American Airlines Flagship Suites First Class Transcontinental, MIA-LAX-MIA
Oct 1, 2014, 7:53 pm
#46
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: JFK > LGA >> EWR
Programs: AA EXP 1.2mm, Kimpton IC, Starwood Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,180
A lot of things about this don't add up.
Why on earth would you waste time going to the lounge at the risk of missing your flight?
Why not spend some time in LA? Or at least take a different routing back to try a different plane (say, A321T via JFK)?
Why purchase all the mileage upsell offers? (They're not good deals.) Especially since you seem to prefer to pay for flights instead of using miles for them (which would be a much more affordable way to fly the flights that you seem to want to fly).
etc, etc, etc.
Why on earth would you waste time going to the lounge at the risk of missing your flight?
Why not spend some time in LA? Or at least take a different routing back to try a different plane (say, A321T via JFK)?
Why purchase all the mileage upsell offers? (They're not good deals.) Especially since you seem to prefer to pay for flights instead of using miles for them (which would be a much more affordable way to fly the flights that you seem to want to fly).
etc, etc, etc.
Oct 2, 2014, 7:30 am
#47
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Kent, UK
Programs: BA Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,809
Moderator Note
I'm a bit concerned by some of the comments on this thread.
How the OP chooses to spend his money is entirely up to him and it is not for anyone else to judge or criticise. Honestly, my initial reaction is that jealousy may be the driver behind some of these types of posts which really isn't pleasant to see.
This is Flyertalk and this is the Trip Reports forum. We are here to live vicariously through others and enjoy the experience. We are not here to dissect poster’s lives and bring into question their actions or their choices.
I will be reviewing this thread to determine if any further action should be taken. If anyone has any questions or concerns then I'm happy to have a discussion via PM.
matthandy
Moderator: Trip Reports
How the OP chooses to spend his money is entirely up to him and it is not for anyone else to judge or criticise. Honestly, my initial reaction is that jealousy may be the driver behind some of these types of posts which really isn't pleasant to see.
This is Flyertalk and this is the Trip Reports forum. We are here to live vicariously through others and enjoy the experience. We are not here to dissect poster’s lives and bring into question their actions or their choices.
I will be reviewing this thread to determine if any further action should be taken. If anyone has any questions or concerns then I'm happy to have a discussion via PM.
matthandy
Moderator: Trip Reports
Oct 2, 2014, 4:30 pm
#48
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: BOS & SFO
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold
Posts: 675
Hi Colby
Been a long-time reader of your trip reports, which are FABULOUS.
Read this report on A.net and sorry about how you got bludgeoned over there. I read this so early that I had to keep refreshing the page for the new posts to show. Yes, your trip reports are long, but that's one aspect that I like (everything is covered in detail). I really like the flight information at the beginning report, but there is some duplicate information like this:
How's suite 4A not in row 4? LOL.
I'm only 14 and my parents won't fork over $25 for an A.net membership (correct me if I'm wrong) and haven't ever flown premium. However, I'm NOT trying to throw a pity party.
And I really don't care how anybody spends their money; it's none of my business (unless we're talking about Apple products. lol I've beaten that one to a bloody mess).
But for heaven's sake, keep the flight info parts. AvGeeks at FT (like me) are numbered so it's refreshing to read a geek report.
And I totally understand how you feel about this situation (experiencing it myself now). I am a 14 year old male and don't give a crap about dates or popularity. In addition, I'm not a fan of Apple so I don't have many friends. As long as you're happy and continue producing OUTSTANDING TR's like this one, I'll be fine.
I could only hope to write as well as you do. That being said, there's not much material to write about on Y (as that's all that I travel lol).
Been a long-time reader of your trip reports, which are FABULOUS.
Read this report on A.net and sorry about how you got bludgeoned over there. I read this so early that I had to keep refreshing the page for the new posts to show. Yes, your trip reports are long, but that's one aspect that I like (everything is covered in detail). I really like the flight information at the beginning report, but there is some duplicate information like this:
Seat Assignment: Suite # 4A (Last row of First Class), Window Seat, American Airlines Flagship Suites First Class
---
Row Assignment: Row # 4 (Last row of First Class), American Airlines Flagship Suites First Class
---
Row Assignment: Row # 4 (Last row of First Class), American Airlines Flagship Suites First Class
I'm only 14 and my parents won't fork over $25 for an A.net membership (correct me if I'm wrong) and haven't ever flown premium. However, I'm NOT trying to throw a pity party.
