Airmiles Programs

AES wrote;

> 4) The Walter Mitty approach: As an individual, set an obviously
> reasonable target: you want two seats, on any suitable flight of their
> choice within, say, a two-week period centered way out when you want to
> fly. Show up in person at one of their ticket offices or counters,
> state what you want, make clear you'll just occupy that counter space
> and tie up that service rep with your totally reasonable request,
> nonstop from opening to closing hours, gradually turning up the
> publicity aspects as time goes on, until they deliver on your request.
>

I like option #4 but now days it is likely to get you accused of being a
terrorist and land you in some TSA gulag.for a little bit of waterboarding
action.

rg

Mr. Travel wrote;

> Have you considered another destination?

My ultimate destination is Vietnam, where I have family. I have entertained
the idea of entering from a different city, like Hong Kong, Kunming,
Bangkok, and Singapore. Taiwan would be an option but I don't have miles
with EVA. China would be a little problematic, requiring a double-entry
visa (except for Hong Kong).

I have also used Japan Air to fly into Vietnam but I was a little let down
by JAL's service.

rg

Sean wrote;

> P.S. I couldn't be bothered with the hassle and will just fly business
> instead.

Again, there is nothing wrong with SA business class. I'll take it in a
heartbeat if I could snag two seats together.

rg

Mr. Travel wrote;
>
> I wasn't suggesting you continue allegiance to any carrier, but that is a
> bit different from abandoning the program completely. On the carriers I
> fly, any activity in or out of the account in an 18 month period keeps the
> account alive. For example, you can gain 10 miles or so, in your choice
> of several airline programs by simply signing up for a free points.com
> account. A few hundred miles spent will get you a magazine subscription
> AND keep your mileage account alive. Everyday purchases can get your
> account active, without having "allegiance" to flying a specific airline.

I suspect you are conveying American Advantages retention policies. How
does this differ from say 20 years ago. It seems that every year we get
subject to some new policy designed by the airlines to screw their very best
customers. Why should I be bothered about acquiring another 10 miles in my
account every 18 months. Isn't the fact they keep raising the mileage
requirements for travel enough? The value of retained miles over 18 months
will actually diminish over time. Isn't that good enough for the greedy
pigs?

How about refunding the consumer the same amount they would have charged for
those miles at the same time they were acquired?

rg

I forgot to mention that Ms. Cushman also told me that AA had thousands of
happy AAdvantage members in the program. I wonder how many of those
frequent flyers showed up at the aiport this morning to find out their MD-80
flight was canceled (about 10% of the fleet?). Couldn't have been handled
better.

rg

Mr. Travel wrote;

> AA has NO control over the number of seats from LAX-CTU on Cathay.
> Did you check for Economy seats?
>
Unless they changed their policy, the last time I used a mileage award,
Cathay Pacific's subsidiary Dragonair took me all the way to my central
China destination. It wasn't an issue in this case; there was just no
availability period according to them.

rg

AES wrote,

> If s/he pleads ignorance on this, ask equally politely if you could
> speak to a supervisor about this. Keep pressing; if you learn anything,
> inform this group.

I will post the results of my search for an award. I have been trying both
US Air and AA programs. Unlike before, they will not search all dates
through the end of the year. I guess you have to call back on a regular
basis to request a new set of dates. When I inquired about the maximum span
they would search, they wouldn't tell me.

They act like they can't quickly view available award seats and how far out
they are being offered. The supervisor I spoke to at AA the other night
flatly refused to search new dates for me after searching from the middle of
June to the middle of July. I have all the details of my long call with the
lady but I have yet to post a letter of complaint to the airline or to whom
it should be sent to get attention. I have been a FF or AA since 1985.

Any suggestions of who I might copy in such a letter (consumer groups or
media)? Who has obtained results when writing such letters?

If I am willing to fly on short notice, say four weeks out, will my chances
of getting a couple tickets improve?

rg