Bonus Bonanza
Oct 16, 2002 | 5:59 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2000
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Posts: 2,199
Bonus Bonanza
Some of you may be aware US Airways has been offering a great many mileage bonuses this year. Many of these are Q mile bonuses.
As it happens many codes that are variations on a theme exist -- there are 4 or 5 variations on the "Get Out More" bonus and if you register for all of them your account is credited for all bonuses. This is apparently due to poor programming of the back-end systems. Naturally astute fliers have made travel plans and purchased tickets based on these offers. Many people have flown many more trips on US than they would have otherwise. It has been a very successful set of promotions from that POV.
Management is, however, now having a cow over it (2 weeks before they all expire anyway...)
I seem to recall that CO had a similar bonanza for similar reasons sometime in the recent past. Other airlines may have also.
Below is a note that US Airways asked FT to post over in the US Airways forum. Is this consistent with the manner in which other airlines have remedied other, similar, problems?
As it happens many codes that are variations on a theme exist -- there are 4 or 5 variations on the "Get Out More" bonus and if you register for all of them your account is credited for all bonuses. This is apparently due to poor programming of the back-end systems. Naturally astute fliers have made travel plans and purchased tickets based on these offers. Many people have flown many more trips on US than they would have otherwise. It has been a very successful set of promotions from that POV.
Management is, however, now having a cow over it (2 weeks before they all expire anyway...)
I seem to recall that CO had a similar bonanza for similar reasons sometime in the recent past. Other airlines may have also.
Below is a note that US Airways asked FT to post over in the US Airways forum. Is this consistent with the manner in which other airlines have remedied other, similar, problems?
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Dividend Miles management has asked us to post the following update, which provides clarity regarding Dividend Miles policy on this matter.
*********************************************
Dear Flyertalk.com visitors,
We would like to advise all members of our growing concern over the distribution of US Airways targeted promotional offers.
Targeted promotions that are sent to Dividend Miles members or our partners via e-mail or direct mail, which generally require registration, cannot be earned by anyone except the original recipient of the e-mail or direct mail program. The terms and conditions of these promotions state that only the original recipient of the direct mail or e-mail program can qualify for the promotional offer. We always clearly state promotional terms and conditions associated with each Dividend Miles promotional offer.
Unfortunately, we find that some members have continued to post these promotions that were not intended for public use on flyertalk.com and other information sources. In addition, some members have registered for multiple promotions for which they were not targeted to earn extra miles or benefits. Such practices are in violation of the terms and conditions of those promotions which state that the offers are not combinable with other offers.
We will be deducting the improperly earned miles or downgrading the tier status of any members that register for promotions that they were not on the original lists for which they were targeted by US Airways.
We recognize the open nature of flyertalk.com and other chat sites. In general, they help build enthusiasm for and interest in loyalty programs. Many of us are avid readers, but do not condone the practice of misusing or violating terms and conditions of any company's promotional offer. We appreciate your cooperation in discouraging visitors to your site from posting targeted promotions offered by US Airways.
We thank flyertalk.com for encouraging participation in the Dividend Miles Program.
The Dividend Miles Team at US Airways
*********************************************
</font>
*********************************************
Dear Flyertalk.com visitors,
We would like to advise all members of our growing concern over the distribution of US Airways targeted promotional offers.
Targeted promotions that are sent to Dividend Miles members or our partners via e-mail or direct mail, which generally require registration, cannot be earned by anyone except the original recipient of the e-mail or direct mail program. The terms and conditions of these promotions state that only the original recipient of the direct mail or e-mail program can qualify for the promotional offer. We always clearly state promotional terms and conditions associated with each Dividend Miles promotional offer.
Unfortunately, we find that some members have continued to post these promotions that were not intended for public use on flyertalk.com and other information sources. In addition, some members have registered for multiple promotions for which they were not targeted to earn extra miles or benefits. Such practices are in violation of the terms and conditions of those promotions which state that the offers are not combinable with other offers.
