StarmegaDO 2010 (SMD2) Nov 1-6, 2010 Masterthread
Oct 18, 2010, 3:51 pm
#1726
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Long Island, NY
Programs: CoFounder and Chairman, FFOCUS (Frequent Flyers Organized and concerned about Unacceptable Service.
Posts: 1,341
Options
Just had our call today and after cleaning out the list of participants that has not paid, we are in the hole 9K USD 
Yes, there has been some signups the last week, but it pretty much made up for the people who have canceled/not paid up.
So the tally is STILL over 30 seats open...
We have gotten a lot of suggestions, thank you for sending them. The problem with most of the suggestions is time.
So in my opinion, we have 3 options:
Option 1
We can sell a premium economy with the middle seat open in the first rows, the latest shuttle from the Sheraton and Concierge to the gates in IAH and PHX, but the same service on board as Economy, but you receive F miles .
Option 2
Everyone forks over 50 bucks. (a logistical nightmare
)
Option 3
We kick off 15 people and downgrade to a 737-900
My guess is we'll do option #1 and hope we can get 20 people to go for that deal...
Your thoughts are appreciated.
Yes, there has been some signups the last week, but it pretty much made up for the people who have canceled/not paid up.
So the tally is STILL over 30 seats open...
We have gotten a lot of suggestions, thank you for sending them. The problem with most of the suggestions is time.
So in my opinion, we have 3 options:
Option 1
We can sell a premium economy with the middle seat open in the first rows, the latest shuttle from the Sheraton and Concierge to the gates in IAH and PHX, but the same service on board as Economy, but you receive F miles .
Option 2
Everyone forks over 50 bucks. (a logistical nightmare
)Option 3
We kick off 15 people and downgrade to a 737-900
My guess is we'll do option #1 and hope we can get 20 people to go for that deal...
Your thoughts are appreciated.
Oct 18, 2010, 3:58 pm
#1727
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 1,950
And how would it work, i.e. separate payment on Paypal, cash on delivery....
Did / will you have to pull some airlines aside and beg them for more miles in this case?
Last edited by anat0l; Oct 18, 2010 at 4:16 pm
Oct 18, 2010, 4:14 pm
#1728
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA 1P, AA, DL, BA, LH
Posts: 293
So in my opinion, we have 3 options:
Option 1
We can sell a premium economy with the middle seat open in the first rows, the latest shuttle from the Sheraton and Concierge to the gates in IAH and PHX, but the same service on board as Economy, but you receive F miles .
Option 2
Everyone forks over 50 bucks. (a logistical nightmare)
Option 3
We kick off 15 people and downgrade to a 737-900
My guess is we'll do option #1 and hope we can get 20 people to go for that deal...
Your thoughts are appreciated.
Option 1
We can sell a premium economy with the middle seat open in the first rows, the latest shuttle from the Sheraton and Concierge to the gates in IAH and PHX, but the same service on board as Economy, but you receive F miles .
Option 2
Everyone forks over 50 bucks. (a logistical nightmare
)Option 3
We kick off 15 people and downgrade to a 737-900
My guess is we'll do option #1 and hope we can get 20 people to go for that deal...
Your thoughts are appreciated.
As for Option 2, if there's still a deficit at departure, we could collect on board.
Oct 18, 2010, 4:18 pm
#1729
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: MUC/LAX/SMV
Programs: LH, UA, BD, AA, NW, FB, NH, AC, Sixt, Hertz, Avis, *W, HH, Marriott, PC, Leaders Club, AMEX
Posts: 12,406
Given so many people had to offloaded from First Class due to space restrictions, the Economy Plus thing appears to be the smart thing to do.
Btw, I'd also like to know when I can or should expect my SPG account to reflect Platinum status...
Btw, I'd also like to know when I can or should expect my SPG account to reflect Platinum status...
Oct 18, 2010, 4:24 pm
#1730
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Sacramento
Posts: 7,323
I'll go for Option 1 depending on price, whether or not there's an extra on board. If you want to float this option, I think the sooner we know what the price will be, the more people will be able to sign up. If you take 20 center seats for this option, then potentially 40 people could buy them. I think the F miles is a great inducement.
As for Option 2, if there's still a deficit at departure, we could collect on board.
As for Option 2, if there's still a deficit at departure, we could collect on board.
Oct 18, 2010, 4:43 pm
#1733
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2002
Programs: UALifetimePremierGold, Marriott LifetimeTitanium
Posts: 71,113
Wasn't the middle seat option floated months ago by FTers & shot down (granted, due to the galley issue, which this new proposal seems to take care of). Some of this might have been already solved or not been a problem if it had been done back then.
But I know that tommy, oliver, reb wanted to open it up to as many as possible cuz they truly wanted as many folk as possible to have this great trip, which is part of the reason they went for the larger plane. Good for them & we love them for it, but also now bad for them.
I've got to imagine that those who wanted F but got bumped down to E might ante up the extra $250. If my math is correct you need 36 people to do this? (9K divided by 250, so 18 rows or did I miss something)
BTW - do the people who actually paid for F get the last shuttle & concierge too? Think of it as the SMDo FCT treatment.
There were also a # of other marketing options mentioned by FTers over the last few months which didn't get implemented, or not until recently. So some of the last minute stuff could possibly have been avoided. But again, we're now at zero & counting, so coulda/shoulda is a moot point.
I don't understand the logistical nightmare part on #2. Ask all the folk who have registered to ante up $50 extra & via paypal by XX date (end of week maybe?). Let's face it. People going on this trip are already paying a significant amount of $$, whether they're flying E or F. $50 probably isn't going to make/break them attending.
I passed out some flyers at last weekend's Chicago Seminar Do, and some folk said they were interested in attending, but I was so busy w/ the charity raffle that I didn't get their handles. Sorry about that.
But speaking of raffles, you were going to do on-board for the LH PHX stuff or even other prizes - was speaking to another FTer last Thurs & we thought, why not offer up the raffle for the LH part & have that go to the deficit on the plane, although that might be more of an issue logistics-wise. Covering your nut is more important than charity. I know that sounds hard, but you know what I mean.
And I might have misinterpreted the $100 offer, but I told someone over the weekend who went on last year's do who was also in the photo of CNT article & wanted to go on SMDo2 but can't due to a biz trip (he was ok to fly to FRA for the dinner only, not the day activities) that if he did get anyone to sign up, that he could probably get the $100/person. Hope I didn't overspeak. Heck, think of it as the Amway multi-level marketing angle. BTW - my guess is that particular person would probably settle for attending the FRA dinner (and pay for the flight to FRA & hotel on his dime, so wouldn't cost you anything ).
I think # 3 would be the logistical nightmare because people have paid for flights to IAH.
FWIW - I'm still checking w/ folk on possibly attending, but know that some were confused today by the must pay by tomorrow or it's closed e-blast, which made a few think they shouldn't try any more.
Cheers.
But I know that tommy, oliver, reb wanted to open it up to as many as possible cuz they truly wanted as many folk as possible to have this great trip, which is part of the reason they went for the larger plane. Good for them & we love them for it, but also now bad for them.
I've got to imagine that those who wanted F but got bumped down to E might ante up the extra $250. If my math is correct you need 36 people to do this? (9K divided by 250, so 18 rows or did I miss something)
BTW - do the people who actually paid for F get the last shuttle & concierge too? Think of it as the SMDo FCT treatment.
There were also a # of other marketing options mentioned by FTers over the last few months which didn't get implemented, or not until recently. So some of the last minute stuff could possibly have been avoided. But again, we're now at zero & counting, so coulda/shoulda is a moot point.
I don't understand the logistical nightmare part on #2. Ask all the folk who have registered to ante up $50 extra & via paypal by XX date (end of week maybe?). Let's face it. People going on this trip are already paying a significant amount of $$, whether they're flying E or F. $50 probably isn't going to make/break them attending.
I passed out some flyers at last weekend's Chicago Seminar Do, and some folk said they were interested in attending, but I was so busy w/ the charity raffle that I didn't get their handles. Sorry about that.
But speaking of raffles, you were going to do on-board for the LH PHX stuff or even other prizes - was speaking to another FTer last Thurs & we thought, why not offer up the raffle for the LH part & have that go to the deficit on the plane, although that might be more of an issue logistics-wise. Covering your nut is more important than charity. I know that sounds hard, but you know what I mean.
And I might have misinterpreted the $100 offer, but I told someone over the weekend who went on last year's do who was also in the photo of CNT article & wanted to go on SMDo2 but can't due to a biz trip (he was ok to fly to FRA for the dinner only, not the day activities) that if he did get anyone to sign up, that he could probably get the $100/person. Hope I didn't overspeak. Heck, think of it as the Amway multi-level marketing angle.
BTW - my guess is that particular person would probably settle for attending the FRA dinner (and pay for the flight to FRA & hotel on his dime, so wouldn't cost you anything ).I think # 3 would be the logistical nightmare because people have paid for flights to IAH.
FWIW - I'm still checking w/ folk on possibly attending, but know that some were confused today by the must pay by tomorrow or it's closed e-blast, which made a few think they shouldn't try any more.
Cheers.
Last edited by SkiAdcock; Oct 18, 2010 at 4:54 pm
Oct 18, 2010, 5:16 pm
#1737
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: EWR
Programs: UAPlat; *Gold; Hyatt Diam; SPG Plat; PWP goddess
Posts: 16,525
For those crediting to CO, -- the extra $250 for an extra 2000 EQMs (w/1000 RDMs) -- is a little more than what it costs to purchase EQMs through CO, currently. (Would love to know if any clarification was given re: PP MC bonus or 'Extra Mile' promo miles as mentioned earlier).
I, too, could be interested in this option 1!
I, too, could be interested in this option 1!
Oct 18, 2010, 5:39 pm
#1740
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: FLL
Programs: Delta GM, (fmr US CP/PP/GP!), DL SkyClub, Marriott Lifetime Platinum, Avis Chairman's Club
Posts: 5,162
Just had our call today and after cleaning out the list of participants that has not paid, we are in the hole 9K USD
Yes, there has been some signups the last week, but it pretty much made up for the people who have canceled/not paid up.
So the tally is STILL over 30 seats open...
We have gotten a lot of suggestions, thank you for sending them. The problem with most of the suggestions is time.
So in my opinion, we have 3 options:
Option 1
We can sell a premium economy with the middle seat open in the first rows, the latest shuttle from the Sheraton and Concierge to the gates in IAH and PHX, but the same service on board as Economy, but you receive F miles .
Option 2
Everyone forks over 50 bucks. (a logistical nightmare)
Option 3
We kick off 15 people and downgrade to a 737-900
My guess is we'll do option #1 and hope we can get 20 people to go for that deal...
Your thoughts are appreciated.
Yes, there has been some signups the last week, but it pretty much made up for the people who have canceled/not paid up.
So the tally is STILL over 30 seats open...
We have gotten a lot of suggestions, thank you for sending them. The problem with most of the suggestions is time.
So in my opinion, we have 3 options:
Option 1
We can sell a premium economy with the middle seat open in the first rows, the latest shuttle from the Sheraton and Concierge to the gates in IAH and PHX, but the same service on board as Economy, but you receive F miles .
Option 2
Everyone forks over 50 bucks. (a logistical nightmare
)Option 3
We kick off 15 people and downgrade to a 737-900
My guess is we'll do option #1 and hope we can get 20 people to go for that deal...
Your thoughts are appreciated.