Well, BlondeBomber, now as it turns out you have actually hit on a topic on which I might actually be useful to the board and all of you flyers. I am actually an antitrust attorney--having spent 6 years in the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Dept. of Justice earlier in my career. If anyone would like opinions in this area, I would be happy to weigh in, but don't want to seem like I am just boring everyone. But here's an interesting thought--will the coordinated marketing plans of the various airlines make it easier for them to catch people doing "illegal" back to backs, and other fancy footwork? Just a thought.

Go ahead and share your expertise with us, djlawman - we all learn from one another on this forum.

Matt... I didn't mean to make anyone feel 'valueless'. I'm inclined to think that if one works for the government, oneself, or a small to medium-sized firm, controlling the travel budget is inclined to become important when considering the overall cost of a project. These organisations generally try to plan ahead - buying cheap tickets, but allowing you control of your own social life. On the other hand, if you are working for various big organisations (consulting or otherwise), deadlines become more 'valuable', as your time is charged out at massive rates, and the success/finalisation of the project you are working on assumes a greater financial importance (penalty clauses, etc) You generally have to be in places that the client wants you when the client wants you there - and they are inclined to spring things on you at the last minute. Thus, you are expected to drop everything to get the job done, but this requires fully flexible tickets...

baobab: thanks for your comments. I think you said it all very, very well there.

Djlawman: I recall reading somewhere...can't remember where...that the airline were actually thinking of (when they get the technology and interconnections going) of comparing tickets you bought on one airline against tickets you bought on ANOTHER airline.

Well!

I'm no attorney, but to me, this smacks of aititrust violations in a big way. Believe me, you AIN'T boring no one (bad grammar deliberate)! Please stick around, and maybe you can explain some of this to we, the great unwashed, if it happens.

Thanks, all.

You bet I would be interested in hearing thoughts from an antitrust lawyer on any collusion by airlines to crack down on back to back ticketing across various airlines with respect to antitrust legislation. It is not boring to me (I am not a lawyer but am frequently involved in cases related to environmental matters).

Djlawman, on another post, I brought up the point that I thought if one airline penalized you based on a purchase of a ticket on another competing airline, that would be an illegal action(Microsoft comes to mind! down with Microsoft!!! ;o).

Any comments on back to back ticketing using two competing airlines? If the airlines are reading(I bet they are), I have never ever used the back-to-back technique...nor will I at anytime in the future.

deelmakur: You forgot to mention that those elected representatives are the same ones who keep (or try to keep) civil servants - the folks who do the work - from using their FF status to any kind of personal advantage. All while the elected representatives take advantage of every little thing they can (including hugs from lounge attendants) to feather their own nests. Almost 40 years in this town and I'm sick of the hypocricy (SP?) on Capitol Hill.

djlawman: There's no such thing as a "junior member" here. If you have a question or an opinion, it doesn't matter how many times you've posted before. You're going to get attention. And that's not "the attention you deserve" that's a favorite amoung bureaucrats meaning "you deserve nothing." You'll REALLY get attention.
I do agree, though: The full-fare passenger SHOULD get the upgrade first, even though I may have paid much more in multiple discounted fares.
KatW: You're not a "junior member" either!" In choice of meal, though; Have you ever seen the FA bounce around as though he/she/it was selecting full-fare passengers? I doubt it. They'll usually start at the front or back and go row-to-row. When they've run out of something, they stop offering it. I don't believe they discriminate on the basis of fare actually paid. (Of course, my experience is limited almost exclusively to Delta)
BlondeBomber: Move to Switzerland. It's a fantasmigoric place.
BlondeBomber: I also think that if you do your back-to back-ticketing on one or more airlines, it's not illegal. You're using a scheduling and ticketing system set up by the airline. If you use both tickets, you've done nothing wrong. On the other hand, if you throw one of them away, you might have.

philforest -- Yes! On a couple of United flights when I was paying full-fare first, the FA did bounce about taking meal orders from full-fare-first passengers ahead of others. Or, I assumed that was the case because she stopped early on at my seat (and my 'elite' status is lowly). On other United flights, also at full-freight first, I've not had the same service, however, so the decision to do so seems to be up to the flight crew.

Of course, I always prefer to be treated well (whether I'm flying steerage or Air Force One) but it strikes me as ironic that the airlines have raised to a fine art the definition of a perk! I mean, really!, being grateful for getting one's choice of an entre?!! at first-class fares?!! Oh well, I am one those dopes, it seems!

Cheers,
KatW

KatW: I think that would be enough to make me start looking for another carrier. Maybe it's why I avoid UA.

Okay guys, by popular demand (I think there was at least one request) I will now start a new thread regarding antitrust questions. I will try not to get to technical, and to answer all questions that are posted. Won't even charge by the hour!! (Just continue to pay me by giving your very best FF tips, so I can earn lots of miles, points, awards, etc.) I usually fly US Air (we're outside of PHL), American or Delta, and usually stay at Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt or Intercontinental.

KatW: most airlines instruct flight attendants to make sure important passengers get the entree they want. as you know, with multiple choices of meals, they frequently run out of what you want before you get to order. I know on USAirways they are supposed to ask top tier (Chairman's Preferred) flyers first. I assume full fare falls in the same category. where it comes unstuck is, the F/A's often don't follow the rule.

Perhaps that is why I once had to settle for a vegetarian meal on UA Business. They ran out of everything else. Didn't think it was fair, since my upgrading meant that over the past century I had devoted myself to that airline. I consider that just as important as a buyer who spent more money on a full-fare ticket.

Using a different analogy, perhaps: Who'd get a better treatment: A Rolls-Royce owner who spent 200k on a car or the average Joe who over the past few years bought fifteen Pintos?

...make that *Gold Plated Pintos*

I know this is OMNI - but I have to admit that you guys kill me - this is one of the funniest threads I've read - LOL!!!

TimChen: They asked you if you are an auditor first before they upgrade you. Hum, maybe I should hand my business card out when I check in. (And I alawys thought I got upgraded because I was good looking :-))

Wow, what a combination of topics. I cannot even remember what this one is. As far as meals are concerned, in 1998, I flew over 80,000 miles on AA and was upgraded 90% of the time, almost all domestically. On every single one (isn't this expression redundant, CATMAN?) of those flights, the flight attendants started asking for meal options at the front of the cabin if we were flying west to east or south to north and back to front if we were flying east to west or, you get the picture, north to south. I asked a flight attendant and they told me that it was policy. Only in circumstances where people had ordered special meals, did they sometimes talk to those folks first to confirm those meals. So, the moral of the story is that I I used to request seats acording to the direction that I was flying. These days, I request a special meal and that works out much better. I can sit where I want and I know that I am going to get a good meal. A lady on my flight last week from JFK to SFO was .....ing about not getting the filet and having to eat the chicken. She was one of those withj the manicured nails, the $500 purse, the $1,000 leather carry-on X2, and the fur coat. This was in business class and she even insisted on calling the head flight attendant to voice her displeasure (she should have sat at the back instead of the front of the cabin). The flight attendants were extremely professional, but she still took their names to complain. I offered to defend them, i.e. plead my support to their employers if they needed.