Etihad redemption seats not consistently available through VA?

[greenfish]

It used to be that you could fairly reliably book any "guestseat" that was available on the Etihad site via the VA contact centre.

This doesn't seem to be the case any more, there are a number of dates in July that are available on the Etihad site but are not available either through the VA website or the contact centre.

Does anyone know if there has been a change in this area recently?

 

[cjd600]

Which route and class?

 

[greenfish]

Various, e.g. AUH-MEL, AUH-SYD, ZRH-AUH, ZRH-MEL, ZRH-SYYD, J and F... there are days that are wide open on EY but nothing available on VA website or contact

 

[theblank]

I was looking at departures from australia between 14-17 July and reward availability dried up very quickly over recent two weeks, but the VA website exactly matched velocity.

What doesn't match is through connections, IE PER-AUH-DUB or BKK-AUH-DUB (or from anywhere in Asia) is available on Etihad as a single booking.
But on VA have to book PER-AUH (or BKK-AUH) & AUH-DUB seperately.

I rang up and the girl refused point black to try to manually record such route, although a week before I rang and they said "too easy"
In the end I managed to get her to book me BKK-AUH-DUB but it took ages, and she didnt charge me $50 telephone fee

IMO the scheduling from Asia to Europe is really convenient, and from BNE actually works out cheaper overall compared to stopover in AUH.

 

[greenfish]

I was looking at departures from australia between 14-17 July and reward availability dried up very quickly over recent two weeks, but the VA website exactly matched velocity.

What doesn't match is through connections, IE PER-AUH-DUB or BKK-AUH-DUB (or from anywhere in Asia) is available on Etihad as a single booking.
But on VA have to book PER-AUH (or BKK-AUH) & AUH-DUB seperately.

I rang up and the girl refused point black to try to manually record such route, although a week before I rang and they said "too easy"
In the end I managed to get her to book me BKK-AUH-DUB but it took ages, and she didnt charge me $50 telephone fee

IMO the scheduling from Asia to Europe is really convenient, and from BNE actually works out cheaper overall compared to stopover in AUH.

Definitely isn't matching at the moment - comparing single flights or through connections from AUH or Europe in early July

So how do you fly via Asia from BNE on EY?

 

[theblank]

Definitely isn't matching at the moment - comparing single flights or through connections from AUH or Europe in early July

So how do you fly via Asia from BNE on EY?

Using Velocity Points
Singapore Airliines, BNE to SIN/BKK/CGK/KUL is 37500pts.(Y) or 80000 (J) after 1st June cheaper.

Then on EY From BKK to LON/DUB is 41000pts(Y), from CGK is 47000, dont know the rest. After 1st June increasing.
Taxes for these legs only about $25 so no $30 booking fee.

 

[Blackswan]

I had the exact same problem last month. EY guest reward couldn't be booked by VA. VA kept telling me it was at EY's end. I didn't believe them, so I called AA to see if they could see the seats - and they couldn't either.

So, appears to be from EY end. Quite frustrating, and limits the number of options.

 

[greenfish]

I had the exact same problem last month. EY guest reward couldn't be booked by VA. VA kept telling me it was at EY's end. I didn't believe them, so I called AA to see if they could see the seats - and they couldn't either.

So, appears to be from EY end. Quite frustrating, and limits the number of options.

Thanks, at least for once it doesn't sound like a VA IT fail anyway. Perhaps EY are following SQ's lead, and offering reduced reward availability to partners...

 

[Danger UXB]

Yep same issue here. Looking at GVA to MEL next Jan. EY has F guest availability but VA say yes they can see that too but when they go to confirm booking the AUH MEL sector remains unconfirmed. Incidentally the Auh MEL sector on Etihad guest is not available. Is there any other way of checking EY availability in F other than on etihadguest ?

 

[Gold Member]

I had the exact same problem last month. EY guest reward couldn't be booked by VA. VA kept telling me it was at EY's end. I didn't believe them, so I called AA to see if they could see the seats - and they couldn't either.

So, appears to be from EY end. Quite frustrating, and limits the number of options.

I can also confirm that AA is having trouble seeing EY availability as of a couple of weeks ago. Let's hope this is a temporary glitch that is resolved soon and not something more sinister from EY.

 

[RTH]

Noticed the following when looking to change some award flights one economy andone business, was checking availability on Virgin site along with Etihad guest.
Anyone else found what I’d call blackout days on VA site for EY redemption


Sydney to Frankfurt Economy Apr-17
On the Virgin site (I dummy check every date across a couple months) no availabilitywould show up for Fri/Sat flights and the odd Thursday even though on EY siteit would show 5+ seats available, however calling the call centre they couldsee and book Fri/Sat flight, ie when I changed my flight I booked a Fridaydeparture than wasn’t showing availability on VA site.

Zurich to Sydney business class
Same as above but this time blackout days Fri (some), Sat-Mon pretty much all,Tue-Thu available (Once again the Fri, sat-mon would show available on EY site)
Now I haven’t rebooked this flight yet( too far ahead dates haven’t opened upyet) but when I was talking to call centre about Frankfurt I informed them ofthe availability issue on website (weren’t sure why). They agreed to just takea look at some days (Sat-Mon) that weren’t showing as available on website andsee if they showed availability and yes that could book for any of the datesthey checked.
The thing is when I come to change dates for the Zuh-Syd flight I’m look to flySun/Mon, I have to do it through call centre anyway but checking website isjust going to say nothings available.

If I was doing a new booking and trying to book through website it would beone of those situations of ringing the call centre and getting the $60 feewaiver due to the fact that whilst I should be able to book it myself thesite won’t let me for a date/flight that is actually available according to VA. Although now that there's the carrier surcharge I won't be doing any new booking redeeming on EY at least not J/F