I just used First Class Discount Air (www.firstclassdiscountair.com) AKA Alpha Flight Guru. What a sham, scam, slam and wham, bam thank you mam, is this. I lost a total of $7000.00 (AUD) by booking a supposed discount first class airfare with this appalling excuse for a travel company.
Once the airline discovers that your "discount ticket" has been acquired using someone else's frequent flyer points (air miles), the ticket will be cancelled. That is what has happened to me. My "trip of a lifetime" has turned into a "nightmare to nowhere". The airline cancelled the tickets. The people at firstclassdiscountair.com say it's not their problem. The airline says "go away" because the aforementioned company has breached its terms and conditions. You are left "high and dry" or actually not very high because you ain't flying. If it seems too good to be true, it IS indeed "too good to be true". Book your tickets with an accredited travel agent or directly with the airline. You may not travel first class, but at least you'll be able to go on your trip. Please think of me while you're heading overseas because I'll be here on the ground in Melbourne regretting my stupidity at dealing with these online discounters.
well you will never find out the truth till you use them-yes they use other's FF points which is illegal with most carriers and there is always a chance that you will be denied boarding-after all if this would be such a great deal nobody would ever pay full fare for business and first class tickets on this planet from where all the airlines get their major revenues!
I have one friend who has had great experiences with one of these mobs (pun somewhat intended), but have three others that have done their dough for the reasons explained. Wouldn't go near them.
I contacted them once for a quote, then the guy rings me at least once a quarter asking for business, got quite annoying. Then one time he rang at 3am and I gave him an earful - he never rang back again.
I contacted Alpha Flight Guru via e-mail and provided no phone numbers or other contact details beyond a return e-mail address. I specifically stated that I required details on whether or not their fares were purchased using miles/points, whether or not I would earn miles/points and status credits/miles/points and the fare classes I would be booked in.
The desperation of the business became apparent very quickly. The whois information associated with the domain I have registered and typically send e-mail from was looked up and I received a phone call at 0715 the next morning requesting further details of my trip. When I asked about the answers to my questions, the "consultant" proceeded to tell me that they had no record of my questions and that I "needed" to answer my questions.
Upon instructing the caller to either answer my questions in writing or to not call me again, they hung up rudely. I immediately sent another e-mail message to Alpha Flight Guru that detailed the specifics of the conversation, stating that they were not to call me again without my initial requests being met.
I received several other phone calls from persons who were clearly aware of neither my prerequisites nor the nature of the business they were engaged with.
The company is dishonest and fraudulent - steer well clear.
I received email quotation for 5 x business class flights SYD - NY - Vancouver - SYD for the dates requested. I was harassed by the staff at AFG to pay quickly as they could not hold the seats. Reluctantly I paid 9 months in advance. Then received email confirmation with the flight returning to Sydney 3 days after the date required and initially quoted.
I spent hours over several weeks trying to get through to these people, when I finally did was told the girl who sold the tickets had been fired and there was nothing they could do. They did not offer a refund, any compensation or appear to be concerned. It took me months to get the e-ticket and for the booking to appear in the respectve airlines web site and when I asked for assistance in having seats allocated I was told it could not be done. (My family have been left stranded in US airports before when we did not have seats allocated, I highly recommend you make sure you have allocated seats before you head for a US domestic flight)
I have finally been able to have seats allocated with no help from the AFG.
I found the experience extremely stressful, costly and time-consuming. Book at your own peril!
Paul, I appreciate your comment, but again you join AUSBT just for leaving this comment. And besides history repeat itself - I do not give a damn what is your agent name. All this looks to me like shameless PR from AFG. I will not even think to change my opinion unless someone with sound history on this site will post positive comment. Heck! All people traveling here and no-one use AFG! Is it strange? For me it is indeed VERY suspicious.
Cheers
Hi Serg, i too JUST signed up on the back of this thread. It seems you have bestowed upon yourself the title of “rightous truth-sayer” or perhaps “the oracle”? I have never flown with AFG, however I have booked and flown with other points re-sellers and had a fantastIc experience. Just because you disagree or do not believe does not mean that all points sellers are bad. I am fortunate to travel two+months per year for leisure. I do so by buying business class seats, using my 1+million QF points as well as using points resellers and all of them serve a purpose. Ask yourself this, if all points re sellers are terrible, how is it that many have been in business for 10+yrs?! Anyway, good luck to you - I’ve just booked a Syd-Manchester Business class trip for my wife and I over Xmas (points re seller) and saved myself $5,000 which I intend on using to prepare for our first child who’s due in September. Good luck to you all, however you fly, just enjoy as we all do!
Whilst I have not personally used AFG, I have used Fly Luxury 4 Less and we had a great experience flying Mel-LAX return on Virgin (business) in 2013
I just moments ago spoke to my brother who is on his way back right now from Europe and I asked him about his past experiences with AFG - he has used them twice- once last year (2017) and the first time in 2014 and he was extremely happy both times- he would have no hesitation in using them again if the price were right.
