I made about 12 calls to United yesterday evening and finally found an ORD agent willing to do a manual booking. As expected, NZ confirmed the seat immediately and it looked like I was good to go. The flight even showed...
Circumventing United Airline’s StarNet Blocking
Award inventory is shared among Star Alliance carriers in what is known as the StarNet system. United Airlines, in an attempt to save money and funnel travelers to flights on UA metal has instituted a system of StarNet blocking...
Picture of the Week #2: A Taste of Swiss First
Have you ever had an airline meal that has been so good that you can’t stop thinking about it? I should know better, but I often gamble by ordering “the beef.” Usually it comes out well-done and isn’t much...
Pursue MMer Status on United or Dual Star Gold Status?
I’m up to nearly 200,000 EQMs this year on United and have some domestic trips in paid First Class coming up next month. With more than enough miles to qualify for elite status for 2010, I am having trouble...
All LOT Flights 50% Off Today and Tomorrow for Jan-March 2010 Travel
LOT Polish Airlines has announced that tickets purchased today and tomorrow are 50% off for travel that begins in the first quarter of 2010. This includes all seats, on all flights, in all cabins. What is not made explicit is that...
Tough Love from Spirit Airlines
Have you ever missed check-in by a few minutes and been told to go pound sand? Check out this excerpt from the Miami Herald : www.miamiherald.com/news/action-line/story/1291752.html A Few Minutes Proves Costly I bought a round-trip ticket for $115…for travel from Fort...
When it comes to Airline Tickets: Book Now, Ask Questions Later
Book now, ask questions later has become my motto when it comes to buying airline tickets. With the 24-hour cancellation policy that all U.S. airlines and Orbitz/Priceline have, if I see a good deal, I buy the ticket–even if...
Angels’ Wings Clipped at La Guardia
A little bit of humor I pulled from the New York Post: www.nypost.com/p/news/local/queens/angels_wings_clipped_at_la_guardia_1WCOgPkmeUW5P4AvRvUSSI Angels’ wings clipped at La Guardia October 19, 2009 The Angels just can’t win in New York. An hour after their crushing extra-inning loss to the...
Six Hours on the Phone with United Web Support
Yes, six hours–and only two bookings. Being the mileage runner that I am, I naturally rejected a conventional routing for my two trips to Los Angeles next month. It took me some time, but I pieced together a nice...
Picture of the Week #1: Gate Lice in Denver, Courtesy of United Airlines
Gate lice, those passengers who stand up in the boarding area up to an hour before boarding, have always made me chuckle. Yes, bin space is precious–but I don’t think that is why some people line up early on...
Boycott a City Because of Rude Airport Workers?
I got a kick out of this letter in the Chicago Tribune today. It seems that Mr. Robichaud was so dismayed at the vendors and non-airline staff during his family’s trip through O’Hare that he has decided to boycott...
Cracking Down On How Airlines Handle Lost Baggage Claims
An excerpt from this week’s "Middle Seat" column by Scott McCartney in the Wall Street Journal: David Pykon, a New York hedge-fund trader, says he was given conflicting information by different American Airlines supervisors on daily expenses after his...
Superior Customer Service from Mexicana and Avianca
I’m finalizing the plans for a trip to South America next month and had to contact both Mexicana and Avianca today via telephone. I was very impressed with the high level of service for a "no status" flyer like...
Should I Even Consider a Switch to American Airlines?
Short answer: probably not. I sure thought about it yesterday when it became clear that United will be eliminating regional upgrades, but I have calmed down today. I’m 1/3 of the way toward million-mile status on United, love Star...
United Offers Unlimited Domestic Upgrades—but there is a catch!
Yesterday United announced it will be implementing a complimentary upgrade scheme starting in Q2 next year. The changes will bring UA’s domestic upgrade program closer to those of Continental, US Airways, and Delta. Details: First, this was posted on...
