BUZZ Omni-subjects
 

In order to have a thread that can handle any ff compliments, editorialization, or just barely ff subjects, I am posting this thread to basically keep Catman "in the box"
and from going totally ballistic about getting "off-topic". Have at it folks.

I come back from Cincinnatti late friday
morning (And begin my "vacation") and find
I can really miss a lot of Flyertalk:

*The introduction of Robertos to our list of
contributors (or more the short list of
Quizzy people... in the vein of Emmett_Nancy
and Lucy who's probably now looking for miles
in the Bermuda Triangle!)

*The on-going Feud on the Delta L-Fares site.
Don't know much about these fares but it
makes for interesting reading.

*My buddy Jaws43 suggesting a separate site
for miscellenous stuff worthy of the Emmett_
Nancy award so my cats' fur doesn't stand on end!

On that last topic... guys I'm just trying
to keep the threads focused so we don't
dissolve into snipping and EMMETT_Nancy love
notes filling the threads. I do have a sense of HUMOR (Really, ask Rudi!)

You make a good suggestion, Jaws 43. I say
you all can write WebFlyer and suggest a separate BUZZ OMNI site... which should be named "The Jaws43 Honorary BUZZ OMNI Site" in
honor of you!

And if you guys get this site I'll be happy
to be the first contributor (and raise some
champaigne in your honor!)

I'm sorry if my writing sounds ballistic, but tell me if I get too CATTY. I'm willing to
change, just let me stay on board FLYERTALK.

OK... who's next! CATMAN

Welcome back Catman

Perhaps the regular threads could have an 'exit to Omni' button for the times we start wandering off topic.

Good thing you're back: while the Catman's away the mice will play.

Baobab... Thanks for the welcome back. It's
nice to be though as of 9-29 I will be off
line for about a week and sunning myself
in Maui!!!!

Then the mice can play. With Emmett_Nancy.
CATMAN

Most of us "meece"(Texas plural for mice), will attempt to keep ourselves "in-line" with the subject(s) at hand. Lest we face the wrath of our TopCat General when he returns from paradise.

Catman, may the f-force be with you! I don't know if I can manage whilst your away. Rudi is on his travels as well. My world is falling in. My emotions are crumbeling and YES Catmen you do have a sence of humour.
MF

PS: f-force(TM) fforce(TM) FForce(TM) are registered trade marks of Merry Flyer.

Okay, so I claim Fforce, oh stuttering one...

(watch out for those loopholes!)

Did Nancy ever tell you how she got to London? (from the AA thread) I notice that she doesn't list her e-mail address - must be tired of the fan mail.

We could create a support group for those missing our super-titanium members Rudi & Catman - you could be a founder member MF... perhaps Catman could teach his cats to miaou on line.

I'm still here till 9-29 so I'll continue to
contribute and try to stick to the topic!!!

Merry Flyer... may the F-force be with you
and everyone in Flyertalk land... and I suggest you get your trademarks copyrighted
(Don't know British law, but you F-Forces are
very clever.)

So I won't say ALOHA till next week. In my
book you are ALL SUPER TITANEUM (especially
you MEECES!) CATMAN

If you can have this thread, will Catman let me have a OMNI-Moan thread?

When I get back home on a Friday night/Saturday morning after a week in the air, I need to let all my gripes out.

This week, I would moan on about United's Reservation Service; the fax machine at Continental at Heathrow working (and the idiot child operator telling me I don't know how to use a fax); the fact that BA have changed from Chedder & Chive pretzels to Cheese pretzels; that you can't use BA's First Class check-in at LHR for Paris flights (I NEED to feel that lush blue carpet under my feet when I check in - if I wanted a bit of old kitchen flooring I'd fly economy); that United still havn't replied to the e-mail I sent them weeks ago - yet when I sent then a blank e-mail they replied, telling me it was blank within 15 minutes!.

And I havn't even started on hotels yet.

I feel better for getting that out already.
MF

Aah, he wants sympathy (where's jaws43 when you need him?)

The way to deal with the idiot child is to draw yourself up to your full height, look down your nose, and, using the plummiest accent available to you say "That, my dear, is why you have a job. I don't WANT to know how to operate a fax machine."

As for missing the blue carpet - perhaps BA would provide you with a minion who can run ahead of you rolling out your own personal carpet. You wouldn't have to expose your delicate tootsies to linoleum ever again...

MFlyer, Since The TopCat is going to be MIA(not Miami), for about a week beginnig on 9/29, you can create just about any MOAN thread that you want. Just Do It!(nike-tm).

