My travels with Bednar

[_degaston]

As a Delta SkyMiles Diamond Medallion member who lives in the sacred Salt Lake valley and uses SLC airport more than any other I have never had a run-in with any GAs anywhere while traveling. I've seen hundreds of missionaries on their way out to serve and on their way home from saving the world. But never have I seen a GA. This "Diamond Medallion" status is reserved for people with 125K+ miles in a year so you can say I'm a frequent flyer. And in my 3 years of heavy duty travel I have never run into a GA (at least knowing they were in such a role). I've sat next to an Area Authority Seventy who was traveling on business from Utah to DC. I once sat next to one of my favorite 80s music singers Taylor Dayne on a cross-country red-eye flight the week before Whitney Houston died. And just on Sunday a couple days ago I was sitting right in front of US House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and his wife on a redeye from Salt Lake to JFK. But no GAs :( I guess the Spirit is keeping them from me ;)

by the way being a Delta Diamond has several cool privileges:
1. I almost always get complementary First Class upgrades.
2. I get to check in free 2 bags, and a 3rd one IF I've already been upgraded a day before flying.
3. I get complementary use of the Sky Clubs, and I especially like the shower rooms at many east coast clubs after redeye flights and need to go straight to the office.
4. I get to board before all the rest of the peons in Coach class.
5. Priority lines at the ticket counter, TSA checkpoint entrance, and gates. I wonder if it annoys the other passengers who've been sitting/waiting when they see someone like me come marching towards the gate to the priority lane and on the jet bridge while they make no progress in the line, especially after getting some snacks and a sacred drink that Joseph Smith used to drink at the Sky Club while waiting for boaarding time.
6. At Delta hubs (such as SLC airport) I get to go through the TSA Pre-Screen line (i.e. no taking off shoes, unpacking laptops, taking off coats, etc.)
7. Dedicated 1-800 number that I can use without waiting times to book/rebook flights.

I bear my testimony that Delta is true. Amen ;)