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problem searching fo flights on Airmiles.ca

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  • Apr 22nd, 2013 12:19 am
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Apr 17th, 2013 9:46 pm
silky28 [OP]
Deal Fanatic
Jan 17, 2012
5639 posts
660 upvotes
Toronto

Apr 17th, 2013 9:46 pm

problem searching fo flights on Airmiles.ca

Hey all,

I am having 2 problems booking a flight with airmiles.

The first problem comes while searching for flights with Internet Explorer. When I clicked "continue to flight results" after the "quote" page I get this error "The AIR MILES Travel Website is temporarily unavailable - please check back soon. We apologize for the inconvenience". I have been getting this error for a few days now. Every other aspect of the site works and I don't get this error with Firefox. Anyone else experiencing this problem?

The second problem....when I search with FireFox 90% of the flights that were offered before this error no longer show up. To me this seems normal. I've noticed in the past that flights appears and disappear from one day to the next. Anyone ele notice this?

btw...Im trying to go Toronto to Springfield Missouri. A few days ago there were multiple flights availabe almost every day during the week of May 6th. Now there is only one day.
16 replies
Apr 17th, 2013 11:09 pm
CSK'sMom
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Aug 22, 2003
15540 posts
983 upvotes
Niagara Falls

Apr 17th, 2013 11:09 pm

off to the Travel forum we go... :)
Thinking seriously about the 4 S's...Sun, Sand, Surf and ... Booked for Sept in Mexico and booked Samana DR for Jan!
Apr 17th, 2013 11:50 pm
Mars2012
Moderator
May 28, 2012
12823 posts
5783 upvotes
Saskatoon

Apr 17th, 2013 11:50 pm

You can always call them. I personally gave up on Airmiles; I still have some to use up but I'm not actively collecting more unless I'm shopping at a participating store anyway. I had a lot of trouble booking flights, ended up using quite a few AM's on a one-way ticket (the return was not available so I just paid for it). Good luck!
Apr 18th, 2013 12:17 am
silky28 [OP]
Deal Fanatic
Jan 17, 2012
5639 posts
660 upvotes
Toronto

Apr 18th, 2013 12:17 am

I've never had too much of a problem. Probably fly about 4-6 times per year on AM so it's quite worth it for me. I collect about 6000+ AM a year and I only really collect during the bonus sales and never buy anything that I wont use or that is more expensive just for AM. I am not stockpiling miles anymore though because I'm afraid they will go bankrupt or become totally usless.

I have faced problem #2 before...I found a flight one night but waited until next day to book. When I went to book all flighs were gone. I called them and the woman was more than usless! She told me that they use the same booking tool we do and if no flights show up then there are no flights. The next day the flights were back and I booked without a problem.
Apr 18th, 2013 4:58 am
silky28 [OP]
Deal Fanatic
Jan 17, 2012
5639 posts
660 upvotes
Toronto

Apr 18th, 2013 4:58 am

I find that on Firefox I can book flights but pretty much only with Canadian carriers but can find an odd United Airlines flight. I usually fly American Airlines and I cannot find one American flight...not even to Dallas...their main hub. Something is obviously wrong in the system.

I know what AirMiles CS will say...."if the flights disappeared they were booked"....That's BS! No way did numerous flights per day to Nowheresville USA, for months in advance, suddenly sell out over night.
Apr 18th, 2013 10:55 am
Mars2012
Moderator
May 28, 2012
12823 posts
5783 upvotes
Saskatoon

Apr 18th, 2013 10:55 am

silky28 wrote: ↑ I know what AirMiles CS will say...."if the flights disappeared they were booked"....That's BS! No way did numerous flights per day to Nowheresville USA, for months in advance, suddenly sell out over night.
From what I understand about Airmiles, it doesn't matter how many seats are available on a flight, it's how many seats that Airmiles has bought for that flight. If it's to a high demand place, obviously the airline can sell these seats for more than what they get from AM's, which is why most people have a hard time booking flights even nine months in advance. Their system is stupid, and the sooner I can use up my remaining block of AM's, the happier I'll be.
Apr 18th, 2013 10:58 am
CSK'sMom
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Aug 22, 2003
15540 posts
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Niagara Falls

Apr 18th, 2013 10:58 am

Mars2012 wrote: ↑From what I understand about Airmiles, it doesn't matter how many seats are available on a flight, it's how many seats that Airmiles has bought for that flight. If it's to a high demand place, obviously the airline can sell these seats for more than what they get from AM's, which is why most people have a hard time booking flights even nine months in advance. Their system is stupid, and the sooner I can use up my remaining block of AM's, the happier I'll be.
Exactly! It's not just AM but most other airline loyalty programs as well.
Thinking seriously about the 4 S's...Sun, Sand, Surf and ... Booked for Sept in Mexico and booked Samana DR for Jan!
Apr 18th, 2013 11:06 am
silky28 [OP]
Deal Fanatic
Jan 17, 2012
5639 posts
660 upvotes
Toronto

Apr 18th, 2013 11:06 am

The IE problem resolved itself over night....

Anyways it doesnot seem like a seat availability issue. A couple of days ago there were seats available on almost every day of the week in which I wanted to leave and for weeks before and after. Now there are no flights from now until Aug 6. I had the same experience last summer...I found a flight sunday night, went to book Monday morning but all flights were gone. I searched again a few days later and flights were back so I booked without issue.

I am communicating with an Airmiles CS on Facebook now. As I anticipated he suggested the seats sold out. I highly doubt this considering this has happened before and that this involves flights over several months and to several destinations.
Apr 18th, 2013 11:09 am
silky28 [OP]
Deal Fanatic
Jan 17, 2012
5639 posts
660 upvotes
Toronto

Apr 18th, 2013 11:09 am

Mars2012 wrote: ↑From what I understand about Airmiles, it doesn't matter how many seats are available on a flight, it's how many seats that Airmiles has bought for that flight. If it's to a high demand place, obviously the airline can sell these seats for more than what they get from AM's, which is why most people have a hard time booking flights even nine months in advance. Their system is stupid, and the sooner I can use up my remaining block of AM's, the happier I'll be.
Last year I was told by an Airmiles CS (on the phone) that flights are made available by the airlines which would imply that the airlines decide which flights qualify for AM bookings. But just because a CS told me doesn't mean its true!
Apr 18th, 2013 8:41 pm
knuks101
Deal Addict
Jan 31, 2013
1907 posts
629 upvotes

Apr 18th, 2013 8:41 pm

I'm also giving up on AM flights, after having done some research for weeks. We were able to book two flights to Antigua next February, from Edmonton. The same flights from Calgary were not available, however when I checked the flights from Toronto to Antigua, they showed up. So basically it came down that the flights in February 2014 at 00:20 hrs from Calgary to Toronto were not available....As if!
Anyway, I find the lack of flights to certain destinations way too frustrating and I'm gonna get rid of my AM MC after our trip next year.
Apr 18th, 2013 8:55 pm
blainehamilton
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Nov 5, 2001
12590 posts
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Edmonton

Apr 18th, 2013 8:55 pm

The key with airmiles is to book early. If you are searching for flights in 3 weeks you likely won't have much luck.

As for the next February issue another poster mentioned, I would chalk that up to flight schedules not even being established yet. 3 to 6 months in advance seems to be the sweet spot.
Apr 18th, 2013 9:48 pm
silky28 [OP]
Deal Fanatic
Jan 17, 2012
5639 posts
660 upvotes
Toronto

Apr 18th, 2013 9:48 pm

blainehamilton wrote: ↑The key with airmiles is to book early. If you are searching for flights in 3 weeks you likely won't have much luck.

As for the next February issue another poster mentioned, I would chalk that up to flight schedules not even being established yet. 3 to 6 months in advance seems to be the sweet spot.
I tried. I searched for flights for 3 months in advance but they don't have them that far. They had one flight every Wednesday but other flights would only open up within 30 days of departure date. The longer you wait the more seats open up. I don't know why it is but it seems that they don't post these short-haul domestic flights until near departure date.

I am starting to wonder if this isn't being caused by the Air-Canada 25% airmile rebate for Gold members. It seems to me that since this promo came up all the flights from Toronto to major US cities are only with Air Canada...I wonder if the airmiles system shows only the trips costing the fewest airmiles and since Air Canada has promo their flights cost the least.
Apr 21st, 2013 7:17 pm
silky28 [OP]
Deal Fanatic
Jan 17, 2012
5639 posts
660 upvotes
Toronto

Apr 21st, 2013 7:17 pm

Found something fishy today....

Searched Toronto to Chicago....only Air Canada flights show up. Searched Toronto to Dayton Ohio...Several United Airlines flights went Toronto to Chicago to Dayton. if they have flight on United Toronto - Chicago why an I forced to take Air Canada to fly directly to Chicago? Kind of validates my suspicion that Air Canada flights are being pushed on us because of this rebate sale.
Apr 21st, 2013 7:21 pm
Mars2012
Moderator
May 28, 2012
12823 posts
5783 upvotes
Saskatoon

Apr 21st, 2013 7:21 pm

blainehamilton wrote: ↑The key with airmiles is to book early. If you are searching for flights in 3 weeks you likely won't have much luck.
I tried searching for flights to Hawaii soon after they were released, almost nine months in advance. Still no luck.
Apr 21st, 2013 9:50 pm
Arrgh
Deal Fanatic
Feb 15, 2006
9311 posts
4084 upvotes
Toronto

Apr 21st, 2013 9:50 pm

blainehamilton wrote: ↑The key with airmiles is to book early. If you are searching for flights in 3 weeks you likely won't have much luck.

As for the next February issue another poster mentioned, I would chalk that up to flight schedules not even being established yet. 3 to 6 months in advance seems to be the sweet spot.
Most major airlines have their schedules out 333 days or 356 days out. In some flights, the reward seats are also made available at the same time. The problem with most FF or award program is there are only so few seats available, especially the popular routes. Sometimes they don't even release ANY seats for popular seats.
Apr 22nd, 2013 12:19 am
silky28 [OP]
Deal Fanatic
Jan 17, 2012
5639 posts
660 upvotes
Toronto

Apr 22nd, 2013 12:19 am

I find with AirMiles that the domestic flights to less popular places become available a month in advance. There will be a few flights listed every week, months in advance, but within a month flight availablilty picks up. My situation is that I was waiting to book until availability on the dates I wanted opened up but just as they did the system went down. After that all the flights were gone, evern 2 months in advance. I am certain they did not sell out. After all, this is a flight to rural Missouri....
Mar 26th, 2019 12:17 pm
BeckyM591200
Newbie
Mar 25, 2019
1 posts

Mar 26th, 2019 12:17 pm

Sad to say that I have been checking Airmiles for 3 months to get round trip tickets from PEI to Toronto in mid April! No available flights have been posted for 3 months. Just spoke to a rep and she said no seats available departure but there are a couple on return. I was told to pay for departure flight to Toronto and redeem Airmiles for my return. This will add $ 3500 to our vacation cost just to get from PEI to Toronto
A money grab!!

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