Spending Flying Club Miles on AF-KLM
#31
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 7
#32
Join Date: May 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 3,951
#33
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 13
#34
Join Date: May 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 3,951
#36
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 486
Unfortunately that doesn't necessarily make it the truth. A few months ago I wanted to book KL-LHR/LGW-VS marketed by DL because that was the only way I could get an outbound on VS metal combined with a return on AF metal to ticket. Before booking I called and texted VS to be sure that I would be able to upgrade the VS segment if it was booked under a DL code and issued on DL (006). Both the call centre and the texting service confirmed that this would be possible, so I booked the ticket. Then, of course, when calling to do the upgrade I was told that they could only upgrade the VS flight if it was booked on a VS code, regardless of who issued the ticket.
I ended up spending more time on the phone getting this sorted than the return transatlantic flight took. It was ridiculous. In the end I found a DL agent who was willing to change the flight number to the VS code but in total it took nearly four weeks to get it sorted. And even after VS had confirmed that they had done the upgrade, one of the tickets kept having (both VS and KL) legs dropped for no reason. Two days before departure I finally thought that everything had been fixed, yet upon checking in KL refused to honour the Premium allowance and made us pay 70 to put an 11kg suitcase on a 1-hour flight to LHR. Mind you, the checkin staff had never even heard of VS. Now, months later, the argument with KL regarding this fee has still not been resolved. And upon checking in for the VS flight in LGW we were told that the one ticket that kept dropping legs still had not been issued properly. Fortunately, the VS staff at LGW fixed it promptly but as a whole it was such a mess that I vowed never to book an AFKL-VS connection again if I had any intention of upgrading.
Maybe they've smoothed things out by now but given the amount of holes still present in what was published last week I wouldn't hold my breath. If you've found a way to book AFKL-LON-VS coded as such (or all VS-coded) I'd love to hear about it but I haven't been able to.
I ended up spending more time on the phone getting this sorted than the return transatlantic flight took. It was ridiculous. In the end I found a DL agent who was willing to change the flight number to the VS code but in total it took nearly four weeks to get it sorted. And even after VS had confirmed that they had done the upgrade, one of the tickets kept having (both VS and KL) legs dropped for no reason. Two days before departure I finally thought that everything had been fixed, yet upon checking in KL refused to honour the Premium allowance and made us pay 70 to put an 11kg suitcase on a 1-hour flight to LHR. Mind you, the checkin staff had never even heard of VS. Now, months later, the argument with KL regarding this fee has still not been resolved. And upon checking in for the VS flight in LGW we were told that the one ticket that kept dropping legs still had not been issued properly. Fortunately, the VS staff at LGW fixed it promptly but as a whole it was such a mess that I vowed never to book an AFKL-VS connection again if I had any intention of upgrading.
Maybe they've smoothed things out by now but given the amount of holes still present in what was published last week I wouldn't hold my breath. If you've found a way to book AFKL-LON-VS coded as such (or all VS-coded) I'd love to hear about it but I haven't been able to.
#37
Join Date: May 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 3,951
Unfortunately that doesn't necessarily make it the truth. A few months ago I wanted to book KL-LHR/LGW-VS marketed by DL because that was the only way I could get an outbound on VS metal combined with a return on AF metal to ticket. Before booking I called and texted VS to be sure that I would be able to upgrade the VS segment if it was booked under a DL code and issued on DL (006). Both the call centre and the texting service confirmed that this would be possible, so I booked the ticket. Then, of course, when calling to do the upgrade I was told that they could only upgrade the VS flight if it was booked on a VS code, regardless of who issued the ticket.
I ended up spending more time on the phone getting this sorted than the return transatlantic flight took. It was ridiculous. In the end I found a DL agent who was willing to change the flight number to the VS code but in total it took nearly four weeks to get it sorted. And even after VS had confirmed that they had done the upgrade, one of the tickets kept having (both VS and KL) legs dropped for no reason. Two days before departure I finally thought that everything had been fixed, yet upon checking in KL refused to honour the Premium allowance and made us pay 70 to put an 11kg suitcase on a 1-hour flight to LHR. Mind you, the checkin staff had never even heard of VS. Now, months later, the argument with KL regarding this fee has still not been resolved. And upon checking in for the VS flight in LGW we were told that the one ticket that kept dropping legs still had not been issued properly. Fortunately, the VS staff at LGW fixed it promptly but as a whole it was such a mess that I vowed never to book an AFKL-VS connection again if I had any intention of upgrading.
