MilesBuzz! - Share your horror stories

I'm working on a story for the SF Examiner on how difficult it's becoming to use FF awards. So let me hear some of your stories, for example if you've been a good loyal customer and saved your miles but weren't able to cash them in for the flights you want. I'm especially interested if you were willing to be flexible and gave a range of dates.

Also, let me know if you've found some cool ways to get more miles that haven't cost you any money that you wouldn't have spent anyway. And let me know if it's ok to quote you for my story - thanks!

Welcome travelscribe, If you will set the posts for as far back in days as you want to research, you will find that your research is already done for you. There are several stories, both horror and good, within these threads. Each one has an email address by clicking on the "INFO" button. So, happy flying, upgrading, using miles, and reading the posts.

Jaws offers good advice...

Look in the Buzz, & look at the airlines that get a lot of postings. Threads that have a lot of responses are often fairly emotive, so it's good to look there too.

I'd recommend reading the old posts 'forward', so that you get the stories as they unfold.

if you want a story of a crazy swiss, using ff-tickets and adwards to see the 49-er-football-games (he and his brother are season-ticket-holders!), you could meet him on Sunday nov-22 (Marriott SFO airport, before the New Orleans game) or Monday nov 30 (Hotel Atherton, before the Giants-monday-night-game).

Be warned, travelscribe, 'crazy' is the right word to describe this Swiss gentleman...
but you will get some very good stories from him!

Naw, Rudi isn't crazy, he's just wired from eating so much chocolate.

Hmm. Perhaps 'crazy' is a better word for IDUR?
Rudi's round-the-world trips & success in getting upgrades are to be admired...

Besides, how many other residents of Zurich have season tickets for the 49ers?

Travelscribe... First, I'm wondering if you need to get permission from Inside Flyer if you are going to use direct quotes from the FlyerTalk boards (maybe the webmaster can
enlighten writers about using quotes from this forum... is it copyrighted like the magazine?)

Anyway, you might want to check out in particular the bulletin boards Slugged
L Fare Upgrades" under Delta, the American
Airlines section and the latest from United
airlines. Every experience is different but
the tales can soemtimes be horrifying!

Good luck with your article and let us know
how it turns out. CATMAN

I agree that the back pages of Flyer Talk are all you really need by way of research.
Surprisingly, I was able to upgrade with no problem on four Delta flights last week - DCA/ATL/IAH and IAH/ATL/DCA. On the first leg, I simply forgot to call until a couple of hours before flight time (I'm a lowly Silver by virtue of my Million Miler status and have to wait until 24 hours out to use segments). No sweat on both legs. On the return, I remembered to call. Again, no sweat. Both flights were full in both cabins. Has Delta listened to us and made more seats up front available for upgrade, or was I just extremely lucky?

IDUR: Why move to Atherton for the Monday night game? The SFO Airport Marriott is such a good hotel -- but probably not as good as a B&B in Zurich.

Because: my companions (3 ladies) will not come to the game, but the Sweet Babylon Show downtown. And I have student memories waiting to be refreshed at the Atherton. My game-guest will be the (swiss)-wine-master of Trefethen (one of the most famous wine-producers in the Napa-valley).

second reason: no weekend-rate at the Marriott for Sunday-Monday (my 21-day-advance-AARP-rate there for the previous stay: Saturday/Sunday is just $75+tax).

Rudi: You amaze me. You responded less than five menutes after I posted my note. My guess is that if I had posted another note on another thread immediately after this one, it would also have been responded to in five minutes or less. How many of you are there? How much time do you spend on line? First question is most important.

Do not forget, Rudi has a Mac and with the help of iduR, the ghost, Rudi knows all and sees all.

I'm beginning to believe that!!!!

Philforest, it's nice that you are back with us again! Rudi's Mac is fast, IDUR's magical
computer is even faster.

Now dealing with Upgrades: it's interesting that even as a PREMEX with UA and booking through the UA connection reservations department I got messages saying my flights
EWR-IAD-DFW (know I can't upgrade the first
length, it's a dinky little plane) and return
DFW-ORD-EWR I have my upgrades "pending."

Has this happened to other UA upper tier
members? maybe it's the system.

My further review under the UA coming.
CATMAN

philforest: why worry about those who reply fast - lets worry/discuss about those (airlines, hotels) replying slow or never ...

catman: don't know, I never book flights online (my special rates never show online: UA Silver Wing, UA visit America coupons, grey market ticket sold by the airlines themselves, award-tickets, round the world-fares).

Catman...I probably am United Connection's number one customer. "Pending" simply means that it's not yet 72 hours before flight time. At exactly 72 hours prior to your flight, the "pending" will change to "confirmed" or "waitlisted". Then a few hours before the flight UA opens up some more seats so you can once again be "confirmed" if you didn't make it on the first round. As a PremEx I was "confirmed" maybe half the time, and almost always got in at the gate if I was waitlisted.

Thanks for the tip, Quiet Lion. Maybe I can check back at the site three days before I leave to see if any of my upgrades got through.

I'll still call and confirm everything a few days before I leave. It's a Catman tradition.
CATMAN

Also you can check at airport for upgrade.They will holdseats back till last second.They will try to get full pop until last second.

philforest: B&B in Zurich (yes nothing beats B&B prepared by Gisela).

Quiet Lion:
You seem to be describing something that I don't see with Delta. Can you call whenever and have yourself put on a waiting list? When 72 hours comes up, you're either in or out? I don't have that choice. With Delta, I call 24 hours (or 72) out, or I don't make the cut.