Earlier day of FFp's: remember when...
Aug 17, 2002 | 9:13 pm
#1
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Earlier day of FFp's: remember when...
Remember when:
1) You earned miles based on the class you flew in rather than the fare basis of the ticket? I used to fly DL to Europe and upgrade. It was DL's policy to give me C miles!
2) Minimin miles were 1000 instead of 500 on most carriers.
3) Elite's weren't given upgrade coupons, but they were sold cheap upgrades at the gate, or opperationally upgraded more often.
4) When you could upgrade to from the US to Israel for 40,000 miles.
1) You earned miles based on the class you flew in rather than the fare basis of the ticket? I used to fly DL to Europe and upgrade. It was DL's policy to give me C miles!
2) Minimin miles were 1000 instead of 500 on most carriers.
3) Elite's weren't given upgrade coupons, but they were sold cheap upgrades at the gate, or opperationally upgraded more often.
4) When you could upgrade to from the US to Israel for 40,000 miles.
Aug 17, 2002 | 10:18 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Washington, D.C.
Posts: 306
5. You had to put a sticker on your ticket, or fill out a form, every time you took a flight in order to earn the miles.
6. Pan Am, alone among the major airlines, charged $35 (the equivalent of about $55 today) to join their frequent flyer program, one of the many brilliant management moves that drove customers away and led to Pan Am's demise.
7. If memory serves, I believe it was USAir that held out for a long time against establishing a frequent flyer program. I have a vague memory of cursing out USAir because I had to choice but to fly their airline during that long drought.
6. Pan Am, alone among the major airlines, charged $35 (the equivalent of about $55 today) to join their frequent flyer program, one of the many brilliant management moves that drove customers away and led to Pan Am's demise.
7. If memory serves, I believe it was USAir that held out for a long time against establishing a frequent flyer program. I have a vague memory of cursing out USAir because I had to choice but to fly their airline during that long drought.
Aug 18, 2002 | 12:13 am
#3
Company Representative - Air Canada
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Canada
Posts: 24,224
For those of us up here in Canada:
1) When top tiers can upgrade at time of booking from any fare!
2) We get Class of Service bonus (which count towards status!) on Aeroplan even when we're on an upgraded ticket.
3) Mid tier members (Aeroplan Elite) have no capacity control claiming an award.
4) No change fees changing dates on an award ticket.
Many more...
1) When top tiers can upgrade at time of booking from any fare!
2) We get Class of Service bonus (which count towards status!) on Aeroplan even when we're on an upgraded ticket.
3) Mid tier members (Aeroplan Elite) have no capacity control claiming an award.
4) No change fees changing dates on an award ticket.
Many more...
Aug 18, 2002 | 12:55 am
#4
Join Date: May 1998
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(Continued)
8. When the "partner points" from hotels and rental cars were stickers you put on the form you used to report your flight (and frequently were a percentage of the miles on that flight - so you saved the sticker for the trans-continentals).
9. The Year of the Triple Miles
8. When the "partner points" from hotels and rental cars were stickers you put on the form you used to report your flight (and frequently were a percentage of the miles on that flight - so you saved the sticker for the trans-continentals).
9. The Year of the Triple Miles
Aug 18, 2002 | 2:59 am
#5
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Sydney
Posts: 5,775
Remember when CO went into chapter 11 and a year later gave their gold tier members a FREE ticket to ANYWHERE THEY FLEW!!!!
australia included.
yes they gave a free ticket from oz to ny!!!
Ill never forget it. it was amazing!!!
[This message has been edited by tinkybelle (edited 08-18-2002).]
australia included.
yes they gave a free ticket from oz to ny!!!
Ill never forget it. it was amazing!!!
[This message has been edited by tinkybelle (edited 08-18-2002).]
Aug 18, 2002 | 7:28 am
#6
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10. When they first started switching to computer based systems, and the "hand-written forms" were also in use....
Plenty of double credited airmiles!!!!
(and oh, for the year of TRIPLE MILES)
Best wishes.
Plenty of double credited airmiles!!!!
(and oh, for the year of TRIPLE MILES)
Best wishes.
Aug 18, 2002 | 8:40 am
#7
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10a. When the FF systems and the reservation systems were not connected, so you'd get miles for award travel, even though it wasn't allowed, but since the systems didn't talk to each other, all you had to do was give your FF number at check-in...
Aug 18, 2002 | 8:59 am
#9
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Northern California
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">4) When you could upgrade to from the US to Israel for 40,000 miles.</font>
4. When you could get a first class ticket to Israel (or anywhere on TWA's network) for 50,000 miles and a free upgrade from the cheapest coach to first for your companion or yourself later included!
add:
11. When all awards were anytime awards, with no seat limitations.
ff
[This message has been edited by freakflyer (edited 08-18-2002).]
Aug 18, 2002 | 10:16 am
#10
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: NJ
Posts: 3,343
12. When the programs just began, and some airlines (Western comes to mind) had a policy of moving their FF members to first class if they were overbooked. (Why would anyone want to get an advance seat assignment? 
My first FF trick!) And, as noted before, got FF miles when using a FF award ticket too.
Djlawman
My first FF trick!) And, as noted before, got FF miles when using a FF award ticket too.Djlawman
Aug 18, 2002 | 10:47 am
#11
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">What was the year of triple-miles mania? </font>
During that year two cheap transcons gave me enough miles to fly first intl plus upgrade a companion to first for the lowest coach fare.
Aug 18, 2002 | 10:49 am
#12
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">What was the year of triple-miles mania? </font>
[This message has been edited by Craig6z (edited 08-18-2002).]
Aug 18, 2002 | 11:00 am
#13
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Atlanta, GA, USA
Posts: 331
For the 3x miles, '88 seems to fit my memory, too. I graduated from law school, got my corporate Amex card, hit the ground (or air) running, and the miles started to pile up. Also, Delta still gave the miles for the class you flew, even on upgrades, as listed above - we called it "fusion miles" since you got more out of it than you put into it. I've rarely paid for a personal air ticket since.
[This message has been edited by fcrit (edited 08-18-2002).]
[This message has been edited by fcrit (edited 08-18-2002).]
Aug 18, 2002 | 11:48 am
#14
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Yes, I think it was '88 not '85.
My husband was away at school and I used to fly and meet him on weekends different places during the triple miles year. I was thinking it was '85 because he was away then, but I forgot he was gone in '88 too.
My husband was away at school and I used to fly and meet him on weekends different places during the triple miles year. I was thinking it was '85 because he was away then, but I forgot he was gone in '88 too.
Aug 18, 2002 | 12:47 pm
#15
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Triple miles really added up when you also got the 'elite' bonuses tacked on .....and so a 1K earned 425% of base miles....and since upgrading was relatively easy then, and the computer didn't always "check" to see if you were paid F, instead of upgraded F....
You would very often get class of service bonuses as well!!!
It made ORD-MKE mileage runs worthwhile!!
Best wishes.
You would very often get class of service bonuses as well!!!
It made ORD-MKE mileage runs worthwhile!!
Best wishes.