A Specific Itinerary Help Forum
 

In the past few weeks as a Mileage Run moderator, I've had to close or move several threads where FT'ers (both old & new, but mostly newer) have requested help trying to find low fare options to places that they want to visit. This is not within the scope of the Mileage Run forum - yet users still post it there (despite the announcements & stickies).

Now, most of us on Flyertalk don't ask for this sort of help as we can pretty much do it ourselves, but a lot of us will help out those who make the request (although I'm a firm believer in helping those who help themselves). Currently, those threads are being moved to Travelbuzz instead of closing them flat out, but they don't really seem to belong in Travelbuzz.

I'd like to propose a Specific Itineraries Help Forum (or something of that nature) - where people can comfortably post where they want to go, regardless of carrier, and get a little assistance from the FT community - without breaking the guidlines of the MR forum. I think it'd be a successful forum - there's currently about a post every few days that we have to move & I'm sure many people would actually use that forum since everyone wants to know if they can get a better deal, but due to the T/C's, they don't bother asking. This forum can be used for airlines exclusively, or even Rental Cars with codes or Hotels - however, I think to start, it should be just for airlines.

Just a thought - anyone else's opinions on this?

Before I go through the effort of finding threads that have been moved or threads on FT with requests for help on specific trips, I just wanted to get some feedback - if it's positive & this is something the TalkTeam would consider debating, then I'll provide links to threads.

Such a forum may also be helpful to those planning complex itins but unsure of which alliance to use (eg RTW). Quite often see cross-posting in *A and OW forums for example.

being not so long on FT, i think this would be a great help for some of us. friends of mine ask me very often how to get good fares.

Only speaking for myself here: Sounds like a very good idea to me.

my concern is that with a dedicated forum in which to post the "help me's" that it will turn into a mecca for those who don't want to help themselves. I wouldn't want to have the expectation be that anyone who doesn't want to look for themselves can just post and have another FTer do the work for them.

but as far as i remember, you can see if the member does only take advantage of FT or does give advice to other FTers (maybe check the profile for previous threads posted)
i know i am new at this but if you give - you will recieve. that's how it works. am i wrong?

I wouldn't mind seeing such a help me forum as it's annoying to see Mileage Run clogged with such requests.

However, I probably wouldn't visit the help me forum, whereas I occasionally do help those in the Mileage Run forum who've read the FAQs and still need a little advice.

Another example of this (asked on *A, skyteam, OW)
www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=435283
www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=435282
www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=435281

Such a forum woul be a great idea I think. As said earlier, you chose yourself if you want to help or not. That forum could also be used to maximize planned itineraries? Great idea!

Curious
 

I like to read the mileage run topics. But more and more I am seeing people asking innocent questions and getting nothing but rude responses or, im too good to answer your question, read the stickies. there are more than the "usual" posters that read and reply to questions. but it seems to me that they are dictating what should and should not be on there. i thought that was the moderators job? there really is no place to post questions about how much is this, whats the lowest price you have seen for that etc. other than travel buzz, which is more akin to conversation not itinerary related questions. it should be modeled like MR but for any itin question/comment/price. it is disheartening to be shunned and "flamed" in a way when you first start posting and not use to the way things work. you can read the stickies, but even if you read the instructions, the end product doesnt always look like the picture.

Are you proposing the creation of another forum?

If you'd like to comment on the moderation (or lack thereof) of the Mileage Run forum, please contact the moderators or Randy directly.

the purpose of my post was to explain why i am suggesting a seperate forum. moderators can do whatever they would like. i would just like to see a forum where the questions that get asked in MR would be answered by responses other than those i stated. i think this new forum would be very beneficial to those in MR that complain about non MR posts. kill two birds with one stone.

What would be the incentive for veteran Mileage Runners to visit this forum, other than altruism?

At least keeping it all together increases the probability of a response.

good point. but I thought the same as the OP. we need a place to talk about fares and itineraries.

we had this discussion in another thread

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=427269