Toluu : View from the Wing

View from the Wing

Putting a little thought into a lot of travel

Through January 31, Tumi’s online clearance got even better, the top of the page now shows an ‘additional’ 30% off sale prices.

Cutting the Value of Rewards Network Dining for Miles in Half: the End of the VIP Rate Your Dining BonusYesterday

iDine (aka Rewards Network) which partners with several loyalty programs to provide miles for dining has just become half as valuable.

Used to be that all dining activity earned 10 miles per dollar via most airline co-branded relationships. A couple years ago they initially killed the 10 miles per dollar, implementing a new structure of 1 mile per dollar for those signed up for the program, 3 miles for those who create an online profile, and 5 miles per dollar for those who use the program enough to be called ‘VIPs’. After much outcry they added a bonus 5 milers per dollar for VIPs who ‘rate their dine’ after the meal, effectively returning the program to 10 miles per dollar for those who remain engaged enough in the program.

The ‘rate your dine’ bonus was not extended to 2009. It just disappeared off the website.

Initially it was there, a direct link to the offer said it was ongoing. The link on the Delta and United co-branded websites specifically said the offer would expire December 31, 2009, which menas they updated the end-date on the offer from 12/31/08.

In a Flyertalk discussion, though, the a purported representative of the company made the unlikely claim that this was just a web archiving glitch.

(W)e encountered a technical issue that was specific to archived links associated with the Delta

10% Hilton DiscountJanuary 6

Via One Mile at a Time, Hilton is again offering 10% off best available rate by booking through the Team USA™ Advantage link..

United Tries to Hide its Upgrade and Award Inventory from CustomersJanuary 6

Expert Flyer is no longer able to show United upgrade and award availability. Apparently United contacted them and let them know that they weren’t ‘authorized’ to have access to the information, and demanded that they stop making it available.

United previously demanded that Seatcounter remove access to this information as well.

Over the past several months United has gone to great pains to restrict access to advance confirmable upgrades. Over the summer these upgrades became very sparse for cross-country flights. Overseas flights they’re also much harder than in the past. One explanation for difficulty in upgrading internationally is fewer seats as United reconfigures planes with their new business class. I predicted this would be a problem when they first announced the retrofit of their aircraft, since the new business class cabins feature fewer premium seats (and more coach seats) than their predecessors. And when the possibility exists of an aircraft swap — renovated plane for unrenovated plane, United doesn’t want to be caught having given away their limited inventory. But this hardly explains what’s happening, since it’s not limited to international routes (and I still ahve yet to see a 777 with new business class seats.. there aren’t any).

Rather, United seems to be employing a str

See Where Big Brother Has Been Watching You FlyJanuary 6

The Budget Travel blog tells you how to get your Homeland Security Automated Targeting System files which include your international travel activity since 2002.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is required by law to make your records available to you, with some exceptions. Your request must be made in writing on paper and be signed by you.

Ask to see the “information relating to me in the Automated Targeting System.” Say that your request is “made pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. 552).” Add that you wish to have a copy of your records made and mailed to you without first inspecting them.

Your letter should, obviously, give reasonably sufficient detail to enable an official to find your record. So supply your passport number and mailing address. Put a date on your letter and make a copy for your own records. On your envelope, you should conspicuously print the words “FOIA Request.”

It should be addressed to “Freedom of Information Act Request,” U.S. Customs Service, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20229. Be patient. I had wait for up to a year to receive a copy of my records.

Then if you believe there’s an error in your record, ask for a correction by writing a letter to the Customer Satisfaction Unit, Office of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection,