Thanks to All!

Status
Not open for further replies.

Sequel

Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2005
Posts
476
Thankyou to everyone who helped with info for my recent trip.

The new Mrs Sequel and myself have just returned from our honeymoon in Jamiaca and had a ball.

Unfortunately I didn't find this site until after I had booked the tickets, but the information supplied by all (especially Lindsay Wilson) did help to make it a better trip, and will definitely help with the next holiday I book.

Pre allocated all the seats before the trip. And got all the seats we were after, except the LAX-BNE leg. Had 49H/K pre allocated, however when we checked in (seq. 11 & 12), we were given 37F/G. Didn't realise until after we had left the check in counter, so tried to change it at the MIA AC lounge (still 10 hours before the LAX-BNE flight). They couldn't help. By the time we got to LAX it was all to late, as most people had checked in. But was given no reason why the seats had been changed. As it turns out, we were probably better off as it was a pretty full flight.

And after all the worry and talk about the long immigration/customs cues in the states, our longest wait was our return to BNE. 1 hour from getting off the plane to getting in the cab!

Thanks again!
 
Sequel, my pleasure to help where I could. Now you can help me and give us a Trip Report...of course, I am especially interested in MIA and MBJ airports ... and your thoughts on Jamaica itself.

Hey, we may even meet (as we live in the same city)...be on of the first on AFF to actually meet me :shock:
 
Nothing to report on MBJ, apart from it is small, there is not much to eat or drink or do, and you only need to get there 1.5 hours early (ok if you can used the J checkin, might be pushing it if you have to use the Y).

The new MIA D terminal lounge still wasn't open on the outbound leg, and as we had a 5 hour transit, the lady in the temporary lounge suggested we use the E terminal lounge. Only a couple of minute walk, and quite nice/of a high standard. Upon our return, we were pushed for time after clearing customs/Immigration, so as we were flying out of E anyway, we just quickly popped in to see if they could change our LAX-BNE seats (which they couldn't). So I cant tell you what the new lounge is like in D.

The only problem with all the AA AC lounges is that they do not anounce boarding, so you just have to head down to the gate in good time, and risk having to wait at the gate if the flight is delayed (as we had to for 30 mins).

Didn't strike any long ques for security, although some of them looked as though they were set up to handle some big crouds with the amount of bunting.

Have to go and get my ferry, but will tell more later.
 
Sequel said:
Pre allocated all the seats before the trip. And got all the seats we were after, except the LAX-BNE leg. Had 49H/K pre allocated, however when we checked in (seq. 11 & 12), we were given 37F/G. Didn't realise until after we had left the check in counter, so tried to change it at the MIA AC lounge (still 10 hours before the LAX-BNE flight). They couldn't help. By the time we got to LAX it was all to late, as most people had checked in. But was given no reason why the seats had been changed.

You don't mention which airline but I bet it was QF, they do this sort of thing on a regular basis especially out of LA. They've done it to me twice this year.
 
Yes it was a Qantas flight, but to make it worse, I had bought the AA code share ticket, and was using my newly aquired (read no status) AA FF number, so to computer I was no-one, and by the time I got face-to-face with QF staff in LAX, it was to late to do anything about it, and no reason given.
 
Sequel said:
Yes it was a Qantas flight, but to make it worse, I had bought the AA code share ticket

That probably explains it - they rarely do this to those booked on the QF flight number, but it happens often to those booked on the AAS code. The problem is in the way that the QF and AA computers talk to each other.

Dave
 
thadocta said:
Sequel said:
Yes it was a Qantas flight, but to make it worse, I had bought the AA code share ticket

The problem is in the way that the QF and AA computers talk to each other.

Dave

Really, where did you find this out?
 
Sequel said:
The new MIA D terminal lounge still wasn't open on the outbound leg, and as we had a 5 hour transit, the lady in the temporary lounge suggested we use the E terminal lounge. Only a couple of minute walk, and quite nice/of a high standard. Upon our return, we were pushed for time after clearing customs/Immigration, so as we were flying out of E anyway, we just quickly popped in to see if they could change our LAX-BNE seats (which they couldn't). So I cant tell you what the new lounge is like in D.
And just to complete the picture for Lindsay or others flying through MIA, the security queue at Terminal E (the only one I have used for AA domestic flights) can be looong. There is no elite queue there like there is at LAX Terminal 4.

And the AC is outside security. So if you visit the lounge, allow plenty of time to get through security. Must have taken me 40 mins to get through on a Sunday morning. They had just installed the puffer/sniffer testing closet and since there was only one machine and lots of people it too forever. Might be different now if they have more than one machine.

And once you get through security, there is no lounge, just the usual Starbucks etc to consume your remaining dead presidents.

I don't know if any of the other terminals are any better.
 
Sequel, thanks fo the insights. Without going back to find your other thread, where did you get with the AA Gold or Plat Challenge?? IIRC, you were going to have status by the time you arrived in LAX (but of course, it wouldn't have shown by that stage). Is it showing now you're back in BNE??

NM, thanks for the additional clarification. Will have to go and post that to my FT oneworld thread so I have it all together. I was going to ask these kind of questions nearer my departure.
 
I can add that MIA is possibly the most confusing airport I've ever been through. :? :? :?

The best advice I can give to someone arriving there for the first time is to just act like a sheep and follow the crowd. It's a real maze and the signage is not at all descriptive.

