US Dividend Miles - Award Booking Questions and General Discussion

[hummel]

I didn't think anyone could just book a trip for a friend with their miles... does US Airways even allow that?

Not sure how TG would be able to see whose account the miles would have come from?

Maybe just another USDM agent getting confused... Bless them.

 

[get me outta here]

"I just rang TG Australia to get a TG PNR for a USDM booking", was what was said so I guess TG has an interest in this, but still hard to see.

Not sure how TG would be able to see whose account the miles would have come from?

Maybe just another USDM agent getting confused... Bless them.

 

[Alanslegal]

When I asked why she said 'because people flying on other peoples US Airways miles have been denied check-in in Sydney - you'll only be able to check-in if the person whose miles have been used is travelling.....'

I doubt her information would be correct. I think all she would see on her system is that it is a US ticket number and nothing relating to who's US account the points came from. Besides US would be the ones who checks who can redeem miles and for whom.

Edited; And if TG were cracking/checking on this, the TG lady would not have needed to ask you if it was your US points etc because she would have seen it on her system, which she didn't.

 

[burmans]

I just rang TG Australia to get a TG PNR for a USDM booking. The woman asked me if this was an award booking and if I had used my own miles to make the booking or whether someone else had used their miles to book for me. I explained that yes I had used my own miles and I was travelling. When I asked why she said 'because people flying on other peoples US Airways miles have been denied check-in in Sydney - you'll only be able to check-in if the person whose miles have been used is travelling.....'

Some food for thought.

Someone (our old friend?) selling miles again maybe. While you cant sell miles first I heard you cant book a flight on behalf of someone genuine, e.g. family.

I didn't think anyone could just book a trip for a friend with their miles... does US Airways even allow that?

My wife used her miles for a ticket for my sister last year, different names, even a different starting location (my sister lives in NZ), no questions asked. If they had asked it would have been clear this aligned with my own booking (including my wife and family) and that we were meeting up in BKK and then to Europe. But noone ever even asked.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

this would, clearly, be a case of USDM blocking the award. TG would know the ticket has been cancelled... they'd see that at check-in.

TG may have anecdotal evidence (once the passenger finds out why their ticket has been cancelled) or may even have written evidence from USDM that tickets are being cancelled because of inappropriate use (a memo from USDM to TG exaplaining why certain pax could not fly).. but TG would have no way of knowing by its own accord whether the miles were legitimate or not.

i think TG's question was designed to be a helpful warning.

its not TG cracking down... although if they don't have a valid ticket number on their system (because USDM has cancelled it) they will deny you boarding because they're not getting paid!

 

[hummel]

"I just rang TG Australia to get a TG PNR for a USDM booking", was what was said so I guess TG has an interest in this, but still hard to see.

You're quite right. I could be wrong.. it wouldn't be the first time.

 

[Jeffrey O'Neill]

Lets just say that my brother had booked my flight to Europe later this year. When he rang up to do the booking there was no questions asked by USDM. he also booked me a flight from BKK to ICN and no questions asked.

When I made a booking for a friend in BKK to go to ICN with me on same flight once again no questions asked.

I think USDM would have to be on very strong legal grounds to cancel an award ticket whilst claiming it was "bought" or somehow broke their T&Cs. Maybe they'll be a bit harsher on someone outside the US, but with the lawsuit culture in the USA I think they'd be running this kind of thing by legal

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Lets just say that my brother had booked my flight to Europe later this year. When he rang up to do the booking there was no questions asked by USDM. he also booked me a flight from BKK to ICN and no questions asked.

When I made a booking for a friend in BKK to go to ICN with me on same flight once again no questions asked.

I think USDM would have to be on very strong legal grounds to cancel an award ticket whilst claiming it was "bought" or somehow broke their T&Cs. Maybe they'll be a bit harsher on someone outside the US, but with the lawsuit culture in the USA I think they'd be running this kind of thing by legal

pretty easy for them to draw the conclusion I would say.

If you have booked a ticket for another person (not related) there is an assumption you have received some sort of payment in return. Whatever that might be.

USDM can then audit that account. It would be up to the passenger to prove they received no money, no exchange, no barter for the fare.

when you made the booking for a friend BKK-ICN... you purchased that out of the goodness of your heart? for no compensation?

that may be the case. But most people don't spend money like that.

 

[Jeffrey O'Neill]

pretty easy for them to draw the conclusion I would say.

If you have booked a ticket for another person (not related) there is an assumption you have received some sort of payment in return. Whatever that might be.

USDM can then audit that account. It would be up to the passenger to prove they received no money, no exchange, no barter for the fare.

when you made the booking for a friend BKK-ICN... you purchased that out of the goodness of your heart? for no compensation?

that may be the case. But most people don't spend money like that.

I suppose it would be where they draw the line. Is me "paying" for the flight and my friend paying for the accommodation costs while on holiday a purchase agreement?

