I had a brilliant idea, and I hope someone from Aadvantage sees this thread.
My 27-year old niece is taking the very first business trip of her life tomorrow. She hasn't flown much before, and never by herself. She called me and asked for advice.
I took her through the whole rigamarole: The 3-1-1 bag, the shoes off in the TSA check. ("You're kidding. They make me take off my shoes?" "No, I'm not kidding, my precious innocent little love. They make you take off your shoes. Wear nice socks.")
Checking baggage is a real challenge for her. Her company is paying for her trip, but will reimburse incidental charges, such as baggage check charges, after she returns. My niece is a single mom with Christmas coming up and doesn't have a spare $50 laying around for two-way baggage check charges. (She is hesitant to get a credit card, after seeing her parents get into major debt with credit cards and going through bk.)
Wouldn't it be nice if I could spring for her baggage check charges with my miles? Sort of a baggage check charge gift certificate. It would work by having a web page where my Aadvantage number and her Aadvantage number are entered, along with the number of miles or baggage check charges I'm willing to pay for.
Then, she gets to the airport and is able to check her one suitcase without having to pay for it.
I am SO EXCITED about my niece taking her very first business trip!!! I've watched her grow up and have watched her struggle with having a baby on her own and holding down a responsible job. Now, she's movin' on up! I feel like the Mama Bird watching little Baby Bird flying from the nest.
Checking baggage is a real challenge for her. Her company is paying for her trip, but will reimburse incidental charges, such as baggage check charges, after she returns. My niece is a single mom with Christmas coming up and doesn't have a spare $50 laying around for two-way baggage check charges. (She is hesitant to get a credit card, after seeing her parents get into major debt with credit cards and going through bk.)
This might be an excellent time for her to learn the virtues of traveling with only a carry-on.
Quote:
Originally Posted by QueenOfCoach
Wouldn't it be nice if I could spring for her baggage check charges with my miles? Sort of a baggage check charge gift certificate.
If this did exist, do you expect that AA would offer a particularly good rate on this redemption?
Wait - she's flying for business so I'm assuming her company paid for her ticket. So I'm also assuming that she'll be able to expense most (if not all) of her out-of-pocket expenditures for this trip? Surely her company can reimburse her the $50 it'll cost to check her bag. And I suppose it's just too bad that she doesn't trust herself enough to use a credit card responsibly...that's unfortunate what happened to her parents, but still.
I'm sure it is not universal, but my company will provide a cash advance with a form filled out and submitted.
I like the idea and could see it being useful, but there are probably other ways for your niece to handle this.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by QueenOfCoach
I had a brilliant idea, and I hope someone from Aadvantage sees this thread.
My 27-year old niece is taking the very first business trip of her life tomorrow. She hasn't flown much before, and never by herself. She called me and asked for advice.
I took her through the whole rigamarole: The 3-1-1 bag, the shoes off in the TSA check. ("You're kidding. They make me take off my shoes?" "No, I'm not kidding, my precious innocent little love. They make you take off your shoes. Wear nice socks.")
Checking baggage is a real challenge for her. Her company is paying for her trip, but will reimburse incidental charges, such as baggage check charges, after she returns. My niece is a single mom with Christmas coming up and doesn't have a spare $50 laying around for two-way baggage check charges. (She is hesitant to get a credit card, after seeing her parents get into major debt with credit cards and going through bk.)
Wouldn't it be nice if I could spring for her baggage check charges with my miles? Sort of a baggage check charge gift certificate. It would work by having a web page where my Aadvantage number and her Aadvantage number are entered, along with the number of miles or baggage check charges I'm willing to pay for.
Then, she gets to the airport and is able to check her one suitcase without having to pay for it.
I am SO EXCITED about my niece taking her very first business trip!!! I've watched her grow up and have watched her struggle with having a baby on her own and holding down a responsible job. Now, she's movin' on up! I feel like the Mama Bird watching little Baby Bird flying from the nest.
You are not making her case very well. You make her sound like a "gentle little flower", all naive and helpless. Just saying...
Wait - she's flying for business so I'm assuming her company paid for her ticket. So I'm also assuming that she'll be able to expense most (if not all) of her out-of-pocket expenditures for this trip? Surely her company can reimburse her the $50 it'll cost to check her bag. And I suppose it's just too bad that she doesn't trust herself enough to use a credit card responsibly...that's unfortunate what happened to her parents, but still.
Yes, she can expense all her out-of-pocket expenses. The problem is that the company would pay her back next month, after Christmas, and she runs her budget on a cash-only basis. She does not have $50 in cash right now that she can float until December.
I've been bugging her for years to get a credit card and use it responsibly, and mentioned it again last night in light of the checked baggage charges. Sooner or later she's going to have to get one. I told her to talk to me, first. I've offered lots of suggestions: pre-paid cards, low credit limit cards, etc.
She's incredibly conservative with her own limited funds. She doesn't wear make-up, don't drink alcohol, doesn't get her nails done. Everything she does is for her son.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ehemmete
I'm sure it is not universal, but my company will provide a cash advance with a form filled out and submitted.
I like the idea and could see it being useful, but there are probably other ways for your niece to handle this.
When I used to be an employee (now I'm a consultant), my former companies would do the same.
I asked her about getting a cash advance, just for the baggage fees, but it was too late. She leaves tomorrow.
My OP about some kind of "baggage check gift certificate" would allow me to bail her out instantaneously. I would have 5000, or so, miles deducted from my account and she would be able to check her bags without any charge to her.
This would be useful in all sorts of situations where a frequent flyer with miles to burn has relatives traveling: elderly parents, siblings, college age children, etc.
