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Alaska Conducting Research: Shut up Aviation Geeks

Alaska Conducting Research: Shut up Aviation Geeks

Old Jun 29, 2016, 12:47 pm
  #1  
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Alaska Conducting Research: Shut up Aviation Geeks

I was sent an email from Alaska to participate in the survey on the telephone about Mileageplan. I was contacted by a research group on behalf of Alaska airlines and did a 45 minute interview about the MileagePlan program on the phone.

During the interview, the researcher informed me that many other people she talked to went on "travel blogs", and we're taking advantage of the mileage plan program. She didn't use those words but it was obvious what she was getting at. I can only imagine some of you bragging to some researcher about how you managed to sign up for seven credit cards, and fly the world in Emirates First Class.

I would plead with the community to please shut up, and not ruin the program anymore than it already has been. I would hope that people wouldn't be so stupid.
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Old Jun 29, 2016, 1:29 pm
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I'm surprised she would say anything that could be considered a leading questions since that could skew the results. I could see if she asked "Do you participate in any online groups of communities focused around travel" and then maybe another question like "Do you feel that you maximize every opportunity the mileage plan presents?"

But flat out mentioning that other people are part of online blogs and use the program a lot, well that might make you more likely to answer yes to those questions, even if maybe you just posted once on facebook about it or signed up for a new credit card because of it. For good research those questions need to be isolated and not a back and forth discussion.
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Old Jun 29, 2016, 1:30 pm
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Originally Posted by Edgerfly
I was sent an email from Alaska to participate in the survey on the telephone about Mileageplan. I was contacted by a research group on behalf of Alaska airlines and did a 45 minute interview about the MileagePlan program on the phone.

During the interview, the researcher informed me that many other people she talked to went on "travel blogs", and we're taking advantage of the mileage plan program. She didn't use those words but it was obvious what she was getting at. I can only imagine some of you bragging to some researcher about how you managed to sign up for seven credit cards, and fly the world in Emirates First Class.

I would plead with the community to please shut up, and not ruin the program anymore than it already has been. I would hope that people wouldn't be so stupid.
Seems more like a ThePointsGuy issue than this forum. Just sayin...
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Old Jun 29, 2016, 1:35 pm
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Originally Posted by MonThruThurs
Seems more like a ThePointsGuy issue than this forum. Just sayin...
It has everything to do with this forum, what are you talking about? It's targeted research by Alaska airlines directed straight dot and center at the MileagePlan program!

I'm requesting the community not shoot ourselves in the foot and give away the house secrets to researchers.
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Old Jun 29, 2016, 1:52 pm
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Originally Posted by Edgerfly
It has everything to do with this forum, what are you talking about? It's targeted research by Alaska airlines directed straight dot and center at the MileagePlan program!

I'm requesting the community not shoot ourselves in the foot and give away the house secrets to researchers.
What is it you're asking? To dishonestly participate in a survey? "No, I don't know about any of that stuff, nyuk nyuk nyuk"?

Surely you can decline to participate in the survey, but, really... an AS employee is a moderator here. There are multiple AS employee participants. The idea that somehow FT is a sooper sekrit club meant to hose the airline and we're pulling a fast one on AS is kind of laughable.

I await the inevitable "I blame those pesky bloggers for ruining everything" posts...
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Old Jun 29, 2016, 1:57 pm
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I'm requesting that people who do choose to participate in the survey, do not gloat, and brag about how they totally took advantage of the MileagePlan program. Just because a moderator is an employee means nothing. They don't use MileagePlan miles.

Let me give you an example: Enough people brag and say they abused xyz award, that award will go up in cost and be scarcely available. I don't want the MileagePlan program ruined anymore than it has been.

I don't want anyone to knowingly lie, but you don't have to gloat and be arrogant in the survey either.
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Old Jun 29, 2016, 2:09 pm
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Originally Posted by Edgerfly
Let me give you an example: Enough people brag and say they abused xyz award, that award will go up in cost and be scarcely available. I don't want the MileagePlan program ruined anymore than it has been.
As opposed to AS employees reading FT posts? The CX forum is full of "Can I get a stop outside of HKG?" and so on. There's blogs out there that talk about AS program rules.

