Sheryl&CA; here goes. I might not get the yrs correct but the imfo is. A couple of yrs ago I believe till '98 one was able to cash in 30,000 miles for a 50% off tkt, I was a red card then(top tier then)so I got 100% bonus miles.I originate overseas and always fly into LA which gave me over 16,000 actual miles so not only did I get 50% off I ended up with more miles than I used(it could red card was 50%bonus)So in the winter with the 747's always empty I flew coach and was 99% of the time to and from the US given a middle row to myself(of course I was friendly with the TA's and ground staff that made sure if the plane wasnt full that I got my row to sleep(it was better than 1st or BUS. However once TWA started with tracking the $$$$ they flaged my acct(so a rep told me) and little by little they got rid of some awards and raised others. It used to be for $80 more I was able to tkt in 'B' so an upgd cost only 20,000 instead of 40,000 INTL. TWA changed this to where it was closer to $1000 diff. Then they started a different section to the MidEast at higher miles. Last yr they went from 20/40 on ups to 40/50 to make sure what I did couldn't be done again. For '99 I figured I'd fly with Global tkts and upgd them that was good till May on 4 different tickets then TW without warning said no more doing that and downgraded me without telling me they said if I paid them the discount Global gave me I can upgd.Only prob was once they downgraded me the seat was given to someone on the waitlist I guess paying full-fare since there weren't any seats at all in 1st. So began the war bet me and TWA which got hairy to say the lest. According to Global(LF) twa was to up me but they wont step in TWA says any and all LF tkts are not published fares yet LF can only sell published fares so the see-saw went on&on. In one instance I was thrown off the flight by the capt for a remark I had made to the FSM, who on a previous flight 2 weeks before was not so pleasent to me and went to the ground supervisor of the day to report me which the ground super. a friend just laughed off and told me what she had done(the reason for my remarks to her on the flight i was put off of) Long story I had the police come to take me offv since I wanted to make sure I would get a refund if I didnt fly since it was my decission not to fly. My agent sent the tkt back to LF who in turn sent it on to TW,TW said no refund and confiscated the tkt LF told my CC its my loss,I told my CC if LF knew the tkt was NOT REFUNDEABLE and for a fee of $75 I could have rebooked the loo should be LF's for sending it to TW and not telling me or you it can be reused. As far as I know LF hasn't recharged me since it was their negilence that it was confiscated. So needless to say you know where in my opion both TW and LF can GO.I'm sure they have the same opion about me too.

CA you said TW is suppose to treat LF tkts as if its their own THEY DON'T. Ive seen where if people were even 1 lb overweight they were going to charge them the rep said next time don't buy a LF tkt. When it came to volunteers for bumping even if you were 1st they said yours would be the last used. Since I knew most of the people I wasnt treated badly but I know many who were all being told next time dont buy a LF tkt and you will have no probs. The only place I had some probs were @ LAX. One way around some of that is to have a reg travel agent book your flights and then LF takes it over to issue it this way the computer record doesnt show it as a LF tkt they have to dig down you still get the reg% off and your agent makes a few $$$. Also I was and still remain a Platinum but free ups aren't suppose to be given to you!!! TW didnt give them to me a few times on dom tkts but usually if its open @ the airport theyll up you cause they dont know not to.

Craz - WOW, those are some wild stories you have had with TWA. All I can tell you is, my experiences have been exactly the opposite.

In the past 3 years, I have been denied a free upgrade to FC *ONE* time and that was only the return from JFK-SFO. Also, almost all my flights are Lowestfare tickets. I have never been singled out because of it, either.

You mentioned being called last on the list if you are bumped but this just happened to me on a flight from STL-CDG and not only was I given a Systemwide voucher for a free trip anywhere they fly but we were quickly put on a UAL flight to IAD and sent on to Paris arriving only 3 hours later than our original TWA flight.

I just can't complain about anything related to TWA. When I buy a $342 RT ticket from SFO to LGW and use 40,000 miles to upgrade to TW ONE and I CANNOT be denied the upgrade with my Platinum status, it just doesn't get any better. And nobody from TWA has ever tried to deny me based on LF tickets.

I requalified for Platinum status at the end of 1999 having only spent $5,400 for the entire year. Not bad at all.

I don't understand why an airline would need sophisticated software to weed out those who achieve elite status through low fares. Would it not just suffice to insert a rule which would exclude certain fare classes from counting as base miles or even, as BA do for their UK Exec club members, exclude them from mileage earning altogether?

Such practices are far from unknown in European programmes, which are often less generous than their US counterparts.

CA, your points are amazing maybe the prob I had back in June changed things when TW told LF they were keeping the tkt etc. However, 1) why TW put you on to another carrier is beyond me the tkts from LF usually have printed on them "TWA ONLY"!!! did you go coach since ups aren't transferable or the agent just didn't know what they doing. Back in sept I volunteered on a flight to SEA they didn't take me since the people had to go to San Diego on a different carrier and than switch again to fly up to SEA and my LF tkt had printed on it TWA only.
As for not being able to deny you an up cause your Plat. again many times the Plat desk told me NO!!!UPS!!!on LF tkts!!!! Yes most of the time I too was uped but the rule is NO UPS. Those LF tkts are in a twilight zone when at times things go smooth at other times TW sticks to the rules as they see fit, LF will tell you that you are entitled but won't go to bat for you. LF issues the tkt in coach then you must go to TW to get it reissued thats where the probs start.TW says once a tkt is to be reissued they are free to do as they please since according to the contract w/LF they arent to touch the tkts and LF doesnt want anything to do with the uping. I would be interested in knowing how you pull it off but for your sake e-mail me so if anyone from TW is reading these you won't endanger yourself.
Yes LF's earn miles etc but TW looks down upon them,and the whole episode i encountered left a very bad taste in my mouth for TWA thats why I will use my miles up this yr while still a Plat. Yes i must travel in coach to europe from where im based but its a small price to pay and i feel a worth while one at that. I would love to see TW go down for the count except over the past 15 yrs I met alot of people FA'S etc that I wouldnt want to see out of a job and pension. At least bet Europe & the states im in business and 1st class while in the states.