We will be deducting the improperly earned miles or downgrading the tier status of any members that register for promotions that they were not on the original lists for which they were targeted by US Airways.
We recognize the open nature of flyertalk.com and other chat sites. In general, they help build enthusiasm for and interest in loyalty programs. Many of us are avid readers, but do not condone the practice of misusing or violating terms and conditions of any company's promotional offer. We appreciate your cooperation in discouraging visitors to your site from posting targeted promotions offered by US Airways.
We thank flyertalk.com for encouraging participation in the Dividend Miles Program.
The Dividend Miles Team at US Airways
*********************************************
</font>
Oct 16, 2002 | 6:46 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Massachusetts, USA; AA 2.996MM & Plat Pro, DL 1MM, GM & Flying Colonel
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I've registered for a promo or two (on other airlines) that were targeted to others but not to me. Each time, I recognized that I was doing it at my own risk. Since I didn't really risk anything in any of these cases, there was no downside: either I'd get miles that I didn't really deserve, or I'd only get the miles I deserved.
I would never plan a trip on the assumption that I'd get miles from a targeted promo I wasn'teligible for. That seems foolhardy. Expecting US to honor promos just because someone was silly enough to do that isn't reasonable.
When you register for an AA promo, the confirming notice says that you also have to fulfill all the terms and conditions of the promo. If these terms and conditions include a restriction to people who received a targeted mailing, they're under no legal, moral or logical obligation to give anyone extra miles just because they found a code somewhere and keyed it in - any more than they're under an obligation to give someone a trans-Atlantic bonus if he/she registered for it and then flew from Chicago to Milwaukee. Knowing a code does not create eligibility for a promo.
The multiple-promo issue is separate. Unless there are rules to the contrary, anyone who registers for, qualifies for and earns miles under more than one promo ought to get them all. If US were to tell someone "we really didn't mean for you to get miles under more than one of these, even though you were eligible for all of them and we never said so," I for one would be royally p*ssed.
I would never plan a trip on the assumption that I'd get miles from a targeted promo I wasn'teligible for. That seems foolhardy. Expecting US to honor promos just because someone was silly enough to do that isn't reasonable.
When you register for an AA promo, the confirming notice says that you also have to fulfill all the terms and conditions of the promo. If these terms and conditions include a restriction to people who received a targeted mailing, they're under no legal, moral or logical obligation to give anyone extra miles just because they found a code somewhere and keyed it in - any more than they're under an obligation to give someone a trans-Atlantic bonus if he/she registered for it and then flew from Chicago to Milwaukee. Knowing a code does not create eligibility for a promo.
The multiple-promo issue is separate. Unless there are rules to the contrary, anyone who registers for, qualifies for and earns miles under more than one promo ought to get them all. If US were to tell someone "we really didn't mean for you to get miles under more than one of these, even though you were eligible for all of them and we never said so," I for one would be royally p*ssed.
Oct 16, 2002 | 6:47 pm
#4
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
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As I was considering making the UA/US partnership a part of my 2003 travel plans, its crapola like this that makes my decision easier to go over to AA as a second carrier.
If you are reading this USAir, What I have to say to you will only violate the TOS of FT.. otherwise you take a guess to what I want to say!!!
Edited to ad, thanks for making me aware of this via miles buzz, since I don't read USAir I would never have seen this
[This message has been edited by TrojanHorse (edited 10-16-2002).]
If you are reading this USAir, What I have to say to you will only violate the TOS of FT.. otherwise you take a guess to what I want to say!!!
Edited to ad, thanks for making me aware of this via miles buzz, since I don't read USAir I would never have seen this
[This message has been edited by TrojanHorse (edited 10-16-2002).]
Oct 16, 2002 | 7:15 pm
#6
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Posts: 2,199
Does anyone know what other airlines have done in cases like this?
Surely US Airways cannot be the first?
It also reminds me of the $29 to Paris fares and similar airline "bloopers".
Surely US Airways cannot be the first?
It also reminds me of the $29 to Paris fares and similar airline "bloopers".
