Frequent Flyer Programs

[PigDogg]

Just got my free flight booked on China Air but it's not so free afterall.  All carriers charge a small amount of tax.

But China Air charged me a 150 USD fuel surcharge in addition to taxes which brought the total to around 200 bucks for my free ticket.
                                 

Cocksuckers  

I was not happy, but tried to deal with it an a way that might get me something and the ticketing agent booked me in the emergency exit row for the long legs of the flight. On most airlines they insist these seats cannot be booked in advance so I guess they tried to chill me out.

Any of you guys who fly China Air ever pay the fuel surcharge on your free flights?

I had pretty much decide to stop using them anyway.
100K miles for a free flight from the states to thailand while on star alliance it's only 60K and I can add Bali for free.

I can fly United and the Thai non-stop to accumulate miles and redeem them on Sing which is a sweet deal.

I have some special links where you can a no annual free credit card  and they give you a bunch of United/Star Alliance FF miles a s a bonus.  PM me if you want the link but think you have to be American (maybe Canadian) to qualify for the offer.

[moe666]

The tax and fuel charge is above and beyond the ticket. When I get a free ticket with Southwest I have to pay the tax.
Stopped flying Chine Airlines because you could't book on line and get the extra miles. Started flying EVA economy delux, for $200.00 more you get a wider seat and a few inches more of leg room. EVA has been really good on all of the flights I have flown with them. Last year changed my flight 3 times in one day no extra charge, the staff at Don Mueng where very professional and no problem getting up grades to business which had become a problem on China Airlines.

[SamplerDoc]

Hey PD...
What do you know about sucking Moosecock      

[PigDogg]

(SamplerDoc @ Mar. 16 2007,22:42) Hey PD...
What do you know about sucking Moosecock      

Guess it's an East Coast thang.......    

[rob69in]

My next Tour of Duty flight has just cost me some airmiles & £171 for a return business class ticket LHR - BKK - LHR & BKK - PKT - BKK on Thai. That to me is value for money! The Staralliance network is probably one of the largest & best. With carriers like Thai & Singapore, Lufthansa & United, Air canada & Air New Zealand, it takes some beating.

[PigDogg]

(rob69in @ Mar. 17 2007,07:42) The Staralliance network is probably one of the largest & best. With carriers like Thai & Singapore, Lufthansa & United, Air canada & Air New Zealand, it takes some beating.

Especially good for Southeast Asia mongers and other missionaries!

Easy to accumulate muiles on United through non-flying activities.

But reddeem them on Sing who's 18 hour flights in coach are almost as good as biz class on other carriiers.

[ShockToe]

(PigDogg @ Mar. 17 2007,09:25) Just got my free flight booked on China Air but it's not so free afterall. All carriers charge a small amount of tax.

But China Air charged me a 150 USD fuel surcharge in addition to taxes which brought the total to around 200 bucks for my free ticket.


Cocksuckers

I was not happy, but tried to deal with it an a way that might get me something and the ticketing agent booked me in the emergency exit row for the long legs of the flight. On most airlines they insist these seats cannot be booked in advance so I guess they tried to chill me out.

Any of you guys who fly China Air ever pay the fuel surcharge on your free flights?

I had pretty much decide to stop using them anyway.
100K miles for a free flight from the states to thailand while on star alliance it's only 60K and I can add Bali for free.

I can fly United and the Thai non-stop to accumulate miles and redeem them on Sing which is a sweet deal.

I have some special links where you can a no annual free credit card and they give you a bunch of United/Star Alliance FF miles a s a bonus. PM me if you want the link but think you have to be American (maybe Canadian) to qualify for the offer.

It sounds more like you're getting rodgered by the Moose? Bad choice of FF plans so only yourself to blame? I just redeemed UA/MP miles for first class BKK-FRA-USA-FRA-BKK on TG and LH. Total taxes and fees = 2,175 THB.

You need to do a bit more research and choose a better airline/FF plan.

[PigDogg]

(ShockToe @ Mar. 17 2007,08:14) You need to do a bit more research and choose a better airline/FF plan.

That's why it's United Mileage Plus/Star Alliance from now on.

