We've just moved back from Australia after 4 years in Sydney - great to be back, but sad to leave friends (and Qantas) behind.... :(

So I'm updating my account details with various companies to our new address here in Virginia, when I get to US Airways. I have trouble logging on, so decide to call customer service to see if they can help me.

After updating mailing, phone, and email details, I check to see if I can book an award tick for future mom-in-law to come visit (have >30k miles in the account, needed to use soon as my last activity was in 2005)...

(drumroll....)

CSR: "I'm sorry, sir, but those miles were forfeited in May."

Me: "What? Why - what happened to my 3 years?"

CSR: "Well, we changed that in January. And no, we didn't grandfather anyone."

Me: "Well, did you try to contact me?"

CSR: "We emailed and put ads on our website and in newspapers."

Me: "Did you miss the part about me living in Sydney? We don't get your papers there, unless you advertised in Australia...?"

CSR: "I'm sorry sir, there's nothing I can do. UNLESS.... you sign up for our credit card, use it, pay it, and then get your miles back; OR, you pay us $200; OR you fly first class."

Me: "Can I talk to a supervisor?"

CSR: "Just a moment..."

After a long wait, she comes back on...

CSR: "I spoke with the supervisor.. he said there's nothing he can do. I told him your full situation though."

Me: "Uh huh. So what CAN a supervisor do?"

CSR: "I'm not able to tell you that, sir. Is there anything else?"

Me: "No, thank you."

I suppose, having now read through the threads here about US Scareways, I shouldn't be surprised. But this seems to be a very BS response from them. "I can't fix it. Except that I can. Except I won't unless you give me money."
:mad::mad::mad:

Many airlines recently instated the 18 month rule.

US put banner ads on the web site and e-mailed every account and sent snail mail letters.

If you push on with the Australia story (even though they can say that you still should have seen the e-mail and web page announcement) you may be able to get them back. However, if you search this forum, you'll see that nobody has ever had any luck getting those miles back without having to get the credit card, pay, etc.

If I understand the CSR response correctly, you can get your miles back if you get their credit card, buy something and pay the bill. If so, why not get it and cancel the card after you get your miles back?

You'll take a slight ding on your credit score but if you really want those miles back, it's not a big deal. Most of them offer 1st year free anyway (though I haven't looked at US cards in a long time).

Welcome back to the States, Corbetti!

There have been many of these threads and I have to say that although it's policy, the DM program can change their rules at any time, blah, blah, blah, it would be NICE for US to allow customers a chance to earn back the miles with any account activity, not just a credit card, cold hard cash, or an F ticket. UA did that for me (I was one of those who never received notification from them.)

I have had an active account for a very long time so this has not been an issue for me, but I did not receive a snail mail or an e-mail about the policy change. I am sure that there were many who did not receive the notifications, especially given the merger of Dividend Miles and FlightFund accounts last year.

And US should post one's expiration date as part of one's account info, like DL and UA do, so you see it every time you log in. But that would be too logical!

I agree. I didn't receive anything. My sister lost 80000 miles and didn't receive anything either. They did a poor job of notifying fliers of this but then is that any surprise?

I lost about 20K without notice. While I would have preferred to top it off enough to get a coach award ticket, it isn't worth the hassle to try to get them back. Not enough at stake....

--Jon

US put banner ads on the web site and e-mailed every account and sent snail mail letters.

Snail mail letters? That doesn't sound like the LCC I know. Maybe they gave their credit card partners the contact info of expiring DM accounts and had the banks mail letters with offers. US doesn't mail anything themselves. They even sell the back of the preferred cards to Hertz to pay for the preferred kits.

My wife encountered the "forfeited miles" dilemma and signed up for the credit card. We went on vacation before she received it, but as it turns out the companion upgrade she got with me sufficed to resurrect her miles.

We've just moved back from Australia after 4 years in Sydney - great to be back, but sad to leave friends (and Qantas) behind.... :(

So I'm updating my account details with various companies to our new address here in Virginia, when I get to US Airways. I have trouble logging on, so decide to call customer service to see if they can help me.

After updating mailing, phone, and email details, I check to see if I can book an award tick for future mom-in-law to come visit (have >30k miles in the account, needed to use soon as my last activity was in 2005)...

(drumroll....)

CSR: "I'm sorry, sir, but those miles were forfeited in May."

Me: "What? Why - what happened to my 3 years?"

CSR: "Well, we changed that in January. And no, we didn't grandfather anyone."

Me: "Well, did you try to contact me?"

CSR: "We emailed and put ads on our website and in newspapers."

Me: "Did you miss the part about me living in Sydney? We don't get your papers there, unless you advertised in Australia...?"

