Was just wondering on NW if you purchase two seats on the same flight (e.g. one for yourself, one for your cello) if you can accrue double mileage for that flight in your WP account?

I know that you CAN set-up a WP account for your cello, and you could each accrue miles, but what if you want the miles in your account- I mean it isn't like the cello is an individual... like a child...

What about larger people who buy two seats so that they are comfortable- do they get double mileage or do they have to have an account for Mr. Large Man and Mr. Large Man 2nd half???

I believe that you get double the RDM, but not the EQM and that it has to be manually added.

See many other threads. The cello's name is on the PNR, the cello gets the EQMs/RDMs. I presume there's a special desk at NW WP, just for keeping ahead of any trouble, related to people traveling with cellos, guiters, etc, of especially high value. The good news is, I presume you're managing the cello's account, so figure that the cello can be very good to you, when it comes time to redeem those miles!

[edit] I presumed double-RDM was for "convienence seats". Then again, haven't you always wanted to introduce "my cello, the Plat"?!

Steve B.

What if the cello got an upgrade but you didn't?
Could the cello sit in an exit row seat?

No -- it has to be willing and able to assist in case of an emergency <lol>

(plus it could be an obstacle.)

Bob H

Cellos can get upgrades, if they have their own WP account. However, my question is whether the cellist, that would be me can accrue miles for purchasing two seats on a flight, be it for my cello or any other reason I might want to purchase two seats on the same flight- for example I might want room to stretch out for a flight to Europe but I don't want to spring for business.

The cello is only allowed to "sit" in a bulkhead seat

Here is the Northwest Policy:
Northwest requires purchase of an additional seat and advance arrangements for carriage of musical instruments as cabin-seat luggage. Northwest must assign the instrument bulkhead seating behind a hard/rigid divider to comply with FAA safety regulations. See Carry-on Luggage for all the conditions of acceptance of cabin-seat luggage

General concensus seems to be that you get the RDM, yet you might have to fax/etc to get the credit. I suspect if you travel enough, you'll get to know the cellist desk at NW real well...

That answers my unasked question about safety, yet does bring up something interesting...

If NW is required to seat the cello in a bulkhead seat with rigid divider, in almost all the circumstance I can think of, the cello is going in row 1... even if you get stuck in Y. I can't remember a single Y bulkhead seat that is not an emergency exit, or has a soft-divider, except the middle-row of two-aisle planes.

BTW, look up "cabin-seat luggage" on Google, and guess what the first result is:

http://www.cello.org/Newsletter/Articles/flying.html



Steve B.

You forgot to mention "No strings attached"

I often travel with a friend who, when we're not flying first or business class, buys a second seat so she has somewhere to put her legs and generally stretch out a bit. She's done it on NW, AF and KL. They have all insisted that she will only get miles for one seat. The second seat is cheaper to buy, though: some of the taxes and fees are assessed per passenger rather than per seat, and she only has to pay those once.

Theairbus has a rigid divider between 5 and 4.

All of them, just one type, etc? I can say that I was on an A319 or A320 that had a soft-bulkhead between 4 and 5. Now that you mention it, I seem to remember being on one with a hard-divider, just don't remember when/where/etc.

Steve B.

Let me make my actual query a little more obvious. If I wanted to do a mileage run- I could accrue double miles but not EQMs by booking two tickets on the same flight and bringing along my cello case? Or would I even need the case? Could I just book two tickets? Would I book two tickets on the same flight with my name and WP #?

You can certainly book a second seat for yourself, even without a cello to put in it. Customers of Size are required to do so, in fact.

As for the earning of points, the rules vary depending on the carrier.

That would make mileage runs a LOT better. @:-) When you find an amazing deal, get as many seats as there are available at that price or as many as you need and just fly once. I really doubt it works that way though.

It would be nice though. If you do buy and fly the other tickets, where's the problem? It is you flying, after all.

It would be nice, but alas from the WP T&C's...:

"An individual member may earn miles only once and in one frequent flyer program for the entire itinerary. Miles will not be awarded for extra seats purchased by such member for any reason."