Why is Oct 20th a system wide blackout date?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: CLT
Programs: DM member since 1996, DM Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 255
Why is Oct 20th a system wide blackout date?
Why is Oct 20th a system wide blackout date for FF miles?? I can understand some of the other dates but can't figure out why for Oct 20th?
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: PHL, NYC
Programs: AA PLT, DL SLV, UA SLV, MR LTT, HH DIA
Posts: 10,065
It's an odd date. Perhaps historically there's a high volume of people traveling back on the Sunday after Columbus Day.
#3
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: AA Executive Platinum; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,662
October 20th is National Brandied Fruit Day. I am not making this up. But I am not sure why this generated a blackout date.
#4
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: High Point, NC
Programs: None
Posts: 9,171
Several years ago US expanded the number of blackout days, so I suspect that some don't match major holidays.
Jim
Jim
#5
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,975
A similar Sunday in October used to be a blackout date for Southwest Freedom Awards (and there were no blackout dates around Labor Day). I asked about it on the WN forum, and the best reason given was that several states have teachers' conventions in the days before that and the schools are closed, so many leisure travelers are returning that day. In any case, it was presumed that it was decided based on a pattern of heavy travel.
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: CLT
Programs: DM member since 1996, DM Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 255
Are mileage upgrades also completely blacked out that day system wide? I am looking at a las-clt upgrade and was told that nothing was available that day. Although we are still 8 days out.
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR/SPG LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus
Posts: 31,004
It's obviously in memory of the Lynyrd Skynyrd tragedy.
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: PHL, NYC
Programs: AA PLT, DL SLV, UA SLV, MR LTT, HH DIA
Posts: 10,065
I believe a mileage upgrade comes from the same bucket as "low" redemption F award tickets, so you will probably not find anything.
Last edited by PHL; Oct 12, 2013 at 10:44 am