Plane Travel Thought: They're Mileage Run Aware
At times there are some very cheap flights to Australia, esp. through LAX, which might tempt a person to take what's known as a "mileage run" to earn some extra frequent flyer miles. There are countries where flying in and then turning around in short order is considered suspicious. However, at SYD, they are aware of mileage runners. In fact, I heard them ask the lady ahead of me in line at immigration if she was doing "the mileage run," but she was actually here for a very short business trip. Don't get me wrong. Australians think you're a little kooky to fly so far for a short trip -- I get the idea that the average Australian has many weeks of vacation that they put together when they make an international trip -- but they understand that you're not a drug mule. They just figure Americans are weird and amusing. I would not be uncomfortable making another mileage run to Australia, even...
