Lufthansa gave away an all-expenses paid trip for one person to attend the 2010 Star Mega Do 2, a frequent flyer party that traveled from New York to Frankfurt to Houston to Phoenix to Seattle and back to Houston from Nov. 1 to Nov. 6, 2010. Lufthansa foot the bill for the flights as well as hotel accommodations in Frankfurt, Houston and Seattle. Participants met with airline and hotel executives and were invited to attend an exclusive tour of Boeing as well as tours of facilities sponsored by Continental, United, US Airways and Lufthansa. Along the way, frequent flyer friendships were forged and a few pillows took flight. George Papadopoulos, FlyerTalk handle gpapadop, was the winner of Lufthansa’s “Tweet To Win” contest and he shared with us some of his experiences of this second Star Alliance Mega DO.
InsideFlyer
What were your first thoughts when you found out that you’d won a trip to the 2010 Star Mega Do 2?
George Papadopoulos
My very first thought it was another email scam Nigeria style. When I confirmed I was indeed the winner, I was on cloud nine as I had heard great things about Star Mega Do 1.
IF
Would you have gone on the trip if you hadn’t won?
Papadopoulos
No. I am a sucker for great deals and this one was like it came from heaven. Thank you, Lufthansa.
IF
If there is a Star Mega Do trip next year, would you go?
Papadopoulos
Probably not, this was a treat for me.
IF
What was the highlight of the trip?
Papadopoulos
Meeting so many FlyerTalkers, Randy [Petersen], the organizers, the great CO crew, press, etc. I just savored the whole experience of traveling together with so many interesting people who clearly validate that what you are doing sometimes is not as insane as it looks to normal people.
IF
Did you get to try out Lufthansa’s simulator? If so, how was it?
Papadopoulos
Yes, it was a dream come true, one item off my bucket list!
IF
How was meeting the airline and hotel executives? Did you have any questions that were answered by them? What was the question/answer?
Papadopoulos
As I mostly fly SkyTeam airlines I did not have much to ask the Star Alliance executives. But I did run into a SkyMiles executive at the buffet line at the Frequent Traveler Awards and asked him, “What are you doing here?”
IF
Do you have any plans to switch your allegiance to the Star Alliance from SkyTeam now?
Papadopoulos
It is not likely as I am based in Detroit and Delta is improving very slowly. I also do not envy what United is going to do to Continental because I clearly know what Delta did to Northwest. Let me say that I loved the Continental flights!
IF
Do you have a favorite souvenir that you brought back from your trip?
Papadopoulos
My Star Mega Do 2 t-shirt and the pillow fight videos that went viral on YouTube.
{Editors’ Note: You can see the pillow fight video here:
www.insideflyer.com/link/?3587]
