MilesBuzz! - Clarification from Latin Pass about promotion rules re. segments, hotels and more ...

Here's my e-mail:

Dear Sir:I am extremely interested in participating in your
1,000,000 mile promotion. However, prior to doing so,
I have a few questions for you:
1) When you state that one must "stay at least three 3
nights in at least any two of our partner hotels,"
does one have to stay three nights at each of 2
different partner hotels for a total of six nights? Or
do you have to stay at 2 different partner hotels fora total of 3 nights?
2) You state that one has to fly "at least three (3)
segments on any of our partner airlines (KLM, US
AIRWAYS and TWA)." Are you following the industry-wide
definition of a segment - meaning that one flight is a
segment? For example, would a round trip from Boston
to Montreal connecting in Philadelphia each way count
as 4 segments - most airlines count it this way! Or
would it be some other method of counting segments?
3) When will this bonus post to the account?
4) As you are probably aware, KLM has far-reaching
alliances and code-share agreements with various
airlines like Alitalia and Northwest. When using KLM
awards, can one use KLM flights operated by Alitalia,
Northwest and their other partners?
Thanks a lot for your help.

Here's their response - very efficient - within 24 hrs.:

Dear Mr.Brown:

1. Stay at least three nights in any two of our partner hotels.These hotels stay may be at any of the LatinPass partner hotels and do not have to be consecutive nights. For example, you could stay 2 nights at Radisson Hotel and 1 night at a Hilton Hotel & Resort

2. Flies at least 3 segments on any of our partner airlines. On an immediate connection flight, that would count as one segment, however if you stay more than 24 hours then you could count it as another segment

3. The bonus miles will posted to your account as soon we receive all transitions from the Airlines, Hotels and Car Rentals, or as soon you have everything you can send us copies of all documents.

If you need additional information,please feel free to contact us.



Thank You,

Latin Pass

Thanks Leroy.
Mixed feelings though about the answers - their definition of a segment is not quite the industry standard!

As someone has already pointed out, LatinPass has already defined "segment" on its website. I relied on that definition in purchasing a same day r/t from MCI to STL on TW. LatinPass cannot re-write the rules whenever it feels like it, and is even more powerless to do so once its customers have relied on the terms of the offer by spending $$$ toward the promotion.

I intend to fly the six-segment itinerary I recently posted. And I intend to fly these two segments on TW. And I will rent the requisite cars and stay at the requisite hotels. And I will send all of the necessary paperwork to LatinPass by certified mail.

And if my 500k bonus does not arrive? Well, I'll walk the three blocks from my office to the courthouse, and I will sue.

And in the end, the 500k miles I will be awarded will go a long way toward justifying that law school tuition of a decade ago. (And hey, maybe I'll even become famous like Pudding Guy.)

Latinpass themselves probably doesn't know the answer to your question # 4.

Could someone please tell me when and where this new segment rule was posted?

Could someone please tell me when and where this new segment rule was posted?

There is no new segment rule posted anyplace other than in the e-mail quoted earlier in this thread. And that's the whole point.
The pre-existing LatinPass rules define segment as "any flight which requires a separate flight coupon." Under this definition of "segment," the itinerary I posted a week or so ago qualifies for the 500k bonus.

I leave out of Miami on March 11. Anyone going with me?

To UPGRADE ME: What's your opinion of that answer to that EMAIL? Also does a six segment different airline through fare count as six segments?

[This message has been edited by Sydneyjb (edited 02-04-2000).]

What's your opinion of that answer to that EMAIL? Also does a six segment different airline through fare count as six segments?

I don't offer legal opinions on Flyertalk (or any other forum for that matter). My personal (i.e. non-legal) opinion is that the e-mail is irrelevant. The LatinPass rules already define the term "segment." No LatinPass representative has the right to re-write those rules whenever he/she feels like it. Moreover, if a different representative had responded to this e-mail, Leroy11 probably would have received a different answer.

BTW, just to be safe, I am putting my two segments on TACA 514 (MIA-MGA and MGA-SAL) on separate tickets (at a slightly higher cost), because arguably a separate flight coupon would not be "required" if one were doing both segments on the same ticket.

My final ticket breakdown should look like this when purchased tomorrow:

MIA-MGA TACA (Nica) 3/11
$724.40

MGA-SAL TACA 3/11
SAL-GUA AVIATECA
GUA-SJO COPA 3/12
$561.80

SJO-BOG LACSA 3/12
BOG-UIO AVIANCA
UIO-IAH CO 3/13
IAH-DFW CO
$1384.05

Total: $2670.25 All Business Class

I arrive in DFW barely more than 48 hours after leaving MIA. I spend only two nights in Latin America for about $225. I earn all flights necessary for the 500k bonus, and I pick up more than 4000 status miles (and more than 7500 total miles) on CO. (And buying the tickets through trip.com gets me another 7500 CO miles.)

Not a bad way to spend a weekend.

[This message has been edited by UpgradeMe (edited 02-04-2000).]