And, baobab, we need your superb intelligence and awesome experiences on Flyertalk. Whether it's sand between the toes(Catman), carpet under the feet(MFlyer) or a linoleum floor, it makes no difference as, it's what in the heart that matters.

Most of Merry Flyer's issues I would consider
legitimate things we can discuss in our various frequent flyer and hotel chat sessions. That is NOT what I get CATTY about
when I HOWL that we are getting off the topic. What I MOAN about is when Roberto/
Emmett/Nancy returns (I talked about this in
the reservations chart.)

If you want an OMNI MOAN site, go ahead, I'll
have some fun reading when I get back!

As a fequent traveler, Merry Flyer you should
get the highest service possible, and I say you should let all those airlines know about the poor quality of service you got. (I'm
very surprised at BA. When I flew with them
10 years ago, their coach seemed liked first
class in the U-S)

BaoBab.. you make some even better points on
how to deal with people who can't do their
job. And thanks for understanding my bouts of
"cattiness."

As for the carpet under the feet... it doesn't matter me. As Jaws43 said... it's in the heart that matters (and for me, its the
plane that get me to and fro on time and safely.) CATMAN

Where should I start?

Baobab: I will forward your suggestion to my Account Manager at BA. Or I could just fly Virgin and use the Kerb-Side check-in.

Speaking of Virgin, they wrote to me yesterday, it was a very nice letter telling me that they have just opened a 'Wig Shop' at their Lounge in Heathrow. Why would they think I would want a wig? Do you think they read my posting about needing carpet under my feet, and misunderstood, thinking a rug on my head would suffice? (By the way, prices for the Virgin wigs start at £90 for a pony-tail! You have to fly Upper-Class).

Catman: you are SO right. European flights are of a much higher standard than domestic US. Having said that they are MUCH more expensive. My flight to Paris last week was £405 (>$600) for a 45 minute flight.

So at those prices I think I am entitled to request the type of pretzels I want! And if it is a trip to the US, that costs >$12,000 (mind you at least you get the blue-carpet under my feet for that!).

Baobab: Nancy never did get back to me on how she was getting to London. I suppose she was too busy attending her VIP front-desk Managers convention or whatever.

Now I have had a good moan, I think it is time to dish out a compliment... Does anyone have any idea as to the best way to get some Hilton Staff a pat on the back? I have stayed at a London Hilton for about 60 days so far this year and all the staff (Front Desk; Bar; Restaurant) are really good. They always find me a room even when they are full. Upgrade my room every time and generally make the place feel like home.

I don't just want to write to the General Manager, it seems a bit like 'brown-nosing' when you are still staying there. Are there any Hilton awards etc. I can nominate them for? If not it will just have to be a letter to the Country Manager or something.
MF

Merry - Hilton used to have coupons you could hand directly to the individual or mail in to their Texas center but I havn't seen those in a tick or two... Maybe an email to Hilton would get some info. Bob

Merry Flyer... I have two of those "Thanks
for a job well Done" certificates still on
my statements (Regular readers of Flyertalk
those I'm a "Pack-Cat" who saves just about
everything!) If you are interested, e-mail
me with your address.

I have used a third to thank a housekeeping
staff member who returned the tee shirt and
shorts I sleep in that I left in the bathroom
at one Hilton when I rushed out on an emergency business call. The hotel sent me
a letter thanking me for my kind words. CATMAN

Merry Flyer: I'm thinking the Wig Offer is
for those "beautiful celebrities/stars" who
fly Virgin and don't want to be mobbed by
adoring fans. Like Leo DeCaprio wanting to
avoid the Titanic fans... he gets a wig.

It could also be for FlyerTalk members who
don't want to be mobbed by Emmett_Nancy_
Lucy_Roberto types.

Yes, I went off the topic, but the wig thing
was so funny!!! CATMAN

Merry - Nancy's info says that she's a front desk manger. I'm not certain whether this means that she works in a stable, eats French food, or is French & eats desks...

Virgin have a habit of catering to your every whim & desire before you even know that they exist. Perhaps a fake ponytail is exactly the accessory that every successful business person needs?

And Catman - enjoy Maui. This meece is getting its dancing shoes out...

I have to rant.

For the last 18 months I have been trying to get Aeroplan credit for a Swissair flight from Africa to Zurich. After talking to & faxing Aeroplan reps in England several times last year I was credited with two ZRH-LHR segments - for a lousy 1000 miles, which is nothing like the 5000 miles I should have had. I've written to them several times trying to get this changed, not received any response to some of my letters, and today I finally got a letter back which said, in part:
"milage adjustments to your account can be requested up to 6 months following an Aeroplan partner transaction. As your correspondence was not received within this period we are unable to credit your account. ... We would like to advise that Swissair is no longer an Aeroplan partner effective March 29 1998.." - nice of them to let me know that in advance.

