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"I am a travel agent who is also a frequent flyer -- at the moment Gold on American and Silver on US Airways. During the past 10 years I have been every level including Chairman's Preferred on US Airways and Platinum Elite on Continental. I have also been Gold Medallion on Delta.
"In the travel business 'free' tickets that agents used to get are few and far between and have fees and taxes attached now. I chose to buy my tickets mainly so I could get upgraded and after 9/11 when the airlines were giving double miles towards elite, I ended up being elite on 3 different airlines with a lot of frequent flyer miles to use.
"I became very proficient at working the system on how to use the miles and that has paid off for my clients because I use that knowledge for them for a service fee. Our agency is an American Express rep agency, so I also have a lot of clients with AMEX points to use.
"I like your newsletter and have thought of commenting on several letters, since I have certainly felt the readers' frustrations before. With all that being said, I was thinking it would help your readers immensely to be able to contact someone like me to help them use their miles. The fee is $50 per ticket when I do frequent flyer reservations. If frequent flyer does not work out, of course I could help them with other alternatives.
"Would you like to offer my services to your readers? Thank you for your time."
Vicki Burton
Manager
CI Travel
1206 Laskin Rd. Suite 201
Virginia Beach, VA 23451
(757) 428-2522/Fax (757) 428-1825
Toll Free 1-866-247-2056
"Beware of winning Airline Contests!
"If you win an airline contest, before you 'accept' the prize determine the prize 'value' assigned by the airline.
"If the prize is 12 coach roundtrips to be used within a year then the approximate value to you would be around $400/trip or $4,800, assuming you could use all of them.
"But the airline, seeking to maximize the advertising tax write-off of the prize, would say it's worth something like $1,800/trip or $21,600.
"The IRS says that prize is income, so assuming you are in the 25% tax bracket your tax bill for the prize is $5,400, more than the tickets are worth to you, whether you use them or not." [Bob - Fort Worth, TX]
"Just a note about the new awards to Hawaii using SWA Rapid Awards. A bunch of my family just returned from a delightful two weeks on the Big Island. 4 of them went on Rapid Award tickets. We went from Phoenix to Oakland on SWA and direct to Hilo on ATA.
"The whole trip was great, especially the free flights." [Bud J. - Scottsdale, AZ]
"On a recent trip to Canada, I was forced to use Northwest to get to International Falls. Amazed by their fee for exit row seats, I paid it to avoid a center seat. Much to my surprise when I checked in, I had a center seat. I had proof that I was charged for the exit row seat, but they were no help. I have yet to get a refund from them.
"On top of this I tried to check luggage through all legs of my flight and onto AA to avoid having to collect checked baggage and re-check through AA. Though told by everybody I spoke with at NWA and AA that this was easy to do, the agent said it was not their policy to do that. Of course I missed my connection as they lost a piece of luggage in route. I wrote to them... form letter reply.
"I will do anything to avoid NWA in the future." [David M.]
"I think that frequent flier miles has become a scam. The airlines have used it to make more money----NOT for passenger convenience.
"I have over 100,000 miles which I can't use due to operations handicap me from flying. I can't give them to family (AA charges for that) so I'm stuck and AA profits once more !!!Is this fair? I spent much money on those flights with various AA promises...but new policy invalidates this...sounds like current politics to me !!" [Bszim]
"As the value of FF miles deteriorates, it seems to me the public would benefit more from credit cards that offer cash back rewards rather than FF miles. Unless one uses their miles for international business class flights, one seems to be better off saving the cash in a dedicated flight account.
"Maybe if they see their investment in credit card programs is no longer profitable, they will reconsider the needs of their passengers." [Stuart S. - Boynton Beach, FL]
"As far as rants and raves go, I think AA is right in limiting the amount of time you have to keep your miles.
"It is a frequent flyer program after all. If you don't fly frequently then why do they owe you loyalty, you don't give it to them. I think the key word here is FREQUENT. They have plenty of options, send flowers, stay at a hotel, rent a car, use their credit card, or the biggie FLY.
"If you are worried about your miles you need to be loyal. Even if you just use them and claim an award it counts as doing something with your account. If you have not heard from someone in 1 1/2 yrs would you consider them loyal? I think personally they should limit it to 1 year." [Mary J. B.]
Until next week...
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