vsreeniv

I am flying ORD-MAA in one week on an award reservation. The only possible best routing I got was ORD-IST-DXB-MAA and on the return MAA-DXB-IAD-ORD. I thought that it was the Starnet filtering that blocked any trip via Europe (since luthansa is about the only carrier that will fly to MAA from Europe).
Today I called to put in request for special meals. Got a wonderful agent who started of with a greeting and How may i help you? I thought I had reached the HNL center and asked to check for flights to MAA via FRA. To my surprise he found PLENTY of availability for my dates and was ready to make the changes!!!!!!
I changed my inbound and kept my outbound the same since we have plans to stopover in istanbul and did not want to change plans again...
Finally, he asked me if I had any other question. Curiosity got the better of me and I asked him if I had reached the HNL call center. To my amazement he said "No sir, this is the call center in CHICAGO!!!!!!"
Still cannot believe it.. but a happy camper.