July – August, 1994: July was typically quiet for me. My only trip was to Cleveland, where I spoke at the McVay Media’s Programmers School. My topics were Building A Winning Morning Show and the premiere of my Total Quality Service Radio Station seminar.
This trip prompted me to offer the following piece of Information For Airline Passengers: It is possible to get up from or sit down in your seat without pulling down the seat in front of you. (Pass it on.)
It was during the Cleveland trip that I found myself wanting to kill a taxi driver. On the way from the airport to my hotel, the driver was telling some sort of story, and he said, “So I picked up these two men at a downtown hotel, a couple of middle-aged guys — you know, like us.”
I have never before been called “middle-aged,” and I was terribly offended. Needless to say, he did not receive a big tip. (We middle-aged guys are notoriously cheap.)
In August I finally made my first visit to Montana, courtesy of Bob Hoene and the Montana Broadcasters Association. Bob brought me in to conduct two days of seminars: How To Create Maximum Impact Radio Advertising and Air Personality Plus+.
A couple of weeks later found me first in Montréal and then in Québéc City, conducting two days of seminars for Télémédia, thanks to Sylvain Langlois.
Day One was a commercial copywriting seminar for their salespeople; Day Two was an air talent seminar, complete with simultaneous translation. (The year of French class when I was nine years old has been of surprisingly little value in my “middle-aged” years.)
Hotel Vogue Bathroom
In Montréal, I was housed at the Hotel Vogue, a very nice establishment. (How nice? Well…The bathroom had a shower AND a separate sunken bathtub…as well as a telephone and a TV.) The first day’s seminar was held in the “Amphitheatre Bell” (name after Alexander Graham Bell) – the only seminar site I’ve been to that has its own skating rink.
As soon as I returned to Los Angeles, I spoke to an international group of radio people — from Egypt, Botswana, and a couple of countries I hadn’t even heard of. Although each country has its own cultural distinctions, I’m always struck by how much in common radio people from around the world have in common with each other.
Next Week: I get attacked by bees in Germany.
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Any tips on how to get upgraded to business class? 🙂
@ Cliff That is a topic to which many people devote large amounts of time & words. Here are a few basic tips for non-"road warriors."
• The most important element is your frequent flyer status with the particular airline. United, for example, has levels:
– Premiere
– Premiere Executive
– 1K
– Global Services
To qualify for Premiere, you must fly a minimum of 25,000 miles during a calendar year. (That’s “fly,” not “earn with credit card purchases.” And yes, any road warriors reading this are muttering, “What about bonus EQMs?” This primer is not for you road warriors.”)
Premiere Executive: 50,000 air miles
1K: 100,00 air miles. (Yes, to United “1K” means “100,000.” To the rest of the world, “1K” means “1,000.”)
Global Services: United doesn’t publish the requirements for GS; it’s by invitation only. Presumably somewhere around the 200,000 mile level.
Upgrades done at the airport on the day of travel are doled out (to qualifying passengers who already have put themselves on a waitlist; they can use accrued miles to upgrade, or the upper level fliers can use electronic certificates they receive as a bonus throughout the year) according to member status.
If you’re a Global Services member and there’s an available seat, it’s pretty much assured you’ll be upgraded.
If you’re a 1K and you’ve chosen your flight wisely, you’ll probably be upgraded.
In “the old days” (i.e., pre 9/11), Premiere Executives also had a decent chance of being upgraded — maybe 50%.
Here’s the rub: These days U.S. airlines are flying fewer planes, which means fewer seats, which means fewer upgrade possibilities. And now they’ve begun selling upgrades upon check-in to anyone willing to pay for them.
So we’ve entered a world in which if you’re not a Global Services member (or the equivalent on the airline you fly), it’s tougher. Still, the first step is to pick one airline to do most of your flying on. The second step is to join their frequent flyer club (which, at least, is free).
Of course, if there are no Business Class seats available, the question is moot. So before you book the flight, you go online and look: How many seats are available at the moment? How popular is this flight? (It gets more detailed: Road warriors know automatically to choose one type of aircraft over another, because some have more Business or First Class seats than others.)
Meanwhile, Cliff, I’m guessing you simply were asking, “As someone who is NOT a frequent flyer, what can I do to get upgraded for free at the airport?”
Not much. Everyone wants an upgrade.
Before I became a full-fledged road warrior (and before “First Class airfare” became part of my standard deal with clients), I developed a line that did occasionally work:
(To the gate agent, with what I hoped was an engaging smile) “Hi, just thought I’d let you know: If this flight is really crowded and you need to make room, I won’t object if you want to move me up to First Class.”
1. I’m pretty sure that’s more effective than the typical whine, “Can you upgrade me??”
2. Why would that ever work? Because of “operational upgrades”: They’ve oversold Economy Class, and before they start bumping passengers they fill up the empty First Class seats.
We’ve barely scratched the surface with this topic. But I have promises to keep, and miles to go…
Tell them you are Dan O’ Day and watch the servants bow before you! 😉
just mention your an Arab, that’s what I do…then all kinds of people surround me and I get the full body cavity search…nothing says I love you like a finger up the……
Do nothing pay more and get upgraded to business class, If that is difficult, then start the new hobby of solving puzzles of modern business, before you solve it you will reach your destination.
@ Brian: Uh, yeah. That’s certainly been my experience.