But my first trip was on Chian Air cause it was cheapest.
Most guys don't realize before trip one that they'll be going all the time.


And my third was also on China Air cause it was just a week's trip and needed the Friday night departure to make every minute count.

Then I was stuck with their miles. I waqs going to use them on Delta to go Brazil but couldn't quite get all legs of the itiniety confirmed.

In the meantime, I've had two free Star Alliance trips earning miles from credit cards, brokerage accounts, internet banking, etc.

I'm lucky in that New York is good for Star, but lots of Americans need to fly Northworst which is in a poor alliance for Southeast Asia and hard to book free flights.

[Guest]

I am a platinum qantas frequent flyer which is equivalent to one world emerald. In the past 3 years 6 of my trips to Thailand have been for free.

The moral is sign up to a ff program on your first trip it might be one year down the track or even 5 but you will get a free flight out of it if you fly often enough.

I did when I first flew for business years ago and never knew what I would do with my points but in the last 5-6 years I have had free flights that if I had to pay for them myself would have costs me over 20K AUD.

[Guest]

IMO..Better value to use your air miles for upgrades into biz class although the China Air programme is no where near as generous as it once was cos these days, my flight from Amsterdam to Bangkok requires 30,000 miles for a one way upgrade. It used to be 20k and for a brief period 15k

[Guest]

Have previously flown on Thai and EVA, food about the same, Eva have headrests with DVD's in them too and l reckon that Eva are the best of the two as they fly the pants off the 747's, last trip we got up to 689 MPH, took just under 9 1/2 hours from Heathrow to BKK. Thai is 500 MPH at 37,000 no matter what.

But chap l know with Thai restaurant told me to fly China and registered for their Dynasty program, on first flight with them last Devember got upgraded to Business class, ABSOLUTLEY AWESOME.

The saturday flight from Amsterdam with China has a £60.00 surcharge so nearly everyone with any sense flys on the Friday. Saturday flight is always underbooked so an upgrade is a possibility but not guaranteed and they look to Dynasty passengers first. ( On the way back we were stuck in the back where we belonged. )

China have the "wide bodied" jumbo's which have more 1st class passenger spaces in the longer "hump" on the plane, but l was told they can't book them in case they have to use a normal jumbo.

China airspeed is crap, we flew back at 420 mph, took almost 13 hours from BKK to Amsterdam, not what you want on your way home. Missed the connecting flight to Manchester and was stuck in Amsterdam for 3 hours.

Flew back to Manchester, got ripped off by Black Cab taxi driver, and then found car with side window and rear window smashed ( WELCOME HOME TO GREAT BRITAIN ).

[katoeylover]

I have used Gulf air for 3 years now and have had many upgrades. changing my preferebce to qatar and already am getting results.

4 flights a year, enough for gold status, free upgrades and enough airmiles to upgrade the rest.

[stogie bear]

Never bothered with the FF clubs. But I don't think I've ever flown the same airline twice!

There is always some airline giving seats away cheap at any given time of the year. This time it's ETIHAD airways with a stop in Abu Dhabi. Before that it was Gulf, then UAE, then Srilankan, then Qatar and I can't remember before that, but you get the idea!

[TTChang]

(stogie bear @ Mar. 18 2007,03:58) This time it's ETIHAD airways with a stop in Abu Dhabi.

I'll be interested to hear your opinion of ETIHAD, Stogie.   I've flown with them several times.... but on my last trip to BKK they cancelled my return flight to UK, for no apparent reason  

But..... you could say they were trying to anticipate their customer's wishes!!

[Guest]

Using your miles to purchase flights has gone downhill in the past few years. With so many airlines partnering it€™s practically impossible to go everywhere you want using your primary airline. With the high cost of fuel these days, and the increase competition from other airlines, these so-called partners black out many days and thusly reduce your ability to fly anywhere you want at a reasonable cost (mileage-wise). As others have mentioned already €“ its best just to buy a cheap ticket on an airline you partner with and then upgrade. Even that can be tricky. Be careful and check the restrictions. Many low-fare tickets you buy on the internet (Travelocity, Orbitz, etc) may not qualify for upgrades.

RW