Oct 16, 2002 | 7:25 pm
#7
Original Poster
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Efrem:
... Expecting US to honor promos just because someone was silly enough to do that isn't reasonable.</font>
... Expecting US to honor promos just because someone was silly enough to do that isn't reasonable.</font>
Now that they've decided they don't like the number of miles that some people collected they're threatening to retroactively rescind the bonuses. It's sort of like going to WalMart, buying a cart load of toilet tissue, and having the store manager knock on your door a month later to take it all back because there was "a limit of 1 per customer".
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">When you register for an AA promo, the confirming notice says that you also have to fulfill all the terms and conditions of the promo.</font>
The monthly e-mails tell you about many promotions and acknowledges some of those that you're signed up for. Some people got e-mails reflecting US' knowledge that they were participating in multiple simulatneous "Get Out More" (and other) promotions.
Oct 16, 2002 | 10:00 pm
#8
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Yeah, this sure sounds familiar (am a veteran of the CO bonanza). I'd say that CO did readjustments in maybe 30% of cases. If US is determined to do the same then it may well cost it MORE to untangle the mess than to leave the miles intact and carry them, since the miles aren't valued that highly as a liability, anyway. Not to mention the ruffled feathers or PR problems anytime you take something away like that.
Of course a lot of this depends on how big the bonanza was and for how many people. If the CO experience is any guide, the number of fliers and miles will be tiny compared to the overall base. IMO they should program the changes but leave existing miles in place.
(Full disclosure: I'm a Dividend Miles member but haven't flown US since 1991. Have been using 11-year-old miles to get magazine subscriptions)
Of course a lot of this depends on how big the bonanza was and for how many people. If the CO experience is any guide, the number of fliers and miles will be tiny compared to the overall base. IMO they should program the changes but leave existing miles in place.
(Full disclosure: I'm a Dividend Miles member but haven't flown US since 1991. Have been using 11-year-old miles to get magazine subscriptions)
Oct 16, 2002 | 10:30 pm
#9
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Santa Cruz, CA USA
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The friendly Dividend Miles team should have watched 60 Minutes II tonight and the interview with Jet Blue's CEO. Maybe they would learn a little about what it means to run a business where the business is "service".
He had one quote that seems particularly appropriate - (paraphrase, since I don't have his exact words) "The people who run the Big Six airlines seem to think customers are an annoyance - how much easier our business would be if the customers would just go away."
Guess what - they are going away.
And one more thing - as long as I am on a rant. It's been the airlines themselves that have been so eager to develop the internet as the major booking and communication mechanism. Well you can't have it both ways. Communicate just the selected information you want to get out but conceal the rest? It doesn't work that way. My favorite cliche - hoisted on their own pitard.
[This message has been edited by JerryFF (edited 10-16-2002).]
He had one quote that seems particularly appropriate - (paraphrase, since I don't have his exact words) "The people who run the Big Six airlines seem to think customers are an annoyance - how much easier our business would be if the customers would just go away."
Guess what - they are going away.
And one more thing - as long as I am on a rant. It's been the airlines themselves that have been so eager to develop the internet as the major booking and communication mechanism. Well you can't have it both ways. Communicate just the selected information you want to get out but conceal the rest? It doesn't work that way. My favorite cliche - hoisted on their own pitard.
[This message has been edited by JerryFF (edited 10-16-2002).]
Oct 17, 2002 | 2:17 pm
#12
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Disclaimer: I haven't flown US Airways in years, and am not part of any current promotions.
I love it how the airlines get ruffled when they think we, their customers, are doing something sneaky. IMHO, most "targeted" promotions are semi-sneaky to begin with! The guy in seat A is eligible for a bunch of bonus miles, but the guy in seat B isn't, even though B may have paid the same or higher fare? And don't even get me started on the overall fare structure for the airlines as a whole.
My point is: EVERYTHING the airlines do is based on trying to work us over as a customer group as best as possible. I don't have a problem with that: they have strategies to try and make money; we have strategies to try and find good airfares or more miles; may the best man win the game.