Unless USDM could categorically prove something along the lines of those companies that sell award seats online, there's probably minimal risk to helping out a family member or friend. If not then it gets down to questioning why did you gift miles or if you share to someone and get nothing in return, is that from the goodness of your hear or a financial transaction?

The brand damage of leaving someone stranded over a false claim for breaking their T&Cs is probably not worth it to them. I'm not sure how they work out if you've bought a flight from one of those online award flight sellers. Maybe too many bookings from the one IP?

Considering that I specified to USDM I wanted to book a flight for my friend so he could travel to ICN with me, or when my brother made a booking for me, if they had an issue with that then it should occur before parting with the points + cash.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I suppose it would be where they draw the line. Is me "paying" for the flight and my friend paying for the accommodation costs while on holiday a purchase agreement?

Unless USDM could categorically prove something along the lines of those companies that sell award seats online, there's probably minimal risk to helping out a family member or friend. If not then it gets down to questioning why did you gift miles or if you share to someone and get nothing in return, is that from the goodness of your hear or a financial transaction?

The brand damage of leaving someone stranded over a false claim for breaking their T&Cs is probably not worth it to them. I'm not sure how they work out if you've bought a flight from one of those online award flight sellers. Maybe too many bookings from the one IP?

Considering that I specified to USDM I wanted to book a flight for my friend so he could travel to ICN with me, or when my brother made a booking for me, if they had an issue with that then it should occur before parting with the points + cash.

there's no brand damage... we've had several reports of accounts closed and miles seized. It hasn't stopped the rest of us buying. As an example, Coupon Connection on Flyertalk was shut down. It hasn't stopped people accruing and buying miles.

if you specified you wanted to book a flight for a friend that's fine. It is not up to the agent to question that. But if USDM suspects you have sold, batered or otherwise exchanged an award for value they are entitled to investigate. They don't have to do that at the time of the initial call.

 

[Kangol]

Does anyone have a link to the T&Cs where it explicitly says if you can or cannot book an award ticket for a person whose miles were not used to make the booking?

 

[bcworld]

Does anyone have a link to the T&Cs where it explicitly says if you can or cannot book an award ticket for a person whose miles were not used to make the booking?

It's in the membership guide...I'm sure you'll find it.

 

[Alanslegal]

It's in the membership guide...I'm sure you'll find it.

• You can use your miles to book an award ticket for someone else. Just provide the passenger name(s) when you make the reservation.

US Airways | Dividend Miles membership guide

 

[Alanslegal]

The guide also says,

• You may not sell, buy, barter, exchange or broker award tickets or offer to do so. Such a violation may result in deletion of the member’s miles and program disqualification and could lead to civil or criminal litigation.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The guide also says,

• You may not sell, buy, barter, exchange or broker award tickets or offer to do so. Such a violation may result in deletion of the member’s miles and program disqualification and could lead to civil or criminal litigation.

and if book a flight for someone else (different surname and not flying with you for example) you may get audited.

 

[Alanslegal]

• You may not sell, buy, barter, exchange or broker award tickets or offer to do so. Such a violation may result in deletion of the member’s miles and program disqualification and could lead to civil or criminal litigation.

and if book a flight for someone else (different surname and not flying with you for example) you may get audited.

I agree with you. I think it is a very fine line between booking for 'someone else' and booking under a sale, barter, reward etc. and that fine line is determined by USDM and member accounts, as reported here, have been audited & closed without prior notice.

 

[Kangol]

Thanks guys, I was looking on the site but obviously not in the right spot.
This point is interesting, a far cry from QFF!

• A deceased or incapacitated member’s miles can be transferred to another member’s account free of charge (documentation required).

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks guys, I was looking on the site but obviously not in the right spot.
This point is interesting, a far cry from QFF!

• A deceased or incapacitated member’s miles can be transferred to another member’s account free of charge (documentation required).

Indeed.

It begs the question why QF don't allow something similar.

 

[burmans]

It's in the membership guide...I'm sure you'll find it.

Actually no, you can book for whoever you want, what you can't do is sell those miles, the two are not actually equivalent.

 

[anat0l]

Actually no, you can book for whoever you want, what you can't do is sell those miles, the two are not actually equivalent.

Sure, but sometimes proving the difference between the two when your account is audited can be a challenge.

Let's not forget that the onus is on you to prove you did nothing wrong, and that has to be to the satisfaction of US DM, not some independent arbiter. Whilst that process of proving yourself is underway, you're as good as punished until exonerated.

I'm sure most people can do just fine for earnest redemptions for others, especially family and close ones (e.g. girlfriend/boyfriend, spouse with maiden name, aunt/uncle). I believe US DM would tend to start clamping down once they notice a pattern or repeated behaviour. Certainly the most notorious example on this forum was not the result of intransigence from a single incident.