My point is if AS is going to "ruin" the program, it's not going to be because of a survey. They already know bloody well how their awards are being redeemed; they have the data in the form of tickets should they choose to do any deep analysis on the data (and they do some form of this already in the annual reports to stock analysts; you have to assume they know everything and so do partners, which is why EK awards inflated overnight). They can read FT. They know that a stopover on a one way can equate to having a free one way ticket out of an AS hub. And so on.

I think your paranoia is misplaced. The killer is already inside the house.
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Old Jun 29, 2016, 2:16 pm
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How much are they paying for the information. At minimum top tier for life I would hope.
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Old Jun 29, 2016, 2:17 pm
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Originally Posted by MonThruThurs
Seems more like a ThePointsGuy issue than this forum.
The former is terminal; the latter is curable.
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Old Jun 29, 2016, 2:24 pm
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Maybe I'm being paranoid. I just think it's a bad idea for people to be bragging to researchers about how they've abused an award program, but that's just my opinion.
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Old Jun 29, 2016, 2:29 pm
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Originally Posted by Edgerfly
I was sent an email from Alaska to participate in the survey on the telephone about Mileageplan. I was contacted by a research group on behalf of Alaska airlines and did a 45 minute interview about the MileagePlan program on the phone.

During the interview, the researcher informed me that many other people she talked to went on "travel blogs", and we're taking advantage of the mileage plan program. She didn't use those words but it was obvious what she was getting at. I can only imagine some of you bragging to some researcher about how you managed to sign up for seven credit cards, and fly the world in Emirates First Class.

I would plead with the community to please shut up, and not ruin the program anymore than it already has been. I would hope that people wouldn't be so stupid.

Thanks for your opinion and reprimand, but a Mileage Plan survey isn't needed to find out about certain "sweet spots" in the program. They merely need to read this board or any of the blogs.
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Old Jun 29, 2016, 2:44 pm
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Fact is, that churning cards and manufacturing spending aren't rocket science or Secrets of Freemasonry.
Anyone who thinks they're getting over on banks and airlines is deluding themselves. And maybe doing a little "self-stroking" on boards like this.
As you've probably told anyone thinking about trying it (if you were being honest), fact of the matter is, you don't really get much for free. IF - and only if - your spend/travel pattern is sufficient to begin with, do any of the rule-stretching strategies make sense.
In fact, I wouldn't doubt that to the extent that the inexperienced are lured into trying to play in this sandbox, the banks and airlines appreciate your brag. Almost every neophyte will invariably end up spending more than they would have normally chasing a "reward" flight. Didn't you when you first started?
Not to say, that once you become a serious player, they don't try and police you. Similarly, Las Vegas LOVES them some amateurs with a sure-fire blackjack system. More money dropped on the table. But you start winning by counting cards and out you go.

Last edited by rickg523; Jun 29, 2016 at 2:46 pm Reason: Typo
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Old Jun 29, 2016, 2:56 pm
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I don't see a lot of gaming the system going on in Flyer Talk. Mostly what I see are people asking reasonable questions trying to understand a sometimes complex set of rules and procedures that make up mileage plan. For example there are endless threads on "how first class upgrades work". AS already knows how they work, they designed it; but everyone else not so much.
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Old Jun 29, 2016, 3:13 pm
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Originally Posted by jsguyrus
I don't see a lot of gaming the system going on in Flyer Talk. Mostly what I see are people asking reasonable questions trying to understand a sometimes complex set of rules and procedures that make up mileage plan. For example there are endless threads on "how first class upgrades work". AS already knows how they work, they designed it; but everyone else not so much.
Sorry. Didn't mean it pejoratively. What I meant was playing the game to their best advantage - within, but to the absolute extent the rules allow. And paying close enough attention to find and exploit "seams" that will pop up every now and then, usually for a short time before the companies involved get wise to them.
Really what I was trying to get at was that unless your particular circumstances warrant it, you won't really get much reward trying to game the system. And therefore what's posted here isn't really detrimental to those flyers who collect' em, trade 'em, and show their friends.
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Old Jun 29, 2016, 3:20 pm
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Originally Posted by MonThruThurs
Seems more like a ThePointsGuy issue than this forum. Just sayin...
They read this forum. I would be surprised to learn that any airline doesn't research what others are writing about it.
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