And I really don't care how anybody spends their money; it's none of my business (unless we're talking about Apple products. lol I've beaten that one to a bloody mess).
But for heaven's sake, keep the flight info parts. AvGeeks at FT (like me) are numbered so it's refreshing to read a geek report.
And I totally understand how you feel about this situation (experiencing it myself now). I am a 14 year old male and don't give a crap about dates or popularity. In addition, I'm not a fan of Apple so I don't have many friends. As long as you're happy and continue producing OUTSTANDING TR's like this one, I'll be fine.
I could only hope to write as well as you do. That being said, there's not much material to write about on Y (as that's all that I travel lol).
Oct 2, 2014, 4:33 pm
#49
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: BOS & SFO
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold
Posts: 675
LPDAL I just realized you play FSX! Love the game! Can't wait to get my Toshiba back from the geek squad for a fan problem, so I can play FSX this weekend. Also going to install the Windows 10 Tech preview on it.
Oct 2, 2014, 4:36 pm
#50
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: BOS & SFO
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold
Posts: 675
This (quote from LPDAL) is exactly how my life will be at 18 (although my parents recognize that I'm not "normal" so from maybe other people).
P.S. LPDAL if you read this I now have 100 more posts than you do lol
I think being in high school is part of the problem. Most of my peers I simply cannot get along with because their thought process is very juvenile-like and nonsensical (e.g. female: "can't wait to turn 18 so I can do whatever I want and my parents can't stop me"), so they don't understand me at all. It's depressing, so I try to visit communities where mostly adults congregate, so I can atleast relate to some of them--so to read rejection comments kind of breaks my heart, but I'm used to being excluded from all kinds of situations throughout my life, so I've found comfort in solitude.
Even my family members pressure me a lot in that regard as well. Just the other day my grandma from Palm Springs called up and the first thing she had on her mind was whether or not I was single or dating someone. I broke up with my girlfriend in the summer, but I just brushed her conversation off and switched the subject. My dad keeps asking when I'm going to bring a girl home or a girl to prom, I keep wanting to shout out "it's probably not going to happen dad, so quit asking!" I just don't get the obsession with trying to "normalize" me. I'm definitely not normal.
Even my family members pressure me a lot in that regard as well. Just the other day my grandma from Palm Springs called up and the first thing she had on her mind was whether or not I was single or dating someone. I broke up with my girlfriend in the summer, but I just brushed her conversation off and switched the subject. My dad keeps asking when I'm going to bring a girl home or a girl to prom, I keep wanting to shout out "it's probably not going to happen dad, so quit asking!" I just don't get the obsession with trying to "normalize" me. I'm definitely not normal.
Last edited by JetAirways77W; Oct 2, 2014 at 4:38 pm Reason: Edits to the quote that didn't carry over from A.net paste
Oct 2, 2014, 5:25 pm
#51
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: DCA
Programs: AA Plat Pro, UA Silver, DL Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,851
Any ideas on your next trip? How about for graduation? I can imagine that your HS grad trip will be one badass trip that will hopefully come with a report.
Last edited by matthandy; Oct 3, 2014 at 3:10 am Reason: Removed personal attack and discussion of moderation
Oct 2, 2014, 9:20 pm
#52
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2012
Location: MCO
Programs: AA, B6, DL, EK, EY, QR, SQ, UA, Amex Plat, Marriott Tit, HHonors Gold
Posts: 12,809
Oct 4, 2014, 11:13 pm
#53
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Programs: IAMAW Local 368/HAL 2 Star Mariner
Posts: 740
Get ready FlyerTalk, for LPDAL's greatest trip report of 2014!
Mod note: In order to respect the OP's privacy I have removed the image below.
It showed a CX First booking from JFK to YVR, booked for the middle of October.
Mod note: In order to respect the OP's privacy I have removed the image below.
It showed a CX First booking from JFK to YVR, booked for the middle of October.