Of course, that could be a reflection of my brain state after flying SYD - LAX - MIA with very little sleep. :roll: It makes for a long trip....
 
There is an Elite security line at MIA for AA, it's on the extreme left handside with somebody checking status. I was there 3 weeks ago.
 
rosesplus said:
There is an Elite security line at MIA for AA, it's on the extreme left handside with somebody checking status. I was there 3 weeks ago.
:( :( was not operating at the E concourse when I was there in April. Would have come in really handy.
 
NM, I don't think it was at the E concourse, all the concourses are connected once you get through. I think it was D and then you just walk down past the new AC club into E.

Mark
 
Okay, similar to you Damien we'll be flying BNE/LAX/DFW/MIA (thankfully we aren't flying through to MBJ that same day, otherwise I think we'll look like this :shock: by that stage). So we just need to get out the door and into the fresh air and find the Sheraton Shuttle.

Been to MIA before (however many years ago), so all help is greatfully received. All I remember is the AC Lounge (don't recall which terminal). Had just flown in on an overnight AA flight from CNF (Belo Horizonte, Brasil) and connecting to AA flight to SEA. I was wired and just recall trying to relax before another long flight.

As Mrs LW is an AA Plat (OW Sapphire) and I'm QF Plat (OW Emerald), an Elite line would be nice 2 days later when we fly AA MIA/MBJ; or 7 days after that when we fly MBJ/MIA/SFO. Wonder if they'll let me through the Elite line?? Thanks to rosesplus and NM for that gem. Also on the outbound we'll be at the Intl Terminal and then on the way back we'll have an Intl to Dom terminal transfer (Sequel, any comments about that??).
 
Lindsay Wilson said:
As Mrs LW is an AA Plat (OW Sapphire) and I'm QF Plat (OW Emerald), an Elite line would be nice 2 days later when we fly AA MIA/MBJ; or 7 days after that when we fly MBJ/MIA/SFO. Wonder if they'll let me through the Elite line?? Thanks to rosesplus and NM for that gem. Also on the outbound we'll be at the Intl Terminal and then on the way back we'll have an Intl to Dom terminal transfer (Sequel, any comments about that??).

Given Mrs LW's much more valuable status I would stick close to her when you get to the Elite line :D She might even get you a AA upgrade to F!!

Mark
 
In my fairly limited experience of elite security lines in the US - any kind of gold or similar card would work (perhaps not for the home airline). They have no ideas of all the different types of cards and what they mean, so seem to go by the rule - "if unfamiliar and it looks shiny then assume its high status".
 
rosesplus said:
Given Mrs LW's much more valuable status I would stick close to her when you get to the Elite line :D She might even get you a AA upgrade to F!!

Mark

His status is equal to hers for accessing the "elite' ( what is elite about having done a few flights? ) security lanes since OW status members can also use them

Methinks that there are only v limited options for the Mrs QF WP to get him an AA upgrade since I have already sorted out A or C class seats for all bar one of the AA legs so far :). Just one leg where the 100 hr electronic upgrade system is being trusted

Dave
 
The Frequent Flyer Concierge team takes the hard work out of finding reward seat availability. Using their expert knowledge and specialised tools, they'll help you book a great trip that maximises the value for your points.

AFF Supporters can remove this and all advertisements

Kiwi Flyer said:
In my fairly limited experience of elite security lines in the US - any kind of gold or similar card would work (perhaps not for the home airline). They have no ideas of all the different types of cards and what they mean, so seem to go by the rule - "if unfamiliar and it looks shiny then assume its high status".

In my experience, the elite lane is for OW Ruby and above (so basically everyone). Lindsay Wilson, you will have no problems!
 
rosesplus, we are both very valuable to each other this trip - I'm on the waitlist for J seats BNE/LAX/BNE (but getting in on the 90 day mark and being Plat should auger well for our chances).

Then used the Dave Noble 9* Travel Agency and ExpertFlyer, we have confirmed upgrades to First on AA LAX/DFW/MIA and then MIA/SFO (courtesy of my wife's and both my parents' AA points).

Have QF Award J seats MIA/MBJ (37,00 points). As Dave noted, we are only waitlisted on MBJ/MIA.

Have sectors on AS SFO/SEA/YLW/SEA/LAX that I can't upgrade, so we'll have to slum them in Coach. But none are really that long, so we won't be concerned.

Not expecting any problems, but we are dealing with TSA here :roll:
 
Sorry Lindsay, have been away for a couple of days (on the road and not in the air unfortunately), but I have just checked and we both made AA Plat with with 20554 qualyfying miles, 11004 Q Points and 28715 program to date miles. Ended up with 1000 extra for some reason "09/24/05 INTL ESUMM OPT-IN BONUS 0 1,000 1,000"? As we were on deep discounted tickets, which was the original problem and why we signed up for AA and challenge, we didn't qualify until our return to BNE.

MIA-MBJ on QF award, how is this so?

As far as security ques, we didn't encounter any, and went through MIA E twice, LAX 4 once and LAX TBIT once.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Enhance your AFF viewing experience!!

From just $6 we'll remove all advertisements so that you can enjoy a cleaner and uninterupted viewing experience.

And you'll be supporting us so that we can continue to provide this valuable resource :)


Sample AFF with no advertisements? More..

Recent Posts

Back
Top