Comments on: 3 ways to avoid the newest travel ‘gotcha’ http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/3-ways-to-avoid-the-newest-travel-%e2%80%98gotcha%e2%80%99/ Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott's site. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jerry Spieldenner http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/3-ways-to-avoid-the-newest-travel-%e2%80%98gotcha%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-46090 Jerry Spieldenner Sat, 21 Aug 2010 18:25:52 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=8045#comment-46090 Just read your commentary, "How to avoid the revenge of disgruntled hotel employees" in the Everett Herald (WA) newspaper, dated 8/21/10. Whatever happened to, "the customer is always right"? Why should the customer take the blunt of the employees' being disgruntled? Shouldn't the employees that still have their jobs be appreciative and not "grumpy"? Why should the customer be blamed and "punished"? I do not approve of abusive customers, but I do not approve of your attitude that customers should tread on eggshells to protect the hotel employees' feelings. I read & enjoy your column, but I do not agree with you on this one -- this article sounds like you condone employees' bad behavior? The info, though, gives good insight! Just read your commentary, “How to avoid the revenge of disgruntled hotel employees” in the Everett Herald (WA) newspaper, dated 8/21/10. Whatever happened to, “the customer is always right”? Why should the customer take the blunt of the employees’ being disgruntled? Shouldn’t the employees that still have their jobs be appreciative and not “grumpy”? Why should the customer be blamed and “punished”? I do not approve of abusive customers, but I do not approve of your attitude that customers should tread on eggshells to protect the hotel employees’ feelings. I read & enjoy your column, but I do not agree with you on this one — this article sounds like you condone employees’ bad behavior? The info, though, gives good insight!

]]> By: Robert C. Wilmoth http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/3-ways-to-avoid-the-newest-travel-%e2%80%98gotcha%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-30525 Robert C. Wilmoth Sat, 09 Jan 2010 20:46:22 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=8045#comment-30525 I have been a loyal customer to Northwest Airlines for many years. I was astounded when I heard about the merger with Delta. With NW, your miles could stay in your account forever without worrying about them. Now at Delta, you have to buy their American Express Credit card just to fly using your miles. My question is-What is the current interest rate offered by that credit card since the rates have sky-rocketed recently. Is it true that Delta does not honor any purchases from its partners? Do I have to buy a Credit card just to use my miles for a flight? What should I do. Like many of you, I, too, have been saving my miles to take my wife to Ireland. However, she recently lost her job and that trip has been put on the back-burner so I have to try and save my miles annually with Delta. I have been a loyal customer to Northwest Airlines for many years. I was astounded when I heard about the merger with Delta. With NW, your miles could stay in your account forever without worrying about them. Now at Delta, you have to buy their American Express Credit card just to fly using your miles. My question is-What is the current interest rate offered by that credit card since the rates have sky-rocketed recently. Is it true that Delta does not honor any purchases from its partners? Do I have to buy a Credit card just to use my miles for a flight? What should I do. Like many of you, I, too, have been saving my miles to take my wife to Ireland. However, she recently lost her job and that trip has been put on the back-burner so I have to try and save my miles annually with Delta.

]]> By: Travel-Writers-Exchange.com http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/3-ways-to-avoid-the-newest-travel-%e2%80%98gotcha%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-23535 Travel-Writers-Exchange.com Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:33:16 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=8045#comment-23535 It just goes to show that you must READ everything, even the fine print. Policies change without notice. Unfortunately, the consumer has a bit of work to do such as keeping up with the terms and policies of airlines. It's a good idea to periodically check your airline's website for press releases. It just goes to show that you must READ everything, even the fine print. Policies change without notice. Unfortunately, the consumer has a bit of work to do such as keeping up with the terms and policies of airlines. It’s a good idea to periodically check your airline’s website for press releases.

]]> By: Justin http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/3-ways-to-avoid-the-newest-travel-%e2%80%98gotcha%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-23457 Justin Tue, 01 Sep 2009 06:57:06 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=8045#comment-23457 @ Susan, Good advice. I'll be sure to save my boarding pass as proof until such time the miles are credited. I really wish I would have signed up for this last year when my brother and I went home. I'd of already had 4000 miles on top of the 2000 I'll be earning. GRRRRRRRRRR. O well, live and learn. At least I'm going to try and rack up some miles over time. Too bad I didn't think to do this earlier. Would have been 1/3rd of the way to a free trip anywhere in the US (20,000 miles) had I started last year. O well, Ill work to accumulate them from now on =). Justin @ Susan,

Good advice. I’ll be sure to save my boarding pass as proof until such time the miles are credited. I really wish I would have signed up for this last year when my brother and I went home. I’d of already had 4000 miles on top of the 2000 I’ll be earning. GRRRRRRRRRR. O well, live and learn. At least I’m going to try and rack up some miles over time. Too bad I didn’t think to do this earlier. Would have been 1/3rd of the way to a free trip anywhere in the US (20,000 miles) had I started last year. O well, Ill work to accumulate them from now on =).