Last edited by matthandy; Oct 7, 2014 at 4:38 am Reason: Respect OP
Oct 5, 2014, 1:16 am
#54
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New York City
Programs: BA Gold Guest List; HH Diamond; Hyatt Diamond; SPG Gold
Posts: 2,833
Oct 5, 2014, 4:22 am
#55
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Duchy of Milan
Programs: BA Gold, TK Elite, AZ CFP
Posts: 1,857
Congratulations Colby! Cathay First is one of the best product in the skies!
You also have a full day to spend in Vancouver, one of the most beautiful cities in North America. If you've never been there I suggest going downtown, have a walk in Stanley Park, Waterfront is great to have lunch, Granville Island is very nice as well! The skytrain is cheap and easy, you also get some nice views of the city from there.
I hope you'll have a great experience both in the air and on the ground, if you're lucky it won't be Raincouver, when it's clear the view of the mountain from the city is simply breathtaking.
You also have a full day to spend in Vancouver, one of the most beautiful cities in North America. If you've never been there I suggest going downtown, have a walk in Stanley Park, Waterfront is great to have lunch, Granville Island is very nice as well! The skytrain is cheap and easy, you also get some nice views of the city from there.
I hope you'll have a great experience both in the air and on the ground, if you're lucky it won't be Raincouver, when it's clear the view of the mountain from the city is simply breathtaking.
Oct 6, 2014, 9:40 am
#56
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: BOS & SFO
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold
Posts: 675
Yeah lol. We already know your last name and your PNR. If I was REALLY mean, I would probably change your seat to non-window. But that would be mean.
Oct 6, 2014, 12:58 pm
#57
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2012
Location: MCO
Programs: AA, B6, DL, EK, EY, QR, SQ, UA, Amex Plat, Marriott Tit, HHonors Gold
Posts: 12,809
But I agree. OP should definitely not post so much personal and flight information and should definitely obscure the PNR.
Oct 6, 2014, 8:02 pm
#58
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: BOS, Latin America
Programs: AA Plat
Posts: 712
Just have to chime in on this one. First, how the OP wishes to spend his money is completely up to him. If he derives pleasure from flying and has currency to do so (monetary or points based), then he had every right to indulge. He posted the cost of the voyage as part of a very detailed posting. Contextually was not bragging, IMHO.
Anyhow, my man you should definitely edit away that posting so your personal details are not available.
Anyhow, my man you should definitely edit away that posting so your personal details are not available.
Oct 6, 2014, 8:56 pm
#59
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: LON
Programs: AS MVPG, Marriott Titanium, UA Silver
Posts: 1,350
A lot of things about this don't add up.
Why on earth would you waste time going to the lounge at the risk of missing your flight?
Why not spend some time in LA? Or at least take a different routing back to try a different plane (say, A321T via JFK)?
Why purchase all the mileage upsell offers? (They're not good deals.) Especially since you seem to prefer to pay for flights instead of using miles for them (which would be a much more affordable way to fly the flights that you seem to want to fly).
etc, etc, etc.
Why on earth would you waste time going to the lounge at the risk of missing your flight?
Why not spend some time in LA? Or at least take a different routing back to try a different plane (say, A321T via JFK)?
Why purchase all the mileage upsell offers? (They're not good deals.) Especially since you seem to prefer to pay for flights instead of using miles for them (which would be a much more affordable way to fly the flights that you seem to want to fly).
etc, etc, etc.
However, if OP wishes to spend his money in an inefficient manner, so be it.
Oct 7, 2014, 6:24 am
#60
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Kent, UK
Programs: BA Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,809
My Thoughts
LPDAL, I post this as a fellow trip report writer, not as a mod.
Having read through your report and noting your call for comments, tips and feedback I'd like to give you my view.
As someone that writes trip reports as well, I hope that you'll find this advice useful. I know that there have been some very negative comments directed towards you and I hope that you are able to see through some of these and not take them to heart. There are also some people on here who have been able to find a way to provide feedback in a constructive manner. I hope to add to that.
