Man With 10 Million Air Miles Gets Plane Named After Him

Chicago car salesman Thomas Stuker has set a record by accumulating an astonishing 10 million air miles on United Airlines. In the past 29 years Thomas has flown almost 6,000 times - racking up a total mileage that would circle the Earth 400 times. From the article: "Mr Stuker has already been highly rewarded with access to a special lounge at the airlines hub in Chicago, first-class upgrades as a matter of course and even a plane named after him on the fleet."

Comments

Yet *still* no full-sized soft drink

[elrous0]

Congratulations, sir and welcome to first-class. Here is your 4-ounce Dr. Pepper and complimentary half-bag of potato chips.

Re:Yet *still* no full-sized soft drink

[onkelonkel]

You're doing it wrong. You should be working on your second Rusty Nail about the time the economy class passengers are filing by your seat.

Re:Yet *still* no full-sized soft drink

[JoeMerchant]

Here is your 4-ounce Dr. Pepper and complimentary half-bag of potato chips.

Apparently, you've never flown First Class. On a KLM hop from London to Amsterdam, I sat in First - the chips and soda were in the back, but it was lunchtime and a decent meal was provided in First. More impressive than the food was the fact that one man took a little longer to finish than the rest of us. When he did hand his tray to one stewardess, another stewardess pressed a button that set off a chime in the cockpit - within 5 seconds the pilot announced and started our descent into Amsterdam.

If you're not paying full fare, you're just baggage.

Re:Yet *still* no full-sized soft drink

[Actually, I do RTFA]

It's weird. The labor cost of passing out the tiny snacks must exceed the cost of the tiny snacks.

The labor cost is free. Instead of doing nothing, the steward(ess) is passing out snacks. It's not like they'll hire more people to pass out snacks... but the FAA requires them to have so many people onboard already.

Now, if you don't get your 2nd snack b/c the steward(ess) is busy, then they don't give a damn.

Besides, every time you ask for a refill is another attempt to get you to buy an alcoholic beverage/meal/whatever other upcharge.

Re:Yet *still* no full-sized soft drink

[JoeMerchant]

The "service" personnel in coach are actually safety officers - but rather than have them sit around looking like air marshals, they attempt to get them to keep the customers happy. Of course, at the wages they pay, it's amazing there aren't more dramatic Take this Job and Shove It events.

Re:Yet *still* no full-sized soft drink

[heroid1a]

Soooo if he never finished eating, the plane would never land? Hmmmmm...

Re:Yet *still* no full-sized soft drink

[Abstrackt]

I know! I've been here for years and that asshole Taco still hasn't given me a bag of peanuts!

Re:Yet *still* no full-sized soft drink

[MacGyver2210]

That sounds remarkably like a coincidence of timing. The flight attendants do tell the pilot when the passengers have started/finished eating/getting snacks and when they have finished picking up baggage, but not with a chime. That's what the little phones with blinky lights are for.

The chime that she pressed was likely letting the pilots know that the attendants are done and can now sit down and buckle up - something still required of them during takeoff and landing. The pilots, furthermore, have the discretion to begin an ascent/descent at any time they wish, by simply requesting it of the ATC operator. It is probably the case that they started descending to avoid weather, traffic, or some other factor...or simply because the pilot felt like beginning his descent at that point. Pilots will rarely ever wait until the last waypoint they cross before an altitude requirement to begin a descent - that means steep drops that upset passengers' stomachs.

A plane will never hold a landing for a passenger, unless there is a security issue with said passenger, or a medical emergency which would be worsened on descent. Even if you're in first class: if you take too long to eat, the attendants will still come by and tell you it's time to pack it up and stow the tray table.

Re:Yet *still* no full-sized soft drink

[Sunshinerat]

You're doing it wrong then...
I am at a million and have not seen economy seats in the last two years, even though I buy nothing but economy tickets...
You may be stuck on an airline that does not have 2+ class service.
Again, you are doing it wrong by not participating in an airline program, or have not flown a million miles, or have been flying for the last 20 years and not hitting 50.000 miles a year on one airline, or always fly the same route, weekday and time on a plane where upgrades are impossible (planes with a small number of business/first class seats, while flying hub to hub).

The trick is, say with one airline (or hotel chain) as much as possible.
Silver level (typically 25.000 miles plus) will give you a small chance of upgrades (it happens on off-days/times).
Gold (typically 50.000 miles plus) will give you a decent chance of upgrade on many routes, however, if you fly between hub airports you may be out of luck.
Platinum (or whatever; 75.000 miles or more) is what you aim for. Almost certain to upgrade on flights unless your flight is an international feeder or hub to hub with nothing but status people. I have seen flights where United Global Services people (special invitation only) fly middle seat economy.

And finally, if you have status, most airlines will give you ways of getting free booze in economy in case you are stuck there (vouchers or friendly flight attendants).

And more importantly

[suso]

He is still alive.

Re:And more importantly

[mr1911]

He may be alive, but is he sane? I can't imagine dealing with TSA, gate agents, and all of the other hassles that go with air travel that many times.

Re:And more importantly

[RazzleFrog]

He flies first class. They actually get to molest TSA agents instead in first class.

Re:And more importantly

[Abstrackt]

It's like any other B.S. in life, if you do it enough, it doesn't bother you. TSA will always be a sore spot for a lot of people because they just don't encounter it often enough to develop the social callouses.

I fly at least monthly and it still bothers me, it has since 2001. The only way to get through the TSA line quickly is to smile politely and be half-naked by the time it's your turn. Take off your belt, stuff your watch in your jacket pocket before it goes through the X-ray (because they tell you to keep it on, it always beeps though, leading to a pat down), remove your shoes and hold your boarding pass in your teeth so your hands are free to throw everything on the belt. It kind of takes the fun out of traveling for some reason....

Re:And more importantly

[Guppy]

Sounds like some kind of dance.

Yes, it's called the Safety Dance.

Re:Plane named after him

[Kohath]

Amazingly enough, his real name is Airbus A320.

Re:What level?

[slartibartfastatp]

Were it not a NP Complete problem, he wouldn't get that many miles