Last night in chat, studley said that CR Smith was cancelled.

Sorry about that. I just confirmed that the CR Smith Museum tour is canceled.

If you have to make a decision now, assume that none of the scheduled tours will happen and that the FlyerTalkers who make it will enjoy each others' company or perhaps tour some of the local sights.

FAA & DFW are both enthusiastic about hosting us, but neither had permission to do so on Monday. They asked for two days to see what they could work out, which I granted. I'll report back immediately, when they give their "final" word.

Hi everyone!

Over the course of the last week, many of you who are still attending have inquired about the status of the activities planned for this weekend.

Final word on those activities will be disclosed tomorrow. It was originally stated that today would be the day; however, some organizations needed another day to come to a decision.

I apologize for this delay, but needed to have firm answers from them on the status of their events, before exploring alternate options. Please be patient, and we will have an answer for you sometime tomorrow.

Our alternate activities are available and ready to go if necessary. I have seen the list of them, and you will be pleasantly surprised! And we even may be able to tour in Downtown Dallas.

Our original itinerary ensured no one would be just sitting around (of course, unless they wanted to). Our alternate one ensures the same thing!


Studley

Studley, are you guys perhaps missing the obvious? Tour Dallas??? Our common bond is travel... not a great love for Dallas proper. The whole AA thing and all those activities, plus talking to other flyertalkers was key. IMO I might suggest you take that in account, before planning new activities... find slower paced events were we can gather and talk. Not the whirlwind tour of the metroplex. Again, these are mearly my thoughts. What do the other attendees think?

It's not going to be a whirlwind tour. There will be activities which will be left up to the people as to whether or not they wish to take part in them.

If folks want to just gather somewhere else and talk, they can do that. They can also do that while at these other venues. There will be options and alternatives.

The "Tour Dallas" I mentioned was just as a teaser to try to calm those clamoring for more information on activities, and may actually involve only going to one place in Dallas.

I will not disclose anything further until I get final confirmation from all sources sometime tomorrow. Until then, I ask this from those who have concerns about the final list of activities: Give me some room to get this resolved fully.

Studley

I'd suggest that if we need to find new activities, they be designed to minimize travel time.

Traveling by car (usually) involves breaking people up into small groups, which isn't conducive to the type of "hanging-out" that make these events so much fun. It also increases the logistical complexity of the event.

Oh yeah, and I got e-mail from Carty this morning -- probably all of you did. He ends by assuring me that AA is going to do everything possible to make my travel as smooth as possible during this difficult time. Has anyone considered calling right up to Carty's or Gunn's office, explaining the situation, and that they have a chance for an enormous amount of good will for VERY little cost to the company? Maybe I'm an idiot, but it seems to methat with the economy down, schedules being cut, and biz travelers flying less, AA (or any airline) would be bending over backwards to make friends with their high revenue fliers. Not to mention those of us who set policy for large numbers of other high revenue fliers...

That's a good idea (contacting the exec. offices). Of course this is short notice, but considering how much money the airlines are going to lose over the next few months, they should really be trying to build as much goodwill with us as possible. And I'd definitely feel some good will if they made an effort to meet with or arrange something for us.

d

My family and friends have found those two-way family radios (FRS) to be useful car-to-car, up to 2 miles in the countryside. We all use channel 13 with no sub-channel (no so-called privacy channel). The same might be useful this weekend.

------------------
Middle_Seat

Hi everyone!

As I promised, here's the final status of the activities we had originally planned for you.

AA Corporate HQ Tour - ON as scheduled.
DFW Airport Tour - ON as scheduled.
FAA/Ft. Worth Center Tour - OFF
C.R. Smith Museum Tour - OFF
AAdvantage Customer Service Offices Tour - OFF

The lunch at Founder's Plaza is now OFF. We will still go there, but lunch will not be served there. All those who forwarded money to bollar via PayPal, you will have that portion refunded to you.

The biggest challenge (unprecedented in any FT gathering) has been the reshuffling and rechecking of events, in the wake of what happened last week.

I know this made many of you impatient; however, I'm sorry, that could not be helped. The very nature of the original events, the "backstage" access we were getting, caused several of our prospective hosts to debate among themselves, several times, before canceling on us, for obvious reasons.

We do have alternative activities planned for Saturday. Those of you in the Yahoo group, FlyerTalkMetroplex, you will be receiving this via E-Mail as well.

I will now let the person who so graciously came up with these activities on such short notice describe them to you.

