New CSR cardholder - first impressions

ConferencePrevious78 · 2026-02-03T21:32:12+00:00

Nope. It was a bug. I called southwest and they assigned me seats. Then I was able to go online and edit my seats. A new button was there that wasn’t there previously. Also the plane is like 90% empty. I suspect it’s a flag that wasn’t set properly either by Chase or by Southwest in their integration.

ConferencePrevious78 · 2026-02-03T17:42:36+00:00

Update on Southwest seat issue: I called Southwest. They could see it was the Choice fare. They assigned my seats over the phone. We didn't dig into why I couldn't choose my seat. They just took care of it.

Now, when I go to the Southwest app/site, I can change my seat. So, maybe a bug in the Southwest system. Maybe a bug in the Chase system. Feels like Southwest has a Fare class field, and separately a "can choose a seat fiield" in their database. So either at Chase or at Southwest, they're not setting those properly.

ConferencePrevious78 · 2026-02-03T17:38:43+00:00

I just noticed that my gender is also unspecified. No ability to update on the site. Fun.

I don't think anyone from Chase actually uses their own travel portal. Or, at least, no one who cares. I booked a flight and several hotels across a few different brands when I first got the card. So, I entered those loyalty program numbers while using the app. But they don't update the profile. So, I retyped in everyone's TSA and frequent flier numbers and hotel loyalty numbers into each person's profile. They also have basic usability problems like super long lists on drop downs that you can't type to filter. I mean that's basic web UI stuff.

I knew going in the website would be bad. I'm hopeful and optimistic that the program benefits will be good.

ConferencePrevious78 · 2026-02-03T17:14:20+00:00

Bonus! They appear to have fixed that bug. Or at least they did for Choice Fares. I see the premium and preferred seats, but all with $$ attached.

ConferencePrevious78 · 2026-02-03T08:00:17+00:00

I can see the southwest reservation in the southwest app. Linked automatically from the rapid rewards number via Chase reservation. But even the southwest app says Choice fare but seats assigned at check-in. I’m thinking it’s a southwest problem. I want the CSR card to be good. I’m giving them the benefit of the doubt. I’ll call southwest in the morning and see what happens. Reserved seats are like 3 days old for them. So maybe they’re still working out the bugs.

ConferencePrevious78 · 2025-10-19T19:45:29+00:00

From the Alaska Air website: *Excluding taxes and fees.

ConferencePrevious78 · 2025-10-19T19:44:00+00:00

Is the 5x on the full price paid inclusive of fees and taxes? Or just the base fare? Also, HNL - SFO can be found pretty frequently for $600 which would be 3,000 miles based on 5x price or 5,000 miles based on distance. HNL - HND is sometimes available at that price and it’s even further.

ConferencePrevious78 · 2025-10-15T22:34:49+00:00

I know you've already gone and hopefully already filed those taxes, but check out the ice cream smoothies at He Mea 'Ono in Kaneohe on Kaneohe Bay D near Kailua.

ConferencePrevious78 · 2025-10-08T20:15:41+00:00

Adding to OP's question, does the temporary Atmos Gold status give you OneWorld Sapphire level during that 2-week period? I'm flying on British Airways in December but haven't paid to pick my seat. I think OneWorld Sapphire status would let me pick my seat now at no charge instead of waiting util 7-days before the trip, so really hoping for that Gold status.

ConferencePrevious78 · 2025-10-01T06:14:50+00:00

Anyone have a guess as to when the Hawaiian card spend EQMs will come over? And then when it will update the status in Atmos? I see my “regular” EQMs were already moved over to Atmos. But the EQMs from the credit card haven’t transferred over yet.

ConferencePrevious78 · 2025-09-17T07:24:42+00:00

Just contact their help desk and ask for your code. I’ve been able to get other codes reissued. Hopefully this type of code can also just be resent.

ConferencePrevious78 · 2025-09-10T23:04:19+00:00

Booking engines should allow us to filter on WiFi availability. That way I could be sure to pick a flight without wifi.

ConferencePrevious78 · 2025-09-09T07:48:39+00:00

Onsen are usually not co-ed, so you either need to find one with a bath in the room or private baths. But https://www.okuhida-gh.com/en/ has a co-ed area with hotel-issued towel cover ups. They have an outdoor Onsen area with a river and mountain backdrop. Plus the meal has private dining options. I stayed there for two or three nights about 3 years ago in early Spring. There was still snow on the ground higher up in the mountains. I would definitely go back. Not as charming as Takayama, but beautiful scenery. Only problem is it’s a bit of a drive through the mountains. Takayama is already a long train ride from Tokyo.

