I was flying home on a frequent flyer miles award ticket. My flight into Miami was delayed 2 hours due to mechanical problems. Arrived 8pm, so I missed the last flight home. I was directed to the transfer desk. Offered me a 7am flight. Told them I did not want to get up at 3am to make the flight. Gave me a 12:45pm flight. Told me to arrive 3 hours early. Miami airport looked like a zoo, so I believed him. Gave me a room at the local Radisson,and a ticket for dinner.I asked for a ticket for breakfast and a phone call to my girlfriend to tell her when to pick me up. Both were refused as a matter of policy. I asked to see a supervisor. Was told I had to go upstairs and find someone in grey jacket. Went upstairs. No grey jacket. Three employees later, found a supervisor (not in a grey jacket). He said I shouldn't have had to find him. I agreed. He gave me breakfast and lunch cupons, and a phone call.

Raidson was nice. I made sure to give them my Gold Points number, just in case.

Arrived next morning at 9:30 am. Short lines, of course. Was given bording pass. Said departure time was 11am. I questioned this, since my flight was supposed to leave at 12:45. Was told I would make this one. Got to the gate 20 minutes early, only to hear that volunteers for bumping were being solicited. $250 voucher offered to get on the 12:45 flight! Yes!

I asked about my luggage. They said it would go on the 11am flight and would be there when I arrived. Now my original 12:45 flight, and the 11am flight were both one plane change itineraries. But I knew there was a 1:30pm non-stop flight leaving. I flirted with the gate agent and asked if I could get on that flight. She said yes. Then I asked if I could get an upgrade. She said I was pushing it. I got an old business class seat (no business class on this flight) with cattle class service. Cool.

When I arrived to my destination, my luggage was there. The 12:45 flight was delayed and hadn't arrived yet. But my luggage was waiting for me from the 11am flight. So I got home earlier than I would have on the original itinerary, on a business class seat, on a non-stop flight. Cool.

A few days later I checked my Gold Points acount. Points were posted for my stay (6000, I think). Then, just for fun, I checked my frequent flyer account for this airline. They posted miles for my flight from Miami to home! Remember, I was flying on a frequent flyer mile award ticket.

So, for less than a one day delay, I got a $250 voucher, a more comfortable and direct flight home, a nice stay at the Miami Radisson, Gold Points, and more frequent flyer miles. Not bad.

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The Personal Travel Experience of Gary Steiger - including how to get free frequent flyer miles on the web.
http://home.earthlink.net/~pgary/TravelFrame.html

This is hilarious!

About two years ago I was on WN CRP-HOU-DAL making my weekly commute to see my (now ex)girlfriend and on the HOU-DAL leg I sat next to a very fetching young woman who'd never flown before in her life. Apparently she was from an incredibly small east texas town, had won a church beauty contest, and was going to Dallas for the state finals or something along those lines. She was so nervous about flying that the moment the beverage service started she ordered two non-Baptist-approved drinks. It may have been her first flight but those definitely weren't her first drinks as she took the minis, declined the glass and downed them in quick succession. This did not help when fifteen minutes later we encountered some incredibly bad turbulence. She asked somewhat sheepishly if I minded if she held my hand and I, being sympathetic, said no (the fact that she was stunningly gorgeous had NOTHING to do with it, I swear ). Very shortly I was made to understand just how terrified she was as with the next bump she dug her nails in so hard she drew blood!! Shortly thereafter she said "Oh I think I'm going to throw up!" Fortunately she made it without losing her lunch. As for the hand, she didn't notice until the turbulence had passed and she let go. She was extremely apologetic. I told her not to worry about it but I had one hell of a time explaining THAT to my girlfriend.




[This message has been edited by kanebear (edited 02-06-2002).]

Growing up in the Caribbean during the early 70's we would Island hop to Miami on DC'3. Grand Turk - South Caicos - Providenciales - Inagua - georgetown - Nassau - Miami. At each stop as new passengers would get on they would break out baskets of food - lobster sandwiches, conch fritters, peas'n'rice - one of the adults would always have a bottle of rum and a boombox - one big party with dancing in the aisles all the way to Miami.

