Curious by all the posts on FT about round the world (RTW) tickets, BigLar asks what people use them for – a once in a lifetime trip, mileage run, status run, or something else.  Lots of useful feedback on why FTers buy them, and how to choose or get the most out of them, on the thread.

What does Freetown, Georgetown and Port Vila have in common?  They are all airports that roundtheworld would prefer not to be stuck at for more than a few hours.

Cue music.  Dum dum dum-dum dum dum …

AArkansas, your mission should you choose to accept it, is to go interstate tonight, get your passport renewed, travel across the city to get your visa updated, return home and leave for a destination half way around the world in 3 days.  Will you accept the mission?

mike turnbull asked what is appropriate to post on Flyer Talk when a FTer has deceased.  In the resulting discussion, Jenbel introduced the concept of a FT will.  It is an intriguing concept – read about it in the link above.

Before I get to the “but” part, a common piece of advice by FlyerTalk members when having a problem getting what you want when speaking to an agent of an airline or hotel via the telephone is to call back and speak to a different agent, as problems are usually resolved this way.

However, what if the same agent answers the telephone again when you call back? What do you do then? Has this ever happened to you?

It happened to FlyerTalk member DukieDrew, who posts his story in the Hanging up & calling again only to get the same agent. thread.

Currently search on Flyer Talk is not working.  While the techies work on fixing it, there is a workaround using Google.  Go to Advanced Search and enter www.flyertalk.com as domain, or type site:www.flyertalk.com in the box on the main page, along with your search terms.

Do you have any tips on searching that will be of help to other FTers?  If so please feel free to post a comment.

I am not referring to a mistake fare or a mileage run (for those see the Mileage Run forum), but rather destinations where the obvious option to get there is rather expensive.

For example, littlejimmy112 is looking to visit the Maldives for less.

Some destinations naturally lend themselves to a cheap award.  Others to a round the world or similar product.  While some are most affordably reached by unexpected airlines (or airline combinations).

Flyer Talkers are so well travelled that I’ve yet to see a request for “how to get to xxx inexpensively” that has stumped the collective wisdom.  For the best advice check out the TravelBuzz! or various global airline alliance forums.

If you’re racking your brains trying to get somewhere affordably, don’t be shy and post your request.  Someone (probably lots of FTers) will know the answers and/or be willing to look for you.  You can help by being specific as possible, and by showing that you’ve already checked obvious options.

Bundy Bear wants to know if there’s been a flight with more than the 17 FTers heading to an upcoming Do in Australia.  FTers are a competitive lot and so naturally talk soon leads to a discussion on chartering an aircraft.

I haven’t been on a flight with 17 other FTers before, but for me my most fun FT flight was the Singapore to Newark nonstop (world’s longest commercial flight) double inaugural.  Despite the long flights we did not get much sleep.

What does this number signify?

How about how many times FlyerTalk members will have posted to FlyerTalk since its inception in May 1998?

This inevitable achievement has not happened – yet.

It is safe to say that this achievement of having content posted 10 million times during the 10th anniversary year of FlyerTalk is coincidental, yet rather appropriate.

Would you care to venture a guess as to when this milestone will occur? There is even a prize being offered as an incentive by FlyerTalk member and fellow The Gate “blogger” Kiwi Flyer.

Post your guess in the 10 million posts – guess when and who to win a prize thread…

…and remember: what you post counts towards the 10,000,000 mark!

Keeping with the Russia theme of the last post, here is a tale of a round the world trip full of drama.  I guess that many of us, myself included, do not spend much time thinking about what happens when you misconnect in a country that you are not allowed to enter.  Click on the link to find out more.