Take it away, techgirl!

:-)

Studley



[This message has been edited by studley (edited 09-19-2001).]

We have two “planned” activities for Saturday to allow our guests to get out of the airport area if they so desire. These are rough itineraries… we will adapt them as appropriate to meet the needs of those who decide to participate.

Of course, we want to stress that everyone is welcome to explore Dallas/Fort Worth on his or her own or relax at the hotel.

If you would like to participate in one of the activites, please contact studley for the first activity listed or me for the second activity, so that we can get a head count and figure out a start time based on participant lodging. For those who might want to get a late start or sample these on their own, we can also provide maps.

Regardless of how you spend the day, please come to Founders Plaza between 2 and 3 pm – we will all depart there at 3 for the AA Tour.


Historical Dallas

While quite young compared to our East Coast brethren, Dallas has nonetheless enjoyed a rich history over the last decade. Start the morning off with a journey back to one of our darker days – the assassination of JFK in 1963. Our tour will begin with a drive by the infamous grassy knoll and a stop at the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza (sponsored by American Airlines - the museum, not the tour!).

http://www.jfk.org/home.htm

After visiting the museum, we will go to the West End Historical District for lunch. There are lots of restaurants to choose from, but we would recommend Texas BBQ at Sonny Bryan’s BBQ. After lunch, do some shopping at the Market On Market, the West End’s fall weekend street vendor fair. Or if shopping isn’t your bag, visit the Conspiracy Museum or the Dallas World Aquarium.

http://www.dallaswestend.org/

On our way back to DFW, don’t forget to look out the right-hand side where you will first see the new AA Arena – where the Stars and Mavericks will make their championship bids this year and later down the road, Texas Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys. The hole in the roof is so God can watch his favorite team play on Sundays.


Dallas Economics 101 (aka Shopping and Eating)

Start the morning off at one of Dallas’s largest shopping mall complexes – The Dallas Galleria, which is the “back lobby” for our guests at the Westin. (In other words, those of you staying on the tollway can sleep in!)

Enjoy world class shopping at one of the large anchor stores (Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, or Macys) or one of 200 other specialty stores. Or, if you are just waking up, enjoy coffee and breakfast on one of the four level balconies (La Madeline, Starbucks, and Corner Bakery are just a few of the places open for breakfast) and watch the ice skaters on the Galleria’s large rink. If activity is what you have in mind, rent a pair of ice skates and take a spin yourself. Or book yourself a treatment at one of several on-site spas.

[URL=http://www.dallasgalleria.com/hines/dallasgalleria/dallas.nsf/web/Dallas_Galleria_Home]http://www.dallasgalleria.com/hines/dallasgalleria/dallas.nsf/web/Dallas_Galleria_Home[/ URL]

After everyone checks out The Galleria, we will depart for the nation’s oldest outdoor shopping plaza – Highland Park Village.

Lunch will be al fresco at Patrizios, one of the best people watching spots in Dallas and a perfect place to spot the indigenous Dallas Big Haired Blonde Matrons in their natural habitat. Patrizios is known for their inexpensive but delightful Mediterranean and Italian fare as well as killer bellinis – a perfect place to nurse injuries from Friday evenings margaritas. After lunch, stay on the patio at Patrizios and talk, try out the potent margaritas at Mi Cocina (the mambo taxi is a killer), or enjoy about 45 minutes of browsing the shops.

The Highland Park Village selection ranges from Banana Republic and The Gap, southern favorite Harolds, or higher end boutiques including Calvin Klein, Chanel, and Escada.

(edited for clarity)


[This message has been edited by techgirl (edited 09-20-2001).]

Hey Studley,

Can you post the final schedule, with events and times, either here or on the website?

Thanks,
swag

Studley-

Can you please clarify when the AA Headquarters tour is being held? I didn't Is it the Training Center event listed on Saturday from 3-5?
Thanks

I just cancelled my mileage run to TPE so count me in. I'll make the dinner Fri. nite for sure. Already sent my paypal transfer in. Should be fun despite everything else http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

[b]The latest update on the PIM!

Friday:

DFW Airport Tour
3200 S. 31st Ave., DFW Airport, TX 75261
3pm-5pm
Conducted by DFW Airport Public Affairs Department
Directions from Rental Cars to DFW Administration Building

Go north from car rental plaza to S. Airport Dr. and follow remaining directions.

