Most of our readers will be members or at least know of the Asiamiles programme. There are some who have spoken about the e-commerce potential of Asiamiles. They look to a day when people will bid for them in auctions, and where they will find their value. They will use them as a payment currency over the internet. At the moment, you can even buy top-up Asiamiles, in case you don't have enough.
This is all fine and well, but you have to be able to spend the things. Our experience today was that it is nearly impossible to use Asiamiles. First we tried to call Cathay Pacific and book a flight from Hong Kong to Rome for the second half of July. No availability.
Then we tried the next nearest city, Zurich. No availability. We asked about Hong Kong-Bali and we were told there was no availability throughout July. Hong Kong-London. Also fully booked.
Then we called British Airways, another Asiamiles partner. Surely BA must have a flight between Hong Kong and its home city of London? Again, there was not a single available flight in July.
This may be a holiday-season-stroke-July phenomenon, but earlier in the year I tried to book a flight to London and guess what? No availability.
With over a 100,000 Asiamiles under my belt, this track record has not been encouraging. As a currency, give me German rentenmarks from 1923 anyday. At least a billion of those would buy me a loaf of bread. I can't spend these Asiamiles.
When I asked how many seats the airlines alloted to Asiamiles redemptions per flight, I was told: "Sorry. We don't know." I was also told to book three months in advance. I was booking for one individual. Imagine trying to book for a family.
The only conclusion is not enough Asiamiles redemption seats are available on flights. One assumes the current state of play will help airlines to maximize profits. But it will not encourage their wider use. Indeed I, for one, have concluded they are a waste of time.
A currency should be convertible when the holder chooses. By this definition, Asiamiles are a million miles from being a currency.
