Lynn Harrell, Virtuoso Cellist, Got His SM Account Cancelled
Sep 28, 2012, 2:50 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2006
Programs: HH Diamond, SPG Gold, CC Gold, AA Platinum, UA Gold
Posts: 30
Lynn Harrell, Virtuoso Cellist, Got His SM Account Cancelled
My wife is a concert cellist who is always forced to buy another seat for her cello. It appears that Lynn Harrell ran afoul of the Delta police for accruing miles for the paid ticket he uses for his cello. It appears that the policy is somewhat randomly applied (my wife accrues miles with many different airlines for her cello) and methinks that Delta is cutting off its nose to spite its face. Do they realize who this guy is, and that he's paying them twice the ticket price for each trip he takes? I've got to imagine that someone higher up in management needs to rethink this punishment.
Here's the link:
http://www.artsjournal.com/slippeddi...air-miles.html
Here's the link:
http://www.artsjournal.com/slippeddi...air-miles.html
Sep 28, 2012, 3:26 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: DL ♦, Marriot Plt, NATL EE
Posts: 526
Last edited by Canarsie; Sep 29, 2012 at 2:22 pm Reason: Removed now-deleted quoted content.
Sep 28, 2012, 3:27 pm
#3
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: South Yorkshire, UK
Programs: A3*G, LH FTL, VS Red, Avis Preferred, Hertz President's Circle, (RIP Diamond Club)
Posts: 2,364
This thread needs a serious mod edit... Very un-FT.
Sep 28, 2012, 3:27 pm
#4
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: MSP
Programs: Delta PM, 1MM
Posts: 3,782
[quoted post removed by mod]
Just for the record, Lynn Harrell is most definitely NOT a "no-name" cellist.
But I don't think that means there should be different rules for him than for others.
Just for the record, Lynn Harrell is most definitely NOT a "no-name" cellist.
But I don't think that means there should be different rules for him than for others.
Last edited by slippahs; Sep 29, 2012 at 12:59 pm
Sep 28, 2012, 3:31 pm
#5
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: CT
Programs: DL DM 2MM, MR LTT, Hilton D, Hertz PC. National Emerald Exec, UA Silver(thanks to Marriott)
Posts: 2,026
He got warned 11 yrs ago not to do it, so hare to feel sorry for the guy. And from feedback from others, all he had to do was contact DL and talk to them to get what he wanted.
He rolled the dice and lost, move on.
He rolled the dice and lost, move on.
Sep 28, 2012, 3:39 pm
#6
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: AA, UA lowly commoner
Posts: 780
[quoted post removed by mod]
Well, Nigel Kennedy and Vladimir Ashkenazy, among others, certainly know who this "no-name" cellist is. Of course, he's just a musician--it's not like he's somebody important like yet another business consultant. That doesn't mean he can break the rules, but it does mean that he's not a total no-name.
Well, Nigel Kennedy and Vladimir Ashkenazy, among others, certainly know who this "no-name" cellist is. Of course, he's just a musician--it's not like he's somebody important like yet another business consultant. That doesn't mean he can break the rules, but it does mean that he's not a total no-name.
Last edited by slippahs; Sep 29, 2012 at 12:59 pm
Sep 28, 2012, 3:40 pm
#7
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: Marriott/SPG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 887
So, if an ...ahem... LARGE person bought two seats to accomodate their size, would they accumulate double miles?
My 2-month old could rack up SM and status, but not a pet or a thing.
But if you buy a ticket for a companion, you don't accrue miles, but they do.
I can see the point, a PERSON has their own voice & legal rights, an object does not. Delta is probably only willing to enage in transactions with legal persons.
The policy does seem strange though the more I think about it.
My 2-month old could rack up SM and status, but not a pet or a thing.
But if you buy a ticket for a companion, you don't accrue miles, but they do.
I can see the point, a PERSON has their own voice & legal rights, an object does not. Delta is probably only willing to enage in transactions with legal persons.
The policy does seem strange though the more I think about it.
Sep 28, 2012, 3:42 pm
#8
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 499
How does this work?
