In Which I am Gobsmacked By A Discovery

Richie honorably and gratefully retired after36 years with a Major American Airline (MAA) and we have still flown non-revenue subsequently.  As a non-rev you are at the mercy of the gods and MAA, and all employees know the Gate Leap wherein we are sent bounding around any airport going to the next gate and hoping for a seat.  Some of us in pure desperation have been known to find a seat on a flight going Anywhere and take it!  Packed for the Caribbean and find yourself going to Nome, Alaska?  Airports sell clothing in various boutiques at twice the price elsewhere.  But you got a seat.

Comes then the advent of MAA 20 which is 20 per cent off the list price.  The very thought of actually paying for what one always got free is galling to many including us.  After 36 years of hoping for coach and getting 1st instead, it is just too delicious to pass up.

But as we will be on a fairly tight schedule in September to attend my 60th high school reunion and sightsee around Kansas City, MO, as much as possible, I called MAA20 this morning.  LAX to DFW to MCI are all short flights and we certainly ride Coach often enough not to whinge.  Including from JFK to LAX in that last two seats in the plane, backed by a toilet with the gallery cater-cornered and no window at all.  "Bat Cave" came to mind.

When I called, this morning a very nice lady responded.  After we had worked through the flights I wanted, she then said, "Do you have a seat preference?" and I said, "What?" and she said, "Window? Aisle? and gasping from shock, I bleated out, "One of each please."

Being ever more helpful, she said, warningly, "Then you will have someone between you," but I said, "Fine," and old logic, surfacing was gleefully chuckling "And if the flight's not full, we've got a table between us, heh heh!"

I tell you the knowledge that our languid asses will be draped over Row 27, A and C, is bliss.  No looking hopefully (and often) at the list of non-revs and hopeful upgrades list and finding us #17 and #18 - vanquished by spending a little money.  In this case $500 for two RT tix from LA to Kansas City and back.  But I'm still a little amazed at how far for so little, we can go.   MAA just got herself a new customer.  It's only money.  Compare that to something like $30,000 RT on Dubai Airlines.