If you arrive at DFW on Friday afternoon before 230 pm, join us for a behind-the-scenes tour of one of the world’s busiest airports. We’ll meet at the DFW Administration Building and begin the tour at 3 pm. The tour will be all “back of the house” and will include a drive over the runways & taxiways to the new International Terminal (under construction), tours of other parts of the airport’s infrastructure as well as information on the new runway, taxiways & the DFW Airport Master Plan.

Your committee is investigating meeting our guests at the terminals and shuttling them to the Administration Building.

Dinner @ La Casa Mexican Cafe
1689 W Northwest Hwy, Grapevine, TX 76051 817-481-7764 (you must dial area code)
7pm until…?
$20.00 per Person, including Appetizers, Entrée, tea or soda, tax & gratuity.
Pay for Friday's Dinner @ La Casa Only using PayPal
Directions from DFW Administration Building to La Casa Mexican Cafe. Customize these directions if you're going to your hotel first!

Grapevine’s La Casa isn’t fancy, but it’s honest Tex-Mex in a friendly, family atmosphere. We’ll be served in the private covered patio. It’s under the approach path for DFW's 13R, so expect to hear a plane or two.

Happy hour is from 2pm-7pm, if you miss the DFW Airport Tour and need to get an early start on getting rid of that jet-lag.

We’ll begin with appetizer platters of flautas and quesadillas served away from the dinner tables cocktail-style.

When we’re ready, we’ll move to the tables for a hearty dinner of “all you can eat” chicken & beef fajitas accompanied by all the stuff you need to make fajitas.

Tea & Sodas included.

After Dinner is on your own
We'll provide a list of the best nightspots in Dallas & Ft. Worth.

Saturday:

In the morning, either studley's Historical Dallas, techgirl's Dallas Economics 101, cigarman's Poker Game @ the Airport Hyatt or on your own.

Visit to DFW Airport’s Founders’ Plaza
2829 30th Street (Carbon Rd.), DFW Airport, TX 75261
2pm-3pm
Directions from AAdvantage Customer Service to DFW Founders' Plaza

If the weather is fine, a visit to the observation area located at the end of DFW runways 35 Left & Center. Prevailing winds are from the South, but if we luck out and have winds from the North, we'll have good views of the planes taking off along with the DFW East Ground Control Frequency piped in for atmosphere.

American Airlines Training Center & Systems Operations Control
3pm-5pm
Adjacent to CR Smith Museum

See the operations end of the airline. This tour includes visits to the flight and cabin simulators where AA’s crews learn their stuff.

Dinner @ Cool River Cafe
1045 Hidden Ridge Rd, Irving, TX 75038 972-871-8881 (you must dial area code)
7pm until…? Business Casual Dress, Please
$52.00 per Person, including Salad, Entree, Desert, coffee, tea or soda, tax & gratuity.
Pay for Saturday's Dinner @ Cool River Cafe Only using PayPal
Directions from CR Smith Museum to Cool River Cafe Customize these directions if you're going to your hotel first!

Las Colinas' Cool River is a convenient & popular lunch & dinner venue located southeast of DFW. We're located in a function room off to the side of the main dining room & we've selected a set menu to simplify our dining experience.

Here's the menu:

Cool River Cafe Steakhouse and Southwestern Grille Welcomes FlyerTalk

With Your Choice of:

Republic Salad or Caesar Caliente

You may choose one of the following entrees:

Devil Creek Shrimp
Six Jumbo Shrimp Stuffed with Pepper Jack Cheese and Wrapped in Smoked Apple-Wood Bacon, Grilled and Basted with

a Chipotle Hickory Sauce.

Shiner Bock Rib-Eye
14 oz. Grilled "Shiner Bock" Marinated Rib-Eye Steak

Grilled North Atlantic Salmon
10 oz. Farm Raised Sterling Salmon

A vegetarian choice is also available

Seasonal Vegetables & Smashed Potatoes served family-style with your entree.

You may choose one desert from the following:

Texas White & Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake

Passion Berry Duo
Wild Berry Mousse layered with a thin Chocolate Snap and Tropical Passion Fruit Mousse with a Mirrored Berry

Glaze.

Coffee, Tea & Sodas

After Dinner is on your own
Cool River has Pool Tables and a Cigar Bar and it's quite convenient, but if you want to venture into the Big City,

we'll provide a list of the best nightspots in Dallas & Ft. Worth.

Sunday:

On your own

Brunch at one of Dallas’ top restaurants,
Texas Rangers & Dallas Cowboys play,
or visit some of our local attractions.