Maybe they've smoothed things out by now but given the amount of holes still present in what was published last week I wouldn't hold my breath. If you've found a way to book AFKL-LON-VS coded as such (or all VS-coded) I'd love to hear about it but I haven't been able to.
I ended up spending more time on the phone getting this sorted than the return transatlantic flight took. It was ridiculous. In the end I found a DL agent who was willing to change the flight number to the VS code but in total it took nearly four weeks to get it sorted. And even after VS had confirmed that they had done the upgrade, one of the tickets kept having (both VS and KL) legs dropped for no reason. Two days before departure I finally thought that everything had been fixed, yet upon checking in KL refused to honour the Premium allowance and made us pay 70 to put an 11kg suitcase on a 1-hour flight to LHR. Mind you, the checkin staff had never even heard of VS. Now, months later, the argument with KL regarding this fee has still not been resolved. And upon checking in for the VS flight in LGW we were told that the one ticket that kept dropping legs still had not been issued properly. Fortunately, the VS staff at LGW fixed it promptly but as a whole it was such a mess that I vowed never to book an AFKL-VS connection again if I had any intention of upgrading.
Maybe they've smoothed things out by now but given the amount of holes still present in what was published last week I wouldn't hold my breath. If you've found a way to book AFKL-LON-VS coded as such (or all VS-coded) I'd love to hear about it but I haven't been able to.
#38
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 486
I had not seen these before so I'm not sure if they're a very recent addition or if they've been there since Feb 13. But it does strike me as odd that there appear to be (rare) cases in which this can be booked as a reward flight, yet to my knowledge the KL-VS code combination cannot be booked on a revenue fare (with the exception of insanely priced full fare combinations).
#40
Join Date: May 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 3,951
Unlike AF, BA etc... its helpful that Flying Club dont have an offline booking fee. Just booked a tentative KLM Biz flight over the phone, it does sound like its all very new to them. Originating at AMS to save on the UK APD, lets hope they are happy to check luggage straight through to the final destination from the revenue KLM connection.
#41
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 320
Yes I've found availability IAD-CDG in business class but their availability does not match AF or KLM award space. It is frustrating to say the least. I hope it's just a bug but who knows. It looks like it books into O class for business which is what AF/KLM book into as well so I had hoped it'd be same availability.
#42
Join Date: May 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 3,951
Yes I've found availability IAD-CDG in business class but their availability does not match AF or KLM award space. It is frustrating to say the least. I hope it's just a bug but who knows. It looks like it books into O class for business which is what AF/KLM book into as well so I had hoped it'd be same availability.
#43
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Montreux CH
Programs: FB Platinum, M&M FTL, BA Blue
Posts: 11,525
Finally I am having a fiddle around with this. An itinerary from Moscow to Geneva would cost only 9,000 miles and $28 taxes, which seems an amazing deal. This would be on AF with a transfer in CDG. Round trips cost 18,000, which seems great for the distance, and varies between $77 (KLM) and $91 taxes. There are definitely deals to be had here on niche routes, if you happen to need to use them. I was sure Moscow all the way to Switzerland was going to be a lot more. Wonder what other interesting routings are out there.
#44
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Surrey
Programs: BA Gold, VS Gold, Eurostar CB, IHG Spire, Hilton Diamond, Bonvoy Titanium, Hertz President Circle
Posts: 435
Is Virgin still blocking availability to Japan? Seems like dates I can see bookable at saver level via Flying Blue are not visible when searching Flying Club
#45
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 7
Pretty poor that the Partnership launched a couple of weeks ago and they still dont have the systems set up to utilise the full benefits of the Partnership.
Dont know if ANA has maybe tried to block them from selling the routes given their own partnership with Virgin. If thats the case they should just be fully transparent about this.