The Second Annual Star Alliance Mega DO -- The official planning thread
Jan 12, 2010 | 1:16 pm
#151
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: AVL
Programs: AA EXP ; Cunard Plat
Posts: 4,211
). Capt. Sully has been discussed as a guest if we should decide to visit them
I wasn't able to participate in MegaDo1 because of other committments, and could only live vicariously through you guys! Thanks for thinking of including AC and US this time around - both certainly interest me in the places I usually go.
Since I'm retired, time and money are no longer major obstacles. However, scheduling is .....I've been planning trips left and right for this year, and I need to look at the proposed sched in March. I like Kiwi Flyer's idea of a Mini Circle Pacific, but am open to anything.
Whatever else, thanks for all that you + co-hosts do for FlyerTalk!
Jan 12, 2010 | 1:20 pm
#152
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Jan 12, 2010 | 1:24 pm
#153
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: BER
Programs: BAEC GGL/GfL, Lufthansa SEN, Hilton Diamond, misc other stuff
Posts: 1,476
I love the ATH/IST/CAI region ConciergeMike suggested! Instead of going to mainstream places everybody would go let us take advantage of the charter aspect. All we need is a long runway and we can probably get places most of us would love to go but simply cannot due to costs or lack of flights.
How about:
- Abu Simbel (or Aswan/Luxor): Could probably be done as a daytrip from anywhere in the region
- Gibraltar (GIB): Ever had a street closed for a plane full of Flyertalkers landing?
- Marrakech (RAK): just because it is close to GIB.
- Azores: too far away I suppose
- Cape Verde
There are many interesting non-aviation related places on http://wikitravel.org/en/Unesco that could use some additional business/tourism.
Do you have statistics on the nationalities? If we opt for destinations too exotic some visa restrictions or higher costs might be involved.
The question would be how to incorporate this into the StarAlliance theme ;-)
How about:
- Abu Simbel (or Aswan/Luxor): Could probably be done as a daytrip from anywhere in the region
- Gibraltar (GIB): Ever had a street closed for a plane full of Flyertalkers landing?
- Marrakech (RAK): just because it is close to GIB.
- Azores: too far away I suppose
- Cape Verde
There are many interesting non-aviation related places on http://wikitravel.org/en/Unesco that could use some additional business/tourism.
Do you have statistics on the nationalities? If we opt for destinations too exotic some visa restrictions or higher costs might be involved.
The question would be how to incorporate this into the StarAlliance theme ;-)
Jan 12, 2010 | 2:56 pm
#154
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: UA 1K 1MMer & LT UC (when flying UA); Hyatt Credit Cardist; HHonors Gold; Marriott Gold via UA 1K
Posts: 7,145
Jan 12, 2010 | 2:58 pm
#155
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Los Angeles, CA
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Posts: 7,145
-- Middle eastern DO -- security and visa issues and even if the cities involved are exciting we won't take a guided tour of Istanbul or Cairo and neither of the two airlines do any maintenance in the scale like CO, LH, UA and SK. They are also small carriers who have close to no members on FT in their programs and have very little interest to many.
Jan 12, 2010 | 3:13 pm
#156
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: CGK
Programs: LH SEN (LH*G), HH Diamond, AB Gold (1W Saph)
Posts: 5,677
The only Middle Eastern country that's been proposed is Egypt, and you can even travel there on an Israeli passport. This would not be an issue for us at all.
Jan 12, 2010 | 4:43 pm
#158
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: CLL
Programs: MS Plat, AOR ninja
Posts: 2,177
Jan 12, 2010 | 5:08 pm
#160
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: CLL
Programs: MS Plat, AOR ninja
Posts: 2,177
Folks, let's try to get back on track. Don't see any progression here.
There are very different interests among the members of our great community. Many don't care about aviation at all and can't tell the difference between a 737 and an A320. Many members think it's great to interact with various airline executives and to know about product.
The challenge is to find a good mix so everyone has a great time.
There are very different interests among the members of our great community. Many don't care about aviation at all and can't tell the difference between a 737 and an A320. Many members think it's great to interact with various airline executives and to know about product.
The challenge is to find a good mix so everyone has a great time.
Jan 12, 2010 | 5:12 pm
#161
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Germany
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 5,087
The price for the second StarMegaDo must be refundable in case you guys end up in a mental care facility before the DO 
Very good, but then I did it on the cheap (charter ex-FRA in Y, no TATL).
If I were to do the same MegaDO again, I would have added the TATL portion in C. I would have stayed in Y on the charter, because in my opinion, C didn't offer enough extra benefits.
Liked most: The charter flight and everything LH did for us.
Liked least: The Airbus tour; maybe our group had a bad luck with the guide. I didn't see anything not already seen in glossy magazines, and didn't learn anything new. Maybe I was spoiled by breathtaking Lufthansa maintenance tours the day before.
I could immediately commit to 5 days. Maybe up to 10 days, but I would not be able to commit to it right now.
1000-3000EUR, depending on the program.
- How was the value for the money paid in 2009
If I were to do the same MegaDO again, I would have added the TATL portion in C. I would have stayed in Y on the charter, because in my opinion, C didn't offer enough extra benefits.
Liked most: The charter flight and everything LH did for us.
Liked least: The Airbus tour; maybe our group had a bad luck with the guide. I didn't see anything not already seen in glossy magazines, and didn't learn anything new. Maybe I was spoiled by breathtaking Lufthansa maintenance tours the day before.
- How many days can you be away to participate in a DO
- How much money will you be willing to spend
Jan 12, 2010 | 5:17 pm
#162
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: CLL
Programs: MS Plat, AOR ninja
Posts: 2,177
value and time were fine.
One thing that was cool about SMDI was welcoming CO to the *A. So perhaps if SMDII was to visit HQ of other carriers joining *A that would be a nice itinerary......
Not thrilled with RTW, just b/c if I do a RTW I really want to spend plenty of time absorbing each location, and this event doesn't really allow for that.
Also, would LOVE if SQ would participate
PS - would love bonus EQMs as well again, as CO now has SWUs for plats over 100K. Since the vast majority of my travel is leisure, my 100K mile goal each year is kinda pricey
One thing that was cool about SMDI was welcoming CO to the *A. So perhaps if SMDII was to visit HQ of other carriers joining *A that would be a nice itinerary......
Not thrilled with RTW, just b/c if I do a RTW I really want to spend plenty of time absorbing each location, and this event doesn't really allow for that.
Also, would LOVE if SQ would participate
PS - would love bonus EQMs as well again, as CO now has SWUs for plats over 100K. Since the vast majority of my travel is leisure, my 100K mile goal each year is kinda pricey
Last edited by carsonheim; Jan 12, 2010 at 5:31 pm
Jan 12, 2010 | 5:30 pm
#163
In memoriam
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Posts: 7,203
Originally Posted by SS255
This would be an opportunity for US to prove all of the nay-sayers wrong.
Jan 12, 2010 | 6:02 pm
#165
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Of course I blame Mrp Alert, who when the FA asked what would you like, said I'll have the reg champagne, the rose champagne, both red wines & oh yeah the scotch. To quote "WhenHarryMetSally" in the restaurant sex simulation scene, I said to her, (w/o the sex of course), I'll have what he's having 
Cheers.