Confusion - award sector vs. award ticket pricing

[rtyuiop]

Hi folks,

I thought I understood award pricing, but after fighting with the call centre I am no longer sure.

My confusion - I thought the post-Sabre issues award pricing basing on separate sectors (finding the points values for BNE-AUH and AUH-LHR and summing them, instead of treating them as one flight at the highest (125,000 for J) length) were over, based on what I'm seeing on the web site and in a VA+VX booking.

However, yesterday I thought I found availability for IAD-AUH-BNE in First with the call centre, only to be told it would be charged as separate sectors, vastly increasing the points required (just about double). Can anyone illuminate me as to how this works? The call centre said it was because I was leaving the US from somewhere other than LAX, but I sure don't remember seeing anything about that in the rewards points tables!

Cheers,

Danny

 

[edy4eva]

Call again, keep trying until you get someone who'll get it right.
Not sure if you're able to get through to a local agent instead of the call centre in Manila, they're usually more proactive in rectifying issues instead of just saying 'computer says so' or making up rules as they go.

 

[bullerdude]

They should be summing the distances and then determining how many points required based on total distance.

 

[rtyuiop]

Yeah, I'm on about my 6th call so far. Seems like partner points bookings have to go through Manila from what I can tell, has anyone been able to get someone local to do it? I'll give that a try if so!

 

[edy4eva]

Yeah, I'm on about my 6th call so far. Seems like partner points bookings have to go through Manila from what I can tell, has anyone been able to get someone local to do it? I'll give that a try if so!

I probably called more than a dozen of times last week, always went to Manila. On one occasion I somehow got a local voice but the moment she found out it was a redemption, up it went to Manila

 

[Velocity Frequent Flyer]

Hi Danny,

Apologies for the confusion. Your itinerary should be priced by origin and destination, provided that there is no stop-over in AUH.

We would like to discuss this over PM. May you please PM us through your VFF membership details and we'll proceed from there.

Many thanks,
Michelle

 

[rtyuiop]

Thanks for monitoring and responding Michelle! PM sent.

 

[rtyuiop]

Just wanted to post some feedback - many thanks to the folks behind the VFF presence, and to the excellent James in the contact centre! Great customer service response to a customer who was getting frustrated with some systems issues.

The VFF folks here put me in contact with James who was able to sort me out, and I have a ticketed itinerary at the points cost of the combined sector length, not the points of each sector added together.

 

[bullerdude]

Hi Danny,

Apologies for the confusion. Your itinerary should be priced by origin and destination, provided that there is no stop-over in AUH.

We would like to discuss this over PM. May you please PM us through your VFF membership details and we'll proceed from there.

Many thanks,
Michelle

Hi VFF - Does this mean that the MEL-SIN-NRT should be priced in points as MEL-NRT so long as it is booked as one flight via the VA website?

Cheers!

 

[henleybeach]

How many points did it cost bullerdude?
I'm looking at a similar trip
Thanks

 

[edy4eva]

Congrats on sorting this out fairly quickly, I'm puzzled how come your thread got picked up by the VFF folks whereas mine outlining the issues with VX/VA wasn't.

 

[Grimace1]

What a great outcome VFF!

 

[n7of9]

i'm ambivalent! i'm always impressed when a customer and a CSR can talk like rational adults and find an agreeable solution, but i wish that frustration and anger didn't have to play such a large part in the equation