Feedback from the Frontlines of Travel
We welcome reader feedback on issues related to travel generally and frequent flyer programs in particular. Please use this link to submit comments.
American Award Availability
"I used to be able to routinely book [American] MileSAAver awards (the minimum mile award -- which was raised from 30,000 mile last year to 35,000 miles this year) for my family to travel on spring break vacations to the Caribbean every year. I did this by booking the first dates booking was available (331 days in advance). Not this year (for 2010 travel). I have been closely monitoring SAAver award seat availability, and there have been no seats available from Chicago this year during the spring break period (after March 10th) for my Caribbean destination. A few of American's reservation agents have confirmed what I have suspected. There appears to be a de facto blackout on SAAver awards during the spring break period to selected Caribbean vacation destinations. I have been a Platinum AAdvanage member and my business partner, whose spouse is an Executive Platinum member confirms the same experience trying to get seats to Hawaii for spring break 2010.
"I wrote a complaint letter and got the expected condescending form response, explaining that seats are capacity controlled, and advising me that I can use "anytime awards" which require double mileage. American did not deny that no SAAver awards were available during the spring break period. Of course, I know I can use double mile awards. Me, and I suspect most FFs don't want to. I don't show my loyalty to American, spending extra hours in airports when other carriers could have gotten me home earlier, in order to use my miles to fly to Buffalo in January when there are countless MileSAAver award available. We want to at least have a chance to use them on desirable vacation spots at peak times. This is the primary reason I stay loyal to one airline. This used to be the case on American. Apparently, things have changed.
"I called United and got the seats I wanted with no problem. I am changing my primary carrier to United." [Gary C.]
US Airways Unusable Flight Vouchers
"I, like many of your readers, fly over a hundred flights a year on various airlines. I prefer US Air because it offers the most flights to where I usually travel. On two occasions I have taken voluntary 'bumps' on the US Air shuttle flights between BOS and DCA. I did this because the oversold seats were elderly travelers who were very upset over not flying at that exact time.
"In return for the voluntary 'bumps,' I received two round trip ticket vouchers from US Air which were touted by the gate agent as good anywhere in the continental U.S. I have had these offerings before and had little trouble booking flights. Times have charged. Over the course of two months, four times I spent over an hour with US Air ticketing trying to find a place, any place to go. First the excuse was it must be the holiday season and then it was Spring Break. I didn't know that so many college students were going to sit on a Lake Erie beach in Cleveland in March. Finally, an honest agent said that US Air was restricting these tickets and it was very hard to use them. He also said that the only flights available are those found on the Dividend Miles charts as Mileage savers. I checked over forty city pairs and did not find any for the dates I had available.
"The other option is to apply $200 as a discount on a regular fare. There are not too many US Air fares for $99 each way...
"In the end, using hours of time online, the only two round trip flights between Boston and anywhere in the continental U.S. for $99 was to Wilmington, NC. So I booked them at fifteen minutes after midnight. By the end of the day they had gone up to $438.
"Yes, the round trip tickets are free, but they will not get you on a plane. You may do US Air a favor but they won't return it." [Wally H.]
Continental Seating/p>
"Seat-pitch reviews abound, but if anyone has found a more uncomfortable example than Continental's 737-800 offering, it would be at least a fair warning to just stay home. At just 5'-10" and of normal weight, on a red-eye from PDX to IAH I could not sit straight without my knees jammed against the seat in front (and which was not in recline)." [Ed N.]
Delta Transfer Bonus
"Confused why you guys do not make a big deal out of this:
Delta Offers Bonus for Mile Transfers
Through May 31, when SkyMiles members transfer their miles to another member, the recipient will earn 100% bonus miles. Cost for transfers: $0.01 per mile, plus a $30 processing fee.
Among the terms: "Transfer Miles may only be donated and received by SkyMiles accounts that have been established for at least 10 days and have a Total Lifetime Balance greater than zero."
"This is the greatest deal in a long time (although they did it last fall too). This is buying miles for 1.1 cents or flying business to Europe for $1100 plus tax. This is a steal when seats are quite open on Air France and Aeroflot especially last minute...
"I bought 300,000 miles this way in the past month. It IS a ponzi scheme but will not "pop" for another few years in my opinion..." [Bret A.]
No Seat Assignment on LAN Chile
"I am travelling in November/December to New Zealand and Australia with LAN Chile and Qantas. I bought my ticket for over US$2,000.00 through my travel agency. Considering the long flight from Sao Paulo to Santiago and then to Auckland, I have decided to reserve my seats according to my preferences. LAN did not want to assign me a seat, stating that the airfare I have paid does not entitle me to that. Qantas is also saying that they do not assign seat for domestic flights.
"This all sounds strange and unfair to me as a passenger, to pay such a high price for an air ticket and not be entitled to a seat assignment. I have traveled several times on mileage with American and Brazilian airlines, and always I have been assigned a seat in advance. I am really disappointed with LAN Chile for such an unfair attitude." [Afonso B. - Sao Paulo, Brazil]
Until next week...
|
