SNAFU - Delta Medallion Qualifying Segments

[Update: apparently the word is out that Delta's activity information is errant. Must be that the Skymiles retrieval system is also hosed, since each representative I talked to called me by a different first and last name, so I had to give my account number to each rep. Was funny for the first two, but after three separate names, it made me wonder what's happening to the "new" Delta.]


[Update 2, January 2010: Apparently Delta is willing to put technology into place that doesn't fully work. See follow-on blog post for more details]


For those of us who don't live at a major Delta hub (Atlanta, Cincy, JFK, Salt Lake City, etc) one fact of life is the need to fly through a hub to get to another location.

For instance, if I want to fly from Asheville, NC, to New York's Laguardia (LGA), I either have to fly through Atlanta or Cincinnati. This means one short hop (typically less than 500 miles) and one longer leg (typically longer than 500 miles) for a total of two legs or segments.

The downside is a significant amount of flying in small planes that act as feeders to larger planes.

The upside is that Delta's Medallion status can be achieved by segments, rather than just by miles. Called MQM segments or MQ segments, the allow someone living at a smaller airport has the chance to achieve a Medallion status equal to those who might fly direct flights from a hub city.

There was a controversy a few years ago when Delta scrapped segments and only used miles for Medallion qualification, and the company admirably came around when it realized it was losing customers in smaller cities to competitors, adding the MQM segments and MQM miles to the mix.

Now, however, Delta's completely hosed its Delta.com online activity viewing. This problem occurred about three weeks ago, more than a month after Delta and Northwest merged their frequent flyer accounts.

The problem started when Delta added a column that is called MQ Segments Earned. It was compounded when Delta chose to combine segments together for the feeder and long-haul flights.

The end result is a snafu that's eliminating the ability for the frequent flyer to view his or her flights and segments. Here's an example:

This example is from November, where four flights were taking - two short hop and two long hauls - with the 500 mile MQMs (Medallion Qualifying Miles) being listed correctly, but the segments showing as zero. Is Delta doing away with MQM segments?

To add confusion to the mix, it is no longer possible to view each flight segment. Dropping down into the monthly view, here are the flights that match the miles for the first two flights:

Notice that it shows TWO flight segments departing SFO on back-to-back days (not impossible but highly unlikely) and are differing lengths (500 and 2139 miles, respectively). In reality, one flight left SFO on the 19th and flew for 2139 miles to Atlanta, arriving on the 20th; the second flight left Atlanta on the 20th of November and arrived at TRI that same day.

To add even more confusion, the most recent issue is a retroactive combining of flights under a single flight number. Here's an example from October:

Notice the repeat of "air activity" between Midway and Richmond with two separate mileages (500 and 590 miles) but a single flight number (Delta Flight 1044).  What isn't listed is Delta 1711, which is the flight from Midway to Atlanta, which then changes to Delta 1044, from Atlanta to Richmond.

Confused? You should be, since most frequently fliers don't have time to send in every single ticket stub for every single flight, nor to call or email after every single flight.

Confusion also reigns for Delta representatives, including those at the web assistance desk.  The most frequent response I got when talking to five representatives from the Medallion, Skymiles and Web desks was:

"Hmm, it must be that you stopped at an airport along the route of your trip."

This means it's up to the frequent flyer to explain what's happened, without the benefit of flight numbers (unless someone remembers to keep their ticket stubs for almost multiple months).

It also means that Delta's got a real issue on its hands at the end of the year, especially for those of us who may be close to gaining another level of Medallion status but don't have the time to go back through every single one of our flights for the year to confirm mileage/segments.

Management at Delta.com was not available for comment, even after repeated requests, and those I spoke to continued to say they have made repeated requests to have this addressed yet have received no timeframe for a fix.

One knowledgeable representative did say that over 4,000 emails have been received by those who are requesting confirmation of their yearly flights / status levels.  Makes one wonder if it would be easier to move to another airline than have to constantly babysit an errant frequent flier activity account.

SNAFU - Delta credit only meals

Remember when airlines cut out meals on flights on short-hauls, followed by long-haul domestic flights?

Imagine what would happen if you weren't able to eat on a flight, even if you had low blood sugar, for the singular reason that you forgot your credit card. . . .

