Ok... I have a confession to make in the realm.

Early in 2000, I took several trips to Los Angeles on American Airlines (bought for me, since TWA was my primary carrier). On one flight back to St. Louis, the computers were down at check-in meaning boarding passes were handwritten for the flight with only a name and a seat - no flight number, origin, destination, or date.

Needless to say, I did not receive credit for this flight and had to call to receive credit. After being asked for a copy of the boarding pass, I told the agent it really would not help much since it lacked any sort of identifiable information and was told I would be given credit for the trip due to the circumstances.

Several days later, I check my statement online and my balance appeared several thousand miles high. Instead of being credited for an LAX-ORD flight, I was credited for an LAC-ORD flight.

Where is LAC? It is Lae City, Papua New Guinea -- an airport, as far as I can tell, without air service from AA, OneWorld or any other airline! It is best known as the departure point of the flight Amelia Earhart disappeared on.

What did this get me? About 7,000 miles too many -- which allowed me to qualify for AA Gold last year. (I feel the eyes of shame being cast upon me already!)

I didn't contact AA, as I figured the process to lose the miles would be as much trouble (if not more) as getting credit in the first place.

Was it unethical? Perhaps. But, AA did win me over as a customer as a result. Even prior to the buyout of TWA this year, I had chosen them as my primary carrier for this year. I have since completed the Platinum Challenge for this year and flown approximately 35,000 miles on AA year to date.

Greg