Issue #107  --  Aug. 17, 2000

<< O N S I T E >>

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FrequentFlier Forum Topics
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As always, there's plenty of activity on the Forum...

Ronald notes that August 19 is the deadline for redeeming 2500 Greenpoints for 500 American AAdvantage miles. (Thereafter you'll still be able to redeem for Alaska and Delta miles.) Hannah wants to know whether her AeroMexico elite benefits can be used on Delta flights. Graham is looking for miles for selling his home and purchasing a new one.

Do you have questions? Do you have answers? Post them to the Forum!

>> More <<
The FrequentFlier Forum

<< M I L E S >>

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TWA Launches Aviators ShopSmart
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Members of TWA's Aviators program can now earn miles-for-purchases at any of 20 on- and offline merchants, including Eddie Bauer, Sharper Image, Magellan's, and Spiegel. Earnings range from 1 to 5 miles per dollar spent.

To participate in ShopSmart, Aviators members register up to 3 credit cards, after which any charges at network merchants automatically earn miles.

Both United and Delta have similar programs in place. (Note, though, that you can only register any given card with 1 program... thereby preventing mileage accumulation for the same purchase in more than 1 program.)

>> More <<
o Delta SkyMiles Shopping
o TWA Aviators ShopSmart
o United Mileage Plus Shopping

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Delta Doubles Miles for Mexico Flights
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Beginning September 1, 2000, you can earn double miles for flights on the new Delta Connection routes to Mexico from Atlanta and Dallas/Ft. Worth. To qualify for the bonus, purchase and fly on an Economy Class ticket on the routes listed below between September 1 and November 30, 2000.

 -- Atlanta, GA (ATL) to Monterrey, Mexico (MTY)
 -- Dallas, TX (DFW) to Puebla, Mexico (PBC)
 -- Dallas, TX (DFW) to Mexico City, Mexico (MEX)
 -- Dallas, TX (DFW) to Monterrey, Mexico (MTY)

Before you originate travel, you must enroll by calling 1-888-558-3358. Enter your SkyMiles membership number and code 4444 when prompted.

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Delta

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Triple Miles for Beverly Hilton Stays
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Stay at The Beverly Hilton hotel between September 5 and December 30, 2000, to earn triple miles with Alaska Airlines, British Airways, Continental, Delta, Northwest, TWA, United, US Airways or Virgin Atlantic when you use the American Express Card to pay for your stay.

Southwest Rapid Rewards Members earn 1.5 Rapid Rewards credit (instead of the standard half credit per qualifying stay).

>> More <<
Hilton

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Earn Double Aviators Miles for LAX - DCA Flights
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To promote the launch of its new Los Angeles - Washington, D.C. flights, TWA is offering double Aviators miles on all flights originating or terminating at either Los Angeles (LAX) or Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) between September 10 and November 30.

>> More <<
Aviators members must register for the promotion at the TWA website or call the Aviators desk at 1-800-325-4815 and enter promotional code 85101.

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San Diego Ralphs Awards WebMiles for Purchases
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Ralphs' 28 store locations in San Diego County this week began offering WebMiles rewards to holders of the Ralphs Club Card who are also enrolled in the WebMiles program. Ralphs Club Card members will receive 1 mile for every dollar they spend at select San Diego locations over the next 12 months.

To promote the tie-up, Ralphs Club Card members will be automatically entered for a chance to win in the Million Mile Giveaway Sweepstakes every time they swipe their Ralphs Club Card from August 16 - September 5, 2000. Ralphs will choose one daily winner for 21 consecutive days, each of whom will receive 50,000 WebMiles rewards.

The sweepstakes is open to legal residents of California in the San Diego area. Purchase is required to enter via use of the Ralphs Club Card. No purchase is necessary to enter via mail.

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WebMiles

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Five Merchants Offer Double ClickMiles
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Shop at any of 5 participating online merchants between August 14 and September 21 and earn double ClickMiles.

Participating e-tailers: Eve.com, The Children's Place, Outpost.com, SelfCare.com, and OfficeMax.com.

>> More <<
ClickRewards

<< I N D U S T R Y U P D A T E >>

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Who's to Blame for Travel Industry Woes?
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Who's responsible for delays, cancellations, high prices, lost baggage, poor service, etc.? The majority opinion: the airlines themselves. And the follow-on: government regulation is necessary to restore the system.

The minority opinion is that government is actually responsible for the nation's transportation problems, and that "benign neglect" (less government, more private sector involvement) is the solution. E.g.,

"Ironically, the industry's primary inefficiencies stem not from its own activities, but from government management of airport and airspace capacity, which limits competition and compromises service. Policymakers' initiatives seem more related to lobbying by special interests than to encouraging competition to improve the general welfare of travelers."

The above is exerpted from an article in the current issue of The Milken Institute Review, an economic policy journal published by Mike Milken's (of junk bond fame) research institute.

In addition to, and in support of, its laissez-faire conclusions, the article makes any number of controversial claims--that the power of frequent flyer programs has been overstated; that the proposed United-US Airways merger would not undermine competition; that the increase in passenger complaints is due to the proliferation of websites which facilitate complaining; and indeed that consumers are really no more disenchanted with air travel today than they were a decade ago.

If you're interested in the debate, don't miss this article. (Print it out to read while waiting for your next delayed flight.)

