Firewind

First, FriendlySkies, with due respect for all that Gold Passport Concierges do for us here, I'd ride them about this. Case in point, when I took up Karen's (our original GPC) offer, it was when many of us were doing so, and I think it was Christmas season. I rode Karen. She got back to me to apologize. Then soon I heard from the Private Line Representative, all apologies.

Second, like skj, I didn't need a PLR for years after being assigned one many years ago. Then, frequently encountering what I consider to be Gold Passport's biggest flaw, the non-assignment of the various bonuses (and the more I traveled the worse it got, both in incidence and in my ability to keep up - intolerable) I really needed one. (And got the one I'd had many years before, who said she'd been my PLR all along! ) Recently, a big problem has been the redeposit of points - in timely fashion - after canceling award reservations.

Third, having the email m.o. is good because I bug her only every now and then, I'm clear, she's clear, and she can get to it thoroughly when she can.

Fourth, I disagree with skj on her/his last point. For the above reasons, I consider her to be virtually a necessity. Over my "independent" years, I have gone back at intervals to check my points, frequently finding errors or time-consuming possible errors, but she is like the tax preparer who finds more nuggets than I would/did when my stays all run together in my memory.

And one last thing, addressing the question from the ongoing perspective, even when I email her, if she's really away, I either get a call or an email back from the other one by the next day.

In sum, I am not used to being waited on, except as we travelers regularly are, but IMO, the two best features of any program that I've ever encountered as an extreme traveler have been Hyatt's Personal Line Representatives and United's Concierges (long gone) -- when things go haywire. Both of whom have worked more miracles than I wish to describe here.