A Lansing, MI NW Flyer with a Heart of Gold
Dec 22, 2005, 6:20 am
#1
Suspended
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 225
A Lansing, MI NW Flyer with a Heart of Gold
One good way to use 125,000 FF miles. - elliscm
http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art...0349/1016/news
Published December 22, 2005
[ From the Lansing State Journal ]
Schneider: Frequent flier's kindness earns bonus points
After polling her fellow airline agents, Maria Rozell called what happened at her ticket counter one morning this week "the best Christmas story of our collective years of working for the airlines."
That's a lot of years. Rozell alone has 16. She's a customer service agent for Northwest Airlines at Lansing's Capital City Airport.
Rozell, who lives in Okemos, was at the boarding gate Monday morning for Flight 1692 to Detroit.
There was a problem with a ticket held by a woman who was on her way to Atlanta to visit her critically ill sister.
It seems that the buyer of the ticket - the husband of the sick woman - was not available to verify the credit card transaction. So, the woman had neither a ticket nor the means to buy one.
As Rozell was trying to figure out how to help the woman get to Atlanta, a well-dressed, executive type bellied up to the counter. He had missed his plane, he growled, after being pulled over for speeding on his way to the airport.
Rozell assured the man that he would have her full attention AFTER she took care of the woman trying to get to Atlanta.
"By this time she was in tears," Rozell wrote in an e-mail to me.
Noble gesture
Well, to paraphrase Dr. Seuss, the folks at the ticket counter say that the businessman's heart grew three sizes that day.
Overhearing the conversation, the man stepped forward and offered to use his frequent-flier points and buy the woman a round-trip ticket to Atlanta.
"We were stunned," Rozell said.
Following a group hug, Rozell went about pulling the strings that would allow the unorthodox transaction.
Normally, frequent-flier points are not usable for short-notice holiday travel. But Rozell got to the right person in the right department and unleashed her powers of persuasion. Soon it was a done deal.
Meanwhile, the woman going to Atlanta explained that she planned to drive her sister's four children - age 8 and under - back to Lansing.
Again overhearing the conversation, the man with the big heart said he didn't like the idea of one woman driving all that way, in potentially bad weather, with four children.
He offered more of his frequent-flier points to buy the kids tickets, too.
After the woman accepted, the man said that if his points were insufficient to cover the tickets, he would make up the difference in cash.
"We were awed by the man's generosity," Rozell said.
When all was said and done, the man used up 125,000 frequent-flier points - enough to buy five round-trip tickets to anywhere in the United States.
Fateful stop
Something to consider: If the man with the points hadn't been stopped for speeding on his way to the airport, he would have been on the 8:30 a.m. flight to Detroit, oblivious to the troubles of the woman with a sick sister and a unverified ticket.
As it turned out, he took the noon flight to Detroit, sitting right across the aisle from the woman bound for Atlanta.
"I would love to have been a fly on the wall of the plane," Rozell said.
The man, who lives in East Lansing and was on his way to Kansas City, declined to be identified. Citing privacy issues, Rozell withheld the name of the woman involved.
Said Rozell: "I get goose bumps every time I tell this story."
http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art...0349/1016/news
Published December 22, 2005
[ From the Lansing State Journal ]
Schneider: Frequent flier's kindness earns bonus points
After polling her fellow airline agents, Maria Rozell called what happened at her ticket counter one morning this week "the best Christmas story of our collective years of working for the airlines."
That's a lot of years. Rozell alone has 16. She's a customer service agent for Northwest Airlines at Lansing's Capital City Airport.
Rozell, who lives in Okemos, was at the boarding gate Monday morning for Flight 1692 to Detroit.
There was a problem with a ticket held by a woman who was on her way to Atlanta to visit her critically ill sister.
It seems that the buyer of the ticket - the husband of the sick woman - was not available to verify the credit card transaction. So, the woman had neither a ticket nor the means to buy one.
As Rozell was trying to figure out how to help the woman get to Atlanta, a well-dressed, executive type bellied up to the counter. He had missed his plane, he growled, after being pulled over for speeding on his way to the airport.
Rozell assured the man that he would have her full attention AFTER she took care of the woman trying to get to Atlanta.
"By this time she was in tears," Rozell wrote in an e-mail to me.
Noble gesture
Well, to paraphrase Dr. Seuss, the folks at the ticket counter say that the businessman's heart grew three sizes that day.
Overhearing the conversation, the man stepped forward and offered to use his frequent-flier points and buy the woman a round-trip ticket to Atlanta.
"We were stunned," Rozell said.
Following a group hug, Rozell went about pulling the strings that would allow the unorthodox transaction.
Normally, frequent-flier points are not usable for short-notice holiday travel. But Rozell got to the right person in the right department and unleashed her powers of persuasion. Soon it was a done deal.
Meanwhile, the woman going to Atlanta explained that she planned to drive her sister's four children - age 8 and under - back to Lansing.
Again overhearing the conversation, the man with the big heart said he didn't like the idea of one woman driving all that way, in potentially bad weather, with four children.
He offered more of his frequent-flier points to buy the kids tickets, too.
After the woman accepted, the man said that if his points were insufficient to cover the tickets, he would make up the difference in cash.
"We were awed by the man's generosity," Rozell said.
When all was said and done, the man used up 125,000 frequent-flier points - enough to buy five round-trip tickets to anywhere in the United States.