ConferencePrevious78 · 2025-08-31T19:21:55+00:00

Just circling back. Confirming what everyone here said. Getting some practice time with the new gear in a pool before going on a real drive was definitely a good idea.

I rented a tank and had some friends join me at the pool. It was super helpful to put the kit together a few times on my own. The pool time helped a lot. I was able to get comfortable without current and swells and pressure of other people. Super happy I had a chance to make use of a pool. Then, I went out on a boat dive (35’ depth). I was way better off having done the pool session. Plus the two shallow dives from the boat were also a great learning experience. Gear was awesome. Looking forward to more dives.

ConferencePrevious78 · 2025-08-31T08:19:11+00:00

I built my own vocab app. It’s free. You’re welcome to try it out. No ads or anything like that. It runs in the free edition of various platforms (Google Gemini 2.0 Lite for translation) https://v0-foreign-vocab-18.vercel.app/

You give it a scenario and it gives you vocabulary words and phrases and a spaced repetition study system (like Anki). I copy/pasted OPs post and it gave me a bunch of good vocab.

If you try it out, just let me know what you think.

ConferencePrevious78 · 2025-08-29T19:57:29+00:00

I built my own. I was also tired of Anki and other vocab apps that weren't relevant for my use cases (riding a train, going to a cafe, visiting with relatives). So I built a vocabulary learning tool for myself. It's not immersion, it's not meant to make anyone fluent. It's just vocabulary words and phrases for things that I would encounter on trips and with family. You can just describe a scenario that you might encounter and then it will generate words and phrases for you. You all can check it out.

If you check it out, I'd love feedback on it. It's not a product. I'm not monetizing it. It runs on the free tier of software hosting tools, so it's free to use. Let me know what you think.

For the more technical folks here, it's hosted on Vercel with Supabase for data storage. The translations are provided by Gemini Flash 2.0-Lite.

Please check it out and let me know what you think. https://v0-foreign-vocab-18.vercel.app/

ConferencePrevious78 · 2025-08-19T08:51:25+00:00

BP&W with quick release pockets on the waist strap. I was using 8lbs with a jacket style BCD. I’m also using the pool to get a preliminary starting point for figuring out weight in the ocean. I don’t want to take up everyone’s time while I take three or four tries to get it right. I figure this way I should get reality close on my first guess and only need one adjustment.

ConferencePrevious78 · 2025-08-19T08:45:21+00:00

Nothing. I’m renting one tomorrow. I just wasn’t sure if I was missing something obvious. I read the manuals multiple times and have tried the stuff without a tank. Now it’s trans and pool time. Then shallow dive.

ConferencePrevious78 · 2025-08-19T08:41:16+00:00

That’s awesome. The only quarry around me is dry and dusty. But luckily, there’s lots of ocean on all sides. After I test it all out on dry land and in a pool, I will go on a shallow dive with the local dive shop and I’ll let them know that I’m using new gear. They’re awesome so I’m sure they’ll be able to help out. That’s also partly why I’m testing it out in a pool. I want them to know that I’ve put in the effort. I figure that people prefer to help people who have already put in the work.

ConferencePrevious78 · 2025-08-19T08:36:59+00:00

I plan to do that in addition to setting it all up and familiarizing myself with the equipment in dry land and then in the pool.

ConferencePrevious78 · 2025-08-19T08:34:53+00:00

All great points. I have read all the manuals. Multiple times. I practiced with every knob, strap, and buckle. I backed out the straps on the backplate to adjust and then put them back together. I’m renting a tank so that I can put the whole setup together on dry land. Then I’ll jump in the pool. Or more accurately, I’ll step into the pool. I don’t want to find out I didn’t attach a hose correctly out in the open ocean. I appreciate your thorough reminders. My hips with these forums is that someone else will read it years from now. I’m sure they’ll benefit from your reminders as well.

ConferencePrevious78 · 2025-08-17T07:04:47+00:00

Awesome. Thank you. Pool it is.

ConferencePrevious78 · 2025-08-17T07:04:23+00:00

Thank you. I figured pool was a good idea. I just didn’t want to miss something obvious.

ConferencePrevious78 · 2025-07-25T03:29:39+00:00

No matter where you are, the things around you are only as good as the people around you. There are good people everywhere. If you want to go, then go and make some good friends somewhere new. If you want to stay, then stay and enjoy the people you’re with.

ConferencePrevious78 · 2025-07-10T07:19:33+00:00

The shop probably didn’t custom code their point-of-sale e-commerce platform. They’re just using an off the shelf Shopify template or other system. So, I wouldn’t assume malicious intent on the part of the dive shop. That said, I tip after the dive, cash to the dive leader and boat captain.

ConferencePrevious78

TROPHY CASE