Early Return Account Surprises (both good and bad)
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: LAS-DEN
Programs: WN CP & B-list. Disillusioned fmr UA-1P/2P,F9-Ascent; Fmr AA-Plat,CO-Gold,NW-Silver,TWA-Elite
Posts: 1,630
Early Return Account Surprises (both good and bad)
In January of this year, I had two surprises where accounts that I thought I activity in the last two years were unexpectedly expired. I called Frontier and they said no, there had been no activity. However, I had signed up for Points.com to get 15 miles into the account. They said they had no record of this. So, that would be a BAD surprise.
Today I logged in and found the miles in these accounts restored. No explanation, but it was a GOOD surprise.
I'm still waiting for a Super Shuttle to post to Frontier for 50 miles to help keep another account alive. I travelled with Super Shuttle on January 23 and posted that trip to Frontier. I travelled with Super Shuttle on January 28 and poste that trip to United. The United trip already has posted. Why does it take Frontier so long to post? I called Super Shuttle and they have the right account number on the January 23 trip. That continues to be a BAD surprise until it posts. As I type this, I'm on a 10 minute hold to get someone on the line with Frontier. Also, a BAD surprise.
Edit to Add:
The 10 minute hold took about 25 minutes, but got a very helpful agent on the phone. He manually posted my missing Super Shuttle points and told me that they had some computer glitch that caused miles for two of my relatives accounts to be expired prematurely. So, now we are at a point of all good surprises, after a bit of drama.
Today I logged in and found the miles in these accounts restored. No explanation, but it was a GOOD surprise.
I'm still waiting for a Super Shuttle to post to Frontier for 50 miles to help keep another account alive. I travelled with Super Shuttle on January 23 and posted that trip to Frontier. I travelled with Super Shuttle on January 28 and poste that trip to United. The United trip already has posted. Why does it take Frontier so long to post? I called Super Shuttle and they have the right account number on the January 23 trip. That continues to be a BAD surprise until it posts. As I type this, I'm on a 10 minute hold to get someone on the line with Frontier. Also, a BAD surprise.
Edit to Add:
The 10 minute hold took about 25 minutes, but got a very helpful agent on the phone. He manually posted my missing Super Shuttle points and told me that they had some computer glitch that caused miles for two of my relatives accounts to be expired prematurely. So, now we are at a point of all good surprises, after a bit of drama.
Last edited by FCfree; Feb 27, 2011 at 12:08 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,932
I had an account restored and (a triviially small) number of ex-Midwest points merged into my always-has-been-Frontier account. What I don't know is if either of these actions count as "activity" for the purpose of extending account expiration.
Until/unless I hear otherwise, I'm assuming I need to do some other activity by the end of March to "without question" extend me expiration another two years. (End of March was the expected expiration of the ex-Midwest account that was merged in.)
However, this has no turned out to be as easy as I thought. I need several cheap suburban hotel stays every week, so I figured now that WyndhamRewards partners with Frontier, I can just stay one night at a Super 8 or Days Inn for not much money and creidt that to Frontier and no problem. Except that WynhdamRewards rejects my always-been-Frontier account number. Wynhdam acknowledges they have a problem and don't know when they can fix it, but they've told me that I can do a stay while signed up for WynhdamRewards points earnings and they'll manually creidt those to Frontier. We'll see...
Until/unless I hear otherwise, I'm assuming I need to do some other activity by the end of March to "without question" extend me expiration another two years. (End of March was the expected expiration of the ex-Midwest account that was merged in.)
However, this has no turned out to be as easy as I thought. I need several cheap suburban hotel stays every week, so I figured now that WyndhamRewards partners with Frontier, I can just stay one night at a Super 8 or Days Inn for not much money and creidt that to Frontier and no problem. Except that WynhdamRewards rejects my always-been-Frontier account number. Wynhdam acknowledges they have a problem and don't know when they can fix it, but they've told me that I can do a stay while signed up for WynhdamRewards points earnings and they'll manually creidt those to Frontier. We'll see...
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: LAS-DEN
Programs: WN CP & B-list. Disillusioned fmr UA-1P/2P,F9-Ascent; Fmr AA-Plat,CO-Gold,NW-Silver,TWA-Elite
Posts: 1,630
I was verbally told on the phone of the expiration date for each account. I agree that some activity wouldn't be a bad thing, combined with printing or otherwise storing a screen snapshot of each account.
I was specifically told that the expiration date for the accounts that they had set to inactive, then reactivated, was 2 years from the reactivation date, so 02/24/2011 --> 02/24/2013.
Other airlines (UA, AA and WN specifically) tell you on their web site when the expiration date is. I wish that F9 would do that.
Its really hard to get actual flight activity with F9 these days. Southwest almost always beats them on price and ALWAYS beats them on price + change fee + bag fee or use of Classic fares. Southwest open seating also increases my experienced probability of an open middle -- the first class of either of the all coach airlines. Perhaps some day I will need to go somewhere that Frontier serves and Southwest doesn't. If so, I'll try to give them a chance over United. Even if that does happen, it will still be hard to get that for relatives unless we happen to choose a vacation destination that F9 serves and WN doesn't. We had considered Anchorage Alaska for vacation this year, but had to nix that idea unfortunately. Also unfortunate for F9 was way better flight times on AS, even though it was necessary to change planes in SEA (day flight vs. night flight).
Using Super Shuttle for activity requires very close monitoring as it took a month and a phone call to post the miles vs. less than 2 weeks and no phone call at United.
I was specifically told that the expiration date for the accounts that they had set to inactive, then reactivated, was 2 years from the reactivation date, so 02/24/2011 --> 02/24/2013.
Other airlines (UA, AA and WN specifically) tell you on their web site when the expiration date is. I wish that F9 would do that.
Its really hard to get actual flight activity with F9 these days. Southwest almost always beats them on price and ALWAYS beats them on price + change fee + bag fee or use of Classic fares. Southwest open seating also increases my experienced probability of an open middle -- the first class of either of the all coach airlines. Perhaps some day I will need to go somewhere that Frontier serves and Southwest doesn't. If so, I'll try to give them a chance over United. Even if that does happen, it will still be hard to get that for relatives unless we happen to choose a vacation destination that F9 serves and WN doesn't. We had considered Anchorage Alaska for vacation this year, but had to nix that idea unfortunately. Also unfortunate for F9 was way better flight times on AS, even though it was necessary to change planes in SEA (day flight vs. night flight).
Using Super Shuttle for activity requires very close monitoring as it took a month and a phone call to post the miles vs. less than 2 weeks and no phone call at United.
Last edited by FCfree; Feb 28, 2011 at 7:49 am
#4
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: MKE
Posts: 2,161
It has been my experience any partner activity requires close monitoring. You may or may not see the miles post to your account.
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: LAS-DEN
Programs: WN CP & B-list. Disillusioned fmr UA-1P/2P,F9-Ascent; Fmr AA-Plat,CO-Gold,NW-Silver,TWA-Elite
Posts: 1,630
Are they charging the partners but then not posting the miles? It shouldn't be this much drama.
#6
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: Most....Four elite air/ Three hotel elites - UA MillionMiler - DL RWT alum
Posts: 1,257
The last F9 ER agent response completely misquoted the Membership Guide on points and even retroactive accrual. I really wonder if F9 gives a hoot?