I live in ATL, and so am, as they say, hub-bound. I've ignored a lot of FTers DL complaints due to the convenience of direct flights and my general optionlessness, but I'm starting to change my tune.
My general question for y'all is this: what does it take for we hub-bound folk to give up? I'm having the first such pangs today, and I thought I'd relate why.
I have to travel ATL-VIE in the coming months. The best BE fare is $4800 ATL-AMS-VIE (and actually, it's KL metal, including the possibility of the lumbering old MD-11, even if the KL soft product is better than DL BE). Normally I'd do it for the MQM, but for one thing, that fare is booking in KL S, which according to DL.com doesn't pay out at 150% (?). For another thing, I've already requalified for DM for 2011, and even with rollover, the prospect of a nearly $5k TATL on metal with tiny screens and no in-seat power is mortifying. Meanwhile, DL doesn't fly ATL-VIE direct anyway, so I have to stopover no matter what I do. And I can book, e.g., BA via LHR for under $4k all in in Club World, which is a better hard and soft product anyway.
The fact that I'm even considering anything else seems insane. But yet, I am. Why?
My general question for y'all is this: what does it take for we hub-bound folk to give up? I'm having the first such pangs today, and I thought I'd relate why.
I have to travel ATL-VIE in the coming months. The best BE fare is $4800 ATL-AMS-VIE (and actually, it's KL metal, including the possibility of the lumbering old MD-11, even if the KL soft product is better than DL BE). Normally I'd do it for the MQM, but for one thing, that fare is booking in KL S, which according to DL.com doesn't pay out at 150% (?). For another thing, I've already requalified for DM for 2011, and even with rollover, the prospect of a nearly $5k TATL on metal with tiny screens and no in-seat power is mortifying. Meanwhile, DL doesn't fly ATL-VIE direct anyway, so I have to stopover no matter what I do. And I can book, e.g., BA via LHR for under $4k all in in Club World, which is a better hard and soft product anyway.
The fact that I'm even considering anything else seems insane. But yet, I am. Why?
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My general question for y'all is this: what does it take for we hub-bound folk to give up? I'm having the first such pangs today, and I thought I'd relate why.
I have to travel ATL-VIE in the coming months. The best BE fare is $4800 ATL-AMS-VIE (and actually, it's KL metal, including the possibility of the lumbering old MD-11, even if the KL soft product is better than DL BE). Normally I'd do it for the MQM, but for one thing, that fare is booking in KL S, which according to DL.com doesn't pay out at 150% (?). For another thing, I've already requalified for DM for 2011, and even with rollover, the prospect of a nearly $5k TATL on metal with tiny screens and no in-seat power is mortifying. Meanwhile, DL doesn't fly ATL-VIE direct anyway, so I have to stopover no matter what I do. And I can book, e.g., BA via LHR for under $4k all in in Club World, which is a better hard and soft product anyway.
The fact that I'm even considering anything else seems insane. But yet, I am. Why?
Fly BA???? And connect in LHR? I can confirm that you are in fact insane Originally Posted by ibogost
I live in ATL, and so am, as they say, hub-bound. I've ignored a lot of FTers DL complaints due to the convenience of direct flights and my general optionlessness, but I'm starting to change my tune.My general question for y'all is this: what does it take for we hub-bound folk to give up? I'm having the first such pangs today, and I thought I'd relate why.
I have to travel ATL-VIE in the coming months. The best BE fare is $4800 ATL-AMS-VIE (and actually, it's KL metal, including the possibility of the lumbering old MD-11, even if the KL soft product is better than DL BE). Normally I'd do it for the MQM, but for one thing, that fare is booking in KL S, which according to DL.com doesn't pay out at 150% (?). For another thing, I've already requalified for DM for 2011, and even with rollover, the prospect of a nearly $5k TATL on metal with tiny screens and no in-seat power is mortifying. Meanwhile, DL doesn't fly ATL-VIE direct anyway, so I have to stopover no matter what I do. And I can book, e.g., BA via LHR for under $4k all in in Club World, which is a better hard and soft product anyway.
The fact that I'm even considering anything else seems insane. But yet, I am. Why?
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Haha. Well, it was just an example, although CDG is worse. AMS is still the best place in Europe to connect, but so long as I *have* to connect...Originally Posted by syd999
Fly BA???? And connect in LHR? I can confirm that you are in fact insane
Your idea makes sense to me: if you already have DM for next year and you have to stop anyway, and you always wanted to try another airline, like LH or BA, you might as well give it a try. See if the grass is greener on the other side! Don't forget to get a status match first.