Dividend Miles firing off that email would be like me firing off an email to US Airways about my "growing concern" that the passenger next to me isn't paying the exact same fare that I am for my flight.
It's yet another case of how the airlines have manufactured an Us vs. Them battle with their customers.
Imagine if McDonald's launched a "targeted" promotion to sell $9 cheeseburgers to some people and 99-cent cheeseburgers to people who had the "code". I think I'd whisper the code to the shmuck behind me in line and take my chances that the kid at the cash register wouldn't get p*ssed.
I love it how the airlines get ruffled when they think we, their customers, are doing something sneaky. IMHO, most "targeted" promotions are semi-sneaky to begin with! The guy in seat A is eligible for a bunch of bonus miles, but the guy in seat B isn't, even though B may have paid the same or higher fare? And don't even get me started on the overall fare structure for the airlines as a whole.
My point is: EVERYTHING the airlines do is based on trying to work us over as a customer group as best as possible. I don't have a problem with that: they have strategies to try and make money; we have strategies to try and find good airfares or more miles; may the best man win the game.
Dividend Miles firing off that email would be like me firing off an email to US Airways about my "growing concern" that the passenger next to me isn't paying the exact same fare that I am for my flight.
It's yet another case of how the airlines have manufactured an Us vs. Them battle with their customers.
Imagine if McDonald's launched a "targeted" promotion to sell $9 cheeseburgers to some people and 99-cent cheeseburgers to people who had the "code". I think I'd whisper the code to the shmuck behind me in line and take my chances that the kid at the cash register wouldn't get p*ssed.
Oct 17, 2002 | 5:05 pm
#13
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Indianapolis
Posts: 190
Fascinating. I completely agree that US has the option of stopping the bleeding on this one. There was a "hole" in their system, and they should patch it up. However, it is there problem, not ours. There was no warning on the phone while signing up for these bonuses.
How easy it would have been for them to implement a "fix" and end it at that. No need to send hostile letters. No need to incur the wrath of not only the "cheaters" but a whole pile of other people on this board. I'm sure the damage was not that bad.
How easy it would have been for them to implement a "fix" and end it at that. No need to send hostile letters. No need to incur the wrath of not only the "cheaters" but a whole pile of other people on this board. I'm sure the damage was not that bad.
Oct 19, 2002 | 11:48 pm
#14
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by pinniped:
I love it how the airlines get ruffled when they think we, their customers, are doing something sneaky. IMHO, most "targeted" promotions are semi-sneaky to begin with! The guy in seat A is eligible for a bunch of bonus miles, but the guy in seat B isn't, even though B may have paid the same or higher fare? And don't even get me started on the overall fare structure for the airlines as a whole. </font>
I love it how the airlines get ruffled when they think we, their customers, are doing something sneaky. IMHO, most "targeted" promotions are semi-sneaky to begin with! The guy in seat A is eligible for a bunch of bonus miles, but the guy in seat B isn't, even though B may have paid the same or higher fare? And don't even get me started on the overall fare structure for the airlines as a whole. </font>
Hear, hear. And don't forget all the gouge-level fees for things like changing restricted tickets or redepositing miles or flying standby.
Oct 21, 2002 | 6:17 am
#15
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Out and About
Posts: 1,078
They must have an inept system, marketing department, and corporate communications.
US apparently does not understand the dynamics of todays travel market. Why else would they risk enhancing a negative image of themselves by taking such a position as this publicly. It is just hard to understand how they let this happen in the first place, and what benefit they think they will gain with this negative posting.
These people really have no clue. One cannot dam the Internet river, so their efforts should be spent guiding its waters to their drought stricken crop.
No wonder they are in bankruptcy!
US apparently does not understand the dynamics of todays travel market. Why else would they risk enhancing a negative image of themselves by taking such a position as this publicly. It is just hard to understand how they let this happen in the first place, and what benefit they think they will gain with this negative posting.
These people really have no clue. One cannot dam the Internet river, so their efforts should be spent guiding its waters to their drought stricken crop.
No wonder they are in bankruptcy!