--Where to ask questions about redeeming flight awards?—
Apr 15, 2003, 12:19 pm
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
--Where to ask questions about redeeming flight awards?—
Around two months ago, ozstamps opened this thread: Isn't four locked threads of the last 8 threads posted just a little 'over-moderated?. Looking at the number of your replies, this was a very hot topic on *A forum. As I explained, I hoped that all of you play an active role in this generic forum and contribute extensively on topics like
• Comparison of the quality of different *A Carriers
• Comparison of the different *A FFPs & promotions
• *A products (eg RWSTAR, *A Circle Pacific fares, *A Airpasses)
• Travel benefits for *G & *S card holders (eg lounge access, baggage allowance, preferred seating, preferred boarding)
• Latest news of *A network (eg new members, destinations, routing)
As ozstamps requested here, I bring his thoughts to the *A board and try to give some input to his example:
I still am at a loss to understand this prevailing (hypothetical) scenario. A British Midland Airlines flyer posts in the Star Alliance Forum that he wants to redeem a Europe->Asia Award in Business Class and asks experienced FT'ers whether he is best advised to choose TG, SQ, OS, SAS or LH, all of whom fly there.
Patron's habitual style on the STAR forum would seem to be to close the thread and move it to British Midland Forum, arguing if you are using BMI miles - then go there and ask your questions.
Mainly I see two aspects in this scenario:
1. To create an itinerary using *A member flights:
There are many aspects to take under consideration such as:
· Duration of trip
· Connecting airports
· Operating carrier
· Aircraft
· Class of service
· Ground service
· On board service (seat, cabin crew, culinary experience, IFE, amenity kit)
If someone needs assistance on these issues, the *A board is the best place to open a thread.
2. Redeem flight awards:
We all like to use our hard earned miles/points in the most efficient way. The restrictions for doing this are found in the terms & conditions of the relevant *A FFP. If you take a closer look on the 13 *A FFPs you may receive different answers on questions such as:
· On which airline partners other than *A carriers can I redeem miles/points?
(Example: NH Mileage Club members can redeem miles on Malaysia Airlines and on Emirates, NZ Airpoint members have the privilege to redeem points on Virgin Atlantic)
· Which airline partners other than *A carriers can I combine?
(Example: UA Mileage Plus members can combine US Airways with SQ, LH Miles & More members OS & LO).
· How much mileage is required?
(Example: OZ Asiana Club uses ten award zones which are based on round trip mileage, RG Smiles has 17 award zones).
· Is there a different amount of mileage required if I use different carriers?
· Do the mileage levels apply only on direct flights between two award zones (eg M&M) or is it possible to include a third award zone in the itinerary?
· How many stopovers are allowed?
· How many transfers are permitted?
· Is waitlist permitted on flight awards if the requested booking class is not available at time of reservation?
· Can I change my itinerary (=reroute) of my flight award?
· Can I change my date of travel or the flight number I am booked on?
If someone needs assistance on these issues, the best place to open a thread is in the relevant FFP and not on the *A board.
The reason why I close such threads on the *A board (but everybody could take the liberty to offer an answer to the question as I provide a link that leads directly to the new thread) and move it to an airline FFP board are:
1. To the benefit of the poster as he should receive reliable answers from the experts.
2. To avoid confusion
I know that others do not share my opinion; but I hope that I was able to explain my reasons and you see some consistency in my moderation which is also very important IMO.
Patron
*A TalkTeam Moderator
• Comparison of the quality of different *A Carriers
• Comparison of the different *A FFPs & promotions
• *A products (eg RWSTAR, *A Circle Pacific fares, *A Airpasses)
• Travel benefits for *G & *S card holders (eg lounge access, baggage allowance, preferred seating, preferred boarding)
• Latest news of *A network (eg new members, destinations, routing)
As ozstamps requested here, I bring his thoughts to the *A board and try to give some input to his example:
I still am at a loss to understand this prevailing (hypothetical) scenario. A British Midland Airlines flyer posts in the Star Alliance Forum that he wants to redeem a Europe->Asia Award in Business Class and asks experienced FT'ers whether he is best advised to choose TG, SQ, OS, SAS or LH, all of whom fly there.
