Speaking of CO, dSimon is right - validation of Elite status is done only on a very sporadic basis - whether with a live associate or "enter the last 6 digits of your OnePass number now... Corresponding ZIP code now..." (who knows if this dial-in feature really works, or if it's just to give callers something to do while the caller would have otherwise immediately been put on hold listening to that Charleston-chew cranky ragtime jazz playing in the background? I've been told by agents it does, but many airline associates tell you lots of things...).

All in all, I think it's a bad idea to be giving out elite hotline phone numbers.

(Have I mentioned in this thread yet that I'm against publishing elite phone numbers in FT?)

If I imagined myself running an airline, I'd be disappointed if my Elites by their own doing diluted their priority telephone service perk. In fact, I might be a little upset at them at having undone a system that was set up just to accomodate them - requiring a re-trenching if the perk is going to be continued at all. (Please pay particular note to this last point - the other way at looking at this is if the hotline is not used as it's intended, then it may just go away).

[This message has been edited by FQTV (edited 07-16-2000).]