Trip Reports - Twilight Zone

It seems I'm in some kind of zone. I was planning on taking a routine trip tonight. I had a reservation on AA from SNA to SJC, and a reservation at the brand new Westin Palo Alto. I guess I've become so confident in AA and Starwood that I trusted the agents instead of double checking everything like I used to.

So I arrive at SNA to find the flight oversold. No worries, I have a confirmed seat and thanks to my BA Gold card I'm Emerald with Oneworld. How wrong I was.

For some reason, I skip the outer desk and try to check in at the gate. There was a huge line and by the time I got to the front, they were nearly done boarding. When I get there, they tell me I'm not on the flight. I had my record locator handy (always do) and they told me that my reservation was for Tuesday! And they would not let me go standby even though I was Emerald and the people they let on had zero status!!! This was the last flight out so I was screwed. Screw American! Never again.

So I go down to Avis, plop down my President's card and they give me a Caddy for $45 per day. At least some things work, but more trouble to come. I call the United 1K desk, push 1 for Domestic and get put on hold for 10 minutes. I think something is wrong so I dial again, and again get put on lengthy hold. I figure UA is broken. One last time I dial and push 2 for Intl and I get through. <shrug>

All the flights for tomorrow morning are sold out. I say, no problem, just put me on the standby list. With my 1K status I'm sure I'll get on. They say the list is closed!! Closed!! HELLO! IS THIS THING ON!! I'M 1K!!!

So then I call the Starwood Platinum desk to advise them I won't be arriving tonight. They are closed too!!!! What's more, they don't have a button to transfer to the normal Starwood line. Fortunately I know the standard number by heart and call in. Then they tell me they have no record of any reservation for me at the Westin Palo Alto!! This is too weird! I dig out the confirmation number (you gotta keep records) and find that they made my reservation at the Sheraton Palo Alto!! I recall discussing with the agent how I was looking forward to trying the new Westin, but somehow they booked me into the Sheraton. They transfered me to a very nice lady in the U.K. corporate office but she couldn't get me into the Westin. She did make sure that I wasn't charged for tonight which was nice.

Now I'm stuck with trying to find a way to SJC in the morning to make my meetings. But it doesn't look good. All my status doesn't seem to be worth a **** with AA or UA. Maybe I'll take HP via Vegas.

I'm just not used to this. Travel is normally quite smooth for me. I need to rub the belly of the travel god or something to get back into good graces.

Sorry to vent.

Hello, That sounds a bit like the movie "The Out Of Towners," I think it was called. Anyway, a good trip report. I have found that especially on the phone vs. in person, the status doesn't matter. It's easier for them to tell you to go to hell on the phone, though as you point out it can happen just as well in person.

Stimpy: You found Frequent Flyer Hell. Did you enter a strange portal the day before, fool with your e-mail that had 666 on it? Hope you find the way out. If you figure out how you got in, make sure you tell us so we can avoid it.

Stimpy,

Bummer. I have been through the closed waitlist issue (trying to buy a seat on a sold out flight) with UA several times in the last few weeks. I can't believe that UA closes the waitlist when I am willing to pay full F or full Y depending on what class of service clears. However, my travel acency is usually sucessful getting me on the waitlist when UA says it is closed. Last Friday I was waitlisted for full F and full Y for every SFO-LAS flight from noon until 11:00 PM. Got a seat on the first flight I tried to get on. What the check in agent did was check me in as full F on the 11:00 PM flight and then list me as FFCC on the early flight. FFCC is the code for a First Class paying pax who does not have a seat yet (ie it was oversold or you were bumped from another flight). You go to the top of the list ahead of UG passangers and all stand by's. It worked. Next time don't listen to them and just show up at the SNA RCC and have Marty, Dianne or one of the other great folks help you out.

BTW, Delta PM's are guarenteed a seat on any flight if they pay full Y. Oversold or not.

AC's Super Elite are also guaranteed a seat if paying full Y (24 hours advance notice is published requirement, but sometimes less is "real" requirement), oversold or not. Surprised they don't have that on UA.

http://216.167.74.240/forum/frown.gif

Ditto on US for top tier -- guaranteed seat on flight, 24 hours in advance. Of course that doesn't help much on the west coast http://216.167.74.240/forum/smile.gif

ugh...got to conclude that you do need to rub the belly of the travel god or play tarot with the cards for an evening!

I didn't even know the Palo Alto Westin was open yet --

It is about 10 feet from the Sheraton, (the old Palo Alto Holiday Inn).

Let us know if it nice -- we need an alternative to the awful Ricky's Hyatt.

Sorry to hear about your bad day, stimpy. http://216.167.74.240/forum/frown.gif

I agree that it is much easier to be rude over the fun than in person, so I recommend going to SNA tomorrow, go to UA, snap out your 1K and demand to be placed on the priority waitlist.

