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 THE FREQUENT FLYER GAZETTE   ::   MAY 2004
 ISSN 1446-4292
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CONTENTS ::
 
1. Travel Diary
2. Member's Talk
3. Travel News
4. Freq Flyer News

Editors Note ::
 
Hello and welcome to the May edition of the Frequent Flyer Gazette.

This month we feature the online Travel Diary - the 21st century equivalent of the traditional paper-based travel diary.  We explain the benefits and show you how to set-up your own diary for free.

There have been some changes to the popular Frequent Flyer Club.  The Club is now operated the Handzon Company, an independent Travel Management and Marketing company.  Check out their website and discover some of the great new services, such as discounted Qantas Club memberships.

Some good news for those planning to use Qantas points to travel to South Africa:  Last month we reported that South African Airways will be joining the Star Alliance and we speculated that this may signal the end of the existing SAA/Qantas partnership.  Senior management from both airlines have contacted our office and assured us that they have no intention of ending the relationship.

Happy reading.

Ben
Editor, Frequent Flyer Gazette

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Last minute hotel reservation!


 
1. Your own online Travel Diary
 

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Last month we featured an online Travel Diary of an enterprising Scottish Frequent Flyer.  The diary makes interesting reading, and we expected to receive some general queries about Round The World Tickets and Mileage Runs.  What we didn't expect was the flood of questions relating to the creation of a personal online Travel Diary.  Given the interest in this topic, we will now discuss the what, why, and how of online Travel Diaries. 

What is an online Travel Diary?

An online Diary is the 21st century equivalent of the traditional paper-based Travel Diary.  It's your own personal Travel website.  You can record your adventures, upload your photos, keep notes and communicate with family and friends while you are travelling.

Why have an online Travel Diary?

The simple answer is that it has all the advantages of a paper-based diary - plus all the benefits of internet technology, such as

  • you can update the diary virtually anywhere (you will need access to the internet)

  • you can share your adventures with anyone who has access to your diary

  • you can record text, pictures, sound, and even video

  • you can create mailing lists and automatically email friends and family when your diary is updated

  • others can leave you messages

  • others can comment on your diary entries

Creating an online Travel Diary

There are a number of websites that offer free "out-of-the-box" Travel Diary software.  You simply create an account and then start recording your adventure.  These services include: JourneyFile and TravellersPoint.

If you are prepared to pay a little, you can get heaps of extra features such as a map-based journal - see MyTripJournal.

If you have the skills you can create your own travel website using standard HTML authoring software such as Frontpage and host the website on a commercial webserver.  Alternatively use services such as Geocities or Tripod to set up a free internet site using their site builder tools.


2. MEMBER'S TALK
 

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Each month we feature highlights from our Discussion Board, our popular free service. 

Which is the best Star Alliance Program for a family of 6 flying on Around The World tickets

A junior member of our Discussion Board has booked a Round The World trip for his family of 6 and would like to accumulate sufficient points to take his family on a free holiday to New Zealand.  He is seeking advice as to which Star Alliance program - United Mileage Plus, Air NZ Airpoints, Singapore's Krisflyer, or Lufthansa's Miles & More - would be best for him.

Read what our wise member's recommend HERE

Earning cheap Status Credits

In last month's newsletter we did a piece on Status Credits and demonstrated how they can be an important component of your frequent flyer strategy.

Lindsay, one of our "Posting Freaks" has worked out an itinerary which can earn 140 Status Credits - almost half the credits you need to retain Silver Status -  for just $1,197.  This works out at $8.55 per credit, which is great value.

You can find details of this itinerary HERE.

Credit card for $2,800 per year!!

If you think your Bank's credit card fees are high, consider the new American Express Centurion card.  Comes with heaps of features, and with a price tag to match.  $2,800 per year!!

Read what our member's have to say HERE

 


3. TRAVEL NEWS
 
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Froggie salad on Qantas flight

Here's one to put a chill down the spine of any vegetarian: A passenger on a Qantas flight from Melbourne to Wellington found a live frog in her salad!  According to a New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Quarantine Service spokesman, the woman quickly put the lid back on her meal to stop the frog from escaping.

The Qantas crew notified the ministry while the plane was still in the air and Quarantine Service staff were waiting when it landed at Wellington Airport. The four-centimetre native Australian whistling tree frog was taken from the plane and put in a freezer.

A Qantas spokesman said that since the incident the airline had changed its lettuce supplier and introduced "additional procedures into the salad supply process".

Darwin Airport failure to detect passenger�s "serious looking" knife

The Advertiser reports that security screening at Darwin Airport failed to detect a large knife a woman was carrying unknowingly in her handbag.  The Adelaide woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, described the knife as "a serious-looking instrument". The woman alleges she found the knife - which she had used during her holiday in Kakadu National Park - in her bag about an hour into her return Qantas flight to Adelaide.

Qantas spokeswoman Jodie Taylor said the airline was taking the claim "extremely seriously" and would raise the issue with Darwin airport officials.

Travolta to return to Australia in Qantas role

John Travolta is returning to Australia on another tour of duty as a flying ambassador for Qantas.

A Qantas spokesman said Travolta was visiting Australia for a week to mark the 50th anniversary of the first Qantas trans-Pacific flight.

Selected Qantas Frequent Flyers have been invited to a $500 black tie fundraising dinner with John Travolta. 

Ansett-style collapse in the UK

In a situation all to familiar to Australians, hundreds of passengers were stranded when their airline went into administration.

Based in Birmingham and Edinburgh with a staff of 300, Duo cancelled all flights after it went into administration, blaming poor trading and insufficient investment. The move left between 750 and 1,000 travellers having to find other means of leaving the European airports served by the carrier.

Feline frequent-flyer

A cat that flew its way across the United States for nearly three weeks has flown home to its owners in Germany.

Evidently, Billy the cat escaped from its box in the hold of the plane when his owners flew from Phoenix to Philadelphia.  Undetected in the hold, the black-and-white cat missed the family's connecting flight to Munich and was found 18 days later by airline mechanics in Manchester, New Hampshire.

"The airline must be mouse-free by now," the relieved owner said as she and the family were reunited with Billy at Munich airport.
 


4. FREQUENT FLYER NEWS
 
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This section of the newsletter is sponsored by the new revamped Frequent Flyer Club.  The Frequent Flyer Club is now operated by the Handzon Company.

  • Diners Club are offering 2 Qantas Frequent Flyer points for each dollar spent in Australia until June 2004 for selected. (UPDATE: We have been advised that this offer does not apply to all Diners Club card holders)
     

  • AVIS rental cars are offering double Qantas Frequent Flyer points
     

  • Emirate Airlines have reduced the number of SkyAwards points needed to fly to selected Middle East and Asian destinations. They have also announced extra flight to/from Melbourne and Sydney
     

  • Virgin Blue and United Airlines have expanded their code share arrangement to include flights to and from more key Australian cities.  Members of any Star Alliance frequent flyer program can earn Mileage Plus points on both the domestic and international legs to the US.
     

  • Jetstar begins operations later this month. You can redeem Qantas Frequent Flyer points on Jetstar flights. Qantas points cannot be earned with Jetstar.

Visit the revamped www.frequentflyerclub.com.au with its enhanced member services and travel discounts, such as corporate discounts to join the Qantas Club.  All current members will automatically receive these new benefits.

 

� THE AUSTRALIAN FREQUENT FLYER, 2004