>> More <<
The Milken Institute Review

<< S T E A L S & D E A L S >>

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Deal Alert from SmarterLiving.com
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Two hot deals from SmarterLiving.com...

>> Caribbean on Sale from American

American Airlines has put Caribbean travel on sale, with round-trip fares starting at $207. Fares are available online only and must be purchased by Sunday, August 27.

For more details, go here.

>> Fall and Winter Travel to Europe from $308 R/T

Fall and winter travel to Europe is on sale from Delta and US Airways, with round-trip fares starting at $308.

For more details, go here.

<< B U S I N E S S T R A V E L T I P S >>

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Getting to and from the Airport
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The following is part of a continuing series of business travel tips from Chris McGinnis's "The Unofficial Business Traveler's Pocket Guide--165 Tips Even the Best Business Travelers May Not Know."

>> On- or Off-Airport Parking
If you decide to forego public transportation to the airport because you would rather drive and park yourself, it pays to know all your options. Most on-airport lots are run by municipal governments and offer the basics--a close-in parking space--but not much else.

If you'd like to add bells and whistles to your parking experience, try the new breed of off-airport lot springing up on the perimeter of airports across the country. To entice customers away from on-airport lots, these small businesses offer frequent parker programs, car washes, tune-ups, laundry service, and other creative extras.

The best part about off-airport lots is that most have shuttles that follow you to your parking space, pick you (and your bags) up, and drop you off at the front door of the airport--no schlepping bags through a large, dark--or worse, rainy--parking lot. And most offer corporate programs for high-volume customers.
Another option: many airport hotels and car rental companies provide parking not only for usual customers, but for local parkers as well.

Chris McGinnis
Travel Skills Group
http://www.travelskills.com

<< R E A D E R R A N T S & R A V E S >>

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E*TRADE Rant (continued)
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Thought I would add my two cents regarding a letter one of your readers sent
in...

The Etrade promo where you open a NEW account and receive frequent flyer miles.. I also experienced problems. In my case, it was a free 5000 Clickrewards miles (which can be converted into 5000 air miles on various airlines). However, Etrade indicated my application also was not "coded" for this. After MULTIPLE calls... and lots of followup...they...made another mistake...they gave me 10,000 miles.

Yes, to my advantage. The point... stay on them, and write EVERYTHING down, all your communications etc.

 - Mike

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Humor in the Control Tower
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The following are accounts of actual exchanges between airlines and control towers from around the world:

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The controller, working a busy pattern told the 727 on downwind to make a three-sixty (do a complete circle, usually to provide spacing between aircraft).

The pilot of the 727 complained, "Do you know it costs us two thousand dollars to make a three-sixty in this airplane?

Without missing a beat the controller replied, "Roger, give me four thousand dollars worth!"

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A DC-10 had an exceedingly long roll out after landing with his approach speed just a little too high.

San Jose Tower: "American 51 heavy, turn right at the end if able. If not able, take the Guadeloupe exit off of Highway 101 and make a right at the light to return to the airport.

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Unknown Aircraft: "I'm f***ing bored!".

Air Traffic Control: "Last aircraft transmitting, identify yourself immediately!!"

Unknown Aircraft: "I said I was f***ing bored, not f***ing stupid!"

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Tower: "Eastern 702, cleared for takeoff, contact Departure on 124.7." (124.7 would be the radio frequency for Departure Control).

Eastern 702: "Tower, Eastern 702 switching to Departure... By the way, after we lifted off, we saw some kind of dead animal on the far end of the runway."

Tower: "Continental 635, cleared for takeoff, contact Departure on 124.7; did you copy the report from Eastern?"

Continental 635: "Continental 635, cleared for takeoff. Roger; and yes, we copied Eastern and we've already notified our caterers."

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O'Hare Approach Control: "United 329 Heavy, your traffic is a Fokker, one o'clock, 3 miles, eastbound."

United 329: "Approach, I've always wanted to say this... I've got that Fokker in my sights."

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The German air controllers at Frankfurt Airport are a short-tempered lot. They not only expect one to know one's gate parking location but how to get there without any assistance from them. So it was with some amusement that we (a PanAm 747) listened to the following exchange between Frankfurt ground control and a British Airways 747 (call sign "Speedbird 206") after landing:

Speedbird 206: "Top of the morning Frankfurt, Speedbird 206 clear of the active runway."

Ground: "Guten Morgen! You vill taxi to your gate!"

The big British Airways 747 pulled onto the main taxiway and slowed to a stop.

Ground: "Speedbird, do you not know vare you are going?"

Speedbird 206: "Stand by a moment Ground, I'm looking up our gate location now."

Ground (with some arrogant impatience): "Speedbird 206, haff you never lown to Frankfurt before?!?"

Speedbird 206 (coolly): "Yes I have, Ground - in 1944. In another type of Boeing....I didn't stop."

 - Dick

<< F R E Q U E N T F L I E R F U N N I E S >>

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True (Funny) Travel Stories
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Reported comments to a reservations agent...

"It says on my ticket, 'non-refundable.' What does that mean?"

[FrequentFlier Funnies are true stories told by pilots, reservations agents and other travel industry professionals, from William Joric's "Air Sick Humor." The book can be purchased at the FrequentFlier Bookstore at
http://frequentflier.com/ffp-books.htm]

Until next week...