After September 11th, this topic is very bittersweet to me... My favorite flight ever occurred last summer flying from SFO to LGA...

Being a mileage runner, of course I didn't want to take a direct flight, so ended up on SFO-IAD-LGA... The IAD-LGA flight was on a United Express CRJ arriving into LGA at around 10 pm...

There were very few people on the flight, and I was in the first row chatting with the flight attendant for most of the flight...

As we approached New York, we ended up for some reason flying almost the whole length of Manhattan... I remember being transfixed as we flew past the World Trade Center, the Chrysler Building, the Empire State Building, the lights of Broadway and Central Park...

I remember thinking at the time just how amazing that flight was... I couldn't believe just how beautiful the view was, and how close we seemed to all of New York... I felt like I could reach out and touch all the buildings as we went by.

When I was waiting for my shuttle bus to the hotel, it turned out that the pilots and flight attendant were also staying at the same hotel and took the shuttle with me...

I still remember sitting in that van chatting with them and telling them that the flight over the city had probably been the most breathtaking flight I'd ever been on... And the pilot told me he always felt the same way flying over Manhattan at night... And the view still took his breath away...

What I wouldn't give to be able to go back in time.....

<sigh>

KevinB

Along those lines, one time a few years back, I took a BOS-LGA shuttle. I was sitting on the right side of the plane. For some reason (never seen that again, and I've been in many, many, many, shuttle flights) for final approach the plane flew southbound over the east river from the Bronx, made a right towards NJ at the base of Battery Park, turned right and northwards over the Hudson, and then made a final right across Manhattan over Columbia University. Since I was on the window right side, I got an incredible aerial tour of Manhattan.

Had a similar experience, but I was the one seated! Couple of years ago, took my wife with me to SIN on BR SFO/TPE/SIN with her on an award ticket. We were seated in my favorite seats in economy deluxe in TPE when someone came in with the same seat as I on his boarding pass. Aha, he said, looks like an upgrade for me. The purser asked if my wife is with me, went away with everyone's boarding passes, then returned and asked my wife and I to go upstairs.....most likely because I was at BR's 2nd elite level, Gold. Later the purser came by our bulkhead seats and gave us each a small gift....which I have not gotten again even on purchased J and F BR flights.

For about a year to a year and a half, I was consistently getting op upgrades on BR on at least one segment per trip to SIN....conditions just right with almost full flights with room for an upgrade. Sometimes got it while boarding, sometimes after being seated, but that was the only time with the other seat occupant standing there.

My wife once had a flight from MSP to MCO on the day of a shuttle launch. The timing was just about right, so I pre-assigned her an "A" (left window) seat. Sure enough, the pilot delayed his landing at MCO just enough to give left-side passengers an excellent airborne view of the launch.

Best memory, PHX-STL in TWA 757 First Class cabin a few year back. As the plane climbed to altitude, I was in a half-sleep state trying to keep my eyes open. Every time I closed my eyes I saw a shadow standing in front of me. When I slowly cracked my eye lids open the shadow disappeared. On the fourth time I made a concious effort to open my eyes quicker and sure enough a FA was standing there with a clip board in her hand. When she asked me if I am the name on the manifest, I thought I was in trouble and went through my normal checklist before answering her. Did I leave something behind? Did TWA leave my baggage back at PHX? Emergency message from home? Some thing blew up at work? etc, etc....

I softly answered yes to my name expecting her to unload some bad news on me. Instead, she said in a loud tone since I was a TWA Platinum member I get first dib on the menu choice and I will be served first. I was proud, happy and sad at the same time because I almost finished my meal before other first class passengers were served. When I got off the plane a passenger behind me ask for my signature because she thought I was a real VIP. Hahahahaha, needless to say, I did not sign my name.

