Status run fail! [nearly]

[maccaisking]

I had the below happen today. I’m glad I can laugh about it!

I took my first status run to reach VA plat, needing 3 sectors and 21 status credits by Sunday to get there. I booked MEL - LST - MEL - ADL paid, and a business reward seat home from ADL - MEL as a present for all of my hard work flying! The last flight was due back in Melbourne by 6pm, leaving ample time to get to the footy tonight.

Upon flight 1 landing at LST at 12:25, I received a text and email that I had been removed from flight 2 and that flights 3 & 4 have been cancelled and rebooked, with flight 3 leaving Melbourne at 12:35 (in 10 minutes).
The staff at the desk in LST put me back on the flight to Melbourne but once there I couldn’t get an early enough flight to Adelaide - or anywhere else - to make it back to Melbourne for the footy (which I rank with similar importance to my status) so rebooked those legs for tomorrow morning.

To their credit the staff at Lonnie (as they all called it) and Melbourne were very helpful and changed all my bookings with no fees and many apologies. I have spent the last few hours at the Melbourne lounge to try and claw some value back from my skybus fare! Hopefully the Bombers do the right thing tonight and I make it back to MEL by 6:30am tomorrow to finish my run.

I expect I’m not the only one who has had a failed status run, does anybody else care to share their own fails?

 

[umberloidster]

I have nothing to share, but I take my hat off to you for your sheer dedication, and your strength of spirit to be able to laugh about it!

 

[Saab34]

Mine was Delta related taking advantage of the Comfort+ hack same day SC run.

Newark-Detroit-Buffalo/Buffalo-Detroit-Newark

Newark to Detroit we diverted to Buffalo due storms. Refuel and set off to Detroit. Made the next leg with about 5 mins.

Detroit to Buffalo diverted to Boston due to storms again. Refuelled and made it back to Buffalo. Same aircraft taking me on the delayed back to Detroit so no stress. Landed Detroit and EWR flight cancelled due to aircraft stuck in another port due to other storm damage. Put me on a flight via Buffalo again to JFK. Landed about 12am.

At least all flights were in Comfort+ so some form of premium seat.

 

[maccaisking]

Pleased to say I made it to the airport on time this morning and am about to land back in MEL, with 8 sectors completed, exactly 1000 SCs and a shiny new card due to arrive in a week or two. And a win for Essendon last night

 

[jase05]

Pleased to say I made it to the airport on time this morning and am about to land back in MEL, with 8 sectors completed, exactly 1000 SCs and a shiny new card due to arrive in a week or two. And a win for Essendon last night

Optimistic expecting the physical card to arrive in a week or two.

 

[Robert K]

I had a similar status run planned during the time when you could get $50 domestic tickets.
Same day SYD - PQQ - SYD - CFS - SYD - TMW - SYD

I had the same crew for the first 3 legs of the flight. FA came up and asked what I was doing on all her flights! Told her I was doing a status run. She didn't know what that meant.

Unfortunately, the plane had mechanical issues after arriving at CFS, so was stuck there for about 5 hours until the next flight departed. Thankfully there was a small lounge with drinks and snacks. Had to cancel the TMW leg of the trip unfortunately.

 

[MH_fan]

I had the below happen today. I’m glad I can laugh about it!

I took my first status run to reach VA plat, needing 3 sectors and 21 status credits by Sunday to get there. I booked MEL - LST - MEL - ADL paid, and a business reward seat home from ADL - MEL as a present for all of my hard work flying! The last flight was due back in Melbourne by 6pm, leaving ample time to get to the footy tonight.

Upon flight 1 landing at LST at 12:25, I received a text and email that I had been removed from flight 2 and that flights 3 & 4 have been cancelled and rebooked, with flight 3 leaving Melbourne at 12:35 (in 10 minutes).
The staff at the desk in LST put me back on the flight to Melbourne but once there I couldn’t get an early enough flight to Adelaide - or anywhere else - to make it back to Melbourne for the footy (which I rank with similar importance to my status) so rebooked those legs for tomorrow morning.

