SkiAdcock

Cool! Hopefully by Friday end of day before banks close in America for 3-day bank holiday. Otherwise you can wait until the 22nd of September to open up final registration

Realize this is unique to me (well, also to the FTer who is scuba-diving in Bali!!! LOL), but I need to move some funds around & I depart for a 2 week overseas trip Tues. As some of the other FTers posted when they were trying to do their initial deposit in June, banks & cc companies aren't always thrilled or allow access to accounts when trying to do it from overseas.

But I'll sort out timing w/ the organizers via PM if needed. I'm in for this event, looking forward to it, and they can count on me to ante up! Wow - only 2 months away. Woo-hoo!

Cheers.

mnmag

Cool!^

mnmag

Thanks for all your continued hard work, along with the efforts of Oliver & Seth & Tommy!^

mnmag

I'm a little confused as to why you can't 'move funds' around in anticipation of the upcoming payment! I do understand the issue of trying to access accounts away from home!

I'm sure that the organizers can make some exceptions for exceptional situations!^

SkiAdcock

deleted...long response not necessary. organizers know the scoop...

Shareholder

But seems Starwood doesn't care much for its own Golds because there appears to be nothing for them, unlike what's being promised to its Plats. Okay maybe I am pissed off at SPG because for the two years I was Plat I got maybe three upgrades out of dozens of stays and SFA from the two or three Westins I stayed at regularly. Nothing else. All in all a pretty miserable top tier elite program. This treatment sent me to explore other programs where the top tier elite treatment has been much better and far more consistent. When we were promised certain things from this Do -- and it has become more than The Charter because there's been such a to-do about Starwood's participation -- a status match was one of them. And a chance to see if SPG has improved its act. It now appears what's actually being offered is far less than advertised. Fine, but my disappointment is multifold, particularly in this respect as I had been quite a loyal and charter member of both the original Sheraton Club International and the Westin Premier programs

USirritated

I agree, the attitude was very poor. Whether I (or we) think that the Starwood elite offer is good or not, the organizers and Starwood have done backflips to accomodate us, and to give us great rates, so they are entitled to our gratitude, or at the very least, our silence (if you think that the great rates are a trade off for what might be perceived as a poor elite matching program). I am Platinum with Marriott, and while it does not seem to me that Starwood is offering anything special in the way of elite matching (wouldn't I be able to match to Platinum regardless of whether I am a DO participant?), I know that the rates are great, and the facilities and other accomodations are also great, so I am grateful. Do us all a favor, please can the poor attitude, so it will not ruin things for everyone else.

Yes, this is for sure, it can not be said enough how grateful for and amazed I am by Xyxxy, Oliver, Seth, and Tommy! Big ^^^^^

sbm12

Well, there is also the 1,000 bonus points per night that they are offering and the phenomenal rates. But you also do not have to take them if you can find something better out there.

Our goal has ALWAYS been about ensuring that the actual charter flights and the specific events associated with that are as enjoyable as possible for everyone. Everything else that comes along with it is an added bonus from our view. Neither last year nor this year's event was about a quick way to get or renew status for any airline or hotel program. Sorry if you perceived it as such.

With all due respect, I'm pretty sure that we've delivered more than was originally promised from SPG, not less. Sorry if you feel otherwise.

The status match is on offer. If you're not eligible then there's not really anything we can do about that. We work with our partners; we do not demand things of them. It has been our experience that it works much better that way.
The status will be valid through the 2011 program year. You'll have nearly 14 months to make use of it. I wouldn't make any decisions based solely on the schedule for the SMD week alone.

USirritated

Very well put, thank you, and I agree that you guys have exceeded my original expectations in every way, and also thank you for a better perspective on SPG offers too.

chumbawumba

I am getting lost on all those Platinium posts.

WHEN CAN WE BOOK THE FRANKFURT HOTEL?

(I asked now a couple of times using different channels, and the only thing I know by now is, that we have to pay something sometime and there will be a registration sometime. However, nothing is said specifically how and when for the Frankfurt Hotel)

mnmag

It appears that each hotel is being booked through dedicated links that accompany the separate e-mails. It's not like it's been forgotten, but somehow the details must not be totally finalized yet. Tommy mentioned that he was meeting w/SPG this week -- so maybe the e-mails will go out by the end of the week. Worse case -- it'll be part of the charter payment & flight bookings when the website is open for business!

chumbawumba

Thanks.
I can not monitor the Masterthread daily, and there are so many posts with important information, that someone can not keep up with all the information.

LIH Prem

^

-David

USirritated

Not following the master thread does not appear to be a problem as far as hotel bookings go, because each time that the hotel bookings have opened up so far (first for IAH, and second for SEA), the organizers have sent us a group e-mail blast with the hotel private registration link, and with rate information. Did you get those? If you did, then you should be reasonably comfortable and protected while waiting to receive a similar group e-mail blast regarding the hotel booking for FRA, don't you agree?

oliver2002

We are still finalizing the FRA Sheraton contract, the link will come soon. As for all the other links, they will be available again on the private website when it comes. (Sometime this week). Please remember to keep these links to yourself as the number of rooms are limited and especially the FRA and SEA rates are deep discounts on already sold out properties.

WRT to payments: this will be a private charter as per 14 CFR section 380 (nice number, eh?) so we are still working out the finer points to be in line with the DOT regulations. The payment facility will be open soon in accordance with the above. If you are 'scuba diving in bali' and have no access to your funds once booking opens, shoot me a mail and I will see what we can do. As long as 95% of the participants pay normally we should be fine.