EXTREEEmely Flat Tires?
Oct 12, 2019, 3:33 pm
#16
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Location: Chicagoland, IL, USA
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Huh? How does Avios help if you can't find saver availability on its USA-based partners? Just because it works for you from Chicago does not meant it works from every city. There is never saver availability from Los Angeles (where my flights originate) to anywhere I want to fly unless the fares are super-cheap, so I find Avios totally useless for domestic flights. (I have used Avios for flights overseas sometimes.)
Plus increasingly AA's saver awards are only "married segments" connections (no more nonstops), which means paying more Avios (per segment) if BA can even see those "married segments", which apparently they often can't.
Plus increasingly AA's saver awards are only "married segments" connections (no more nonstops), which means paying more Avios (per segment) if BA can even see those "married segments", which apparently they often can't.
But it’s often an option over paying $400 for some walkup WN fare. And if Avios do not work, start checking all the legacies and Alaska and Jetblue and Frontier and wherever else you have or can get points.
Avios are ALWAYS per segment. You take the mileage of each segment, check the chart, and start adding. Which means they normally suck for flights with a change.
And yeah, BA website is a joke and is flaky. But not always. I just priced out about 6 flights on Avios last night.
Oct 12, 2019, 4:39 pm
#17
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Location: DCA
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It's things like this that make airlines tighten up their rules to prevent future abuse, forcing the rest of us to ultimately pay the price (and then of course complain endlessly on FT about the negative changes).
Hardly any airlines offer bereavement fares any more. Guess why.
Hardly any airlines offer bereavement fares any more. Guess why.
WN instituted the T-10 rule for WGA fares because of the gamesplaying. Then, it instituted the agressive cancellation of duplicate tickets because of the gamesplaying.
Flat tire won't be far behind. Because of the gamesplaying.
Oct 12, 2019, 4:59 pm
#18
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Out of curiosity, I just searched for AA availability on ExpertFlyer for the last two LAX-SJC flights for the next week. Availability on one or both flights tonight (Sat) and Tue/Wed/Thu.
Oct 12, 2019, 7:14 pm
#20
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Oct 13, 2019, 2:35 am
#22
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Posts: 3,360
Although you didn't outright say it your initial post, the way you wrote your question ("*cough*much*cough* later flight") implied that you might be planning on being less than honest when you arrived at the airport 6 hours late.
If I completely misread your intent and you are planning on being 100% honest when you talk to the Southwest ticket agent, I apologize for bringing up the fraud issue.
That said, I do not apologize for pointing out potentially fraudulent activity. And as I noted, fraud that isn't prosecuted is still fraud.
Oct 13, 2019, 9:05 am
#23
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
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I needed a last minute trip from SF to PHX. OAK was cheaper than SFO because it was just barely less than 650 air miles. SFO to PHX is 651 air miles. I chose OAK and got a $500 round trip for about $100 worth of points.
Oct 13, 2019, 10:24 am
#24
Join Date: May 2016
Location: ATL
Programs: DL GM, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 1,240
I wonder if there were time for the hypothetical travel to go to the airport earlier in the day, could they try going to the ticket counter, explaining their situation, and seeing if they can get a free same day change to a later flight. I know the A list standby benefit only applies to earlier flights, but WN staff also seem to have a lot of leeway to make 1-time exceptions for other circumstances, I don’t know if that applies here. (Plus even though it’s a standby benefit, in my experience, as long as the earlier flight has space, it works out as a same day confirmed change. I don’t know if we’ve had any reports though of people trying to use the A list standby benefit for a later flight).
Though if trying this out, this hypothetical person perhaps might want to purchase a refundable ticket on another airline in case the answer is no.
Though if trying this out, this hypothetical person perhaps might want to purchase a refundable ticket on another airline in case the answer is no.