1. Motive - Firstly, before contemplating putting a trip report together, ask yourself, why am I doing this? What are the reasons that motive you to write a report? Is it for your own record keeping? To share the experience with others? To encourage debate? Once you know the answers to these questions then you can tailor the report accordingly.
For me, first and foremost I do it because I enjoy it. I like documenting the experience as it helps jog my memory when I read it back, sometimes many years latter. I like sharing the experience with others as I enjoy the feedback and comments. It can be really gratifying.
My tip to you is this. If you write reports to document your own experience then I would keep some of the more granular details out of the version that you share with others because they are less relevent to a wider audience. Less is more in this case and the report becomes more readable and enjoyable to others as a result. The more enjoyable the report, the greater the likelihood of receiving positive comments and therefore motivating you further.
2. Theme and Focus - What are you trying to convey? What is the focus of the report?
It appears that you are trying to capture every small detail of your entire journey and in doing so, I'd argue that some of the interesting and particularly relevant areas of the report get lost. Try to focus on what is important to the reader. Most people are more interested in the food on board than they are in your personal journey, as an example. So for this report, I would have cut down on some of the areas that fall outside of the on-board experience.
Are you trying to document or review? When I write a report I try to find a balance between the two. I can draw on my own experiences to provide comparisons to the product that I am writing about. For example, When flying BA in Club World I might find it useful to write about my experiences on CX in Business. These details add value to the reader of the report.
3. Photos - Use photos to enhance the narrative.
Unless it is a photo report, the use of photos should really be as such as to enhance the story that you are trying to tell. Most readers have a pretty good imagination or can visualise based on previous experiences. Therefore, it isn't necessary to provide photos of every single detail.
When I put together a report I would typically try to capture the following:
- A check in photo
- Two to three photos of the lounge environment
- One or two photos of the lounge bar or food offerings
- The gate area (if relevant)
- My seat
- The overall cabin
- Seat controls
- IFE
- The view from my seat
- The view out of the window
- The food, one of the table set up, starter, main and dessert
- Bed mode or the cabin at night
- Breakfast/Second meal
- Arrival
For one sector I will try to limit the total number of photos to around 25-30.
In your report I note that you've probably posted around 150-200 photos. When a user tries to scroll through and read the text in the report it becomes very difficult because there are huge gaps (the photos) between each section of text.
Consider the value added by posting a second photo of the same subject? I like that you posted a photo of the engine during take off but did the reader get any more information from the other photos that also showed the engine? I would cut down on the number of photos so that the report is more focussed.
4. Personal Details/Off Topic Comments
Some of the focus of the comments on your report have been about your decision to post personal details such as your social status, where you live and how you live. For two reasons I would discourage this. Firstly, privacy on the internet is very important. There have been cases where people have been stalked and harassed based on information that they have revealed. Remember that posts on this forum are completely public, anyone can read them. From what you have posted we already know your name, what you look like, how old you are, the fact that you are still in high school and whereabouts you live. I would strongly suggest that you remove information like this from your reports.
The second reason is that your personal circumstances are simply not relevant. This site is about travel, it's not about how users live their lives. Every user of Flyertalk is different. Some travel for business, some travel for pleasure, some both. Some are hugely wealthy, others spend years saving up to go on that one trip of a life time. How you got to the point of buying your ticket isn't really relevant and it detracts from the report in my opinion. I would not include these going forward.
Having said that, if you've spent a lot of time on board other airlines and visited many different places then use this experience to positively enhance the report by drawing comparisons, as I mentioned earlier.
I believe that your comments on the race or age of the employees of the airline that you encounter are also not relevant and I would not include these going forward.
5. Learn from Others
There is a great pool of writing talent on this forum and you have the opportunity to learn a lot from other writers. Look at some of the most popular reports (you can do this by sorting threads by replies or views) and make notes on how they write and what details they include or do not include. This is a community and I'd encourage you to reach out to fellow writers and ask for their advice too. Mostly, people love getting PMs from other users.
I hope that you find this useful and I'm looking forward to seeing your next trip report.
matthandy
Having read through your report and noting your call for comments, tips and feedback I'd like to give you my view.
As someone that writes trip reports as well, I hope that you'll find this advice useful. I know that there have been some very negative comments directed towards you and I hope that you are able to see through some of these and not take them to heart. There are also some people on here who have been able to find a way to provide feedback in a constructive manner. I hope to add to that.