Delta's decided to do away with cash on all domestic and select international routes (including Mexico, Canada and the Bahamas). So if you don't have a credit card, or if your credit card is declined, you won't eat.

The idea sounds good, but the practicality is somewhat different. Let me use an example from my own recent experience.

I fly Delta. I fly Delta frequently.

I fly Delta frequently enough that I'm what they consider a Platinum Medallion, which means that I'm in a position to often get upgraded to First Class on most coast-to-coat domestic flights.

Yet, in this particular instance, I would have been subjected to the inability to eat from LAX to ATL, at least a four-hour flight.

I ended up in LA without my credit cards, but didn't notice it until I landed on my flight from Atlanta, mainly because I was bumped to First Class and didn't have to reach for my non-existent wallet to buy a meal.

After being on the ground for three days, two of those over a weekend, I was unable to get a replacement credit card before my return flight. I also needed to subsist on what I had in my pocket, until Monday morning, when I could visit a bank branch and verify my identity (with my passport, of all things).

The return flight from LA to Atlanta was full enough that I didn't end up in First Class, so I had to use the last $8 in my pocket to buy food on the plane (I'd withdrawn what the bank would let me, but had to pay for a hotel, etc.)

If that event had taken place anytime after December 1, 2009, I would not be able to even buy a meal.

That would not have been acceptable for reasons of both well-being and health.

Think, Delta, think! Do you want to lose frequent fliers just because you choose to disengage from cold hard cash?

 

 

Tip 27 - Delta Airlines power outlets

For those who travel frequently, encumbered with significant amounts of electronic equipment, the term road warrior might better be termed seeker of power - as in power outlets. The odyssey is often circituous, and even in locations that having power makes sense, it's often hard to come by.

One welcome addition, for my travels at least, is the availability of power outlets at some seats on Delta flights.

For domestic US Delta flights, which I often get upgraded on, the addition of 110 power outlets is a welcome benefit. For Delta, this means flights on select Boeing 737, 747, 757, 767 and 777 planes.

On Northwest, the almost-subsumed airline carrier that Delta is merging with to create a single operating entity (SOE) that will be called Delta, the Airbus and Boeing 747 planes have outlets.

There are two annoyances with this wonderful addition.

First, while a few of the Delta planes have power outlets in particular coach class locations, at least according to Delta Sky magazine (deltaskymag.com), the location of these seems to be a well-kept secret that's not shown at the time of the seat-selection when booking online (delta.com).

Especially for those of us who fly frequently, including international flights where we no longer get bumped to Business Elite (the seats formerly known as First Class), the ability to choose a coach seat for a 6-8 hour flight that had a power outlet would be ideal and a great start to an overseas trip (imagine charging your laptop before you land rather than having to find a power outlet in a foreign airport).

Second, perhaps more disturbing for a feature that may entice some flyers choose Delta over another carrier, is the inconsistency with which the power outlets work. On the last two domestic flights, in first class, my power outlet hasn't worked, even though my seatmate's power outlet was working.

In the first instance, a flight from ATL to SFO on a 757, my question to the flight attendant about the failed power outlet led to a rebooting of the power system, which then caused everyone's outlets to stop working for the remainder of the flight. For the record, as much as I needed to work on the flight, I would not have made the request, had I known it would knock out the entire power outlet system.

In the second instance, on the flight I am currently on, the outlet at my seat also does not work, but my seatmate's does, and she - having nothing to charge - was gracious enough to let me use her outlet after the flight attendant first tried a reboot on the system. I don't know if that reboot (pushing a green button in the front of the cabin) jolted my seatmate's power outlet to life, as I had not tested hers beforehand, but I know it had no effect on the power outlet at my seat.

My suggestion, then, is to enquire with an agent on the phone (after booking your ticket online to save the booking fee) regarding the location of power outlets on the flight so that you can select a coach class seat and still have power close by, even if you don't get upgraded.

The secondary tip is to always treat your seatmate with respect, as you'll never know when you'll need a power up.

Delta, please fix the two annoyances, since this really is a great feature that entices flyers to remain with Delta.

