My TP run nightmare
Sep 23, 2016, 3:58 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: London
Programs: BAEC (blue), HHonors (gold), Marriot (gold), Hertz/ Avis (PC)
Posts: 241
My TP run nightmare
it all started so well...
Planned route was LHR-LAX-SFO-CLT-PHL-DFW-LAX-HNL-LAX-LHR (LHR/LAX rtn is 1 booking, everything else is book #2 - all 1st)
LHR-LAX - nice flight (A380)
LAX-SFO - very nice, new plane
Work
SFO-CLT - red-eye but fine
CLT-PHL - Reroute as this is no longer available (reroute is CLT-DFW), not a huge problem as I have enough with the rest of the trip to requalify plus I figure I can just claim for original route
DFW-LAX - Delay, delay, deplane. ..... No possible routing can get me LAX-HNL-LAX before my LAX-LHR.
Basically my run is screwed as I can't adjust the flight home, so a complete waste. Gutted doesn't even cover it! So now I'm waiting for my replaced DFW-LAX, I'll incur an additional hotel & then fly home tomorrow. sigh.
Planned route was LHR-LAX-SFO-CLT-PHL-DFW-LAX-HNL-LAX-LHR (LHR/LAX rtn is 1 booking, everything else is book #2 - all 1st)
LHR-LAX - nice flight (A380)
LAX-SFO - very nice, new plane
Work
SFO-CLT - red-eye but fine
CLT-PHL - Reroute as this is no longer available (reroute is CLT-DFW), not a huge problem as I have enough with the rest of the trip to requalify plus I figure I can just claim for original route
DFW-LAX - Delay, delay, deplane. ..... No possible routing can get me LAX-HNL-LAX before my LAX-LHR.
Basically my run is screwed as I can't adjust the flight home, so a complete waste. Gutted doesn't even cover it! So now I'm waiting for my replaced DFW-LAX, I'll incur an additional hotel & then fly home tomorrow. sigh.
Sep 23, 2016, 4:31 pm
#2
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold; Hilton Honors Diamond
Posts: 3,227
Just out of curiosity but what was your strategy if the HNL - LAX flight was delayed or cancelled leading you to miss your LAX - LHR flight home?
What flights were you booked on from DFW - LAX - HNL?
What flights were you booked on from DFW - LAX - HNL?
Sep 24, 2016, 12:03 am
#4
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Programs: QF Platinum & Lifetime Gold
Posts: 1,340
Status benefits are only important if you travel regularly, and even then they're not important if you are travelling in J or F.
So long as you are travelling in the top cabin (or J internationally if F all the time isn't a possibility) then why worry about status, cos you aren't travelling enough for it to be important.
And if you need that many F flights to retain Gold you really aren't travelling enough.
On the times you are at the airport, just go to the J lounge, or heaven forbid, just sitting at a bar at the airport.
If you make sure you travel J or F when you do fly, status is not important.
Sep 24, 2016, 12:11 am
#5
Join Date: Jun 2008
Programs: TK*G (E+), IHG Plat Ambassador
Posts: 7,884
Friendly reminder that BA charges for seat assignment. even if you fly in Business. Only status passengers (plus full fare tickets holders) are exempt. So - while status is not so important on QF (just referring to your profile) - it matters on BA (and even for QF - Qantas Clubs are fairly mediocre - as opposite to amazing F-class lounges).
Sep 24, 2016, 12:18 am
#6
Join Date: May 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 5,380
Friendly reminder that BA charges for seat assignment. even if you fly in Business. Only status passengers (plus full fare tickets holders) are exempt. So - while status is not so important on QF (just referring to your profile) - it matters on BA (and even for QF - Qantas Clubs are fairly mediocre - as opposite to amazing F-class lounges).
Sep 24, 2016, 2:53 am
#9
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 1,683
Isn't that the entire logic of TP runs debunked. If you fly frequently you get status, if you don't why do you need status, hence why fly just to achieve statuis. It does seem rather circular, but then many do it so it obviously has appeal to some.
Sep 24, 2016, 2:59 am
#10
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,804
Normally they will (perhaps the OP had other commitments on the return to UK sectors) and also they tend to be very flexible on rebooking options generally. Moreover the OP will normally get a decent refund on "impossible to do" sectors due to irrops. This normally comes as flight credit note, a somewhat old fashioned paper ticket sent to the address on the ticket, which can then be exchanged for another AA booking at any AA staffed airport such as T3 (reasonably easy) or via posting back to the USA (somewhat clunky process).
Sep 24, 2016, 3:05 am
#11
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Bedfordshire, UK
Programs: BA Gold, Geek platinum
Posts: 2,004
I'm not sure there ever was much logic in TP runs and certainly not for gold. Silver is most definitely the sweet spot in terms of benefits vs effort to attain it. I can understand the desire to do a TP run if you are a few points short of a tier but not some mega trek around the US which suggests the OP is a long way from the status he is hunting for.
Sep 24, 2016, 3:07 am
#12
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Taif, KSA
Programs: BA GGL, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,908
People also need to consider that others enjoy flying. They will happily spend £1500 for 5-7 days trekking round the US whereas others will spend £1500 for a week of skiing in the alps.
Each to their own.
Each to their own.
Sep 24, 2016, 3:09 am
#13
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Programs: QF Platinum & Lifetime Gold
Posts: 1,340
Sure if you are just below and had to do a quick dash to the continent I might do it.
But having to do 9 first class flights to retain Gold does seem rather extreme.
I can understand the logic of it all. I used to fly non-stop with Qantas and Oneworld.
But after I moved to a role that required less travel, it all just stopped being so important. It never cross my mind, for example, to do 9 first class flights to retain status a Gold card, or in my example the QF Platinum card.
Sep 24, 2016, 3:16 am
#14
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Ipswich
Posts: 7,543
Humans make emotional decisions for logical reasons.
Lots of people want status and find ways to sell it to themselves and/or friends and family. But most of the common reasons don't bear simple scrutiny.
I don't think it matters. If people want to get status and can afford the time and money, good luck to them. So what if they rarely use the perks? It's no-one else's business.
Lots of people want status and find ways to sell it to themselves and/or friends and family. But most of the common reasons don't bear simple scrutiny.
I don't think it matters. If people want to get status and can afford the time and money, good luck to them. So what if they rarely use the perks? It's no-one else's business.
Sep 24, 2016, 3:17 am
#15
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 33
Of course it appeals to some.
Sure if you are just below and had to do a quick dash to the continent I might do it.
But having to do 9 first class flights to retain Gold does seem rather extreme.
I can understand the logic of it all. I used to fly non-stop with Qantas and Oneworld.
But after I moved to a role that required less travel, it all just stopped being so important. It never cross my mind, for example, to do 9 first class flights to retain status a Gold card, or in my example the QF Platinum card.
Sure if you are just below and had to do a quick dash to the continent I might do it.
But having to do 9 first class flights to retain Gold does seem rather extreme.
I can understand the logic of it all. I used to fly non-stop with Qantas and Oneworld.
But after I moved to a role that required less travel, it all just stopped being so important. It never cross my mind, for example, to do 9 first class flights to retain status a Gold card, or in my example the QF Platinum card.
After all this is FT....