Impossible Skywards/EK Reward Booking
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 326
Likes: 4
From: Omnipresent
Impossible Skywards/EK Reward Booking
[rant]
Has anyone else encountered difficulties booking a reward ticket on EK through Skywards? I will after my next flight have enough for a reward ticket in Business from New Zealand (either AKL or CHC) to Central Europe (any of FRA, HAM, DUS, MUC, VIE, or ZRH). All of these are supposed to take 190,000 miles, but when I attempt to look for suitable dates for travel via the EK website, any of the combinations on any date (I have tried out until October), all flights appear as unavailable (although they are available when paying by cash).
I figured that this isn't such an issue, and was happy to also fly in Economy for my reward, until I tried to find suitable dates for a flight in economy (ostensibly requiring 95,000 miles) and ran into the same problem, there are no available seats on any flight. Zip. Nada. Nix. Zero. The only available flights at all are in "Peak Economy". The priviledge of "Peak Economy" appears to require 185,000 miles, only 5,000 miles less than Business, and let me sit in the same Y class cabin as the 95,000 mile reward ticket.
Last time I checked the definition of Peak was for the period of maximum use, and in this case, the busiest period for the airline. According to what I have discovered, at least 7 months of the year are regarded as being "peak" (April to October inclusive), and the business class cabin is 100% full, and economy is so close to capacity I should have to redeem 97% of the miles required for a seat in business to sit there. I thought the idea of a frequent flyer scheme was to reward FQTV for their loyalty to the airline by providing a free flight/upgrade once in a while. Obviously EK don't want their punters to redeem their rewards at all, and they con you into joining their scheme, they collect statistics on your travel habits, and then make it next to impossible to redeem any rewards, which are advertised as so easy to receive...
Yeah Right!
[/rant]
Has anyone else encountered difficulties booking a reward ticket on EK through Skywards? I will after my next flight have enough for a reward ticket in Business from New Zealand (either AKL or CHC) to Central Europe (any of FRA, HAM, DUS, MUC, VIE, or ZRH). All of these are supposed to take 190,000 miles, but when I attempt to look for suitable dates for travel via the EK website, any of the combinations on any date (I have tried out until October), all flights appear as unavailable (although they are available when paying by cash).
I figured that this isn't such an issue, and was happy to also fly in Economy for my reward, until I tried to find suitable dates for a flight in economy (ostensibly requiring 95,000 miles) and ran into the same problem, there are no available seats on any flight. Zip. Nada. Nix. Zero. The only available flights at all are in "Peak Economy". The priviledge of "Peak Economy" appears to require 185,000 miles, only 5,000 miles less than Business, and let me sit in the same Y class cabin as the 95,000 mile reward ticket.
Last time I checked the definition of Peak was for the period of maximum use, and in this case, the busiest period for the airline. According to what I have discovered, at least 7 months of the year are regarded as being "peak" (April to October inclusive), and the business class cabin is 100% full, and economy is so close to capacity I should have to redeem 97% of the miles required for a seat in business to sit there. I thought the idea of a frequent flyer scheme was to reward FQTV for their loyalty to the airline by providing a free flight/upgrade once in a while. Obviously EK don't want their punters to redeem their rewards at all, and they con you into joining their scheme, they collect statistics on your travel habits, and then make it next to impossible to redeem any rewards, which are advertised as so easy to receive...
http://www.skywards.com/standardpopu...ource=Standard
Fly free with Emirates or partner airlines to hundreds of destinations worldwide, with flight rewards starting for as little as 10,000 Miles.
Fly free with Emirates or partner airlines to hundreds of destinations worldwide, with flight rewards starting for as little as 10,000 Miles.
[/rant]
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 1,267
Likes: 92
From: south of Cirencester, north of Lyneham
It's not uncommon that airlines really restrict the number of FF seats available. I suspect they hope that they can get the miles to run out before poeple can use them. FF miles are a bit of a con, although it's been said that they represent an enormous financial liability to the airlines. But if they can't be used, they're as much use to the passenger as teats on a bull! Typical is the difficulty of using FF miles on AA in Business ona Sunday evening transtlantic from the US: too many possible paying passengers!
I suspect seats may become available at the last minute if they haven't previously sold them.
I suspect seats may become available at the last minute if they haven't previously sold them.
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 512
Likes: 0
From: UK
You cant beat BAs exec club and miles.
Trying to book premium econ plus miles for upgrade to club New York, mid week anytime September onwards it costs more than just buying a restricted club in the first place.
Trying to book premium econ plus miles for upgrade to club New York, mid week anytime September onwards it costs more than just buying a restricted club in the first place.
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 394
Likes: 3
From: Singapore
They are all the same, a f'g con. I'm trying to buy one Business Class on SQ SIN - CDG in Oct, and get one for the mrs on Krisflyer miles. Bear in mind it was more than six months away when I started this palaver, my flights (both ways!) are waitlist, hers no chance. Unreal. I called the PPS service number as I do not believe that it is possible for the flight to be overbooked this far in advance and asked were there real people actually booked on the flight or just seats blocked by travel agents: the lass on the end of the phone *said* that she didn't have such information. Yes, I am sure that's true.
One year
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 328
Likes: 0
From: Yorks
Not always the case
i've got 2 business class seats for me and Mrs Tezzer to Dubai in 4 weeks time. Only problem was availability from manchester, so having to go from Newcastle, and as we live outside of the chauffer drive radius for both airports, there's not a lot of difference.
The downside is that they have the A300-200 on the NCL route, with no ICE, just the 15 channels of TV/ Movies, so a bit 2nd rate, these days.
As for TG, your right. I booked 2 1st class seats, last year, LHR to BKK, and we had the entire cabin to ourselves, very nice indeed. Mind you, couldn't persuade Mrs. Tezzer to take, advantage of the "solitude", so I took advantage of the newly opened bottle of JW blue label. All was fine, till I got to the top of the escalator at Kings cross station, and plummeted to the bottom, mid rush hour. What made it worse was I accidently hit Mrs. Tezzer across the bridge of the nose with my laptop bag, as I plummeted helplessly past her.
The downside is that they have the A300-200 on the NCL route, with no ICE, just the 15 channels of TV/ Movies, so a bit 2nd rate, these days.
As for TG, your right. I booked 2 1st class seats, last year, LHR to BKK, and we had the entire cabin to ourselves, very nice indeed. Mind you, couldn't persuade Mrs. Tezzer to take, advantage of the "solitude", so I took advantage of the newly opened bottle of JW blue label. All was fine, till I got to the top of the escalator at Kings cross station, and plummeted to the bottom, mid rush hour. What made it worse was I accidently hit Mrs. Tezzer across the bridge of the nose with my laptop bag, as I plummeted helplessly past her.
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: too hot for you!
Yes, they make it very difficult. I usually buy an economy ticket, check also that there are business seats available and then quickly phone to get the upgrade on my points/miles. I have done this several times now and although annoying to think you have enough miles to get the whole flight free - it is better than not getting to use the points at all.
