Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

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re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Hahah, sounds like an episode from Fawlty Towers to me!!!

Pele.

I rang LifeMiles and got to talk to someone in their "Involutary Changes Department" and got a ticket reissued by Avianca. All in all took 3 days and and a few phone calls. Lots of nerves, too

Well i called approx 10am AEDT the USA call centre ( I seem to get results most of the time on the number ) and asked for the "Involuntary Changes Department" and got put through straight away, booking changed and updated itinerary emailed while I was on the phone. Thanks sergeyvzn
 
re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Any problems with booking only 2 days out with TG guys?
 
re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Any problems with booking only 2 days out with TG guys?

Just make sure LM emails you the e-ticket before you leave for the airport. They can do it on the same day but sometimes takes a while for the booking to be ticketed.

Worst case, even if you don't receive the e-ticket on time you can call TG directly and they will sort it out from their end.
 
re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Any problems with booking only 2 days out with TG guys?

the question could be, does LM ticket awards differently during "normal timings" = t>4d as compared to last minute ticketing? i usually get mine ticketed within 1 hour or so, so i wonder if there is any difference anyone has experienced.
 
re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

the question could be, does LM ticket awards differently during "normal timings" = t>4d as compared to last minute ticketing? i usually get mine ticketed within 1 hour or so, so i wonder if there is any difference anyone has experienced.

I had LM bookings not ticketed in weeks, even months from date of booking. Maybe they forget to do it sometimes, who knows...

LM are not the only ones btw, I've made a booking with AA 7 days ago and they still didn't charge the taxes or take any miles from my account. At least it shows as ticketed :)
 
re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

I had LM bookings not ticketed in weeks, even months from date of booking. Maybe they forget to do it sometimes, who knows...

The problem being that the operating airline can cancel the seat after 72 hours. I'd never let something go that long - unless you are using points from the program of the operating airline - then they just have to fix their own mess. Harder to do when partners are involved.
 
re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Argh! TG just cancelled the BKK-CDG leg I'm on. Looks like they've moved us to the next days flight which is nice but doesn't help our situation. Need to see what the previous days flights look like :(
 
re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

When is the flight that they cancelled
Argh! TG just cancelled the BKK-CDG leg I'm on. Looks like they've moved us to the next days flight which is nice but doesn't help our situation. Need to see what the previous days flights look like :(
 
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re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Ok, here are my experiences from last week (has taken me the weekend to de-traumatise from it all)

Background is that I had BNE - BKK - IST - BCN booked, the last two legs booked with Turkish Airlines - 85k and $104 in taxes. I was becoming increasingly nervous about that booking as IST airport is a zoo, you need to bussed everywhere, I had a short connection time, lots of reviews of missed flights and connections, and at IST, if you misconnect, you need to buy a visa, go through immigration and customs and then get re-booked. Add to that the military activity near Turkey - just didn't want to transit there. I know most people wouldn't let this worry them, but it was on my mind for a month or so, and I love flying too much to be stressed before the flights..

So I decided to cancel my booking and find other options. I tried to call, pressed 2 for English, 3 for life miles but would always get put through to someone who could only speak Spanish. This happened Mon and Tue last week. Sent email on Tuesday night explaining could not get through, got an email back the next morning saying keep trying. Tried at 7am on Wednesday morning - got through, and cancelled in about 40 mins after I was transferred at least 5 times.

Sent screenshots of the following (when reading note days and times)

Mon 8/8 BNE- BKK in J arrive BKK at 20.20

Tues 9/8 BKK- ZRH dep BKK at 13.05 arrive ZRH at 19 35

Wed 10.8 ZRH - BCN dep ZRH at 12.05pm arrive 14.05

I can't sleep on planes so this is perfect for me and very happy to pay for 2 nights airport accommodation.

So, I send screenshots at 9.30am on Wed with all required details. I get an email back around midnight saying what gender is the passenger ( I thought Tania was obvious, but never mind). Sent reply back at 2.35am ( Avianca keep me awake!!:mad:)

No reply the next morning so sent reminder email on Thursday morning. When I checked my email on Friday morning, I was given different flights to what I booked - still BNE-BKK-ZRH-BCN, but using TG overnight flights. I rang on Friday morning, and got through on the 3rd attempt to someone who spoke English. After 40 mins, and him telling me that the reason my flights were different was because of misconnects, he tells me he is placing me on hold to try and sort something. On hold for another 20 mins and phone disconnects. By this time, I think bugger it, will deal with it next week, and worst case scenario is I fly to Europe in Y (my return os already booked on CX in J using QFF points)

5 mins later I get a travel document with the flights I discussed with him (which are the ones above). Just goes to show you can have greater than 8 hour transits and my flight is over 3 days, all still for 85,000 points in J, no mixed class either.