They then went on to thank me for my loyalty. Not bloody likely!

Not to mention that, when using their erstwhile partners, I would make certain that my aeroplan number was in the system when I booked my ticket and when I checked in, - and I still didn't get credit for many of my flights.

The letter I got today didn't even list a number to call - so I got one from their Website. It was busy the first 3 times I tried it, then I finally got into computer hell. After ten minutes of pressing buttons, choosing English or Francais & being endlessly routed to another menu or asked to wait I hung up, as whoever finally answered the phone wasn't likely to be any more helpful than the 'Manager, Aeroplan - Customer Service Center' who wrote the idiotic letter. And of course I can't contact HIM directly!

When are they going to start behaving like a grown-up ff plan?

This is a really fast way to lose clients.

Okay, rant over.

I'm curious about what hotel nancy would be
a front desk manager for. She seems to have
such a busy schedule with parties and traveling. It's the CAT in me...

And "curiosity does NOT kill the cat." That's
superstition. CATMAN

BaoBab... sorry you are running into roadblocks to get credit for your flights.
That is an appropriate rant in the cat's
book.

A suggestion: Maybe also put it under a new
topic under Swissair/Aeroplan. There may
be members there to help you. Also this may
be worth a letter to Inside Flyer... They
may be able to guide you. CATMAN

Catman - I did.

Sorry about the double rant. I was THAT angry...

Speaking of RANTS about email to airlines, I have a triple rant with CO. Although the OnePass Service Center answered my email about a new elite level, that is the first answer that I have received from CO this year. Maybe they just do not answer complaint emails. This "Dear Gordon" BS is exactly that. At least CO could change the
form to say "Dear Non-responsive Customer Service". CO may "Work Hard & Fly Right" but so do I, and I AM the Customer.

como esta usted, el hombre gato?

Me amigo Jaws43... Senior Gato esta muy bien!
(My spanish is rusty from not using it since
COllege!) And hopefully by this time tomorrow
I'll will be laid back on a nice beach in Maui! CAN"T WAIT!!!

Getting back on topic... COntinental also has
been slow on responding to me, but I assumed
because I was a lowly One Pass member. But
it's inexcusable for CO to be slow to respond
to Gold's like you. You made CO the soaring
airline that it is now.

Then when they do respond CO responds in duplicate so I have two membership cards, two newsletters, two of everything. Maybe
one's for the Cats!

Maybe with the new Tier you'll get responses
in half the time! CATMAN

Just a new post to get the "Wily Cat" back on track.

Muchas Gracias, Me Amigo Jaws43.

El gato nessicita una vacacion Pronto!
SR. HOMBRE GATO

With this site becoming so-multi lingual,
I thought I would share with you a trick I
MAY try someday to get an upgrade...

QUANTO OMNI FUNKUS MORITATI... "When all else
fails... play dead." (The pledge of the
members of "Possum Lodge" -- from "The New
Red Green Show" -- CBC T-V. I am a member,
no miles or points but a lot of fun!)

Maybe if I play dead at the checkin counter
the nice flight attendant would take pity and
give me an upgrade. Then I'll make a
"miraculous" recovery!

This is my attempt at Friday Humour... And it
is somewhat related to frequent travel so I'm
still on the topic (funny, HUH?) CATMAN

The gate people would recognize, by the cat hair, that you have 9 lives. El Gato, it may work for all of us, but you & Aubie are
doomed.

This is definitely a Buzz-Omni subject:

There are airline frequent flyer program,
frequent guest programs and from The Ruth's
Chris Steakhouse chain, The "Steak House
Club" where frequent diners who show the card
get a bonus (Like desert or a drink or appetizer for free.) ON your birthday they
give you a gift certificate and a piece of
cake with a candle (They DON"T sing "Happy
Birthday" unless you want it.)

There are probably better steakhouses, but
I like this place and the personal attention
I get there.

Also in Toronto: a place THe Ol'Tom really
enjoyed: "The Kit Kat Cafe" (Does NOT have that kind of entertainment guys! Great Italian food, friendly staff and cat memorabila all over. They even have a live Cat as host! Got to meet and greet him!)

THe folks hosting my business trip thought
I would get a kick of "KIT KAT." And I showed
them how to use credit cards to get more
Air Canada Aeroplan or other airline miles.

And I ended up getting miles from KIT KAT
anyway. Charged on AMEX.

The Cat's back in rare form! And Today's
winner of the Emmett_Nancy_Roberto award!
CATMAN