Tip 26 - WiFi and Loyalty Programs

Mentioned in a previous post that Sheraton and Microsoft's joint partnership in Link@Sheraton is a great model, where computers, printers and WiFi are available in Sheraton lobbies.

Some Shearatons make their access widely available for anyone while others, like the Sheraton hotel at CDG, have it locked down with password protection.

Those in the loyalty program, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG), can enter their loyalty program number and receive complimentary access.

If you don't have an SPG number, no worries: Sheraton makes it easy to sign up for SPG at the WiFi log-in page.

Clever concept and clever marketing.


iPhoned

Tip 25 - Paris RER payments

[Update: well, he might have been running a scam, since my ticket worked when I went through the RER turnstile in Gare du Nord but didn't work when I arrived at Roissy CDG 2. Two other people had a similar problem, although they may have had different reasons for their issues with the turnstile, so the guard had all three of us climb over, with bags . . . ]

Like the London Tube, the Paris RER regional trains no longer accept US Visa cards - debit or credit - unless they have the Chip + Pin (chip-pin uses a chip on the front of the card as a way to partially "dip" the card without putting the card all the way in to a machine).

In addition, the RER machines at Gare du Nord also only accept Euro coins up to 2 euros, so paper money is no help.

Since I only had a Visa debit and a fiver with Euro 3,65 in coin for a Euro 8,50 toll, I was hosed after arriving at 11:47 PM on the Eurostar for a midnight train.

So I did something I never do - took the offer of someone in the station to use their French card. Couldn't tell if it was someone who worked for the RER or SCNF, nor if he often gets a Euro 10 note and doesn't make change, but I would certainly have given him one if I had it.

Stock up on Euro coins for your next trip; even if you can't exchange them, they may come in handy, especially if you see someone like me looking desperate.

iPhoned

Tip 24 - London Tube payment types

The London Tube payment system updates mean the Underground ticket system no longer accepts US Visa cards - debit or credit - unless they have the Chip + Pin (chip-pin uses a chip on the front of the card as a way to partially "dip" the card without putting the card all the way in to a machine).

Go to the wide, large ticket machines (typically in the center or at the end of a bank of machines) if you have bank notes or want to receive change for your pound or two-pound coins.

If you have coins and don't mind not receiving change, there is often one other machine in the bank of ticket machines keyed to this option.


iPhoned

When in London, oops, no changes

[Update 3: This whole single-tunnel concept isn't looking so great, what with 2,000 passengers trapped in it . . . ]
[Update 2: So what's the policy for delayed trains? According to the Eurostar conditions of carriage, it has to be "delayed significantly" in order for a refund to be issued: 21. Refunds for delayed or cancelled trains says "if the train you planned to catch is delayed significantly or cancelled and you decide not to travel or to continue your journey, we may give you a full refund on the unused portion of the ticket if you cancel your reservation in accordance with our instructions and return it to the point of sale where you bought it (or to another point of sale to which we or our agents direct you) at the earliest opportunity.  If you do not cancel it immediately but claim a refund after the two month period of validity from the scheduled date of travel has passed, we may make an administrative charge."]
[Update: Apparently the trains are now fully suspended, with Eurostar advising passengers to stay with friends in London if possible. Still no flexibility to change to the earlier train. High likelihood they'll cancel my train, which will ripple down to staying the evening in the train station and then a verrrrrrrrrry long day tomorrow since I'll miss my early-morning flight from Paris.] 

All Eurostar trains are delayed this evening from London to Paris, the famed Chunnel Eurostar route.

This is due to, I was told upon check-in, "a death on the line" that will delay the train before mine for probably another hour, as well as mine, the last one of the night.

The reason is understandable: the police need to do their work, and it's uncertain whether the fatality occurred inside a Eurostar train or on the tracks. May the deceased rest in peace.

What isn't understandable is the inflexibility of the system to accommodate changes in schedules, when the delay rests clearly on Eurostar, pointing up one very important difference between the airline and train industries.

With airplanes, if the event is unforseen and it is known a flight will be delayed, a passenger is allowed to change to a less delayed (earlier) flights if seats are available.

On the Eurostar between London and all points South, this is not an option. When I asked about changing to the earlier, less-delayed train, I was told it was not possible. When I asked about seats being available, I was told they were but that a non-refundable ticket meant no changes could be made to the reservation.