Patron's habitual style on the STAR forum would seem to be to close the thread and move it to British Midland Forum, arguing if you are using BMI miles - then go there and ask your questions.
Mainly I see two aspects in this scenario:
1. To create an itinerary using *A member flights:
There are many aspects to take under consideration such as:
· Duration of trip
· Connecting airports
· Operating carrier
· Aircraft
· Class of service
· Ground service
· On board service (seat, cabin crew, culinary experience, IFE, amenity kit)
If someone needs assistance on these issues, the *A board is the best place to open a thread.
2. Redeem flight awards:
We all like to use our hard earned miles/points in the most efficient way. The restrictions for doing this are found in the terms & conditions of the relevant *A FFP. If you take a closer look on the 13 *A FFPs you may receive different answers on questions such as:
· On which airline partners other than *A carriers can I redeem miles/points?
(Example: NH Mileage Club members can redeem miles on Malaysia Airlines and on Emirates, NZ Airpoint members have the privilege to redeem points on Virgin Atlantic)
· Which airline partners other than *A carriers can I combine?
(Example: UA Mileage Plus members can combine US Airways with SQ, LH Miles & More members OS & LO).
· How much mileage is required?
(Example: OZ Asiana Club uses ten award zones which are based on round trip mileage, RG Smiles has 17 award zones).
· Is there a different amount of mileage required if I use different carriers?
· Do the mileage levels apply only on direct flights between two award zones (eg M&M) or is it possible to include a third award zone in the itinerary?
· How many stopovers are allowed?
· How many transfers are permitted?
· Is waitlist permitted on flight awards if the requested booking class is not available at time of reservation?
· Can I change my itinerary (=reroute) of my flight award?
· Can I change my date of travel or the flight number I am booked on?
If someone needs assistance on these issues, the best place to open a thread is in the relevant FFP and not on the *A board.
The reason why I close such threads on the *A board (but everybody could take the liberty to offer an answer to the question as I provide a link that leads directly to the new thread) and move it to an airline FFP board are:
1. To the benefit of the poster as he should receive reliable answers from the experts.
2. To avoid confusion
I know that others do not share my opinion; but I hope that I was able to explain my reasons and you see some consistency in my moderation which is also very important IMO.
Patron
*A TalkTeam Moderator
Apr 15, 2003, 4:12 pm
#2
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Sydney NSW Australia
Posts: 2,337
Patron, I agree with your synopsis in regards to specific questions relating to a particular FF scheme, but let's take the post by kv99 (So many choices HKG-PHL) as an example.
He had *no* specific questions relating to his UA FF scheme. He told us in the opening line, the following 5 scenarios were his options, (ie - he knew what he could get on/for his redememption and he had no questions relating to UA specific issues). He was merely asking for opinions on the carriers and routings involved in those options, and as more than one Star carrier was involved in those options, surely the Star forum is the logical place to post such generalised questions involving more than one * carrier?
You seem to have jumped on one tiny throw away line in the post about US redemptions and told him to go to UA and closed the thread, which apart from that line, was on topic as a generalised Star post.
I understand where you are coming from and as I said earlier, I agree with your general synopsis, but not everything is black and white. I think that's where most of us were coming from in the original discussion on this point.
Merely my observations and no malice intended.
Regards and Cheers.
He had *no* specific questions relating to his UA FF scheme. He told us in the opening line, the following 5 scenarios were his options, (ie - he knew what he could get on/for his redememption and he had no questions relating to UA specific issues). He was merely asking for opinions on the carriers and routings involved in those options, and as more than one Star carrier was involved in those options, surely the Star forum is the logical place to post such generalised questions involving more than one * carrier?
You seem to have jumped on one tiny throw away line in the post about US redemptions and told him to go to UA and closed the thread, which apart from that line, was on topic as a generalised Star post.
I understand where you are coming from and as I said earlier, I agree with your general synopsis, but not everything is black and white. I think that's where most of us were coming from in the original discussion on this point.
Merely my observations and no malice intended.
Regards and Cheers.
