Star Alliance awards now bookable on the web
#31
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,084
The trick can be to react in time if the hackers make last minute bookings
#32
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Koala Lemur
Programs: SK EBD LTG (*G)
Posts: 2,444
The argument that if the actual hacking happened through the *A awards interface, then it was valid to close it. (I didn't know how the awards are actually issued, and that they are on SK stock. I have no prior experience here).
#33
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,084
I think it is a bogus reason that has been given by SK, I think it is technically driven but not a hack, just a general failure of the solution somehow. But that is just me guessing
#34
Join Date: Feb 2014
Programs: SK Pandion, BA Silver
Posts: 187
Really hacking?
It sounds like a pretty stupid thing to do since the value from the hacking comes in the form of travelling where the identity of the traveller would be known and typically confirmed with a form of ID.
For paying the taxes and fees a credit card would also be required. If you have a stolen credit card, it would appear as easy to just buy the ticket.
The authorities investigating this would seemingly have a pretty good starting point.
For paying the taxes and fees a credit card would also be required. If you have a stolen credit card, it would appear as easy to just buy the ticket.
The authorities investigating this would seemingly have a pretty good starting point.
#35
Join Date: Jul 2008
Programs: EBG4Life, EBD, 1MM
Posts: 1,397
Regardless of whether the system was hacked or not, the award booking tool being down is just another typical problem with SAS. They seem to make everything so damn difficult. I spent the better part of Friday calling back and forth with SAS trying to book next years X-mas trip, which was a waste of time for both myself and call staff. At that same time that I had to wait for the staff to check for availability, I was using Aegean's website to search for availability and book tickets for the other half of the family. My kids were laughing at me when they came home from school and I was still trying to get SAS to ticket flights, but mostly as I was on hold waiting for the SAS agent. Their generation cannot fathom using the phone to book tickets, much less sitting on hold.
SAS has been completely out-of-date with most of the IT improvements and is struggling to keep up with regional airlines like Aegean, who have had point sharing accounts for some time and also implemented a *A award booking tool that works.
Off topic, but my kids pointed out that they:
(1) usually earn more miles on A3 than we do on SK (especially after the devaluation)
(2) Used less miles for award tickets on *A (110k vs 165k for C class to South America)
(3) Paid less for YQ (1350SEK vs 92€ for the exact same flights)
(4) Requalify for *G much easier
(5) Received better upgrades on SK metal using A3 (debatable, but they have a point)
They told their "old man" to switch over to A3, and quite frankly they might just be correct in their assessment. Even worse, I start to feel old and out-dated.....thanks SAS!
SAS has been completely out-of-date with most of the IT improvements and is struggling to keep up with regional airlines like Aegean, who have had point sharing accounts for some time and also implemented a *A award booking tool that works.
Off topic, but my kids pointed out that they:
(1) usually earn more miles on A3 than we do on SK (especially after the devaluation)
(2) Used less miles for award tickets on *A (110k vs 165k for C class to South America)
(3) Paid less for YQ (1350SEK vs 92€ for the exact same flights)
(4) Requalify for *G much easier
(5) Received better upgrades on SK metal using A3 (debatable, but they have a point)
They told their "old man" to switch over to A3, and quite frankly they might just be correct in their assessment. Even worse, I start to feel old and out-dated.....thanks SAS!
#38
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: AES
Posts: 64
It's back now.
https://www.sas.no/eurobonus/star-alliance-award-trips/
https://www.sas.no/eurobonus/star-alliance-award-trips/
#39
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: SFO
Programs: AS 75K (OW), SK Silver (*A), UR, MR
Posts: 3,329
It's back now.
https://www.sas.no/eurobonus/star-alliance-award-trips/
https://www.sas.no/eurobonus/star-alliance-award-trips/
#42
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,123
SQ is having issues with showing availability to *A partners since some time, AI no longer provides Amadeus any of its info as it has severed all ties with them.
#43
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
I still see AI award space showing up on sites like LifeMiles.com, but my attempt to book it yesterday flopped again.
8k using Avianca/LifeMiles miles for that route is standard for me. And with AV miles for UA flights, I avoid UA’s “close-in”/“rapid redemption” fees, but instead pay a $25 booking fee to LifeMiles/Avianca regardless of when I book the trip.
8k using Avianca/LifeMiles miles for that route is standard for me. And with AV miles for UA flights, I avoid UA’s “close-in”/“rapid redemption” fees, but instead pay a $25 booking fee to LifeMiles/Avianca regardless of when I book the trip.
#44
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: AGH
Posts: 5,960
Just got my first AMEX 2-4-1 this year and they now ask you to book the trip online or pay a 375 SEK/person fee for doing so through the call center which at the same time reduced the hours to Moday to Friday 9am to 5pm.
That is really insulting! The online tool offers just a very strict set of routing and not even allows to book all classes (no F or PE). Booking F won LH will get more difficult as well as I can’t call in on Saturday or Sunday.
I’ll send a comment to AMEX but I guess they’ll just shrug it off.
That is really insulting! The online tool offers just a very strict set of routing and not even allows to book all classes (no F or PE). Booking F won LH will get more difficult as well as I can’t call in on Saturday or Sunday.
I’ll send a comment to AMEX but I guess they’ll just shrug it off.
#45
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 498
Just got my first AMEX 2-4-1 this year and they now ask you to book the trip online or pay a 375 SEK/person fee for doing so through the call center which at the same time reduced the hours to Moday to Friday 9am to 5pm.
That is really insulting! The online tool offers just a very strict set of routing and not even allows to book all classes (no F or PE). Booking F won LH will get more difficult as well as I can’t call in on Saturday or Sunday.
I’ll send a comment to AMEX but I guess they’ll just shrug it off.
That is really insulting! The online tool offers just a very strict set of routing and not even allows to book all classes (no F or PE). Booking F won LH will get more difficult as well as I can’t call in on Saturday or Sunday.
I’ll send a comment to AMEX but I guess they’ll just shrug it off.