"Even if the delay is due to this unforseen circumstance," the check-in attendant told me, clearly surprised at the question, "we can not change the ticket. If one person changed to the earlier train, everyone would want to change."

That might be true, but one is certain that not everyone would ask; that's what the airlines get - and apparently Eurostar does not.

For Eurostar, it is apparently better for me to arrive very late in Paris, beyond the time at which my connecting train departs (it leaves at 12:15 AM) and stay the night in the Gare du Nord train station, rather than allow the option of being put on an earlier train.

Guess this is my last Chunnel ride for some time, until this issue is resolved.

iPhoned

Tip 23 - Inexpensive Hotels

A recent New York Times travel article on inexpensive hotels in Europe - quite helpful for those Americans looking to stretch a dollar

Rotterdam

So now I know why the Big Chemical Company in my adopted hometown likes its European headquarters city so much.



Unlike Amsterdam, which led the way as the main port of entry prior to industrial times, Rotterdam took the lead in mechanization - and paid dearly for it during World War II.

Despite its proximity to Den Haag (The Hague), Rotterdam's historical district seemed never to recover, even though building of industrial warehouses seems to have thrived.

The small central district, tiny and decrepit, seems now to be undergoing additional "enhancement" in the form of demolition.



Amsterdam, passed over in the mechanization race, also was spared in the bombings, perhaps because it offered wares of another kind.

Both have reaped what they've sown, with Amsterdam being the tourist destination and Rotterdam the factory and industry capital of the Netherlands. Never thought I'd say it, but give me Amsterdam - or tell me what I missed in Rotterdam!




Added bonus: UNESCO Center for Water Education. Don't think the portable urinal on the street in front of it is the type of education they have in mind.

Luxembourg

Casemates, fortifications, bridges and bulwarks: Luxembourg is as much a study in small niches and hide-a-ways as it is in modern banking and the Grey List.




It is also a city of normality, with a market on Saturday that brings out the ladies dressed for market.




iPhoned

In Flanders Fields

Spent the day in Iepers (Ypres) and, in particular, several hours in the Flanders Fields museum that is housed in a building on the Grote Market.



This church, which also houses the town's information center, shows signs of being badly shelled during the three battles from 1915-1918 that took place in and around this northernmost town in the great trench line that held off the Germans from their goal of taking Paris.




After experiencing this very effective use of multimedia - including LOUD explosions and wall-sized video and multi-image (slide) presentations, it was nice to trade the enclosed, dark spaces for a bit of calm and bright walking along a canal to visit several graves. The pictures below show the final resting place of Brits, Canadians, Maoris and Scots, although as recently as four years ago other bodies have been discovered during building and expansion phases around town.



iPhoned

Bruges swans vs Canada geese

A bit of an altercation today between the swans of Bruges and the visiting Canada geese. Turns out the geese were stuck at one end of the canal, near a feeding trough. Couldn't tell if they were protecting their turf or trying to get past the swan blockade . . .





iPhoned

Butterflies in the parking lot

Went to celebrate my in-laws 45th anniversary. Pulling into the parking lot, one of the children noticed several butterflies.

Their habitat? A nicely kept flower garden the restaurant staff maintains.

Brussels by daylight

On my way to IBC in Amsterdam, via CLT, ATL and BXL.

Once on the ground, I hope to also see Bruges, the Venice of the North, and Ghent on my way into the Netherlands.

Hotels.com SNAFU - International Websites

Websites are meant to be helpful, but the reality for many companies is that the overseas versions of their websites are too helpful. Try typing in www.google.com in any country other than the US and you'll receive back a website with that country's two-letter Top Level Domain (TLD) such as .fr for France.

Hotels.com takes this to a new level. It is impossible to get back to the main hotels.com when logging in from any other country, and this flaw means that hotels.com's suggested cancellation steps in its reservation emails do not work.

Yes, that's right, you can't cancel online if you're outside the US, and you can't call the 800 number when you're outside the US.

Think emailing in a request for cancellation would then be acceptable? Wrong.

Read the cautionary tale of hotels.com and its inability to function in a global society at 3Cents.com (which also has a dismal 1.5-star rating for the company).