Plus the QF LTG gives you lounge access on domestic AA flights.

Great trip report NM. Things can only get better as an EXP!! You may find yourself flying more in AA F wit those eVIPs, though do beware that they only now apparently only allow using eVIPs on AA issued tickets.

Well this is a picture of our 18 month old in a Skybed seat LHR-HKG :

http://static.flickr.com/56/167363112_2ffc764f48.jpg

Indeed that is a good and worthy benefit from my years of QF earning .

Yes, that could be a problem for me. Our corporate TA will only issue a DONE4 on AA stick if the first international segment is booked on AA code. So I either need to go trans-Pacific eastbound (yuck) or find a north-bound AA codeshare (not sure if any exist). Otherwise I have to find an excuse to re-issue the ticket using AA.

Adorable! I think last time I saw a picture you posted, she was a year younger and in the AA Flagship Lounge in LA. (hope I didn't get that wrong.)

BNE-AKL on AA7353 or AA7303 (code share on QF) and then AKL-HKG on CX. AA7353 & AA7303 are listed in the AA pdf timetable I downloaded a few minutes ago. Just need to convince the TA to book the AA codeshare.

Aw, what a sweet little mileage runner!

I guess that is an option, so long as I meet the rules for booking the codeshare. It is possible it can only be booked in conjunction with an AA trans-pacific fare. I wonder if the AA codeshare on CX LAX-HKG would meet the criteria.

The TA will book it if it is bookable. But I may need some further justification for going to AKL. Better find a business meeting over there. Kiwi Flyer, surely there is a business need for us to test a few Macs?

Correct - and there is a photo of her in the FL this year (May 26) - quite interesting to compare.

Sorry for hijacking your thread NM.

NM

Thanks for taking the time and energy to write a great trip report and spur those of us beholden (not by choice) to QFF and who are wavering about the candy stealing exercise. Though not all of us have the comfort of a LTG backup!!

NM, finally I have got around to reading your thread - playing nurse today to Mrs QF WP.

goback, waiver no more, the trickle is becoming a steady stream. I'm glad that I've done it. In fact it was meeting alect at LAX and hearing how he jumped that made me interested and Dave Noble who eventually convinced me to jump the fence.

I should get my AA Platinum Challenge finished next week with back to back BNE/SYD/BNE and BNE/MEL/BNE (in J). Then I'll be crediting everything for the rest of 2006 to AA (to try and re-qual at least Gold for 2007).

I'll only credit flights to QF in order to gain my LTS in early 2007 (130 SC's), so that I should have LTS by my next QF anniversary (28 Feb). Thereafter, everything will then be credited to AA, to maximise my earn/burn ratio. Lifetime Gold and Platinum, here I come.

Of course there is. There's a meeting 28-30 July already but I'm sure we can pencil some more testing.

Hmm, I have a meeting on 27th July in San Diego, but will be attending via conference call. Other than that, July is an unlikely time (for a Queendlander to be in Auckland ). It would take me a few weeks to thaw out! More likely to target later in the year - say October.

Looks like I'll be doing some more travel for work in Italy later this year and again next year so I'll be signing up closer to then.
The advantage (no pun intended) that both NM and you have is the LTG/LTS as your back up. I suppose I can look on my QP life membership as a sort of backup as well. It certainly saved me from total humiliation when I was busted back to PS last year.
As an aside, can one do the challenge every second year?

Shame that it is by conference call, as we have a nice group of FTers in San Diego always ready to get together to welcome an FT visitor.