spontaneity fueled by desperation
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: AA Advantage
Posts: 8
spontaneity fueled by desperation
UPDATEThe original thing is back on. . . but thanks for all the help and suggestions. I think the next project I want to work out is an emergency escape plan in case I find myself in this situation again.
Have you ever needed to get away so bad you showed up at the airport with a few hundred dollars and asked for a ticket as far away as you could go and if you did how did it turn out. Was supposed to do something later this week, after waiting for this thing for 4 months, it was cancelled in an unexpected and weird way and I can't stay home and dwell on it. HALP
Have you ever needed to get away so bad you showed up at the airport with a few hundred dollars and asked for a ticket as far away as you could go and if you did how did it turn out. Was supposed to do something later this week, after waiting for this thing for 4 months, it was cancelled in an unexpected and weird way and I can't stay home and dwell on it. HALP
Last edited by laissezmonfaire; Nov 30, 2010 at 5:41 pm Reason: update
#2
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: Delta Diamond
Posts: 28
These things never go well. Save that few hundred bucks. I mean, who the heck ever had a good time on an impromptu trip to Hoboken, Lincoln, Tallahatchie, or any of the other mundane places you can go for 200 dollars?
#4
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Happily living in Frenaros Cyprus having escaped the near-death experience called Sofia Bulgaria
Programs: Etihad Guest Gold, DL FO and 1MM, and a bunch of others at a low level
Posts: 2,052
I feel that way every day. Living in Bulgaria will do that to you.
#5
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: LAX
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold but PlatPro thanks to LPs
Posts: 4,439
Back when I was in high school (a long long time ago), Continental Airlines ran an ad to the effect that for $10 (ten bucks) they would put you on a flight to "somewhere" then bring you home. It was a way for people who had never traveled to experience an airline flight at a cheap rate, using seats that would otherwise be empty.
I hung out with a platonic male friend in those days, and he saw this ad. He called me and said "Let's do it!".
We lived in Wichita, Kansas, at that time. We went to ICT dreaming of exciting destinations such as New York or Los Angeles. We got to the ticket counter, money and coupon in hand, and waited to hear where they would send us.
Tulsa.
Yep, for our $10 ($20 for two) we got sent to Tulsa. We had lunch in the Tulsa airport, then flew back.
Bruce, if you're reading this, yep, you know who you are.
I hung out with a platonic male friend in those days, and he saw this ad. He called me and said "Let's do it!".
We lived in Wichita, Kansas, at that time. We went to ICT dreaming of exciting destinations such as New York or Los Angeles. We got to the ticket counter, money and coupon in hand, and waited to hear where they would send us.
Tulsa.
Yep, for our $10 ($20 for two) we got sent to Tulsa. We had lunch in the Tulsa airport, then flew back.
Bruce, if you're reading this, yep, you know who you are.
#6
In memoriam
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: IAD, BOS, PVD
Programs: UA, US, AS, Marriott, Radisson, Hilton
Posts: 7,203
itasoftware.com might be useful for this, taking out some of the
spontaneity but at least getting you to another five letter word
other than Tulsa.
I discover, for example, that I can leave the house here,
immediately get on a USAircraft, and turn around in Tampa
(or stay there some days, my choice), 4 segs and 2500 miles
for $205 all in, not exactly mileage run material, but for 2 hr
in advance it's pretty decent.
spontaneity but at least getting you to another five letter word
other than Tulsa.
I discover, for example, that I can leave the house here,
immediately get on a USAircraft, and turn around in Tampa
(or stay there some days, my choice), 4 segs and 2500 miles
for $205 all in, not exactly mileage run material, but for 2 hr
in advance it's pretty decent.
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 37,486
Back when I was in high school (a long long time ago), Continental Airlines ran an ad to the effect that for $10 (ten bucks) they would put you on a flight to "somewhere" then bring you home. It was a way for people who had never traveled to experience an airline flight at a cheap rate, using seats that would otherwise be empty.
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: AA Advantage
Posts: 8
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: AA Advantage
Posts: 8
I live in Bulgaria too
Bulgaria, Third World America, that is. At least you don't have people in your face all day telling you how incredibly blessed you are to live there, lying to your face about the economy, your freedom (or lack thereof), making war for oil, the hypocrisy, the celebrities, etc.
Or maybe you do. . . I guess I wouldn't know.
Thanks for your reply
Or maybe you do. . . I guess I wouldn't know.
Thanks for your reply
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: AA Advantage
Posts: 8
Tulsa
Back when I was in high school (a long long time ago), Continental Airlines ran an ad to the effect that for $10 (ten bucks) they would put you on a flight to "somewhere" then bring you home. It was a way for people who had never traveled to experience an airline flight at a cheap rate, using seats that would otherwise be empty.
I hung out with a platonic male friend in those days, and he saw this ad. He called me and said "Let's do it!".
We lived in Wichita, Kansas, at that time. We went to ICT dreaming of exciting destinations such as New York or Los Angeles. We got to the ticket counter, money and coupon in hand, and waited to hear where they would send us.
Tulsa
Yep, for our $10 ($20 for two) we got sent to Tulsa. We had lunch in the Tulsa airport, then flew back.
Bruce, if you're reading this, yep, you know who you are.
I hung out with a platonic male friend in those days, and he saw this ad. He called me and said "Let's do it!".
We lived in Wichita, Kansas, at that time. We went to ICT dreaming of exciting destinations such as New York or Los Angeles. We got to the ticket counter, money and coupon in hand, and waited to hear where they would send us.
Tulsa
Yep, for our $10 ($20 for two) we got sent to Tulsa. We had lunch in the Tulsa airport, then flew back.
Bruce, if you're reading this, yep, you know who you are.
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: AA Advantage
Posts: 8
thanks for the tip
itasoftware.com might be useful for this, taking out some of the
spontaneity but at least getting you to another five letter word
other than Tulsa.
I discover, for example, that I can leave the house here,
immediately get on a USAircraft, and turn around in Tampa
(or stay there some days, my choice), 4 segs and 2500 miles
for $205 all in, not exactly mileage run material, but for 2 hr
in advance it's pretty decent.
spontaneity but at least getting you to another five letter word
other than Tulsa.
I discover, for example, that I can leave the house here,
immediately get on a USAircraft, and turn around in Tampa
(or stay there some days, my choice), 4 segs and 2500 miles
for $205 all in, not exactly mileage run material, but for 2 hr
in advance it's pretty decent.
#13
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: MSY
Programs: BA GfL
Posts: 5,926
I'm doing Tampa for lunch in about two weeks for a year-end-top-up-to-get-*A Premier mileage run. I used a brute force approach to find the cheapest flight that gave me just enough miles. Tampa won at $188, and with a two-hour turnaround, I've already picked out which restaurant I'll be eating at in the terminal
#14
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 698
According to an article in a recent Smithsonian magazine, Elvis Presley in 1970 needed to get away so badly that he drove to MEM and asked for a ticket on the next plane to anywhere (no private jet! ) This was the beginning of a rambling cross country odyssey that ended in Washington D. C. with the famous photo op of The King posing with President Nixon, who gave him a federal narcotics agent badge. I'm not sure what this proves, except maybe that travel can be an adventure even if, or maybe especially if, you are Elvis.
Last edited by Cha-cha-cha; Nov 30, 2010 at 12:59 pm Reason: typo