USirritated

Would the downgrade kit you are hinting at consist of any Jack D or Abso per chance? ^

flysurfer

If flying Y way an even remotely acceptable option for me, I certainly wouldn't even consider spending more than twice as many $$ just for two legs in a better seat. I'd just book Coach in the first place and be glad about how much I saved.

Anyway, if needed, I'm sure there will be a fair and suitable solution taking into account FT posting history, previous SMD bookings (aka revenue) etc. – after all, this forum is all about elite status and its privileges. In our world, premium seating, boarding priority and "access" are not decided by a lottery or other random means.

SkiAdcock

Well then I & other FTers would probably trump you if it's based on time on FT & # of posts, as we're a draw on the revenue if we started in America & booked J on TATL/charter last year, and some of us are ahead in the first 2 categories LOL. Tee-hee.

If I understand it correctly there are only 24 seats available in F & we don't know the criteria, so really let's face it, there will be folk who want F who are willing to pay who won't get it regardless of their status w/ airlines or their status on FT, and that might include both you & me!

Heck, even first booking might not work unless they open it up at a time when most continents are semi-open at the same time; otherwise it favors the int'l ones who are awake before the other int'l & NoAm ones, which isn't fair. Random at least gives everyone an equal chance at it (again, not being familiar w/ statistics, but think that's right?? I suck at math).

I appreciate our organizers a lot & haven't envied them organizing this in the first place given the amount of details that go into it (didn't they say they had something like 15,000 emails in organizing last year's?), and certainly don't envy them trying to sort out the lucky 24, or 48 if by chance this trip draws enough for 2 planes. But they'll figure something out I'm sure.

Personally I think they're nuts for doing this SMD2 so soon after doing last year's, but I love the nuts anyway
Cheers.

lili

Obviously the primo seats should go to the oldest. What part of respecting your elders don't you guys get?

We're cranky, so I'm suggesting with the politest form of crankieness can we do as asked earlier by one of the organizers and try to keep speculation from cluttering up the thread? (Yes, mea culpa.)

USirritated

lili, you often crack me up!

SkiAdcock

Note to self - get older fast

Cheers.

anat0l

If I may then be crass to suggest other options for getting the F seats, they would be:

• Auction them off. Perhaps the excess collected on top of the "base" cost can be donated to charity.
• Some sort of competition, a la what Randy did last year for one lucky member who scored a C seat at SMD1

koroleon

+1

oliver2002

Charter and scheduled TATL: yes, both have to be booked together.

SkiAdcock

So, rereading the first post, unlike last year there is no flat $150 fare for positioning to JFK to start TATL or from IAH when charter ends, and we're on our own to find the cheapest fares we can find on whichever airline for these 2 flights, since the most that CO will offer is a 5-10% discount meeting works discount based on demand, yet we don't know when they'll determine if there is a demand.

Is my understanding correct? Just need to know so I can start checking 1-way fares to JFK & from IAH. I know sbm12 posted one the other day for those who might be starting in IAH & coming from NYC area.

I'm sure someone posted somewhere in the thread, but I haven't had my first cup of tea yet this morning so can't find it. What time does the flight land at IAH on the 6th, so we know what time to book on-going 1-way from there?

Also, I know that 5/31 was mentioned as the start of sign-up, but that's a bank holiday in a # of countries, so I'm guessing it might be on the 1st? If you can give a couple of days heads up before booking starts, that will help some of us who need to transfer or move around $5K to have it available when booking opens.

Cheers.

cova

Per your earlier post - appeared you could book the charter and then separately book the TATL section.

We all understand the need to be on the charter to participate in the main event in IAH and to PHX/PAE, but the implication was the TATL could be handled separately.

If you have booked reward travel or made other arrangement for trip to FRA on Nov 1, and to IAH on Nov 3 - how will you indicate that you are traveling to FRA (but not part of the group fare) and that you are only booking the Charter through the group?

flysurfer

And rightly so. Then again, combining my posts here and at VFT almost makes us even (remember that last year's SMD involved and was advertised at three different FF forums here, in Germany and Scandinavia).

I don't think all this will be much of an issue. Last year's event had plenty of initial interest, too and quite a few dropouts. Hence the non-refundable 100 USD registration fee makes sense to me.

We'll see what happens. So far, tommy777 is doing a pretty good job promoting and "selling" the event (even at the higher price). I really want to be part of this (and have confirmed seats on FRA-IAH in row 83 along with several other FT/VFT members), but I can't say for sure until I've seen the entire package and its final price tag.

SkiAdcock

Geesh, booking isn't even open yet & you have row 83? LOL.

Cheers.

Minnesota Bruin

It sounds like there could be up to 44-48 F seats if we fill two planes.

As a suggestion (no inside information here) if we fill the first plane but don't quite fill every seat in the second plane the organizers could devise Y+ with empty middle seats for an appropriate premium.

flysurfer

Yep, me and at least two others heading to the Do.