A LoyaltyLobby reader sent us a question about Avianca LifeMiles issued award ticket on Star Alliance partner that the operating airline deemed invalid and forced the reader to buy a ticket.
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Here’s the email from a reader:
I just had a odd experience with Lifemiles that i want to share with you and ask you if you have experience it or an explanation for it.
Used LifeMiles app to redeemed a ticket from SXZ to SHA on Shenzhen airlines. Business class, used about 22K Miles. After i got the comf from Lifemiles,I emailed lifemiles support to ask for an e ticket number. 1 day later i got reply back with both the e ticket number and Shenzhen Airlines comf code.
Day of the trip, arrived at SZX Shezhen airlines ticket counter. I was told by the agent that she is having trouble issuing the ticket. She see the ticket number and everything but, the system is not allowing her to issue the ticke. She called a supervisor. I was told that Shenzhen airline is show “airlines has no bilateral agreements ” she allowed me to take a picture of the screen. Please see attched. I was then forced to purchased a paid ticket at the counter. she told me that they can not issue the ticket.
Have you encountered this before? So what happened? Is there anything way i can prevent this from happening? Was there a error on Shenzhen air or Lifemiles. Is there a source for me to make a case for completion?
We covered a case in December where Turkish Airlines denied boarding on an Avianca LifeMiles issued award ticket:
Avianca LifeMiles Partner Ticket Disaster: Turkish Airlines Denies Boarding
The reader here refers to “issuing a ticket” that must be checking in and issuing a boarding pass.
The screenshot that the reader sent is what the Shenzhen Airlines system showed at the time. It correctly has the eticket number, class of service and shows that the reservation is confirmed.
Then there is, however, the warning stating that “AIRLINE HAS NO BILATERAL AGREEMENT.” This doesn’t make much sense. Avianca and Shenzhen Airlines are both Star Alliance carriers.
Like many other airlines, Avianca is in bankruptcy protection, and LifeMiles award tickets are issued on TACA’s 202 ticket stock (part of Avianca). The LifeMiles subsidiary in Bermuda is not affected.
The problem here is how the reader could get Avianca or LifeMiles to compensate for the Shenzhen Airlines ticket that the reader was forced to purchase to board the flight.
It is improbable that you can get any compensation out from Avianca or LifeMiles unless you can take them to court.
Conclusion
It is unclear who the blame lies here, and there is nothing more than the reader could have done. He had correctly received the Avianca eticket number and the PNR for the flight on Shenzhen Airlines.
There must be an agreement with Avianca (+ all its subsidiaries) and Shenzhen Airlines, as both are part of Star Alliance.
Chinese airlines tend to use local GDS for domestic flights called TravelSky. Perhaps there is an issue with Avianca-issued domestic award tickets on TACA’s 202 stick instead of Avianca’s 134?
![Airfare of the Day [Business Class] AEROMEXICO Madrid to Sao Paulo from 898€](https://cdn3.loyaltylobby.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/xbuilding-ga29091764_1280-sao-paulo-120x86.jpg.pagespeed.ic.VQ8lWfmLI6.jpg)
LifeMiles tickets were always issued in 202 stock, at least in my experience. There is nothing to worry in relation to this.
Alex
More and more cases like this will appear. The keep selling miles 2 for 1 and 3 for 1 and most of us are not able to book the ticket at the website directly. After that they make the reservation with the third party airline but never ticket actually the ticket but the send the ticket number and the PNR from Avianca and for the respective airline. After I charge back my card they informed my credit card that I actually flown then I have to send another boarding pass for a different airline to prove otherwise. Customer service and all departments located in El Salvador . Be very careful when buy Lifemiles miles .
Thanks for sharing your experience. Sticking to United, Copa and Air Canada programs.
They have been sometimes reissued in 134 too (main Avianca).
As noted, the issue could be more of an issue with Chinese airlines than with the award ticket; but to the point award travel isn’t without issues. No indication LifeMiles is better or worse than other loyalty programs. Best to travel with alternative options. I generally book the “trips of a lifetime” with LifeMiles one way and other award travel the other way due to difficulty with finding good options with LifeMiles. The “banked” emergency miles include some 100,000 United miles and 100,000 AA miles. Worst case a ticket can be purchased outright; but I would prefer to use miles and points and travel business class or first class. Personally I am going nuts with an excess of miles and points and the pandemic continues to be the deterrent to travel.
Ill be happy to reduce your burden of excess miles and points. 🙂
Truth be told, both times I booked 4 award Biz class seats using Avianca LifeMiles (Asiana & ANA flights), everything went smoothly. No issues to report. Very difficult to connect with a live person but never the less very smooth online booking.
I guess it is time to sharpen up. I have generally been lax in checking my award reservations.
Maybe the best approach is to check the seat map of the actual carrier using the ticket number.
booked on CA with AV miles in March from PEK-SYX. No problem getting on. Since China has a sperate ID system, if you book award tickets you have to make sure the airline that you are booking with is sending your ID info to the operating airlines. Otherwise their ticket system wont be able to issue the boarding pass at the check in counter
How to make sure they send it?
if you book with miles online after your booking call the airlines and make sure they have pushed that info to the airlines you gonna fly on. Call the airlines your flying on after and double check with them. Dont wait till you got to the check in counter
No compensation will be offered by Lifemiles definitely, maybe not even got miles refund too!
As when there’s trouble, Lifemiles would all in sudden claim themselves “just a loyalty programme with no obligations for everything”!
Better stay away from it for the moment.
How(?) can this be avoided? Or can it?
Could it have been avoided by contacting Shenzhen Airlines, directly, AFTER receiving the ticket number and confirmation to ensure everything is correct….?
Or, would the outcome have probably been the same?
I’m attempting to avoid the same scenario with my use of LM.
When I just booked travel using my LM, I was able to go to the flying airlines- United, Lufthansa, and Air Canada and get a reservation number for each individual airline apart from LM’s. Not sure if that matters or not. Good Lord I hope so. I’ll reach out to each airline and verify.
I met the same problem today. Fail to check in and have to buy a full-price ticket.
Where did this happen? This seems to be happening a lot looking at the comments!