Justin

]]> By: Best of the Web – Roaming Tales: Travel links for 31 August | Roaming Tales http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/3-ways-to-avoid-the-newest-travel-%e2%80%98gotcha%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-23446 Best of the Web – Roaming Tales: Travel links for 31 August | Roaming Tales Mon, 31 Aug 2009 21:00:58 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=8045#comment-23446 [...] Miles. Christopher Elliott from Elliott.org on expiring frequent flyer points and other travel [...] [...] Miles. Christopher Elliott from Elliott.org on expiring frequent flyer points and other travel [...]

]]> By: Susan http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/3-ways-to-avoid-the-newest-travel-%e2%80%98gotcha%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-23444 Susan Mon, 31 Aug 2009 20:44:48 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=8045#comment-23444 @Justin - make sure you save your boarding passes for your flight - airlines have been known to fail to credit your account for miles even after you've completed the trip, and the only way to prove you took the trip is by sending them the boarding passes (make sure you save a copy for your files!). This is especially true if you fly a partner or codeshare airline (i.e., US Airways or Lufthansa for United). @Justin – make sure you save your boarding passes for your flight – airlines have been known to fail to credit your account for miles even after you’ve completed the trip, and the only way to prove you took the trip is by sending them the boarding passes (make sure you save a copy for your files!). This is especially true if you fly a partner or codeshare airline (i.e., US Airways or Lufthansa for United).

]]> By: P.J. Zornosa http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/3-ways-to-avoid-the-newest-travel-%e2%80%98gotcha%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-23439 P.J. Zornosa Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:04:49 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=8045#comment-23439 My only question is why cannot the airline(s) such as Delta honor the requirements for award travel for the time period when they are earned. For example, when accruing these miles, which is getting more and more difficult to amass quickly, the award travel requirement is 80K miles for a Biz Class ticket to Europe. Then, by the time you have the miles to do so they raise it to 100K - IF available instead of their infamous "Sky Choice"? Who's choice - theirs? Great motivator. My only question is why cannot the airline(s) such as Delta honor the requirements for award travel for the time period when they are earned.

For example, when accruing these miles, which is getting more and more difficult to amass quickly, the award travel requirement is 80K miles for a Biz Class ticket to Europe.

Then, by the time you have the miles to do so they raise it to 100K – IF available instead of their infamous “Sky Choice”? Who’s choice – theirs?

Great motivator.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/3-ways-to-avoid-the-newest-travel-%e2%80%98gotcha%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-23425 Anonymous Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:48:02 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=8045#comment-23425 It's not hard to keep miles from expiring, at least on AA. All you have to do is have some kind of activity on your account in the last 18 months I believe. I keep my AA miles from expiring by having my iTunes purchases connected to my account. But my thought was that if all it takes to keep miles from expiring is some kind of activity within the last 18 months, how loyal a customer are they if they haven't done anything with them in the last 18 months? It’s not hard to keep miles from expiring, at least on AA. All you have to do is have some kind of activity on your account in the last 18 months I believe. I keep my AA miles from expiring by having my iTunes purchases connected to my account.

But my thought was that if all it takes to keep miles from expiring is some kind of activity within the last 18 months, how loyal a customer are they if they haven’t done anything with them in the last 18 months?

]]> By: Carver Farrow http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/3-ways-to-avoid-the-newest-travel-%e2%80%98gotcha%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-23422 Carver Farrow Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:22:47 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=8045#comment-23422 That's one thing about AA that I like. The new price and schedule gives alot more information in an easy to read format about whether a ticket is refundable, earns miles, etc. That’s one thing about AA that I like. The new price and schedule gives alot more information in an easy to read format about whether a ticket is refundable, earns miles, etc.

]]> By: larry bradley http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/3-ways-to-avoid-the-newest-travel-%e2%80%98gotcha%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-23419 larry bradley Mon, 31 Aug 2009 11:04:05 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=8045#comment-23419 If you have over 100,000 miles on U.S.Airways, it will cost you $400 to reinstate the miles if they expire. I have 346,000 miles earned through a credit card. Since I could not figure by their terms on their web site if a magazine subscription would maintain my miles, I took an $86 flight 10 days before the miles expired just to keep them. If you have over 100,000 miles on U.S.Airways, it will cost you $400 to reinstate the miles if they expire. I have 346,000 miles earned through a credit card. Since I could not figure by their terms on their web site if a magazine subscription would maintain my miles, I took an $86 flight 10 days before the miles expired just to keep them.

