Looking For A Few Good Flyers
 

I am looking for some savvy flyers that can give me some insight on international travel.
I'm looking for people who consider themselves experts on oneworld, Star Alliance or Qualiflyer. Do you have any good tips? How often do you fly?
Okay, you guys asked for it. You wanted more detailed information. Well, here is the survey that I have been passing around. If you are interested in responding please email me.

Of which alliance would you say you are most familiar?

Have you found it to be truly seamless?

Do you find the alliance to be a benefit or do you feel things would have
been better off with independent carriers?

What do you find are the advantages of the alliances? Disadvantages?

Do you ever find yourself stepping out of the alliance (ie. Having to fly
another carrier)? If so, why?

What is your favorite perk of the alliances? If you could make one
improvement what would it be?

Could they do more for their flyers? If so, what?

Have you ever had to fly an alliance carrier at a difficult time
(cancellations, strikes...)? What did the carrier do for its frequent
flyers?

If you were to rank the various carriers within the alliance that you primarily fly, how would you rank them and why?

Also, I would need permission to quote as well as your first and last name.

Any oneworld flyers out there?


[This message has been edited by Melissa at WebFlyer (edited 09-20-1999).]

[This message has been edited by Melissa at WebFlyer (edited 09-21-1999).]

My travel has been domestic for last 6 years with only a couple of international flights, so I can't really help you. I just felt bad to see that zero next to your post for so long!

I think you'll have to be a bit more specific about what you wanna know.

I agree....we need more details.....

For example....I fly internationally with *A atleast 3 times/month. Is this a lot? I don't know? It is a lot for my brain!

You have to tell us what kind of information you want?!

Dorian

I'll give you some insight: Don't use e-tickets internationally, especially to the 3rd world. Customs and immigration officials in many countries view them as receipts, not tickets, and we were prevented from entering the transit lounge in Egypt as a result. Cost us two visas on the spot. In some countries, it could be a lot worse since, if they require an outbound ticket for entry, they could make you buy one!

Have to admit I too was somewhat surprised by the lack of response here. Though I travel and have traveled for many years somewhat extensively to diverse locations internationally, I'm not quite that savvy, no expert in general, no less on the various alliances (Star, One World, Qualifier and the new Alliance with NO Name!) which require a full time job like profile to keep up with. More importantly I've got virtually no desire to be profiled and treasure a small degree of anonymity! Specific advice on a location etc. that I'm familar with I'm pleased to give but beyond that?

May I recommend that you chat with Randy! he would surely be good and available BOTH!

BTW- C'mon, those of you who are "qualified" please come forward and help out here or maybe just provide a good recommendation! Ft needs you!

Dorian- That is alot in my book and I'm not easily impressed!

I emailed Melissa offering my help....if she wants it she now how my personal email address.....best I can do.

During the month of Sept. I will transit over the Atlantic 12 times (6 round trips). I guess that is a lot.....I now have a cold an eye infection to show for it. ;-(

Dorian

[This message has been edited by Dorian (edited 09-19-1999).]

Sorry to hear that Dorian http://talk.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif --hope that you get better soon.

Thanks BB, I appreciate the sympathy. Maybe this is a whole new topic....staying healthy while travelling frequently?! Maybe Melissa should do an article on that!

Dorian!

Have done two trips using awards from Qualiflyer members. Very tough on premium space, and in the case of the Teutonic carriers (SR and OS) highly inflexible.

...SR teutonic? HELVETIANS!

MARTIANS

definitions! definitions?

Teutons Thuath-duiné (north men). Our word Dutch and the German Deutsch are variations of the same word, originally written Theodisk.

Helvetia Switzerland. So called from the Helvetii, a powerful Celtic people who dwelt thereabouts.

martian, Pronunciation: 'mär-sh&n, Function: adjective, Usage: often capitalized, of or relating to the planet Mars or its hypothetical inhabitants- martian noun, often capitalized or A joke term referring to a data packet that shows up on the wrong network, misrouted because of an error in addressing or having been sent to a nonexistent address.

[This message has been edited by Rudi (edited 09-20-1999).]

Thanks Rudi

The last part of that third definition actually sounds a lot like how I often feel when trying to deal with the airlines - a data packet that has shown up on the wrong network and is that my luggage that has been misrouted or sent to a non-existent address?

Melissa
I don't know if you are still looking for infomation, but if so, here it is. I fly Star mostly and have taken more than 20 International trips this year alone. Mostly go to Brazil (Amazon region), Australia, South Pacific and Asia. I am very familiar with Star but know little about the others. Seamless?? Well, they varry. Varig is on its own planet and might as well be a part of the "left Field" alliance. While you get Elite miles on UA (My main FF account), you have to beg, borrow and steal to get them posted. As far as interacting with UA, they don't at all. Not sure if they even know they belong to the Star!. Same goes with Ansett. Decent airline (although the layout of Biz class is very weird), but getting your miles posted on UA is like getting an audience with the pope. Star is good for one purpose only...building Elite miles on your FF account of choice. I am 1K with UA and Platinum with CO and I would guess that I aonly fly those carriers directly for 50% of my miles. I may try One World next year if they will qualify me with their top Elite level going in. Ranking the carries in Star?? Lets ee. I have flown them all and I would rank them as follows:
1) Thai, 2) UA, 3) LH, 4) ANA 5) SAS, 196th) Varig (Who am I forgeting??) Oh yeah air New Zealand is excellent and AC is average at best. Can't wait for Singapore Air to join.
Anyway, if you want more info, email me at (yogi3333@aol).
Good luck!

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YogiBear

[This message has been edited by YogiBear (edited 09-21-1999).]

Star: the Mexicans join early 2000, and just now AUA (Austrian Airlines) announced officially that they will leave Qualiflyer and join (in 2000, probably late) StarAlliance.

AUA will boost StarAlliance's Eastern Europe business and, together with LH, probably also bring in Lauda!

and my miles&more account has no difficulty in getting the credits from all partners (including VARIG, Ansett, Thai but NOT UA) - The problems arise when using my UA Mileage Plus account and UA (as code-share-flight-#) is on my ticket, but another StarAlliance-partner is the actual carrier (as LH - where on transatlantic flights I should also get my UA status-bonus of 100%). Never tried to get VARIG credits on UA (but often on my LH-account without problems).

From my experience, Star Alliance is anything but seamless! Concerning the partners that I have flown:


Air NZ-Good Airline, Seems to understand the Alliance better than others, AKL-CNS flight was cancelled once, gave me an upgrade from coach to business/first and free night in AKL due to 100K level (on a discounted fare!).
Ansett-Good airline for coach travel in Oz!, Getting miles posted is like pulling teeth from a rhino! Stay away from domestic business class!
Lufthansa-I have always had a soft spot for this airline, logged over 300,000 miles during the 80's from the MIA-FRA-JNB, MIA-FRA-MRU routes. Have not flown recently, although I suspect they are on of the better Star partners.
Thai-Avoid at all costs, Inter-asian flights are tedious, no recognition for being a Star Gold!
United-Solid Mileage accounting, 100K level keeps me ahead of the pack. Decent E-tickets as long as NO code-sharing is involved!
Varig-Does not seem to know what the term "alliance" means! Went 3 rounds with Mp to get miles posted.

The only benefit I see now is the ability to gain miles for FF elite levels from all partners, but one has to be very alert regarding their MP statements. Lounge access helps only rarely.


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Getting Closer to The Million Mile Dream!