This happened during the time I was consulting at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, AL, which also the cause of my worst trip experience. It was mid-February and that year Huntsville got hit with an ice-storm. My afternoon flight out of Huntsville on Wednesday was cancelled because the airport was closed. No problem I thought, I just rebook myself for the first flight out the next day. Next day (Thursday), called the Platinum line to confirm my seat, checked out of the hotel, returned the rental car (a GMC Jimmy) and walked up to the ticket counter. I was informed the airport is shutdown until further notice. Called the Platinum line and rebook for first flight out on Friday, rented a car (one Geo Metro was all they have, same money for alot less car), and checked back into the hotel. I ate out of the vending machine in the hotel because all the restaurants were closed due to most employees can not get to work. Friday was the same scenarios as Thursday but I got smart and checked in at the airport first before checking out of the hotel and returning the car. The airport was full of people not able to rent a room or a car. Called the Platinum line again and told them to book me out of Nashville on Saturday. Saturday, I drove up to Nashville, 4.5 hours and 90 miles later, I lined up in the first class line for my trip home. Found out I have to fly standby coach since there is no seat left. Got home and found out my baggage was still in Nashville.

Years and years before I ever met my husband, he was flying to MSY. He was seated next to a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader who asked him to help drive her home because she had a broken leg. They ended up dating for a while.

My wife and I flew to Jamaica on a FF reward. Right before leaving for the 1/2 hour ride to the airport we find out the country is having civil unrest. We drive past burning tires, soldiers with M-16's on corners and troop carriers going the other way.

When we checked in at the ticket counter they are offering $600 voucher and a free nights stay. Being the FF people we are we decide that we can get a better deal at the gate. When we asked at the gate the flight attendant said we were CRAZY this was the last flight AA was going to fly, they had cancelled all future flights and all AA flight personnel in Jamaica were flying out on this flight. This is the only time I have ever passed up a voucher!

MINE:

Flying UA from ORD-HNL (going home for Christmas), circa 1986. Sitting in an aisle seat in Y, hoping no one is assigned to the window seat. Wrong. Rather large dude comes down the aisle, carrying all manner of papers, carry-ons, etc. He jams himself into his seat and spills over into mine. The highlight of the flight: during meal service, he points to my dessert and asks, "are you gonna eat that?" Let's just say that I lost my appetite.

MY WIFE'S:

Flying in-country on British Caledonia, circa 1988. The following conversation occurs during the beverage service:

FA: "What would you like to drink?"
Wife: "May I have some water?"
FA: "No."
Wife (confused): "Huh?"
FA: "No."
Wife: "May I ask why?"
FA: "We need all the water we have."

To this day, she doesn't understand what the FA meant.

Leaving Reno a few years ago on a day with very strong winds blowing out of the Sierra. Because of its location, the Reno airport has only one long north-south runway and a very short east-west runway. All commercial flights use the north-south runway under any wind conditions. On this day the winds were very strong setting up a crosswind takeoff. As we are sitting at the end of the runway waiting clearance and being buffeted by the wind the pilot comes on to reassure us that all is OK. He says that they practice these all the time so "we should sit back, relax and pretend we are at Disneyland where we pay for rides like these."

A few years back my wife and I were flying UA Business class, SFO-BOS to see a live performance of Click and Clack, the NPR Car Talk guys. When offered pre-departure drinks, we asked for champagne. As it was served the FA asked if we were celebrating (it was our 20-something anniversary, Honest!!!) and promised to take good care of us. We flew, straight as an arrow, for hours, champagne flowing freely, when we rather abruptly made a turn to the left. The captain came on and announced that due to weather in BOS, we were being diverted to circle over Ithaca, NY for approximately 90 minutes, and he wanted to assure us that we had sufficient fuel onboard to get us to BOS. At that point, the FA tapped me on the shoulder and announced, �Mr. gtaylor, I want to assure you that we also have sufficient champagne onboard to get you to BOS�. She had to borrow some from First, but she did, and even found an extra bottle to take with us.

2 flights qualifying as "parties in the sky":
The "PiP Express" UA LAX-HNL in November '99 and the "Altbier Duesseldorf" UA return flight DUS-ORD in November '00 with auh2o & some other FT friends.