]]> By: Amadeu http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/3-ways-to-avoid-the-newest-travel-%e2%80%98gotcha%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-23414 Amadeu Mon, 31 Aug 2009 01:53:04 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=8045#comment-23414 Ok, I know this is not a competition but Mr. Miller's 100,000 miles are much less than the more than 400,000 miles United Airlines deleted from my Mileage Plus account. I did sign up for the e-mail notifications and checked each new one they sent me but never received a single e-mail telling their "elite frequent flyer" that ALL my miles where about to expire. After contacting United and discovering that they wouldn't even let me buy my miles back I just switched to another airline and will never fly United or Star Alliance airlines again. If more people caught in the “expiring mileage game” did the same, taking their business dollars elsewere, maybe someday frequent flyers will be treated with more respect Ok, I know this is not a competition but Mr. Miller’s 100,000 miles are much less than the more than 400,000 miles United Airlines deleted from my Mileage Plus account. I did sign up for the e-mail notifications and checked each new one they sent me but never received a single e-mail telling their “elite frequent flyer” that ALL my miles where about to expire. After contacting United and discovering that they wouldn’t even let me buy my miles back I just switched to another airline and will never fly United or Star Alliance airlines again. If more people caught in the “expiring mileage game” did the same, taking their business dollars elsewere, maybe someday frequent flyers will be treated with more respect

]]> By: Lisa S http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/3-ways-to-avoid-the-newest-travel-%e2%80%98gotcha%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-23413 Lisa S Mon, 31 Aug 2009 01:42:05 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=8045#comment-23413 United pulled the same stunt with me. I don't fly United anymore. It is that simple. United pulled the same stunt with me. I don’t fly United anymore. It is that simple.

]]> By: Justin http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/3-ways-to-avoid-the-newest-travel-%e2%80%98gotcha%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-23412 Justin Mon, 31 Aug 2009 01:05:32 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=8045#comment-23412 @ Carrie and @ Patty, Thanks for the information. I wondered how that worked. I would have figured once they have your nonrefundable money, you get the miles. I guess you have to "Complete" the transaction to receive them it seems. That's fine. I just wanted to be sure how it all worked. I never bothered with rewards but seeing how each trip I make home racks me up 1900 sky miles (wish I'd of done this last year with my brother and I returning home), earning a ticket over time might be a real possibility. Anyhow, thanks again for the help! @ Carrie and @ Patty,

Thanks for the information. I wondered how that worked. I would have figured once they have your nonrefundable money, you get the miles. I guess you have to “Complete” the transaction to receive them it seems. That’s fine. I just wanted to be sure how it all worked. I never bothered with rewards but seeing how each trip I make home racks me up 1900 sky miles (wish I’d of done this last year with my brother and I returning home), earning a ticket over time might be a real possibility. Anyhow, thanks again for the help!

]]> By: MarkieA http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/3-ways-to-avoid-the-newest-travel-%e2%80%98gotcha%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-23410 MarkieA Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:48:43 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=8045#comment-23410 Besides the obvious answer - the one they won't dare give us - I wonder what Ms. Connell's explanation would have been for zapping the miles in the first place. I mean, who does it really hurt to have these miles "just sitting" out there? I can here the explanation now, "In this day and age of rising operating costs, Delta is trying to take every opportunity it can to reduce overhead and save the traveling customer money. So, the onerous burden of the administrative costs associated with maintaining up-to-date records of these mileage accounts have been eliminated." Yeah, I bet that saves them about $146 a year. Besides the obvious answer – the one they won’t dare give us – I wonder what Ms. Connell’s explanation would have been for zapping the miles in the first place. I mean, who does it really hurt to have these miles “just sitting” out there? I can here the explanation now, “In this day and age of rising operating costs, Delta is trying to take every opportunity it can to reduce overhead and save the traveling customer money. So, the onerous burden of the administrative costs associated with maintaining up-to-date records of these mileage accounts have been eliminated.” Yeah, I bet that saves them about $146 a year.

]]> By: Patti http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/3-ways-to-avoid-the-newest-travel-%e2%80%98gotcha%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-23408 Patti Sun, 30 Aug 2009 22:07:57 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=8045#comment-23408 Hi Justin - your miles are posted to your Onepass account only after you have taken the trip. Hi Justin – your miles are posted to your Onepass account only after you have taken the trip.

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