GoldCircle

I think this thread is interesting not because of what is written above, but because of what is not written. @:-)

And I don't expect anyone sensible would admit in public to some of the things I've heard about.

antichef

I used to rack up about 20k or so bmi miles a month, with flights and bmi CC spend. The Hertz rentals were also about 1k or 1.5k IIRC, and I do at least one a week, giving me at least 4k per month. Then hotels etc and flights on bmi credit cards gave bigger returns, particularly after 55k. My normal is 2-4 flights a week. It all adds up, and I do nothing like some of the road/air warriors here!

In the year 2011 I "spent" 1m miles with Mrs antichef and I going F to some faraway places a few times. It wasn't difficult, and all totally kosher - no funny business or mistakes involved.

Who said we were sensible GC, have you looked at your and my lifestyle?

docgasman

Almost reluctant to post but had 3 interactions with an ICC agent called Dennis. The first one was when I managed to secure an O class seat on SQ LHR - SIN - SYD 350 days out. Was told by Dennis that O class was only possible on a paper ticket (not e-ticketable) and to get the ticket issued @ LHR ticket desk. Miles and taxes never collected. Spoke to Dennis to let him know I had not been charged and told "the computer does not make mistakes!". Ultimately moved by SQ to R class suites and got about 40000 miles for the return trip. Second interaction was booking DUB - LHR - NRT - AKL on NH / NZ. Similar story - told by Dennis longest sector was LHR - NRT so O class miles due even though booked in I class on NZ - again told 3 *A airlines not e-ticketable and to get ticketed @ DUB ticket desk - again similar experience with non-deduction of miles but taxes collected. Third experience booked on Varig to EZE in F, before they went under. Rebooked by Dennis into F on LH - similar experience with miles and taxes. I found it almost impossible to spend BMI miles - was earning 250 - 300K annually. Sorry to see the end of DC now. Dennis certainly contributed to the demise of DC - I have several colleagues with identical stories - always a good talking point (and according to Dennis neither he nor the computer ever made any mistakes)

Tiger_lily

Awww, our favourite ICC agent fondly remembered

I'm gobsmacked it took until the 33rd post to mention him

h15t0r1an

After all the comments that were ongoing when I was doing my bookings, I really prayed I would avoid Dennis.

Seeing the comments above now, I wish I had had him to do my bookings now.

HIDDY

To be honest the way DC was run you didn't really have to fly to acquire enough DC miles to fly in F. Just buying them was enough. Using them for cash and miles awards was how many people managed to fly in F I suspect

A very popular programme but as we are seeing here the way it was managed was a complete joke.

Tiger_lily

Especially when you could buy 80k miles a year

carrotjuice

I redeemed HKG-IST-FRU as Z8-Z7, and omitted to fly the last leg, thus avoided Z8-Z2 miles.

My wife applied for the BMI MC over a decade ago... and had the 20,000 miles sign up bonus - twice!

A_Lee

For some of us, there was no need for that or miles and cash, as we could earn miles at a better rate by flying (in C no less).

Tiger_lily

OttoMH

HIDDY my good man, seriously? Are you suggesting that anyone actually ever 'needed' to fly, or even... shock-horror... buy(!) miles to travel in F? Neither were required... I joined in 2009 and managed all this, all in F (TG, UA, LX) and J (LH, CO, SQ) without ever stepping foot on a paid BD flight (sorry BD.) A bit of p take, yes, totally awesome FFP, absolutely!

kt74

Blimey. Reading this thread, I feel so vanilla and dull. Generally earned miles and status from paid flying. Never had any redemption flights earn miles. Never got C credit for eGUVed flights. Crikey, I even used miles instead of miles + cash for redemptions!

I feel like I've missed out

About all I've been gifted from DC is a few, actually, what am I saying, a LOT, of upgrades (without GUVs, or with GUVs returned; on board, at check in, in the lounge, all over the shop) and a lot of ticket flexibility (getting earlier flights on non-flexible tickets, or well after check in deadlines)

Yes, there've been some mileage errors in my favour, but generally I benefitted to the tune of 100s of miles, and these were more than offset by mileage errors that weren't always corrected

I guess if I had one gripe about DC, it seemed to reward people who didn't fly bmi at all, almost as much (if not more, judging by this thread...) as people who did

steve170461

How about a number of reward trips for which miles were subsequently credited without any input from me??

rankourabu

At least I flew one BD flight in my life
Joined in 2007, matched (thanks to this forum) from CO Gold. Just in time for CNZ mistake fare, which was a windfall of BD miles.

Over the years, spent 128500 miles - the map below is the product of it, 9 tickets, all in J.

travelwithross

I would regularly fly US Airways in Economy (100% earning rate), and then do the 'Go Upgrade' Envoy Upgrade. Circa 2011, US got to grips with booking 'Go Upgrades' in O class, which was Economy 100%, but before this, the change would be put into F/A Class. However, it would never track automatically, and I would have to send in boarding passes and an itinerary print out to bmi for manual processing.

Did this about 20 times, and got 300% miles on leg. There always seemed to be a seat available in Envoy for me!

I also managed to redeem an award on UA in F (LHR-IAD) inside 72 hours. The taxes and miles were never deducted, and I was rewarded with an error in my favour of the miles for the flight posting. Crazy.