Dear Randy,
I recently used 100,000 Delta SkyMiles for a round-trip first-class ticket to Italy. Delta booked me on Continental for the first leg of the journey and Air France on the return. The flights to Europe on Continental (BusinessFirst) were great, but on the return (Air France), we were told while at cruising altitude that the catering service was on strike, and thus Air France wouldn't be able to "give us the level of service we'd expect." So, we got cold boxed lunches in first class! No snacks, no menus.

I feel that for 100,000 miles, this was not acceptable. I called Delta and they said they would not be able to reinstate any of my miles because it was on another airline and that wasn't their problem. I find that ridiculous.

The unfortunate news is that I see these situations all the time. Not the fact that catering was not available, but the fact that airlines love to trump their alliances and partnerships and the value they have for their customers.

That, of course, is the pie-in-the-sky part of it. But when any problem comes up, there's nothing they can do about it. Let me see—this was likely a codeshare, for which Delta likely paid some sort of currency for you to be on that flight. The response by Delta in this case seems to indicate that they are not interested in what they are getting for their relationship or their money. It's not about you, it's about what Delta requires from a relationship, and this example shows clearly that they simply don't care—the old "not our problem" answer.

The sad part is that you can trade names with almost any airline other than Delta and the response is likely to be the same. If you are high enough in the pecking order for SkyMiles elite members, you can force a more responsive answer than what you received. Should you not have that sort of elite status, my memory tells me that you're likely out of luck.

Dear Randy,
I am currently evaluating frequent flier programs. I will be flying between New Jersey and Utah a couple times a month for the next six to eight months. I would appreciate your recommendations very much.

Your choice of airlines will probably be among Continental, Delta and Northwest, using airfare as a consideration. I recommend these three because they all are part of an alliance that will allow you to fly any of them and earn miles into a single frequent flier program. Do not split your miles among the airlines.

Because you're going to be in the New Jersey area, it's easy to recommend the Continental OnePass program, but because Salt Lake City is a hub for Delta, you might find better service there.

Of course, the answer would not be complete without knowing who's paying for the ticket. If you're personally paying, you may try and link to a low-cost carrier, though that would likely mean a very long day of connections. If your business is paying, then generally speaking, the schedule of service will be important, and thus my starting advice might work best for you.

The reason for recommending the first strategy is that you'll have options for redeeming miles among the various airlines, options for comparing airfares and options for scheduling that fits you best—all with the luxury of having your mileage in a single account. Whether you choose SkyMiles, WorldPerks or OnePass is a personal choice based on what feels good to you, but remember, you really do not need to belong to the frequent flier program of the particular airline you are flying.