Oct 13, 2019, 4:18 pm
#25
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: SNA
Programs: Bonvoy LTTE/AMB, AmEx Plat, National EE, WN A-List, CLEAR+, Covid-19
Posts: 4,963
- "Hey, my tires were flat for 7 hours, and I couldn't get here any sooner, can I get a free change?" (this in the day of AAA, smartphone-hailable cabs and even $2.50 rides on the VTA)
- "Ha, you're funny. Change fee is ~$291, will that be Visa or AmEx?"
The reason I'd brought up the "flat-tire rule" (which I thought was (also) called "<mumblesomething>-290" or thereabouts and was some mandated rule) was that's a provision for when you miss your original flight, and yes, while my intent was to get an idea from FT how long that "miss" could entail on a WGA (as I'm sure someone here has tried it before), the words "flat" nor "tire" were ever going to come up in discussion at the counter. (As far as the "winks" and such, this is my actual name, so ....)
(ETA: "flat tire" here being a generic euphemism for "reasons beyond my control")
That being said, I'm still glad I asked the question, as I have a bunch of miles on other carriers I need to burn anyway and this thread jogged that memory.
(... and FWIW, I think I'm just going to bail on the trip after all)
Oct 14, 2019, 6:39 am
#26
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As described by OP, it is fraud (either wire or mail or both).
As the poster and you note, it is extraordinarily unlikely to be prosecuted.
But, there is a vast difference between appearing and invoking the "flat tire" policy and making a truthful request. E.g., OP says he has a meeting.
1. "I got stuck in an elevator" False, but maybe flat.
2. "I went to a meeting very important to me, can you help?" - True and a request for a waiver.
As the poster and you note, it is extraordinarily unlikely to be prosecuted.
But, there is a vast difference between appearing and invoking the "flat tire" policy and making a truthful request. E.g., OP says he has a meeting.
1. "I got stuck in an elevator" False, but maybe flat.
2. "I went to a meeting very important to me, can you help?" - True and a request for a waiver.
It's just a plea for leniency from the airline. One that is granted less as the relationship between airlines and their passengers has become increasingly adversarial in the past 15-20 years.
Oct 14, 2019, 6:57 am
#27
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
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Oct 14, 2019, 5:17 pm
#28
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Huh. So UA will let me go for 10K and $55 ... I'm actually UA Silver due to being LT Titanium with Marriott (which means nothing out of SFO), but are there any caveats to this? I don't want to book it just yet 'cause I suspect that $55 is lost and gone forever if I need to change anything but as I need/want to go on Weds, any caveats to waiting 'till day-of and hoping it's still there? I won't be checking a bag, either.
Oct 14, 2019, 7:05 pm
#29
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I took another look at the fare rules and restrictions for that UA flight ... $50 'cause I'm "close in" on an award res, $100 change fee, $125 to put my points back if I no-show, and some yet-to-be-named fee if I'd had to check a bag ... wow.
... now I remember why I fly WN
... now I remember why I fly WN
Oct 15, 2019, 7:23 am
#30
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Wait...what? 
10k UA + $55 is substantially less expensive than 23k WN. Since this is short notice, I would hope the redeposit/change fees are moot. You book it, you're flying it. Business trip, so I'm guessing no bags, but UA Silver allows you to check one if you need it.
I like WN too, but this sounds like a case where you should be glad you flew enough UA to at least have 10,000 miles available to you. The ability to book close-in is *sometimes* an advantage that the legacies have, whether with miles or cash.
Disclaimer: I have never been a sole proprietor or owner of a business that involved travel and have no idea what the tax implications are of using points/miles on a business trip. It might actually be better to book a paid trip...
10k UA + $55 is substantially less expensive than 23k WN. Since this is short notice, I would hope the redeposit/change fees are moot. You book it, you're flying it. Business trip, so I'm guessing no bags, but UA Silver allows you to check one if you need it.I like WN too, but this sounds like a case where you should be glad you flew enough UA to at least have 10,000 miles available to you. The ability to book close-in is *sometimes* an advantage that the legacies have, whether with miles or cash.
Disclaimer: I have never been a sole proprietor or owner of a business that involved travel and have no idea what the tax implications are of using points/miles on a business trip. It might actually be better to book a paid trip...