I don't think you can defect. I have the same issue in DTW and it is just a pain to try other "non-hub" carriers.
Actually I have tried a few other carriers this year and my overall impression of DL is that they do a better job than the other carriers I have tried. I tried UA and AA and had some scheduling issues with UA mid-trip and they were truly not interested in helping.
Overall - as much as this forum is filled with complaints - I think that DL is doing a great job for me and have stopped considering alternatives for now.
Actually I have tried a few other carriers this year and my overall impression of DL is that they do a better job than the other carriers I have tried. I tried UA and AA and had some scheduling issues with UA mid-trip and they were truly not interested in helping.
Overall - as much as this forum is filled with complaints - I think that DL is doing a great job for me and have stopped considering alternatives for now.
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My general question for y'all is this: what does it take for we hub-bound folk to give up? I'm having the first such pangs today, and I thought I'd relate why.
I have to travel ATL-VIE in the coming months. The best BE fare is $4800 ATL-AMS-VIE (and actually, it's KL metal, including the possibility of the lumbering old MD-11, even if the KL soft product is better than DL BE). Normally I'd do it for the MQM, but for one thing, that fare is booking in KL S, which according to DL.com doesn't pay out at 150% (?). For another thing, I've already requalified for DM for 2011, and even with rollover, the prospect of a nearly $5k TATL on metal with tiny screens and no in-seat power is mortifying. Meanwhile, DL doesn't fly ATL-VIE direct anyway, so I have to stopover no matter what I do. And I can book, e.g., BA via LHR for under $4k all in in Club World, which is a better hard and soft product anyway.
The fact that I'm even considering anything else seems insane. But yet, I am. Why?
Price and schedule, schedule and price. I fly other airlines when it makes sense but as other posters have said before DL has better customer service, so DL is who I start and maximize FF miles with.Originally Posted by ibogost
I live in ATL, and so am, as they say, hub-bound. I've ignored a lot of FTers DL complaints due to the convenience of direct flights and my general optionlessness, but I'm starting to change my tune.My general question for y'all is this: what does it take for we hub-bound folk to give up? I'm having the first such pangs today, and I thought I'd relate why.
I have to travel ATL-VIE in the coming months. The best BE fare is $4800 ATL-AMS-VIE (and actually, it's KL metal, including the possibility of the lumbering old MD-11, even if the KL soft product is better than DL BE). Normally I'd do it for the MQM, but for one thing, that fare is booking in KL S, which according to DL.com doesn't pay out at 150% (?). For another thing, I've already requalified for DM for 2011, and even with rollover, the prospect of a nearly $5k TATL on metal with tiny screens and no in-seat power is mortifying. Meanwhile, DL doesn't fly ATL-VIE direct anyway, so I have to stopover no matter what I do. And I can book, e.g., BA via LHR for under $4k all in in Club World, which is a better hard and soft product anyway.
The fact that I'm even considering anything else seems insane. But yet, I am. Why?
As an ATL-based PM at the time, before there was ever DM, I defected to AA for a year and a half.
About about the tenth connection at DFW coming back from the west coast, I just couldn't stand it anymore.
When you have the world's largest airport at your backdoor with nonstop service to so many places, you gain so much in convenience that it's just not productive to explore non-hub carriers for the most part.
In the case of the OP, it sounds like the one upcoming trip might work just as well on another carrier, but I would not use that one trip as justfication for bolting to another carrier for everything else.
About about the tenth connection at DFW coming back from the west coast, I just couldn't stand it anymore.
When you have the world's largest airport at your backdoor with nonstop service to so many places, you gain so much in convenience that it's just not productive to explore non-hub carriers for the most part.
In the case of the OP, it sounds like the one upcoming trip might work just as well on another carrier, but I would not use that one trip as justfication for bolting to another carrier for everything else.
You have A flight to VIE, but you have quite a few other flights out of ATL one would assume.
As a fellow captive, best of luck if you try to escape
Note: I fly a lot of TPAC on non-DL It really is a bit of a pain keeping status up on two airlines. No way I would bother with the hastle for TATL.
As a fellow captive, best of luck if you try to escape
Note: I fly a lot of TPAC on non-DL It really is a bit of a pain keeping status up on two airlines. No way I would bother with the hastle for TATL.
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I think this is precisely right. The issue is, can I (or will I) justify even a single trip on another carrier. That's not a question for you to answer for me, of course, but I am curious if others do. I can't ever imagine using another carrier domestically, for the reasons you and others mention.Originally Posted by Robert Leach
In the case of the OP, it sounds like the one upcoming trip might work just as well on another carrier, but I would not use that one trip as justfication for bolting to another carrier for everything else.