I thought my moment was when I did my first 7 segment coast-to-coast MR some years ago - all in UA Y, no less. And right on its heels, followed up with a coast-to-coast, non-MR trip on US, again in Y.
But I think I have a new moment now ... Two years ago I burnt miles on a business class ticket for the first time. The choice was between 80k miles in Y or 120k miles in J from the US to India. Difference of 40k miles, hmm.. To J or not to J, that was the question. After a lot of soul-searching, I decided to do it. It's not like I would pay for such a ticket anyway, I said. So might as well enjoy the joys of J on long-haul. Good trip, it was.
Now to the moment I was referring to. Two weeks ago I was planning a trip home over the holidays, ALB to BLR. This time I didn't even consider burning miles for a Y ticket. The order in which I searched:
- Get an award ticket in the business cabin
- If that doesn't work out, chop off an arm, a leg and three fingers from the other hand -- all for a seat in Y. (Prices were ridiculous for the dates I wanted).
I am happy to say that all my limbs are intact (knock on wood!) and that I board the flight next week!
Frantically pounding away on keyboard, to get a glitch fare OSL-PEK, when a colleague (who knew what I was doing) asked how long I was going for.
'One day' I responded...
Her reaction ... 'you should go for longer'
Brief pause while I considered. 'You're right' I said and carried on pounding.
'So how long are you going for?'
'Two days!'
Ok, I ended up going for a week, as the ticket was fully flex C for £220.
And my other 'you know when you're a FTer..:
When you are arguing with check-in staff about the configuration of the aircraft you are about to fly (I was right, although they thought they were being helpful)
When something goes wrong mid trip, and you have about 15 people in your phone you can call and go 'I need you to check what's happening to VS025 out of TAB as it's showing delayed and I don't trust the info. I'll text you my log-in details for BA as you may need to change my connection for me - it's a split PNR..' and they know what you are talking about and get right on it! The FT network is great in adversity...
When something goes wrong mid trip, and you have about 15 people in your phone you can call and go 'I need you to check what's happening to VS025 out of TAB as it's showing delayed and I don't trust the info. I'll text you my log-in details for BA as you may need to change my connection for me - it's a split PNR..' and they know what you are talking about and get right on it! The FT network is great in adversity...
Programs: Over-Entitled COdbaUA-1k, HHGold, Giving Tootsie Pops to UA employees, & now a retired hockey goalie
Posts: 21,921
Quote:
Originally Posted by halothane
There are no truer words Jenbel!
and to add, by the time you get to speak with an agent at the airport, you have either been rebooked cuz you called while waiting or you have all your options already laid out for the agent
and
by the time you are all said and done and relaxing in the lounge (member or as a sponsored guest ) or at your airline provided hotel room, "others" from your very same flight are pulling a dykwia hissy fit at whatever airline employee they can find
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Over-entitled 1k wondering how COdbaUA likes Flyertalk being its beta tester?
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When you have the following discussion with the AMS officer
"Where did you arrive from"
"USA"
"How long are you staying?"
"about 3hrs"
"Then where are you off to?"
"USA"
and a confused look
Or a multiday back to back MRs where the ground staff know you by name and lets you board with the crew.
or a flight cancellation while waiting in line you got your netbook in one hand with EF open and KVS looking at options, talking to the UA agent in the other over the phone and you get to the front (mind the line is only a few people deep) and you just tell the agent to unload you, print the new BPs, change the bag tags and off you go
.. after a significant (and at times not so significant) political event (mainly in the US but at times courtesy is extended to Canada, Europe, Asia and at times, Australia), you jump on FT and head to OMNI/PR to read what the FT community in general and the OMNICons / OMNILibs (one or the other, depending on the nature of the event) have to say about the said event.
More for people who are new or not as frequent fliers as many here, but when you start using the 3 letter airport codes, not only in regular posts (without having to look them up) but when you start using them in e-mails and other communications with others
you say to yourself, "so this is what the outside of an airport looks like"
The first Do I ever attended was at AMS. I was already a RoyalWing KLM elite, and had held status with them for a few years before that - from economy flying...
At the Do, I had to own up that it was the first time I'd ever been landside at AMS
You read an online article from a newspaper across the Atlantic about something that is happening almost halfway around the world and you think, "Oh, is that 3TimesALady that they are talking about at the end of paragraph 3?"
When something goes wrong mid trip, and you have about 15 people in your phone you can call and go 'I need you to check what's happening to VS025 out of TAB as it's showing delayed and I don't trust the info. I'll text you my log-in details for BA as you may need to change my connection for me - it's a split PNR..' and they know what you are talking about and get right on it! The FT network is great in adversity...
Agree.
I've had to call the FT helpline when stuck onboard a plane and forseeing a horrible misconnection for my next flight. The great thing is even if only have a minute to make a call or txt before phone needs to be switched off can still get a message out and understood, and the answer is there when you later switch phone back on.
... 'you should go for longer'
The FT network is great in adversity...
) or at your airline provided hotel room, "others" 