Fateful stop
Something to consider: If the man with the points hadn't been stopped for speeding on his way to the airport, he would have been on the 8:30 a.m. flight to Detroit, oblivious to the troubles of the woman with a sick sister and a unverified ticket.
As it turned out, he took the noon flight to Detroit, sitting right across the aisle from the woman bound for Atlanta.
"I would love to have been a fly on the wall of the plane," Rozell said.
The man, who lives in East Lansing and was on his way to Kansas City, declined to be identified. Citing privacy issues, Rozell withheld the name of the woman involved.
Said Rozell: "I get goose bumps every time I tell this story."
Dec 22, 2005, 6:28 am
#2
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: YSC (and all its regularly scheduled flights)
Posts: 2,514
I agree completely - top points to the anonymous businessman. A great story.
But...
Unfortunately, negative several million points for this bogus policy (which I know has been discussed extensively on FT). If the agent could jump through hoops and bend rules to issue many FF tickets, why not do it for the credit card?
But...
Originally Posted by elliscm
There was a problem with a ticket held by a woman who was on her way to Atlanta to visit her critically ill sister.
It seems that the buyer of the ticket - the husband of the sick woman - was not available to verify the credit card transaction. So, the woman had neither a ticket nor the means to buy one.
It seems that the buyer of the ticket - the husband of the sick woman - was not available to verify the credit card transaction. So, the woman had neither a ticket nor the means to buy one.
Dec 22, 2005, 6:29 am
#3
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 3,106
Now that was a great use of frequent flyer miles!
I wonder how many people here have done things so generous?
The most I've ever done is bumped a random stranger up via a companion upgrade (way back when they didn't have to be on the same PNR) or I remember sending somebody else up when my girlfriend didn't want to take my upgraded seat. But my tiny gestures didn't involve any miles. That guy certainly had a lot of heart.
I wonder how many people here have done things so generous?
The most I've ever done is bumped a random stranger up via a companion upgrade (way back when they didn't have to be on the same PNR) or I remember sending somebody else up when my girlfriend didn't want to take my upgraded seat. But my tiny gestures didn't involve any miles. That guy certainly had a lot of heart.
Dec 22, 2005, 6:58 am
#4
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Doha, Qatar
Programs: TK Gold, Etihad Gold, Hyatt Diamond, Hilton Gold, IHG Gold.
Posts: 798
Very Touching Story. Great use of frequent flier miles during the holidays!
Sincerely,
Timo
Sincerely,
Timo
Dec 22, 2005, 7:11 am
#5
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Spencer Iowa USA
Programs: Long Live NWA Silver Elite,Delta Silver Medallion
Posts: 604
Who Says...
There are no angels among us? We all have capacity to do wonderous things. God bless our fellow frequent flyer.
Blessings of the season to all.
Michael
Blessings of the season to all.
Michael
Originally Posted by timo469
Very Touching Story. Great use of frequent flier miles during the holidays!
Sincerely,
Timo
Sincerely,
Timo
Dec 22, 2005, 9:25 am
#6
Join Date: May 2003
Location: New York, NY
Programs: DL Plat
Posts: 83
what a great gesture...this is a great story!
Dec 22, 2005, 10:25 am
#7
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: GRB, MKE, ATW
Programs: DL DM & MM, Hilton Diamond, IC Plt Amb , Marriott LTP, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 570
Kudos to the East Lansing Businessman for his generosity. I am sure that this happens from time to time, but does not get recognized publically like this. Good to know there are still these kind of people out there. ^
Dec 22, 2005, 4:15 pm
#8
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Ann Arbor
Programs: HHonors Gold , National Emerald Exec, Hertz Presidents, Delta Gold
Posts: 2,604
Originally Posted by DJMeatBall
The most I've ever done is bumped a random stranger up via a companion upgrade (way back when they didn't have to be on the same PNR)
And DJ, the same PNR is only necessary for EUAs, not gate upgrades. I haven't had the opportunity to UG anyone yet, due to F being full since I became Gold, but I guarantee I will every time there is space.
Jan 15, 2006, 4:37 pm
#9
Join Date: Jan 2006
Programs: Skyteam
Posts: 5,759
what a great story. Kudos to you! I live near Lansing and the people at the LAN has great customer service too.
Jan 15, 2006, 10:59 pm
#10
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Michigan
Posts: 528
Originally Posted by skchin
what a great story. Kudos to you! I live near Lansing and the people at the LAN has great customer service too.
Jan 16, 2006, 5:31 pm
#11
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: DFW
Programs: Marriott Life Titanium, Hilton Diamond, United Silver, DL, IHG Plat, etc.
Posts: 2,888
Maybe I'm off base but I have to ask - why so many miles for a domestic ticket? If they were pulling strings you would think that they would have been able to get a more reasonable redemption.
Jan 16, 2006, 5:37 pm
#12
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: PHL
Programs: Marriott LTT, Amtrak Select, Hertz 5*, AA Gold, IHG Plat, National Exec
Posts: 1,312
Originally Posted by wonderer
After 9/11, Lansing being a capitol city, was more than a little goofy with security, but after things settled down, it became my favorite again.
Jan 16, 2006, 5:44 pm
#13
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: RDU
Programs: DL, Mariott Rewards
Posts: 104
It was for 5 domestic round trip tickets, I agree that its a lot of miles, but I dont think they can pull that many strings. Kudos to the FF with the gift of miles!