Comments on: Business class (almost) all the way http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/business-class-almost-all-the-way/ Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott's site. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Sebastian http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/business-class-almost-all-the-way/comment-page-1/#comment-14101 Sebastian Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:06:43 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5149#comment-14101 Frequent Flier miles never appealed to me. I fly international many times a year and the miles are the last thing I worry about. I saved 100's to 1000's per flight by not restricting myself to a particular airline. By the time I would have earned a free seat on days I would never fly I normally have saved enough money to buy one if not two extra international tickets. Frequent Flier miles never appealed to me. I fly international many times a year and the miles are the last thing I worry about. I saved 100′s to 1000′s per flight by not restricting myself to a particular airline. By the time I would have earned a free seat on days I would never fly I normally have saved enough money to buy one if not two extra international tickets.

]]> By: Robert Johnson http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/business-class-almost-all-the-way/comment-page-1/#comment-13898 Robert Johnson Tue, 12 Aug 2008 17:29:20 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5149#comment-13898 More of the airline "Gotcha" game. Thanks to folks like Chris we as customers have some recourse despite what the T & C's state. NO ONE likes bad PR and I'm convinced the only way to deal with airlines is through public forums like this one and if that fails then drag their everloving assets into Smail Claims Court, the DOT or the states Attorney General More of the airline “Gotcha” game. Thanks to folks like Chris we as customers have some recourse despite what the T & C’s state.

NO ONE likes bad PR and I’m convinced the only way to deal with airlines is through public forums like this one and if that fails then drag their everloving assets into Smail Claims Court, the DOT or the states Attorney General

]]> By: Carver Farrow http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/business-class-almost-all-the-way/comment-page-1/#comment-13890 Carver Farrow Mon, 11 Aug 2008 15:01:52 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5149#comment-13890 I think the problem is that when you try to buy a premium class seat, whether for money or miles, the system will present you with a coach seat if a premium class seat is not available on any given segment. If you don't pay close enough attention, you will think that you bought a business class seat when in fact you have a hybrid coach/premium seat. I have to disagree with Chris about your practice of collecting miles for large trips. IWhile I agree that purchasing a cheap coach ticket and upgrading is often a better use of miles, anecdotally, it is easier to just get a business class award ticket, especially if you have a little flexibility with the dates. Also, on American, you can change your business class award ticket with a small fee at any time. If expiring miles are an issue, you can always make a small purchase using any one of AA business partners to renew the miles for 18 months. My $0.02 I think the problem is that when you try to buy a premium class seat, whether for money or miles, the system will present you with a coach seat if a premium class seat is not available on any given segment. If you don’t pay close enough attention, you will think that you bought a business class seat when in fact you have a hybrid coach/premium seat.

I have to disagree with Chris about your practice of collecting miles for large trips. IWhile I agree that purchasing a cheap coach ticket and upgrading is often a better use of miles, anecdotally, it is easier to just get a business class award ticket, especially if you have a little flexibility with the dates. Also, on American, you can change your business class award ticket with a small fee at any time.

If expiring miles are an issue, you can always make a small purchase using any one of AA business partners to renew the miles for 18 months.

My $0.02

]]> By: John http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/business-class-almost-all-the-way/comment-page-1/#comment-13887 John Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:12:04 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5149#comment-13887 As somone who flies on FF miles a lot, here's one warning / lesson learned on buying upgradable seats. I flew Continental two years ago when Newark had one of its all too frequent melt downs that required that they cancel every flight from my airport to Newark on that day. When I was rebooked, I was told that I had to wait two days because I had an upgradable seat. It turns out that FF tickets and upgraded seats are treated differently. If I had a a FF ticket, they would have accomodated me on their Sky Team partner who has a major hub here but since I had an upgradable seat, the Sky Team partner would only accomodate me in coach. It got worse. Two days later as I plan to fly to Europe again, Newark had another melt down causing me to arrive in Newark 4 hours after my flight left. I was rebooked the next day in to a coach seat. Why coach? Continental requires 48 hrs for an upgrade to clear since they delayed me in Newark for 24 hrs, no luck on the upgraded seat eventhough they has seats available in Business. Short version of the long story. I eventually found someone who took pity on me combined with them being overbooked in coach to move me up. The moral of the story at least on Continental is that an upgraded seat is not a Business Class seat. Its a coach seat. If bad things happen, you'll only get a coach seat and you can not be move to a codeshare partner. As somone who flies on FF miles a lot, here’s one warning / lesson learned on buying upgradable seats.

I flew Continental two years ago when Newark had one of its all too frequent melt downs that required that they cancel every flight from my airport to Newark on that day. When I was rebooked, I was told that I had to wait two days because I had an upgradable seat. It turns out that FF tickets and upgraded seats are treated differently. If I had a a FF ticket, they would have accomodated me on their Sky Team partner who has a major hub here but since I had an upgradable seat, the Sky Team partner would only accomodate me in coach.

It got worse. Two days later as I plan to fly to Europe again, Newark had another melt down causing me to arrive in Newark 4 hours after my flight left. I was rebooked the next day in to a coach seat. Why coach? Continental requires 48 hrs for an upgrade to clear since they delayed me in Newark for 24 hrs, no luck on the upgraded seat eventhough they has seats available in Business.

Short version of the long story. I eventually found someone who took pity on me combined with them being overbooked in coach to move me up.

The moral of the story at least on Continental is that an upgraded seat is not a Business Class seat. Its a coach seat. If bad things happen, you’ll only get a coach seat and you can not be move to a codeshare partner.

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