009, 3:03 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Point Place, Wisconsin
Programs: LH HON, BA Gold, EK Gold
Posts: 14,505
I'd stay clear of this. Perhaps these vouchers are legit, but probably someone is simply selling off their mileage account balances ?
Also note, that there have been quite a few scam in the past, where only a reservation was made, the money collected and the reservation then got cancelled, leaving the buyer out of pocket.
Also note, that there have been quite a few scam in the past, where only a reservation was made, the money collected and the reservation then got cancelled, leaving the buyer out of pocket.
Nov 2, 2009, 3:55 am
#3
Join Date: May 2004
Location: SIN (LEJ once a year)
Programs: SQ, LH, BA, IHG Diamond AMB, HH Gold, SLH Indulged, Accor Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 7,739
Just remember the old saying: "If it sounds too good to be true it probably is." 
There are a lot of crooks out there and as recommended by Rambuster I would stay clear of it. Best case scenario is that it is legit but then there maybe issues with mileage accruability and so forth. depends.
It maybe also be someone selling their frequent flyer miles in form of a discounted C or F ticket which again would certainly not give miles and is not allowed to start with. Yes there are mileage consolidators and so forth a mass around but still risk is involved.
If LH catches such a guy 'selling' miles in form of award tickets (they do pose as buyers from time to time I have been told) they will likely lock down the account, void the miles and all redemption tickets booked with the miles too. Then you are out of your money.
Just some thoughts. In the end it is your decision ...
There are a lot of crooks out there and as recommended by Rambuster I would stay clear of it. Best case scenario is that it is legit but then there maybe issues with mileage accruability and so forth. depends.It maybe also be someone selling their frequent flyer miles in form of a discounted C or F ticket which again would certainly not give miles and is not allowed to start with. Yes there are mileage consolidators and so forth a mass around but still risk is involved.
If LH catches such a guy 'selling' miles in form of award tickets (they do pose as buyers from time to time I have been told) they will likely lock down the account, void the miles and all redemption tickets booked with the miles too. Then you are out of your money.
Just some thoughts. In the end it is your decision ...
Nov 3, 2009, 9:59 am
#7
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Berlin
Programs: LH FTL
Posts: 546
Actually the prices are really not that good. I looked for a trip to LA earlier this year and was able to do AMS-ZRH-LAX-ZRH-AMS for €1900 on LX in Business all in...... Just a cheapo ticket to AMS on top and I had a better deal than any of these 'special offers' that usually do not even include Taxes, etc.
I would stay away from these..... on top of not collecting (or sometimes 50% in UA MileagePlus) versus me collecting full 225%
I would stay away from these..... on top of not collecting (or sometimes 50% in UA MileagePlus) versus me collecting full 225%
Nov 3, 2009, 4:43 pm
#8
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: FRA
Programs: LH SEN, SPG Plat, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 566
Nov 3, 2009, 5:08 pm
#9
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Berlin
Programs: BA Gold; Accor Plat; IHG Diamond-Amb; Meliá & HH & Marriott Gold
Posts: 5,450
It will actually cost you a little more than that by the time you've added taxes, but not a great deal more than 1,200 EUR at today's exchange rates.
Details in this thread.
Details in this thread.
Nov 3, 2009, 5:09 pm
#10
Moderator: Asiana & Qantas Frequent Flyer
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: STR/SYD/SMF
Programs: QF Lifetime SG, LH HON, OZ Lifetime Diamond +, HH Diamond, Marriott Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 14,375
Nov 4, 2009, 5:01 pm
#12
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: FRA
Programs: LH SEN, SPG Plat, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 566
Thanks a lot, pretty good offer, especially considering the fact I need less US Airways miles than M&M miles.
Just a short question: If I can see award availability over the M&M website, can the US Airways call center book the award? Or will I run into award availability issues and be stuck with additional 100K miles in my US Airways account?
Just a short question: If I can see award availability over the M&M website, can the US Airways call center book the award? Or will I run into award availability issues and be stuck with additional 100K miles in my US Airways account?
Nov 4, 2009, 6:22 pm
#13
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Berlin
Programs: BA Gold; Accor Plat; IHG Diamond-Amb; Meliá & HH & Marriott Gold
Posts: 5,450
I know that if I can see award availability, using the ANA tool or ExpertFlyer, then I'm able to book it through US. So unless you can see additional LH or LX availability because of your SEN status (someone who knows more about M&M will know whether this might be an issue) then the same should apply to you. US (unlike UA) doesn't artificially limit other carriers' award availability.
Nov 5, 2009, 10:22 am
#14
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: FRA
Programs: LH SEN, SPG Plat, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 566
Just wanted to thank everyone in this post.
I don't fly US Airways that much anymore and normally credit everything to M&M, but still had around 54K dividend miles laying around. Thanks to FT I was able to secure another 106K miles and get my parents two C class tickets from FRA to MCO for about 1000€ (all in, the taxes/fees US Airways charges for LH flights are ridiculously low).
Thanks again, just shows what great value FT provides! ^
I don't fly US Airways that much anymore and normally credit everything to M&M, but still had around 54K dividend miles laying around. Thanks to FT I was able to secure another 106K miles and get my parents two C class tickets from FRA to MCO for about 1000€ (all in, the taxes/fees US Airways charges for LH flights are ridiculously low
). Thanks again, just shows what great value FT provides! ^