Morphing Some More

The Only Way to Fly

A lifetime ago I lived in Alaska and flew on two airlines all the time; Alaska Airlines and Western Airlines. 

Western's advertising featured a kinda fat bird reclining on the top of the plane with a glass of champagne chortling the byline "Western Airlines, the onnnnly way to fly".

Although I was kinda broke in those days I bit when Western advertised a special where you got a lifetime membership to their exceuiive lounge, extra frequent flier miles and a companion pass. 

I was planning a trip to Hawaii (as does everyone in Alaska). So the deal sort of resulted in a free membership.

Of course less than a year later Western was purchased by Delta. 

Amazingly Delta honored the lifetime club membership (which I still use). And, since Delta does not sell lifetime memberships, I get a few sideways looks now and then when I check in.

I then moved to San Jose and wound up flying American a lot (since San Jose was a mini-hub for American at the time).

Aside from the warm crock of nuts in first, I never really liked American. Staff seemed patronizing, I disliked its mercilous CEO (Crandell) and having to change planes at DFW. I am not a fan of DFW airport.

Then I moved to Phoenix and flew Southwest alot. So much that I scored the 100 segment free companion pass award year after year.

But one day a flight came along where the best routing was on America West. I moped. AWA was so mediocre. And, despite living in Phoenix, I had been religiously avoiding AWA for years.

But, when I got to the airport, the AWA ticket person noticed all my premium tags from Delta, Southwest, American etc. On the spot she upgraded me to first and awarded me a trial elite status. 

Since Southwest was getting more and more of the kinda drunk tatoo and trailer trash in tank tops crowd flying it, I slowly migrated to AWA and have remained loyal even through the US Airways thing. This week alone I flew 2 RT's on some of US Airways last flights.

So the morph is complete and I'm back flying American.

The morph did net Roadboy immediate 2 Million Miler Lifetime Platinum status, so I will reserve judgement. 

And, I am once again getting warm crocks of nuts and Diet Dr. Pepper (smile). But damn I've also had to endure three lousy connection, crap flights through Dallas in the last month.

Seems like a slow motion ride having to wait 2 more years to watch American slowly do to Phoenix what US Airways did to Pittsburgh.

Hope I'm wrong.

Roadboy's Travels © 2015