Frequent Flyer Frustration
 

Many senior citizens, including ourselves, have traveled during our careers and accumulated frequent flyer miles so we could use them to help reduce the cost of vacation travel during our retirement. In our particular case, we have been loyal TWA customers and have used a TWA Visa card for many years instead of a free Visa card to help build up the miles. The miles are there for us now, but TWA is reneging on their promise. <BR> <BR>We have made several attempts to redeem these miles to obtain tickets using the TWA Aviator Miles Program, only to find out that very few, if any seats are being released for Aviator Awards. TWA employees have confided in me that the company practice is to save seats for high paying customers, especially business travelers, at the expense of those wishing to use their accumulated and hard-earned miles. In a sense, we have paid for and earned these miles in one fashion or another and are now being denied the right to use them. <BR> <BR>It is true that TWA will wait-list us on these flights but while you are waiting, good seats on other airlines are being booked which compounds the cost problem. Our only alternative at this time is to pay for tickets on another airline and abandon all of our hard earned miles on TWA. This just doesn’t seem fair but it is reality. <BR> <BR>TWA, after enticing us to join their program, should have an obligation to fulfill their commitment and by not doing so, is deceitful at best and possibly fraudulent. At the very least, TWA should inform potential and current members of their program, that they are most likely not going to be able to use their miles except during periods of time when nobody else wants to travel or to destinations that nobody wants to travel to. This renders their program useless, hence the need for a warning or change of philosophy. In our opinion they are in effect denying what is rightfully ours, which is no different than stealing. <BR> <BR>Write your congressman, news media, AARP as we did. <BR>

Sorry, Linda, but I can't pass on your well written note without being the devil's advocate. Particularly since you suggest that the TWA is 'stealing' and committing fraud. <BR>Using accumulated miles is challenging with ALL frequent flyer programs that I participate in with US carriers (including TWA's). If you search the archives of this forum you'll see that many have written about this in the past. Difficulty is typically encountered when you want to visit a popular destination at a desirable time, and it can be virtually impossible to use miles on short notice...unless your destination is Fargo or similar. <BR>Many savvy travellers have learned the rules the hard way...if you want to go someplace very desirable at a peak time, find out how many days ahead they'll accept reservations (often around 330 days) and be the first to book. If you can't know that far in advance, call the very first chance you get to lock in your schedule. <BR>The reason these seats are hard to come by, of course, is that the airlines only reserve a few seats per flight for freebie passengers. Thus, the supply is quickly exhausted. <BR>But I think you are getting into dangerous waters when you accuse the airlines of stealing and fraud. They make no secret of these policies. In fact, if you read the rules carefully, they reserve the right to COMPLETELY CANCEL the entire miles program without notice...leaving you with NOTHING. THem's the rules, like it or not, and they've been clearly stated from day one. <BR>I find it just as frustrating as you do that I can't redeem my miles at will, but the airlines haven't done anything wrong. Do you find metropolitan traffic frustrating? Is the city liable for mismanagement lawsuits because traffic delays your trip if you haven't planned sufficiently to account for said traffic? Of course not. Same situation. Your congressperson will have the same difficulty using his/her FFM's, but I doubt they'll make an effort to change the system. It's a REWARD system. It's a freebie. It's not property you've purchased. It's a consideration, with POTENTIAL value, if and when the airline chooses to recognize it. Says so right in the customer agreement.

Linda <BR> <BR>Oh how I can sympathize with you. I have been trying to make first class reservations on TWA using equity Aviator Miles since July 99 for travel in June 00. Have requested either of two itineraries and several travel dates for the three people in my family. I can't tell you how many times I have phoned to see if anything is available. We wanted to do a house exchange somewhere in England or France, and it's necessary to plan far ahead for this. So far one family member is has a confirmed reservation from San Francisco to St. Louis outbound and from Kennedy to San Francisco inbound. Well, big whoop! It's a long swim to Europe. Yes, I know it's high season and a popular route, but the bottom line is that TWA would rather sell those seats than maintain customer loyalty. I even wrote a letter explaining my frustration and got what was essentially a "blow off" reply.

The board "ate" the remainder of my reply. Here goes again" <BR> <BR>

Well, maybe it'll work the third time! Here goes again: <BR> <BR>Like you, we have guarded our more than 300K miles for use in early retirement. <BR> <BR>Please post here when (if) you are successful, and I will also. Maybe others who have had this experience with TWA will post here too. <BR> <BR>Sorry for the anonymous address, but I was badly spammed on this board once.