So, I ring back to try and pay the taxes. By this stage had already spent nearly 2 hrs dealing with it, and was mildly manic!! I get someone on the 2nd attempt who says he can help me. So he takes credit card details and puts me on hold. 5 mins later, comes back and says he is still trying to contact my bank and places me back on hold (Citibank). On my other phone I phone Citibank whilst still on hold and they say no problem at our end. I wait on hold for 30 mins and then hang up. Low and behold, whilst I was on the phone, they had already ticketed it and sent it through, he must have just forgotten to get me back from being on hold to tell me!!

So, all in all I got exactly what I wanted, but took another year off my life. Very happy though. Few lessons:
1. You cannot cancel with an email, even when you beg
2. Be liberal with transit times, they don't seem to care as long as its less than 24 hours
3. Persistence pays off
 
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re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Gday

Well done Tania.

One thing i find really useful when paying these types of charges by credit card is the ability to get an sms when a charge is made against your credit card. Both my Amex and Citibank card have this feature and it is pretty much instantaneous. It gives me peace of mind that the charge has gone though and hasnt been blocked by the bank. You can configure the Amex for any charge over $1, for Citibank the minimum is $100.

Pele.
 
re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Paying LM charges I have given up the idea of CC points.Amex,DC and MC can be knocked back-Amex the most often,MC the least often.However I now use Visa and never been knocked back using that.
 
re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

I leave next weekend.

So FRA F was fun enough, but I am perhaps not the target market (don't smoke cigars, not especially interested in cars).

I actually did a water flight (cough flirting with the dude on water duty), and basically tasted 15 or so types of water with varying levels of carbonation. They all tasted like water. But we found various ways to talk about it.

I'd do it again if it worked into my plans somehow, but wouldn't go out of my way.

Still one of my best lounge experiences, though, because I really don't expect a five-course meal and ludicrous booze every time.
 
re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

So FRA F was fun enough, but I am perhaps not the target market (don't smoke cigars, not especially interested in cars).

I actually did a water flight (cough flirting with the dude on water duty), and basically tasted 15 or so types of water with varying levels of carbonation. They all tasted like water. But we found various ways to talk about it.

I'd do it again if it worked into my plans somehow, but wouldn't go out of my way.

Still one of my best lounge experiences, though, because I really don't expect a five-course meal and ludicrous booze every time.

Germans love their carbonated water.

If you had a thing for single malts, there would have been a whole wall for you to try, if that is physiologically possible.

For the record, I don't smoke (period) and I'm not too interested in driving a fast car for the sake of trying to exercise it on the motorways of Germany and nothing else. Plus I have an automatic licence so I probably wouldn't be allowed to drive it anyway.

With the change to LM allowing mixed class connections, hopefully "working it in" actually won't be quite the chore it was a few months ago. There has to be better ways sometimes to get back towards Asia than just TG F. It also works nicely the other way around (viz. going to Europe, and you still get FCT access for the short haul connector). The close-in date thing can really screw with the mind and planning, though.

The LH F Lounge is a top in my book; whether it is the best in the world doesn't matter, amongst F lounges it is in the top 10. The F service on board may not be the best either but the combination together makes for a solid choice.
 
re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

Argh! TG just cancelled the BKK-CDG leg I'm on. Looks like they've moved us to the next days flight which is nice but doesn't help our situation. Need to see what the previous days flights look like :(

So rang TG this morning and although they have "confirmed" that we are on the next days flight they have advised me to contact LM to get them to re-validate the ticket due to a schedule change. She tried to do it over the phone but it apparently won't let her.

Question for the experts - Is this a request that LM can perform via an email request from me or do I have to call them?

Cheekily asked if TG would put us up in a hotel for the night due to their schedule change but apparently no dice - Wasn't really expecting it but thought I'd ask :)
 
re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

So rang TG this morning and although they have "confirmed" that we are on the next days flight they have advised me to contact LM to get them to re-validate the ticket due to a schedule change. She tried to do it over the phone but it apparently won't let her.

Question for the experts - Is this a request that LM can perform via an email request from me or do I have to call them?

Cheekily asked if TG would put us up in a hotel for the night due to their schedule change but apparently no dice - Wasn't really expecting it but thought I'd ask :)

To revalidate the ticket, unfortunately you have to call them. I tried emailing them before but was told to call.

The trick is to know how to call. If you simply call LM customer service asking them to revalidate the ticket, they'll transfer you from department to department (half of them don't speak English). But if you ask for "the protection department", then the ticket will be revalidated in 5 minutes.

Good luck!
 
re: Avianca "Lifemiles" - Questions and Discussion

To revalidate the ticket, unfortunately you have to call them. I tried emailing them before but was told to call.

The trick is to know how to call. If you simply call LM customer service asking them to revalidate the ticket, they'll transfer you from department to department (half of them don't speak English). But if you ask for "the protection department", then the ticket will be revalidated in 5 minutes.

Good luck!

VAG newbie this information is gold!! Thanks heaps and will let you know how I go.
 
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