To their credit the staff at Lonnie (as they all called it) and Melbourne were very helpful and changed all my bookings with no fees and many apologies. I have spent the last few hours at the Melbourne lounge to try and claw some value back from my skybus fare! Hopefully the Bombers do the right thing tonight and I make it back to MEL by 6:30am tomorrow to finish my run.

I expect I’m not the only one who has had a failed status run, does anybody else care to share their own fails?

Wow. That's dedication. I don't think I've ever done a proper status run. You did well under pressure. You would have found me in a corner, curled up ibto a ball and crying like a baby...

 

[clipped_wings]

Who flies to Melbourne and back - just for Status? WE DO!

See the above link for my epic fail

 

[kookaburra75]

And a win for Essendon last night

As a fellow, suffering Essendon supporter, I think it's Karma that through your misfortune, good luck shone upon the lads on Fri night

 

[Pushka]

Almost a fail. Was booked Adl - Mel - OOL and return in J with DSC but return on different PNR but knew the same plane returned to Mel. Departing at 6am and arriving home about 7pm. Received a text at 2am that morning saying Adl flight was cancelled. And they’d rebooked me routing via SYDNEY and of course too late to make return flight. Plus less status credits.

In the end I managed to get return flight also changed to come via Sydney and same plane doing the return flight.

Then had to go through the angst of getting all the DSC credited plus the original routing credits. Took a few weeks to sort.

 

[maccaisking]

Who flies to Melbourne and back - just for Status? WE DO!

See the above link for my epic fail

Oh no. At least you got a good trip out of it! I also imagine, probably much like me, you have gotten some strange looks from non FF friends when explaining why you had to take this trip, and then take another one!

 

[clipped_wings]

I also imagine, probably much like me, you have gotten some strange looks from non FF friends when explaining why you had to take this trip, and then take another one!

Yarp. Not many people that we know, adore flying as much as we do. They consider it a means to an end. Some quiz me on why we put so much emphasis on the Status and not on the holiday.

I tell them "WRONGO!" We plan every aspect of our trips with military precision - just so we can wing it once we're there. Flights/accommodation/entertainment - there's a lot of behind-the-scenes work done to make us look so relaxed when we travel. And Status affords our family of 8 so much in terms of quality and experience. We all get Lounge entry next trip, thanks to Mr Clipped's Platinum status with VA and some strategic AMEX card use.

My family and friends think we're daft. I think we're brilliant. But each to their own I guess.

 

[tdimdad]

My family and friends think we're daft. I think we're brilliant. But each to their own I guess.

Yup! I've been very quiet of my (so far only) status run. Didn't even post any photos in FB. Only my partner and one friend know about it, both shake their heads in disbelief. And you are very right about the elevated level of planning involved but when it results in a more comfortable trip, it's worth it.

 

[Jonesaus]

On my first and only SC run a month or so ago, I was booked on paid MEL>CBR>OOL and business reward back to MEL all same day.

My stop in CBR was only 40 minutes, so i was worried about making the connection, but was relieved to find that it was the same plane heading onward to OOL.

So there was enough time to stop at the lounge for a quick beer and something to eat, then back to the same seat on the same plane to OOL

 

[Hvr]

then back to the same seat on the same plane to OOL

With the same crew?

My family and friends think we're daft.

You need new friends, come to some AFF functions and be amongst friends who not only understand but have done it.

 

[Jonesaus]

With the same crew?

Yes, Same crew. One of them did recognise me from the earlier flight

 

[vandy]

Mine was Delta related taking advantage of the Comfort+ hack same day SC run.

Don't mean to hijack this thread, but what's the Delta Comfort+ hack?

 

[serfty]

Don't mean to hijack this thread, but what's the Delta Comfort+ hack?

It's not really a hack, but often C+ can be purchased for not much more (e.g. 20-40% more ) than discount economy while earning 3 times the SC of discount economy for the same flight.

 

[Saab34]

Comfort+ credits as Virgin Premium Economy. I got Gold for less than $1k this way.

 

[maccaisking]

Pleased to report a happy ending. My first flight on the status run - which is the only one I flew without issues - didn’t credit, luckily I had kept the BP (which had my FF number on it?) After this credited I had to ask them to recheck and update my account as it had been a couple of weeks since my review date. This was done and now showing as Plat