For his very frequent holidays, he uses a combination of his own ff for some trips, AFG and paid tickets.
oh, and the reason I have posted now, is because I am considering using AFG for early next year, IF there are no excellent specials for the time I want to fly- and I was wondering what the latest thoughts and reviews about AFG would show
Be very careful booking a flight through these third parties. You have a 50/50 chance of being denied boarding due to breaking the T&C of airline by purchasing your ticket via a third party, using someone else’s miles.
CTyrus
CTyrus
Member since 12 Apr 2017
Total posts 1
Grannular
Grannular
Member since 31 Mar 2014
Total posts 283
Can you not reverse the credit card charge?
airADL
airADL
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 25 Mar 2014
Total posts 214
Cant skyscanner or Kayak match these prices?
bl812
bl812
Emirates Airlines - Skywards
Member since 11 Mar 2015
Total posts 9
well you will never find out the truth till you use them-yes they use other's FF points which is illegal with most carriers and there is always a chance that you will be denied boarding-after all if this would be such a great deal nobody would ever pay full fare for business and first class tickets on this planet from where all the airlines get their major revenues!
Steve987
Steve987
Member since 23 Feb 2015
Total posts 268
I have one friend who has had great experiences with one of these mobs (pun somewhat intended), but have three others that have done their dough for the reasons explained. Wouldn't go near them.
Blake
Blake
Member since 03 May 2017
Total posts 39
I contacted them once for a quote, then the guy rings me at least once a quarter asking for business, got quite annoying. Then one time he rang at 3am and I gave him an earful - he never rang back again.
The Evil Muppet
The Evil Muppet
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 16 Dec 2015
Total posts 12
I contacted Alpha Flight Guru via e-mail and provided no phone numbers or other contact details beyond a return e-mail address. I specifically stated that I required details on whether or not their fares were purchased using miles/points, whether or not I would earn miles/points and status credits/miles/points and the fare classes I would be booked in.
shaun b
shaun b
Member since 09 Jun 2017
Total posts 1
Be extremely wary!!!
I received email quotation for 5 x business class flights SYD - NY - Vancouver - SYD for the dates requested. I was harassed by the staff at AFG to pay quickly as they could not hold the seats. Reluctantly I paid 9 months in advance. Then received email confirmation with the flight returning to Sydney 3 days after the date required and initially quoted.
I spent hours over several weeks trying to get through to these people, when I finally did was told the girl who sold the tickets had been fired and there was nothing they could do. They did not offer a refund, any compensation or appear to be concerned. It took me months to get the e-ticket and for the booking to appear in the respectve airlines web site and when I asked for assistance in having seats allocated I was told it could not be done. (My family have been left stranded in US airports before when we did not have seats allocated, I highly recommend you make sure you have allocated seats before you head for a US domestic flight)
I have finally been able to have seats allocated with no help from the AFG.
I found the experience extremely stressful, costly and time-consuming. Book at your own peril!
Mattinsydney
Mattinsydney
Member since 12 Apr 2018
Total posts 1
Paul, I appreciate your comment, but again you join AUSBT just for leaving this comment. And besides history repeat itself - I do not give a damn what is your agent name. All this looks to me like shameless PR from AFG. I will not even think to change my opinion unless someone with sound history on this site will post positive comment. Heck! All people traveling here and no-one use AFG! Is it strange? For me it is indeed VERY suspicious.
Cheers
Hi Serg, i too JUST signed up on the back of this thread. It seems you have bestowed upon yourself the title of “rightous truth-sayer” or perhaps “the oracle”? I have never flown with AFG, however I have booked and flown with other points re-sellers and had a fantastIc experience. Just because you disagree or do not believe does not mean that all points sellers are bad. I am fortunate to travel two+months per year for leisure. I do so by buying business class seats, using my 1+million QF points as well as using points resellers and all of them serve a purpose. Ask yourself this, if all points re sellers are terrible, how is it that many have been in business for 10+yrs?! Anyway, good luck to you - I’ve just booked a Syd-Manchester Business class trip for my wife and I over Xmas (points re seller) and saved myself $5,000 which I intend on using to prepare for our first child who’s due in September. Good luck to you all, however you fly, just enjoy as we all do!
maz1
maz1
Member since 23 Oct 2015
Total posts 13
maz1
maz1
Member since 23 Oct 2015
Total posts 13
oh, and the reason I have posted now, is because I am considering using AFG for early next year, IF there are no excellent specials for the time I want to fly- and I was wondering what the latest thoughts and reviews about AFG would show
thomas87
thomas87
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
Member since 05 Apr 2016
Total posts 7
Be very careful booking a flight through these third parties. You have a 50/50 chance of being denied boarding due to breaking the T&C of airline by purchasing your ticket via a third party, using someone else’s miles.