Former FF from MEL

[crm911]

Around 2000-2002 I was a UA FF and had reached 1K *G 3-4 times, but then many years of doing just one USA trip and almost no domestic, so I forgot about all the FF perks and lurks. Back then I hung out on an overseas FF forum and knew all the jargon, had meetups with other FFs and so on.

I have 840,000 miles on UA MP but am unlikely to choose United to complete the million miles, which I understand should still get me a permanent *G status. Once I slid down below Silver, I found out how bad UA planes were and how nicer was Virgin Australia, Air NZ and QF. I think I have now settled on QF and VA and the occasional SQ for parts of Asia.

Now I am doing MEL-CBR once a month, MEL-SYD every week, three OS trips in the next two months, so I thought I had better join an Aussie FF forum. I am slowly finding the sticky threads for newbies and reading the "how", but sometimes I can't find the "why", e.g. I read about the JASA but one thing I am wondering is whether an award flight actually earns you SCs. Surprising if it does, but not complaining.

Ash

 

[ckck]

Hi crm911, welcome to AFF. Yes JASA's earn SC's if you do a search/ hang around here long enough I am sure you will learn all about them.

 

[JohnK]

Welcome to AFF crm911!

 

[mella2007]

Hi Ash...welcome! Ex or still current FT'er?

 

[crm911]

Hi Ash...welcome! Ex or still current FT'er?

I don't visit FT now but still see their newsletters in my Hotmail account, so I am still "current" in a sense. Perhaps I should revisit, as it is good for US details. I have a MEL-DFW-MIA and a MIA-ATL-MIA coming up, then a MEL-LAX-JFK as well.

Where's the good oil for BOM? I also expect one trip there in April.

Back in 2001 I initiated a luggage tag idea for meetups of 1Ks - they were marked "RUA1K?" Of course, once I lost the 1K status I lost interest.

I have paid to join the QP as it would take me some months to get the points for Gold and I will also join the Virgin club, being Silver with them.

 

[Simo]

Welcome to the forum,

I can see yourself being a huge knowledge base for AFF.

 

[Fantic125]

Welcome to AFF!

What information are you after for BOM?

 

[crm911]

Just anything recent. I found some old threads here but they might not matter now e.g. lounge closed for renovations 3 years ago...

Things of interest are: connection to Pune - any gotchas, phone SIM with data plan.

I haven't even looked to see if there are any India-specific FF forums.

 

[Fantic125]

BOM is a bit of a dog's breakfast of an airport.

If you're arriving into the INT terminal you'll need to clear immigration then collect your bag from the carousel. Make sure you have your baggage receipt with you as they check your bag to the receipt as you leave the area. Once you leave Customs there are two transfer areas. One is immediately to your left (but not always in use) and the other is to the right but down the far end of the teminal. Just keep following the corridor and don't go outside.

At the transfer area depending on who you fly with you may be able to check your bag. If not, you'll need to take it with you on the bus. Be prepared for a wait. It takes about 15 mins to transfer from the Int terminal to the Dom terminal. Once you're at the domestic terminal you'll need to checkin - make sure they stamp your boarding pass and give you a bag tag for each item of hand luggage. When you get to security screening (seperate lines for men and women) if your boarding pass isn't stamped you get turned back.
Going through security screening remove anything electronic and place in the trays - phone, camera, ipad, etc. Take your passport and boarding pass with you through the scanner as they also do a manual scan with a wand and then stamp your boarding pass. When you collect your hand luggage make sure each tag has been stamped by security, as they check the tags as you board and if it isn't stamped they take you out of the line and search everything.

Be prepared for a scrum at the carousel - it doesn't matter if you were the first there or how close you are to it you'll have a number of Indians push in front of you.

Have fun!
.

 

[tuapekastar]

Welcome to AFF crm911!

This thread contains some good JASA info.

 

[crm911]

Thanks for the BOM info. I got a SIM there at the airport back in 2003 and it took almost an hour because every SIM they tried was not working. On other trips I just let a local buy a SIM in their name on my behalf but I didn't have it until I reached Pune.