Was the process that his cello has it's own Skymiles number and that isn't allowed for cellos?
Otherwise how can someone obtain credit for two tickets on the same Skymiles account for the same flight? I mean, if you book two seats adjoining they ask for the passenger names and you can't put the same name and FF # on both seats can you?
What I mean, is what was he doing that they had to ask him to stop and he didn't stop so they shut him down? One would imagine that if this were something they didn't allow, it wouldn't be possible to do it anyway.
Was the process that his cello has it's own Skymiles number and that isn't allowed for cellos?
Otherwise how can someone obtain credit for two tickets on the same Skymiles account for the same flight? I mean, if you book two seats adjoining they ask for the passenger names and you can't put the same name and FF # on both seats can you?
What I mean, is what was he doing that they had to ask him to stop and he didn't stop so they shut him down? One would imagine that if this were something they didn't allow, it wouldn't be possible to do it anyway.
Last edited by CALlegacy; Sep 28, 2012 at 3:50 pm
Sep 28, 2012, 3:45 pm
#9
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: MKE
Programs: DL-MM-Diamond HH-Diamond
Posts: 3,218
What would be the difference if I bought two seats on a plane for myself? I can't get double the miles, why would a musician? If they allowed this we Would all e buying two tickets on a flight, and the panes would be half empty. Does the cello ext upgraded to first class too?
Sep 28, 2012, 3:52 pm
#10
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM, DL MM
Posts: 4,245
I don't understand what the issue is? Terms don't provide for double miles...man got a warning, chose to ignore it and they cancelled the account.
Sounds like DL gets a gold star for the process here.
Giving miles for extra seats is akin to giving me miles for the flight I just cancelled and had to throw away
Sounds like DL gets a gold star for the process here.
Giving miles for extra seats is akin to giving me miles for the flight I just cancelled and had to throw away
Sep 28, 2012, 3:56 pm
#11
Moderator: Delta SkyMiles, Luxury Hotels, TravelBuzz! and Italy
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 26,542
Sep 28, 2012, 4:01 pm
#12
In memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2005
Location: PIT
Programs: DM life is over 2MM PM now & NW MillionAir Wyndham Rewards Plat -Hotels.com Silver -Accor Silver
Posts: 15,408
I think it's been said here before, that, if you could earn miles for multiple tickets, we could all buy like 10 tickets on the PIT/LAX $137 deal, and just breeze our way to Triple DM status.
That said, one might think a cello could, somehow, have its own SM account, and earn miles and get free tickets! Why not!
That said, one might think a cello could, somehow, have its own SM account, and earn miles and get free tickets! Why not!
Sep 28, 2012, 4:05 pm
#13
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 499
I don't understand what the issue is? Terms don't provide for double miles...man got a warning, chose to ignore it and they cancelled the account.
Sounds like DL gets a gold star for the process here.
Giving miles for extra seats is akin to giving me miles for the flight I just cancelled and had to throw away
Sounds like DL gets a gold star for the process here.
Giving miles for extra seats is akin to giving me miles for the flight I just cancelled and had to throw away
Sep 28, 2012, 4:11 pm
#14
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: SEA
Programs: UA Silver, BA Gold, DL Gold
Posts: 9,779
I don't understand what the issue is? Terms don't provide for double miles...man got a warning, chose to ignore it and they cancelled the account.
Sounds like DL gets a gold star for the process here.
Giving miles for extra seats is akin to giving me miles for the flight I just cancelled and had to throw away
Sounds like DL gets a gold star for the process here.
Giving miles for extra seats is akin to giving me miles for the flight I just cancelled and had to throw away
I did like the way the OP came right out and said "Do they realize who this guy is". It made me laugh.
Sep 28, 2012, 4:13 pm
#15
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: Marriott/SPG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 887
Did he give it a fake name? Yeah I could see where this would play havoc with manifests and lots of things.
I do see Delta's point. Musician wasn't just "buying a ticket" for his cello, they were engaging in a small lie, trying to reap benefits off it also. On the flip side of it, I get the point that it seems unfair.
C'est la vie.