1. Motive - Firstly, before contemplating putting a trip report together, ask yourself, why am I doing this? What are the reasons that motive you to write a report? Is it for your own record keeping? To share the experience with others? To encourage debate? Once you know the answers to these questions then you can tailor the report accordingly.
For me, first and foremost I do it because I enjoy it. I like documenting the experience as it helps jog my memory when I read it back, sometimes many years latter. I like sharing the experience with others as I enjoy the feedback and comments. It can be really gratifying.
My tip to you is this. If you write reports to document your own experience then I would keep some of the more granular details out of the version that you share with others because they are less relevent to a wider audience. Less is more in this case and the report becomes more readable and enjoyable to others as a result. The more enjoyable the report, the greater the likelihood of receiving positive comments and therefore motivating you further.
2. Theme and Focus - What are you trying to convey? What is the focus of the report?
It appears that you are trying to capture every small detail of your entire journey and in doing so, I'd argue that some of the interesting and particularly relevant areas of the report get lost. Try to focus on what is important to the reader. Most people are more interested in the food on board than they are in your personal journey, as an example. So for this report, I would have cut down on some of the areas that fall outside of the on-board experience.
Are you trying to document or review? When I write a report I try to find a balance between the two. I can draw on my own experiences to provide comparisons to the product that I am writing about. For example, When flying BA in Club World I might find it useful to write about my experiences on CX in Business. These details add value to the reader of the report.
3. Photos - Use photos to enhance the narrative.
Unless it is a photo report, the use of photos should really be as such as to enhance the story that you are trying to tell. Most readers have a pretty good imagination or can visualise based on previous experiences. Therefore, it isn't necessary to provide photos of every single detail.
When I put together a report I would typically try to capture the following:
- A check in photo
- Two to three photos of the lounge environment
- One or two photos of the lounge bar or food offerings
- The gate area (if relevant)
- My seat
- The overall cabin
- Seat controls
- IFE
- The view from my seat
- The view out of the window
- The food, one of the table set up, starter, main and dessert
- Bed mode or the cabin at night
- Breakfast/Second meal
- Arrival
For one sector I will try to limit the total number of photos to around 25-30.
In your report I note that you've probably posted around 150-200 photos. When a user tries to scroll through and read the text in the report it becomes very difficult because there are huge gaps (the photos) between each section of text.
Consider the value added by posting a second photo of the same subject? I like that you posted a photo of the engine during take off but did the reader get any more information from the other photos that also showed the engine? I would cut down on the number of photos so that the report is more focussed.
4. Personal Details/Off Topic Comments
Some of the focus of the comments on your report have been about your decision to post personal details such as your social status, where you live and how you live. For two reasons I would discourage this. Firstly, privacy on the internet is very important. There have been cases where people have been stalked and harassed based on information that they have revealed. Remember that posts on this forum are completely public, anyone can read them. From what you have posted we already know your name, what you look like, how old you are, the fact that you are still in high school and whereabouts you live. I would strongly suggest that you remove information like this from your reports.
The second reason is that your personal circumstances are simply not relevant. This site is about travel, it's not about how users live their lives. Every user of Flyertalk is different. Some travel for business, some travel for pleasure, some both. Some are hugely wealthy, others spend years saving up to go on that one trip of a life time. How you got to the point of buying your ticket isn't really relevant and it detracts from the report in my opinion. I would not include these going forward.
Having said that, if you've spent a lot of time on board other airlines and visited many different places then use this experience to positively enhance the report by drawing comparisons, as I mentioned earlier.
I believe that your comments on the race or age of the employees of the airline that you encounter are also not relevant and I would not include these going forward.
5. Learn from Others
There is a great pool of writing talent on this forum and you have the opportunity to learn a lot from other writers. Look at some of the most popular reports (you can do this by sorting threads by replies or views) and make notes on how they write and what details they include or do not include. This is a community and I'd encourage you to reach out to fellow writers and ask for their advice too. Mostly, people love getting PMs from other users.
I hope that you find this useful and I'm looking forward to seeing your next trip report.
matthandy