I'm not surprised that your BA Gold/oneworld emerald card didn't get much pull from American. I've noticed good treatment from for oneworld members from other oneworld member airlines, but have seen little from AA in offering a special hand to elites from other oneworld airlines.

Good luck.

Opus17: Agreed on Ricky's Hyatt http://216.167.74.240/forum/frown.gif

I didn't know the Palo Alto Holiday Inn had become a Sheraton. Is the floor plan in that place weird or what!?

Sorry to hear about that Stimpy.


The Westin opened May 1st. I have been there personally, and its off to a great start, with a helpful and upbeat staff. I personally don't care for the pseudo-Mediterranean styling, complete with fake shudders and marginally useful balconies. However, further inspection reveals a very well designed place (especially when compared to Hyatt Ickies).

There is underground parking, a very nice bar and lobby (almost too much marble), a rather small restuarant, a "wading pool" and spa, and the usual fitness and business centers. I toured both a standard room, and a suite, and both were very impressive, (prices are not exorbitant, at the present). FT'er EvergreenState is staying there right now, so I expect you'll get a full trip report in a matter of a day or so.

The Sheraton is next door, and from the five story Westin, you can enjoy the lovely sights and sounds of the train tracks, Palo Alto Medical Center, and El Camino Real http://216.167.74.240/forum/rolleyes.gif


[This message has been edited by West Coast Flyer (edited 05-16-2000).]

Well the zone continued a bit. UA doesn't fly to SJC from SNA and I needed to take a flight around 2pm so my only choice was AA from LAX. AA flights to SJC and SFO from LAX now leave from T3 instead of T4. There is no Admirals Club in T3 and it's a long walk to T4 so I tried to break into the TWA Ambassadors Club. I happened to have some TWA appreciation certificates which the ladies at the club valued quite a bit so I was in and got my work done.

It was a routine flight to SJC, but arrival put me back into the zone. It used to be such a nice easy airport with a short walk to the rental counter followed by a short drive to the 101. NOT ANY MORE!!

The rental area near Term C was getting a bit crowded so they have copied SFO and moved the rental facility 10 minutes away. AND you have to drive 10 minutes back to the 101. So you now have to add a half-hour to your travel time when renting at SJC.

It got worse. I had a Hertz res and when I arrived at the Gold board, my name wasn't there. Judging by the huge line no one elses res was right. And it was raining. And there was no cover outside the Gold booth. It was then I noticed that there was no line at the Avis Preferred booth. Forget Hertz, I went to Avis. As I waited behind a couple people, another 10 people followed me over to Avis. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Avis is great now that I have a Presidents card. They asked me if a Town Car was OK for $45 per day minus my discount. The agent said her boss loves Presidents card bookings as I guess they get some kind of incentive. Whatever it is, I like it. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I drove up to the Sheraton/Westin and checked in at the Sheraton. I got a sizable room with a large spa next to the bed. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

My colleague got in at the Westin and said it was empty! He got upgraded to a huge suite and he's not even elite with Starwood! I guess things are too new there and they don't have many rooms open.

I do have some good news. I tried an excellent steakhouse on El Camino Real near Stanford. It's called Sundance and I highly recommend it. It's full of players. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

BA Gold members are guaranteed reservations if booking before 24 hours.

stimpy,

glad to hear you finally made it. Is the BA guarantee only for BA flights?

Yep, only BA flights, only BA Gold. Cross my heart and hope Merry doesn't correct me. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif


[This message has been edited by stimpy (edited 05-17-2000).]

Stimpy:

What is your Avis Preferred card? I assume it is a benefit of your Centurion card. Can you describe the benefits?

my (swiss) AVIS Preferred Select card provides about the same services/advantages that my Hertz Gold#1 does (rebates, no queing/standing in lines). No charge for me (as a member of the swiss TCS (=the swiss 'AAA').

[This message has been edited by Rudi (edited 05-17-2000).]

Stimpy has an Avis Preferred Presidents Club Card, which he did get through Centurion. This is two steps above Avis Preferred as far as I can tell:

Avis Preferred
Avis Preferred Select
Avis Preferred Presidents Club

Beckles has it right.

So the various cards that you get with your Amex Black are...

Upgrades to Concorde from a British Airways First Class ticket.
Continental Gold Elite
US Airways Gold Preferred
Delta Gold Medallion
TWA Elite One
Access to CO, NW, and TW clubs on day of travel
Starwood Platinum Preferred
Hilton Gold VIP
Hyatt Diamond
InterContinental Six Cont. Club
Upgrades with Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons
International cell phone with at-cost charging
Hertz #1 Club Gold
Avis President's Club

Any others?

[This message has been edited by BizJet (edited 05-17-2000).]

The Starwood card was recently bumped up to Platinum I hear, because AMEX Platinum members now get Gold Preferred Guest for free.

Once again, Beckles is right on the money. Now I don't have to worry about requaling for Starwood Platinum. However I'll probably do it anyway since I like their program.

Correction made. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Any others, Stimpy?