Thanks to all here
Mar 23, 2004 | 4:18 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: East Windsor, NJ, USA
Posts: 8
Thanks to all here
Having just found this site today, I'd like to thank all of you for confirming my suspicions.
I joined Onepass back in '91, and made the occasional domestic flight here and there until just a few years ago, when I began a heavier job-related flight schedule to various overseas locations. First, I made silver, then struggled up to gold, then finally platinum last year. I was sad to find I fell short and slipped back to gold for '04 (thought the cutoff was Feb). But I'm not sad anymore. All of you have helped me come to terms with the reality of this program.
I often wondered, as a platinum, why wasn't I able to get an upgrade on some of these brutal NY to HK hauls? Is there a higher elite level getting those that I'm not being told about? etc etc.
Now I'm happier that it wasn't just me. It is the same misery for all of us. :-)
I'll no longer fight my corp travel dept to get booked on this airline. There is little point to the suffering to achieve higher status. It gets you nothing.
I now can abandon my plan to write a letter to Gordon. There is no point.
I've learned much today and I thank you again.
I joined Onepass back in '91, and made the occasional domestic flight here and there until just a few years ago, when I began a heavier job-related flight schedule to various overseas locations. First, I made silver, then struggled up to gold, then finally platinum last year. I was sad to find I fell short and slipped back to gold for '04 (thought the cutoff was Feb). But I'm not sad anymore. All of you have helped me come to terms with the reality of this program.
I often wondered, as a platinum, why wasn't I able to get an upgrade on some of these brutal NY to HK hauls? Is there a higher elite level getting those that I'm not being told about? etc etc.
Now I'm happier that it wasn't just me. It is the same misery for all of us. :-)
I'll no longer fight my corp travel dept to get booked on this airline. There is little point to the suffering to achieve higher status. It gets you nothing.
I now can abandon my plan to write a letter to Gordon. There is no point.
I've learned much today and I thank you again.
Mar 23, 2004 | 5:18 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike.. but I wanna go home with the armadillo
Programs: CO, NW, & UA forum moderator emeritus. Eurobonus Millionaire
Posts: 38,721
Welcome to FT!
Mar 23, 2004 | 6:44 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: ORD/MDW
Programs: BA/AA/AS/B6/WN/ UA/HH/MR and more like 'em but most felicitously & importantly MUCCI
Posts: 19,811
An unsolicited, but highly accurate and telling, testimonial from outside the ranks of FT... welcome aboard, and you are so right.
Mar 23, 2004 | 8:38 pm
#4
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: new york, ny, usa
Posts: 13,536
welcome and you're welcome. 
Mar 24, 2004 | 12:09 am
#5
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: USA
Programs: AA2, DL2, Amtrak2, US2, SPG1, MAR2
Posts: 2,566
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by RBrenton:
Having just found this site today, I'd like to thank all of you for confirming my suspicions.
I joined Onepass back in '91, and made the occasional domestic flight here and there until just a few years ago, when I began a heavier job-related flight schedule to various overseas locations. First, I made silver, then struggled up to gold, then finally platinum last year. I was sad to find I fell short and slipped back to gold for '04 (thought the cutoff was Feb). But I'm not sad anymore. All of you have helped me come to terms with the reality of this program.
I often wondered, as a platinum, why wasn't I able to get an upgrade on some of these brutal NY to HK hauls? Is there a higher elite level getting those that I'm not being told about? etc etc.
Now I'm happier that it wasn't just me. It is the same misery for all of us. :-)
I'll no longer fight my corp travel dept to get booked on this airline. There is little point to the suffering to achieve higher status. It gets you nothing.
I now can abandon my plan to write a letter to Gordon. There is no point.
I've learned much today and I thank you again.</font>
Having just found this site today, I'd like to thank all of you for confirming my suspicions.
I joined Onepass back in '91, and made the occasional domestic flight here and there until just a few years ago, when I began a heavier job-related flight schedule to various overseas locations. First, I made silver, then struggled up to gold, then finally platinum last year. I was sad to find I fell short and slipped back to gold for '04 (thought the cutoff was Feb). But I'm not sad anymore. All of you have helped me come to terms with the reality of this program.
I often wondered, as a platinum, why wasn't I able to get an upgrade on some of these brutal NY to HK hauls? Is there a higher elite level getting those that I'm not being told about? etc etc.
Now I'm happier that it wasn't just me. It is the same misery for all of us. :-)
I'll no longer fight my corp travel dept to get booked on this airline. There is little point to the suffering to achieve higher status. It gets you nothing.
I now can abandon my plan to write a letter to Gordon. There is no point.
I've learned much today and I thank you again.</font>
It begs the question...who else are you going to fly N/S to HKG from EWR with free upgrades? I guess you could connect a couple of times after earning status with amnother airline...but that sounds like a stretch...but who knows, it could work for you.
Despite what may be inferred on this board, the grass is not much greener on the other side. I fly at least 4 airlines all the time now with no FF loyalty...so I know how bad it can get on CAL and the other airlines and I am here to tell you CAL is right up there near the top in overall res to baggage pick-up experience.
Mar 24, 2004 | 5:12 am
#6
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 834
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by DrivingRain:
It begs the question...who else are you going to fly N/S to HKG from EWR with free upgrades? </font>
It begs the question...who else are you going to fly N/S to HKG from EWR with free upgrades? </font>
Mar 24, 2004 | 7:56 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: East Windsor, NJ, USA
Posts: 8
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by DrivingRain:
It begs the question...who else are you going to fly N/S to HKG from EWR with free upgrades? I guess you could connect a couple of times after earning status with amnother airline...but that sounds like a stretch...but who knows, it could work for you.
Despite what may be inferred on this board, the grass is not much greener on the other side. I fly at least 4 airlines all the time now with no FF loyalty...so I know how bad it can get on CAL and the other airlines and I am here to tell you CAL is right up there near the top in overall res to baggage pick-up experience.</font>
It begs the question...who else are you going to fly N/S to HKG from EWR with free upgrades? I guess you could connect a couple of times after earning status with amnother airline...but that sounds like a stretch...but who knows, it could work for you.
Despite what may be inferred on this board, the grass is not much greener on the other side. I fly at least 4 airlines all the time now with no FF loyalty...so I know how bad it can get on CAL and the other airlines and I am here to tell you CAL is right up there near the top in overall res to baggage pick-up experience.</font>
Mar 24, 2004 | 10:54 am
#8
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: USA
Programs: AA2, DL2, Amtrak2, US2, SPG1, MAR2
Posts: 2,566
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Jim Phillips:
The extra hour that I spend connecting in ORD or SFO on UA, in United Business or upgraded to First Suite, is a drop in the bucket compared to 15 hours cramped in 30" of CO crap coach product.</font>
The extra hour that I spend connecting in ORD or SFO on UA, in United Business or upgraded to First Suite, is a drop in the bucket compared to 15 hours cramped in 30" of CO crap coach product.</font>
Look...CO sucks. But so does everybody else...including United. I would take CO coach over UA coach anyday to HKG thanks to the personalized IFE on CAL. That means a lot to me on long flights. I would take UA if I had a strong chance to be upgraded on the cheap (assuming my company would not pay for CO Biz, which has wider seats than UA's FIRST).
I guess the overall point here is that it is a given that all of these airlines are not very good. However, they do have strong points and weak points. Choose the airline that has strong points that line up with your travel needs and weak points that are mitigated by your flying patterns.