Quote:
Originally Posted by parvez
You are not making her case very well. You make her sound like a "gentle little flower", all naive and helpless. Just saying...
She's 27 and has never flown on her own before. She came, with her grandparents, to California when she was 6. She went to Arizona sometime while she was in high school with a friend and the friend's parents. That's it. I don't think her own parents have been on an airplane since they made all flights non-smoking. This is a whole new experience for her.
She'll be OK, I know, but I wish I could be of some more help. Covering her baggage check charges would help.
She's actually a tough little cookie. She's holding down a responsible job and raising a child on her own. Since her son was born, ALL vacation has been taking him to see Grandma and Grandpa, by car. She cannot afford anything else.
I talked to her tonight. She has her 3-1-1 bag all ready to go. She looked at the airline website and got the exact dimensions for carry on bags, then measured the duffel bag she already owns. It's within carryon dimensions, yay. (I'm getting her luggage for Christmas, I've decided.) She went to the tsa.gov website and watched videos on how to get through security. She's as ready as she'll ever be.
Last edited by JY1024; Dec 9, 12 at 8:35 pm..
Reason: Merged 3 consecutive posts - please use multi-quote feature
Certainly an interesting idea. With the limited experience I'd have with AA's IT systems, I'm sure it'd be a nightmare for them to implement, though.
I know Starwood allows members to redeem points for all sorts of things. At certain hotels, I've gotten "menus" of things I could order with my Starpoints - massage, bottle of wine, breakfast, Internet, parking, suite upgrades, etc. For someone who has plenty of Starpoints or is just looking to splurge for a weekend, I'm sure they'd consider the offers, even at the terrible redemption rates.
I guess analogous offers on AA could be using miles for baggage, Preferred / Main Cabin Extra seats, on-board drink/snack/meal coupons, Admirals Club day pass, etc.
I guess analogous offers on AA could be using miles for baggage, Preferred / Main Cabin Extra seats, on-board drink/snack/meal coupons, Admirals Club day pass, etc.
I think I can get an AC day pass for someone else, already. I don't know if I can use miles to get it, though, or just dollars.
I just wish I could somehow pay her baggage check fees, through the airline website.
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I'm not sure if this would work or not--- maybe someone else could chime in--- could you call AA to see if they'd accept a pre-paid credit card for payment of baggage fees? If they do work, I'd be sure to put extra money on it just to make sure a preauthorization amount isn't ran, and the card gets declined.
Your niece could have a friend buy her a prepaid credit card from a drugstore, grocery store, etc, and then she could repay the friend after her company cuts her a check for the baggage fee--- if you do go this route, you might consider asking they employer if they'd also pay the $3-$6 prepaid credit card cost.
I'd also check to see if AA would allow an AA Gift Card to pay for baggage fees; there's no language about this on the Gift Card site to indicate it is or isn't accepted for baggage fees.
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I'd also check to see if AA would allow an AA Gift Card to pay for baggage fees; there's no language about this on the Gift Card site to indicate it is or isn't accepted for baggage fees.
Gift Cards are redeemable toward the purchase of the base air fare and directly associated taxes, fees and charges that are collected as part of the fare calculation. Gift Cards may not be used for products and/or services that are sold separately, such as upgrades; Admirals Club membership enrollments or One-Day Passes; baggage fees; pet fees; unaccompanied minor fees; oxygen fees; Preferred Seats charges; ticketing fees for transactions processed through American Airlines Reservations; taxes, fees or charges payable in connection with AAdvantageŽ award travel; AmericanAirlines Vacations SM or non-flight products and/or services sold by American Airlines.
Hope that you've covered the basics about what you NEVER leave in checked bags (like anything of value that someone might steal). Someone who has never flown on a business trip is, unfortunately, the person who might place the company laptop in their checked bag. I've seen that happen, with disasterous consequences.
For starters, it's a rare business trip where a checked bag is necessary. Carryon plus personal item should provide more than enough space unless this is a very lengthy trip and/or she carries a huge bag of heavy samples/equipment/etc.
If she has no credit card and money is so very tight, then how will she pay for the hotel? Meals? Cab or rental car? Tips?
Even worse is this: She is not prepared for the very real possibility that her travel plans are disrupted. Suppose her flight is cancelled and AA cannot get her home that day. WN has room but with no credit card, she's stuck.
Sounds like the OP might want to loan the niece a few hundred until the reimbursement check arrives. You really are ill-equipped for business travel if you lack available funds or credit to cover contingencies.
OP I have to give it up to you for going out of your way to help your niece. Sounds like she's doing all she can to make it in this world so good on her. However there are still some things that don't make perfect sense. You mentioned she can expense her trip costs but will be reimbursed next month - in that case is she planning on paying for gas/food/hotel out of pocket? Surely those expenses, even for one day, could easily top $50. Additionally if this is a business trip, she must be making a reasonable salary - I'm sorry but it's just a little hard to believe that if a company is paying for her to fly somewhere that she doesn't make enough to have $50 to check her bag (until she's reimbursed, anyway). Next, it sounds like she has no idea of what can happen when trips go bad. What if the flight she's on is full, gets cancelled, and she can't get rebooked until 1-2 days later. That's a worst case scenario but very realistic with flights full at this time of year. Reminds me of that family that flew out west using buddy passes and then called the TV stations to complain when they couldn't get home because flights were full. Unfortunate but they didn't read the rules - let's hope nothing like that happens to her. And as other have mentioned, it's hard to imagine a business trip where you can't pack just a personal item plus carry-on. And hopefully she knows not to put her laptop in the carry-on in case it's gate-checked!
