Happy New Year ...

Writing this from the beautiful US Airway Envoy Lounge in Philly ... on my way to Belgium again for my mom's funeral.

How did I end up with US Airway while being a United 1K flyer ?  Long story somewhat short ...

Called United Airlines on December 28th for a ticket and I was told that if I needed to fly SFO-BRU from Jan 2-Jan7, the ticket was going to be $2200.  Since I'm a 1k member and I've flown bereavement rates before, I asked for one.  The 1K customer service representative then proceeded explaining me that there are no bereavement rates at this time for international travel, only domestic.  Bummer, so next question

What is your lowest rate on this flight ?  (I don't have $2200 and I just flew the same route a week ago for $997 with a last minute reservation) That would be H rate @$1400, yes but we don't have this rate available any longer on this flight.

You are flying with empty seats, why can't you get me as a loyal customer a ticket at that rate ?  Response; I can't change our policies and processes.  (I do have a written response detailing this statement from the 1K customer service desk ...)

This is where I called BS.  Customer service always has an option to be flexible and ask a manager to sign off on it.  This rep just refused to do so after asking.  He's missing a sale and not meeting expectations of a repeat customer.  (I flew 44 segments in 2007 and 45 in 2008)

He finally recommends calling a day later and gamble on a H rate becoming available.  Nothing to loose, so I call back on Dec 29th to be told the rate for this flight is now $3200+.  No surprise, the closer to the departure date, the more expensive the rate, the online seating chart still shows 40+ seats available.

I ask for other options and the United Airlines rep comes up with an alternative solution flying Jan 1-7 for $2200, one day longer away from home with 2 stops each Atlantic crossing.  

I asked to check if there were any Star Alliance partners with an alternative but I was told that the customer service desk had no access, I had to check with the partner airlines.

So I did and booked the flights I'm currently on.  Jan 1-7.  Leaving SFO over Philly to BRU. Longer travel, loosing a day since the plane arrives late morning rather than early AM but the rate was what I could afford ... $1147,70 ... a steal compared to what United was trying to sell a loyal customer.

The funny thing is that every single flight I'm flying today/tomorrow and my return is a United / US Airways code shared flight ... there is no reason the 1K customer service rep wouldn't have seen this flight in his stock as there is a corresponding UA 4 digit flight number ... 

Remaining questions ... did I goof up by asking for a bereavement fare and giving away that I *really* had to be somewhere or is this simply a matter of total customer service apathy ?

We'll find out ... emails on their way to 1K customer service (United), regular customer service (United) with carbon copy to the CEO ... we'll see ...

There are reasons why people remain loyal to their airlines ... customer service is one of them ... 

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As for the aged, hand tinted photograph above, my mom in 1947, age 17 by an unknown studio photographer in Gent.

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They actually have food in the US Airways Envoy lounge ... 

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There's a mouse running around in the lounge ... lives in the floor AC duct ... funny to see it run in and out and chase the cookie crums on the carpet ... so far I'm the only one here who's aware of the little thing ... I'll keep it a secret, don't want any trouble ...