I'm a bit dismayed that Oprah has departed from sappy topics and moved on to substantive and useful ones. I guess I can't stop recording her show now!

About the AA lost ticket fees. You are charged when your ticket is a fully refundable fare, and by the way, the paperwork for this type is extensive. If your ticket was nonrefundable and sent from American's Ticket Delivery Service and you did not receive it, we will reissue with no charge. There is however paperwork and it does take time that we do not always have at the gate. Especially 10 minutes before departure ! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

They make for less waste, less paper, less time at checkin queues, less time to make changes, no stickers that need to be put on paper tickets, etc, etc. Seems to me that that helps everyone.

Maybe, occasionally, when you have to change carriers (which has happened to me once in about 300 flights), paper tickets can be useful.

At all other times, e-tickets are vastly better. In Australia, I can walk up to a Qantas checkin desk, hand them my FF card, hand over any checked baggage, and they give me a boarding pass. No need for rummaging for paper tickets, no need to worry about them taking the coupon for my next sector accidentally, no need to worry about misplacing my ticket, no reissue fees for lost tickets, etc.

To ask your own question: How easy would it be for you to post those numbers here?

American: *727 to connect free to Reservations line.

I had a flight attendant announce that on a delayed flight from LGA to ORD, and suggested that those of us making connections call to get our next segment re-booked.

That's the only time that's happened, I've never seen this number published anywhere, and even the EP's I know haven't heard of this.

Well, I guess the secret's out now http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Sorry, it was a few years ago and I forgot the numbers (otherwise I would have posted).

There was a rumor on the Delta board a while back that Platinum Medallion members (their highest FF level) could swipe their membership card through the phone, dial a special number, and get connected to a Delta reservation agent.

You would think since Skymall calls are typically free, so should be calls to the reservations desks. In both cases they involve us spending money.

Jeff

Is watching Oprah (or admitting that you watch Oprah) really in the spirit of FT? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif I thought that this board represented people with more intellectual and discerning tastes that prefer Rikki Lake or Jerry Springer for their advice. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif I think on Springer they mentioned something about asking the agent for the "secret" seat in the back labelled "occupied" when in use. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/rolleyes.gif It's really comfortable; however, the seatbelts are usually missing. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/tongue.gif

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There's no substitution for a genuine lack of preparation

Peter Greenberg was in Denver this week promoting his book; I heard him on KHOW radio. He says he knows all these "secrets" because he flies 400,000 miles a year. I started figuring how many hours that would be at an average speed of 500 miles per hour, but couldn't decide how to figure in time to/from the airport, boarding, delays, etc.

This guy has been writing "Sunday travel section" articles for years. Sometimes he writes some interesting stuff. But short articles do not make a book and I'd much rather watch Homer Simpson sell Butterfingers than Greenberg peddling his book in front of a TV camera. Do you think this guy lives with his mother?

I agree. I recently had eticket to Europe and stopped in London for a day. The immigration officer there wanted to see my ticket. Fortunately, I had printed an itineary; otherwise, I don't know what would have happened next.

I know you probably didn't expect a response to this, but ... he actually has a really cool house. It was featured in a home design magazine last year (can't remember which one). He had to rebuild after the LA quake and so designed this one using ideas, materials and fixtures he's seen at hotels he's enjoyed around the world. Wood as at a hotel in Thailand, showerhead from hotel in England, etc. Many of his thoughts on travel are questionable - he actually suggests not wearing a seatbelt for takeoff and landing - but they managed to buy him a rather stunning house.

His radio show is really pretty good. He has a lot of current information on pricing and destinations and airline policy