Does anyone have airline questions? Ask me!

I am working on settlement Visas for my son (15) and myself.  According to the rules I am supposed to have air reservations to include with the other documents.

Why am I supposed to have a return date for travel when I will be moving to the UK when the Visas are approved.

Also, how do I get a reservation with an airline without actually buying tickets?  The Visa instructions indicate that I should not have reservations that are firm.

Thank you for your help.

How many miles must you fly before you're considered elite?

It depends on the program.  But for instance, for United's Mileage Plus, you have to earn at least 25,000 status miles (actual flown miles) or 30 individual flight segments within one calendar year.

I am working on settlement Visas for my son (15) and myself.  According to the rules I am supposed to have air reservations to include with the other documents.

Why am I supposed to have a return date for travel when I will be moving to the UK when the Visas are approved.

Also, how do I get a reservation with an airline without actually buying tickets?  The Visa instructions indicate that I should not have reservations that are firm.

Thank you for your help.

This is a visa question, not a travel question, so it should be posted in Visas.  But for the return date, you can put your expiration date of your passport.  It's a flaw in the one-size-fits-all form, don't worry about it.

And you don't need to have an actual ticket for the visa application - and as you noted, you shouldn't buy tickets until you get the visa back and have checked it for errors.  You can just show you've looked up some dates for when you want to leave.

Also, how do I get a reservation with an airline without actually buying tickets?  The Visa instructions indicate that I should not have reservations that are firm.

Thank you for your help.

Some internet booking engines allow you to save a booking enquiry and you can print an itinerary.  They are for a limited time, and if the price goes up in the meantime, you have to pay that fare if you book.

You can also go to a travel agency and ask about particular flights and have them print up an itinerary for you, without having to make an actual booking.  Be prepared, they might charge you a small fee for that as you are using their resources and time to do this service.

I have unfortunately received a middle seat on a flight to London, however the last couple of times flying I've felt ill so I prefer to be on an end seat just in case I need a quick trip to the restroom. So, I've been checking my reservation every day to see if any other seats open up but unfortunately have had no such luck. I kind of want a seat closer to the front of the plane, but can't afford the economy plus seats that are offered on my Delta flight. And I'm flying into Boston first then I leave for a flight into London, can I ask at Boston airport if I can switch my flight, or can I ask before I get onto my first flight here in Detroit??? Thanks !!

I have unfortunately received a middle seat on a flight to London, however the last couple of times flying I've felt ill so I prefer to be on an end seat just in case I need a quick trip to the restroom. So, I've been checking my reservation every day to see if any other seats open up but unfortunately have had no such luck. I kind of want a seat closer to the front of the plane, but can't afford the economy plus seats that are offered on my Delta flight. And I'm flying into Boston first then I leave for a flight into London, can I ask at Boston airport if I can switch my flight, or can I ask before I get onto my first flight here in Detroit??? Thanks !!

It doesn't hurt to ask every single agent you encounter (ticket counter in DTW, gate in DTW, and gate in BOS) because things change minute to minute.

Also, a tip for everyone:  attitude matters.  When I was a gate agent, if someone was sweet and polite, I would remember them.  So if I couldn't give them what they wanted at the time, but I noticed it opened up later, I would grab it for them and call them back up to the desk.  If someone was rude and demanding, I put them out of my mind (to avoid the stress) as soon as they walked away.

Also, how do I get a reservation with an airline without actually buying tickets?  The Visa instructions indicate that I should not have reservations that are firm.

In addition to what was mentioned previously, I'll add that most airlines will allow you to book a reservation without purchasing, though it will cancel itself at some point depending on the airline.  Some only last 24 hours from the time you book, while some last all the way until 24 hours before the flight.  Call the airline to enquire.  They do charge for phone service these days, but compared to the cost of your ticket it's nothing.

That said, as previously mentioned, the visa office is usually satisfied with a saved search or prospective itinerary without an actual reservation.

It doesn't hurt to ask every single agent you encounter (ticket counter in DTW, gate in DTW, and gate in BOS) because things change minute to minute.

Also, a tip for everyone:  attitude matters.  When I was a gate agent, if someone was sweet and polite, I would remember them.  So if I couldn't give them what they wanted at the time, but I noticed it opened up later, I would grab it for them and call them back up to the desk.  If someone was rude and demanding, I put them out of my mind (to avoid the stress) as soon as they walked away.

I will most definitely do that, do they have that option at the gate such as the one in DTW, to look at a flight I'd be leaving from Boston??? I like to think that I have a great attitude with people, and I understand that if there's nothing that can be done, I realize that. I appreciate your help though, it's great to have help with this !!

Maybe you can answer my question about Continental. I have searched and cannot find the answer. I keep getting emails saying in 50% to elite status for 2012. I would love to have elite status but I mainly fly which airline is cheapest, so its worked out that Continental has been the past few times, but I might not get a chance to fly with them again this year to reach elite status. Is it going to reset at the beginning of 2012 and I will have to try to earn it again next year? How does that work? 

Maybe you can answer my question about Continental. I have searched and cannot find the answer. I keep getting emails saying in 50% to elite status for 2012. I would love to have elite status but I mainly fly which airline is cheapest, so its worked out that Continental has been the past few times, but I might not get a chance to fly with them again this year to reach elite status. Is it going to reset at the beginning of 2012 and I will have to try to earn it again next year? How does that work? 

Yup, you have from January 1-December 31st to earn at least 25k miles to get to Silver Elite on Continental. Bear in mind, flights flown with partners, including all the airlines on the Star Alliance count towards this. I had to do a quickie trip to Florida to visit my grandmother at the very end of 2010 to lock in my Silver status for 2011 but my traveling has slowed down and I haven't gone anywhere to take advantage of the benefits.

"What is with those razor slots in the bathrooms on a plane? Who's shaving in there?! And shaving so much, they're using up razorblades? What, have you got the Wolfman flying here?"

/too obscure?

I will most definitely do that, do they have that option at the gate such as the one in DTW, to look at a flight I'd be leaving from Boston??? I like to think that I have a great attitude with people, and I understand that if there's nothing that can be done, I realize that. I appreciate your help though, it's great to have help with this !!

I can't speak for Delta, but when I was a UA gate agent I could open any flight until about an hour before departure. Of course, my priority was the flight I was working at the moment, but if you asked nicely and I wasn't busy, I was happy to help.

Yup, you have from January 1-December 31st to earn at least 25k miles to get to Silver Elite on Continental. Bear in mind, flights flown with partners, including all the airlines on the Star Alliance count towards this. I had to do a quickie trip to Florida to visit my grandmother at the very end of 2010 to lock in my Silver status for 2011 but my traveling has slowed down and I haven't gone anywhere to take advantage of the benefits.

This. Elite status is reviewed at the end of each year to take effect the following year.

"What is with those razor slots in the bathrooms on a plane? Who's shaving in there?! And shaving so much, they're using up razorblades? What, have you got the Wolfman flying here?"

/too obscure?

Many planes currently in service were designed and built in the days before plastic safety razors and battery-powered shavers. That's why they still have things like ashtrays and razor disposal. Think of Don Draper (from Mad Men), and you'll know the kind of person most planes were designed for until the last 10 years or so.

Why do they always explain how to fasten your seatbelt? It's a seatbelt, it's not hard.