DL Triple Miles to Europe including being DETAINED
Executive Summary: Be careful doing a mileage/promo run and have all “proof” with you in case you encounter those without a command of the English language and crazy FT practices. Can we get FT.com translated into Romanian?
This weekend I took a quick round trip to Bucharest for the DL triple miles promotion. I had no idea the nightmare it was going to become. My connection arrived into JFK early and I proceeded into T2 and checked the screen. DL134 was scheduled to leave 10 minutes early. Great! I went to the BE Lounge for some light snacks and realized the only items left at this early hour were crackers and the jalapeño cheddar. Oh well, we were leaving early and I was looking forward to the macadamia crusted Mahi Mahi. ^^^
We loaded up at gate 6 and actually closed the door before 4:45. We pushed back immediately and were on our way clockwise around JFK to get in line for take-off. After the taxi we were #2 for take-off. Just seconds later we took a right turn instead of a left for the runway. One of the flight crew came on board saying we were returning to the DL terminal area to check the cargo since some of it seemed to be not secured to/in the hold. That was a relatively short annoyance and we were back on our way to the takeoff queue. Of course the FAs were great for the overnight flight!
Arrived OTP and went directly to passport control with my carry-on. Exited the secure area and took a walk outside for some fresh (freezing) air. My connection was just over 2 hours due to the delay leaving JFK. I decided my jaunt (excerise?
)in the parking lot was over and I went inside to check-in for the return. I went to the BE check in counter and presented my passport for the security questions.
The security agent was confused why I would only visit Romania for a couple hours. I explained I was doing it for the miles promotion and the chance to fill some dead time in my weekend. She could not believe/understand my answers and asked them over again. I answered the same. I spent money today for further benefits later. She asked why I would spend 10 hours each way for the ability to have benefit in the future. I told her I was happy to do it and I had visited Romania in 1995 for 9 days. She took my passport and my itinerary and went to see her supervisor. I asked the check-in agent if they could get a DL associate to come to the counter because I felt this was geting a little dodgy. She said there are not any DL employees in Romania. About 10 minutes had passed and two police/military approached with them and asked me to come with them upstairs.
I was taken to the Jandameria (Police) office upstairs and asked to go through exactly why I came on this trip, who I had talked to, who did I meet in the parking lot, what was I given to take back to New York, why was my trip so short, etc.? I answered every question honestly and told them I would be happy to prove why I was in Romania if I could have access to my laptop or a computer with internet access. They told me I could not and they were waiting for a superior to arrive from Bucharest. I do not speak Romanian but I can tell you my limited Spanish and Italian were of little help translating what they were saying between themselves and someone on the phone.
The superior, and his aides, arrived in about 20 minutes and went through similar questions. I again asked for access to the internet and was given access to a PC connected to a projector. I then took them to delta.com/marketing/eurobonus showing the locations eligible for double and triple miles. Then I went to dl.com and compared prices on rapid return roundtrips to each of the cities for 08MAR-09MAR. They were surprised Delta does not fly every route every day. I told them Delta does not fly to OTP every day. The silence was deafening.
I could tell I was beginning to convince them I was legit. I then asked for my passport so I could show them other examples of rapid return (same day)trips to different destinations including Barcelona, Moscow, Santiago, Tokyo, Istanbul and Dakar. They went through my carry-on again and then thanked me for my time.
Once back downstairs at the BE check-in the agent asked for my PMU. You have got to be kidding me.
I surrendered both at my departure but I had my 006 stock numbers and asked her to search for them in my record. She found them and said they were not in my record
The return to JFK was great with the attentive FAs especially Angie :-: and Margaret :-: both of whom I have traveled with before and remembered me. We arrived over one hour early and were stuck behind several full flights that arrived before us in Passport Control eating up the early arrival.
Should I continue to do this?