LA Times: The frequent fliers who flew too much [lifetime AAirpass withdrawn]
#2
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: All over
Programs: AA-LTP, HH-DIA, Marriott-LT+AMB, Hyatt-Globalist, Hertz-PC, UA-GS
Posts: 6,823
so do I.
#3
#4
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 9,916
a bit hard to wrap around this one. It seems like the 'fraud' AA is accusing a couple of these folks of is in fact allowed based on when they bought the passes.
The letter from Crandall shows a difference to the current regime…
https://www.documentcloud.org/docume...rothstein.html
The letter from Crandall shows a difference to the current regime…
https://www.documentcloud.org/docume...rothstein.html
#5
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: CLD
Programs: ua S, marriott P, hilton G, ihg P
Posts: 579
didn't even know such thing exist.. is/was aa the only one offering it?
#6
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: LHR (sometimes CLE, SFO, BOS, LAX, SEA)
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 5,889
Wow, has it already been three years since that lawsuit was filed? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...ss-merged.html
#7
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador, AA EXP
Posts: 2,692
When Mulroy refused, American froze his frequent flier account, offering to release it in exchange for details of payments, the documents show. Mulroy complained to American and the Transportation Department that he was being "extorted [in] an effort to punish another customer."
#9
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Oak Park, IL
Posts: 999
Wow! Great article. It must have been fun while it lasted. And it sure does sound like AA worked to find a way to get rid of its annoying liability.
Deb
Deb
#10
In Memoriam
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: dallas texas usa
Programs: aa plt 4.9MM LTAC
Posts: 14,828
a radio guy in dallas commuted daily dfw-ord-dfw to do a show there & 1 in dallas in the afternoon.....used airpass, same flights, same seats mon thru fri....charlie joiner I think, but my memory might be off....
a couple of people i know had them a one time...
a bit out of my league....
a couple of people i know had them a one time...
a bit out of my league....
#11
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: SFO
Programs: BA Avios, UA MP, AA, Choice, Club Carlson
Posts: 1,094
Great article.
Can't blame AA for having a special task force to monitor AAirPass holders to watch them like a hawk. The tactics are quite questionable however. But I imagine Corporate Security is much like a Communist Government.
What a deal though, fly as much as you want AND earn miles?!? What was the incentive for them not to fly? You could easily earn back the investment that you put in with miles earned.
Can't blame AA for having a special task force to monitor AAirPass holders to watch them like a hawk. The tactics are quite questionable however. But I imagine Corporate Security is much like a Communist Government.
What a deal though, fly as much as you want AND earn miles?!? What was the incentive for them not to fly? You could easily earn back the investment that you put in with miles earned.
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, LH Senator *Gold, AA EXP OWE Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,556
#13
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: San Jose, CA USA
Posts: 1,787
Still got my lifetime AAirpass. But it's not unlimited. Bought it in 1994 and the plan I paid for was 55,000 miles per year. Price was about $155,000 at the time. Had to look at where I (and eventually AA) would wind up in the cosmos of time. For one thing, I work hard as a surgeon (still do) and can only fly so much. Also, at the time, the highest elite level was Plat---exp did not exist. So 55,000 mi/yr seemed about right for me, individually.
The other thing was that one could roll over miles that weren't used in a year to subsequent years. So right now I'm sitting on 500,000 + actual AAirpass miles to use. Obviously I use other carriers as the need arises. Back in 1994, AA had a busy hub in SJC. No more. Also, the "lifetime" of the AAirpass could well be AA's, not mine. At any rate, they're still honoring it during bankruptcy.
UA had a competing plan (still does) called Pass Plus and I contemplated getting that, because AA gave mileage credit for both the companion and the AAirpass flyer to the AAirpass flyer's account---UA did not. I bought a couple of 5-yr Pass Plus plans, though. It's hard to argue with UA's dominance of air traffic in the SF Bay area. And, IMHO, the single most transforming event in the airline world will always be Sept 11, 2011.
So I have had a good experience with AAirpass. Never felt that I was gaming the system like some of the cases discussed here. In fact, I've never done a mileage run in my life. Have got 7 mm, including credit card bills, on AA in my time. Hope the pass continues to work.
The other thing was that one could roll over miles that weren't used in a year to subsequent years. So right now I'm sitting on 500,000 + actual AAirpass miles to use. Obviously I use other carriers as the need arises. Back in 1994, AA had a busy hub in SJC. No more. Also, the "lifetime" of the AAirpass could well be AA's, not mine. At any rate, they're still honoring it during bankruptcy.
UA had a competing plan (still does) called Pass Plus and I contemplated getting that, because AA gave mileage credit for both the companion and the AAirpass flyer to the AAirpass flyer's account---UA did not. I bought a couple of 5-yr Pass Plus plans, though. It's hard to argue with UA's dominance of air traffic in the SF Bay area. And, IMHO, the single most transforming event in the airline world will always be Sept 11, 2011.
So I have had a good experience with AAirpass. Never felt that I was gaming the system like some of the cases discussed here. In fact, I've never done a mileage run in my life. Have got 7 mm, including credit card bills, on AA in my time. Hope the pass continues to work.
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: LAX; AA EXP, MM; HH Gold
Posts: 31,789
Not only do you earn miles for your flights, you also earn miles (including status miles) for the flights of your companion if you bought the companion option. That means that fliers like FullFare can earn EXP on as little as 33,334 BIS miles each year.
#15
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP, SPG PLAT
Posts: 445
Never knew this exist ... Smart move by passengers..