My miles are all with American Airlines. It is difficult to cash them in, but I have learned to plan ahead. I usually book my award flights 11 months before travel date. I have even booked the outgoing flight and let them put on reserve until it is 11 months ahead for the return flight. I missed my 11 month deadline for the return last time by about 1 week and found that the last segment of my flight was already booked, so I had to delay me return by 1 more day. But no doubt about it, you can't do last minute booking and expect to use those miles. Plan way ahead!!!

Some airlines, like American and United will occasionally offer a combo-arrangement, wherein you pay something and use fewer miles. While that means that the airlines make out like bandits, both getting money and using up some old miles, it at least gives you access to slightly better priority. TWA has declared itself the foe of the non-business traveler (they put it the other way -- pro-business), so you're probably out of luck. <BR> <BR>Now here's the real Devil's Advocate suggestion (although I think the Devil isn't among the passengers): The whole freq. flyer idea needs desperately to be phased out. We're paying actual money out for those miles -- it's added to fares and tax-deductible for the companies adding to what we have to pay. And because they mean more demand for seats, they're also responsible for crowded coach -- all so the Privileged Ones get pampered. <BR> <BR>The airlines should compensate those of us who already have these miles with a voucher for their actual worth against a future "real" ticket (probably the most deeply discounted level of ticket, since that's how the priority is determined in booking), set a deadline for using 'em up, and get rid of the program altogether. <BR> <BR>

I haven't had too many difficulties using up flyer miles, but I also have found it useful to use them one trip at a time -- I'll book flights for my husband using miles (one passenger is easier to find than two or more) and purchase a low-priced fare for myself(for which I'll earn miles). Last year I flew him first class to San Juan and back (from Baltimore) in mid-January (high season for the Caribbean). I then charmed my way into first class on the trip home. We also fly mid-week (although I'm sure you've already tried that!!!). US Airways and American let you pool miles between the two programs -- which gives you a few more flight possibilities. My parents haven't the patience I have in making travel arrangements, and I think they just gave up and donated their miles to charity.

Any TWA employee insiders out there who would care to comment or advise us on strategies? <BR> <BR>Thanks in advance.

The only Airline that does not have capacity control for frequent flyer awards is Southwest. <BR> <BR>I think that all of the others have limits on how many, if any, seats are available for free travel. <BR> <BR>I think you have to be realistic. If an airline thinks that it may be able to sell a seat(possibly for thousands of dollars), it isn't going to release seats for free tickets. <BR> <BR>The best advice has been given...plan ahead for popular destinations. It has worked for us.

Our miles are with Northwest and I really have to say we haven't had any problem using them. We have occasionally adjusted our schedules slightly and taken a flight that is a little earlier or later but nothing that has been terrible. I do try to plan a little ahead but was unable to do so this Christmas and we got the flight we wanted.

An international perspective: <BR>I am a FF member in the Qantas program which is linked to "Oneworld" of which American Airlines is a member. I generally run up about 500,000 flyer miles a year (I fly a LOT!!) and have not had to pay for a personal trip now for over 10 years. Planning is definately the key, Qantas have limits on available seats as do all airlines really but they have been excellent in either confirming the preferred or suggesting alternatives where seats are available. With the Oneworld connection again I have had no problems with getting seats on AA (generally these are for LA to New York). I have nothing but praise for Qantas and its affiliates in the way it handles is loyal customer base.

I think what you have to is be realistic on your expectations. 1st of all the airlines have to sell seats to make a profit. 1st class is a big dollar area as well as the most popular destinations. I personally have used Continental & American several times & they worked very hard through several gateways to get me from Florida to Tokyo in 1st class & to Nice, France in coach. In 2 weeks my wife & I are taking 2 of our grandchildren to London during spring break on a 30,000 mile PP frequent flyer special. The airlines want your business & want to make everyone happy but there are only so many free seats. Work with them nicely & they will make you happy.

I have posted this experience before but boy, do I understand your frustration! We live in St. Louis which is TWA's hub and more or less can't get anywhere directly without flying TWA. Having accumulated the necessary miles I tried to make reservations in Jan. for this July using ff miles. We were trying to fly to Amsterdam but because TWA doesnt fly there from St. Louis I was trying to get a flight to Paris or London. In Jan I was told that there were no ff seats(first class or coach) available at any time to London or Paris in June, July , or August. Part of the problem is that TWA has cut down drastically on the number of flights they have per day to these destinations.Two years ago I did not have the same difficulty. The above poster was correct in stating that you have to know 365 days in advance if you want a chance at "free" seats. Not everyone can make their plans that far ahead! I am switching to a credit card that lets you use your miles on any domestic carrier with no limit to the number of seats available and no blackout dates. In the meantime hundreds of thousands of TWA miles sit there unused!