United Airlines Flyer Logs 1 Million Miles in 2012

[PRR 60]

United Airlines has special perks for those who log 1 million BIS (butt in seat) miles in a lifetime, and that is quite an achievement. Tom Stuker, an automotive consultant from New Jersey, logged 1 million miles on United, and he did it 2012 alone. To put that in perspective, that is about equal to 65 round trips between Los Angeles and Sydney, Australia (only one LAX-SYD RT a week this year? Sorry, not enough). At cruise, 1 million miles is over 1700 hours in the air - 73 full days.

From MailOnline, 12/19/2012:

A globetrotting automotive consultant has become a real-life Ryan Bingham - the character played by George Clooney in the film Up In The Air - by clocking up a million miles in a single year.Tom Stuker took his love of travel to new heights by becoming the first customer of United Airlines to achieve the feat.

Mr Stuker, who divides the little time he spends outside of a plane between New Jersey and Chicago, was recognised for his record on December 6 United Flight 949 from London to Chicago. This is the latest travel milestone for the 59-year-old super-frequent flier, who in July 2011 became the first person to fly 10 million miles on United. To mark the accomplishment, the airline honored Stuker by putting his name on a Boeing 747.

The full story is HERE.

 

[Ryan]

That's quite a lot of time in an airplane.

 

[railiner]

That is way too much airtime to be healthy....if you read the comments after the arcticle, some have mentioned that for every 6,000 miles of altitude, a person's exposure to (gamma?) radiation doubles....could be a ticket to cancer....

And the extreme dryness in the cabin air doesn't do one too well either.

They also mention the "unpublished perks" of that loftiest of all frequent traveler levels the 'elite Global Services'. I am curious as to just what those might be (Captain coming over to talk to you like the George Clooney character in the film 'Up In The Air"? Big Deal. Unless you get a ride in the flightdeck jumpseat, that is.....

 

[PRR 60]

Global Services is the top elite level for United Mileage Plus. It is granted annually by invitation only to an estimated 1% the elite members of Mileage Plus. The invite is criteria is reportedly based on BIS miles, revenue generated, fare class paid, and other measures. Besides the published perks granted to MP 1K's, GS status gets a member some serious additional TLC, including dedicated service people both on the phone and at airports. Those unpublished perks reportedly pay big dividends if rebooking is required due to irrops.

 

[jis]

Captains quite often come out and talk to you even if you are a lowly Platinum or 1K.

(null)

 

[trainman74]

Captains quite often come out and talk to you even if you are a lowly Platinum or 1K.

I've even been on a couple of United flights where the captain was standing with the flight attendants greeting people at the boarding door...which meant they were talking to everyone, even the peons.

 

[saxman]

My butt in seat time for 2012 was 754.6 hours. Plus add personal trips and commuting, I probably come to around 1000 hours on a plane, maybe 1200. And I fly 4 days a week, 3 to 4 weeks per month! Granted he probably does more long-haul flying than I do, so it's easier for him to keep his average speed up.