CSR: "I'm sorry sir, there's nothing I can do. UNLESS.... you sign up for our credit card, use it, pay it, and then get your miles back; OR, you pay us $200; OR you fly first class."

Me: "Can I talk to a supervisor?"

CSR: "Just a moment..."

After a long wait, she comes back on...

CSR: "I spoke with the supervisor.. he said there's nothing he can do. I told him your full situation though."

Me: "Uh huh. So what CAN a supervisor do?"

CSR: "I'm not able to tell you that, sir. Is there anything else?"

Me: "No, thank you."

I suppose, having now read through the threads here about US Scareways, I shouldn't be surprised. But this seems to be a very BS response from them. "I can't fix it. Except that I can. Except I won't unless you give me money."
:mad::mad::mad:

In this case, there was probably little a supervisor could do. The 18-month expiration rule has been in place a couple of years. There are ways to get your miles back, through credit cards, payment etc.

If you were interested in whether a supervisor can help, though, why hang up on the agent? Why not actually ask to speak to a supervisor who could explain the options to you? :confused:

If you were interested in whether a supervisor can help, though, why hang up on the agent? Why not actually ask to speak to a supervisor who could explain the options to you? :confused:

I *did* ask to speak to a supervisor, but the agent wouldn't let me - she said she'd "spoken to the supervisor on my behalf".

All I know is that US Airways has just jumped into the "never fly again" box, joining Continental, an airline I haven't flown in 9 years after they obstinately refused a simple request (baggage delivery) because they sent me to a different airport than my luggage due to their screwup.

I'm not taking a hit on my credit score, however temporary, simply to get a $250 equivalent value FF ticket.

And anyways, I'm 3 flights away from lifetime gold with United :)

Thanks!

All I know is that US Airways has just jumped into the "never fly again" box...

You will find yourself in very good company on this forum. ;)

The airline has certainly gone way downhill from the way it used to be. :(

CSR: "I'm sorry sir, there's nothing I can do. UNLESS.... you sign up for our credit card, use it, pay it, and then get your miles back; OR, you pay us $200; OR you fly first class."

I know it's a frustrating situation, but the CC idea is not bad. BofA US card gives you 25k for a $90 annual fee (payable only once obviously if you cancel the card after the miles bank). At under 1cpm (RDM) I wouldn't say that's a bad deal. In the end, you actually have a net benefit.

EDIT: if you have good credit and you are accepted for the card, the hit on your credit score is pretty much insignificant. Unless you're applying for some major financing in the future, not that bad a deal. Oh, and the card is visa Signature with the concierge service, which really isn't that bad.

When life throws you lemons...

Welcome back to the states!

If you get the credit card and the 25,000 bonus miles you'll have over 50K miles on US and can get your mom in law a domestic F ticket - think how much she'll appreciate that you put her in First - even US First!

I know what a supervisor at US Reservations can do! Hablo espanol!!! :D

I know what a supervisor at US Reservations can do! Hablo espanol!!! :D

También lo hablo. Tú y yo, podemos trabajar como agentes (o jefes) de US. :rolleyes:

Well, if you call United you're lucky if they speak spanish - usually they only seem able to speak Hindi.

I *did* ask to speak to a supervisor, but the agent wouldn't let me - she said she'd "spoken to the supervisor on my behalf".

All I know is that US Airways has just jumped into the "never fly again" box, joining Continental, an airline I haven't flown in 9 years after they obstinately refused a simple request (baggage delivery) because they sent me to a different airport than my luggage due to their screwup.

I'm not taking a hit on my credit score, however temporary, simply to get a $250 equivalent value FF ticket.

And anyways, I'm 3 flights away from lifetime gold with United :)

So whats the problem. Just use your UA miles. Hopefully you did not move to Pittsburgh. BTW Go Steelers

Deleted.

I *did* ask to speak to a supervisor, but the agent wouldn't let me - she said she'd "spoken to the supervisor on my behalf".

All I know is that US Airways has just jumped into the "never fly again" box, joining Continental, an airline I haven't flown in 9 years after they obstinately refused a simple request (baggage delivery) because they sent me to a different airport than my luggage due to their screwup.

I'm not taking a hit on my credit score, however temporary, simply to get a $250 equivalent value FF ticket.

And anyways, I'm 3 flights away from lifetime gold with United :)

That is appalling. If a caller is not satisfied with the response an agent has given, whether or not that response comes from a supervisor, it should be determined as an escalated call, and should be handled henceforth by a supervisor. There is no excuse for a supervisor not to take an escalated call. That's what they're paid for.

Drat - I think mine expired (50k) a few weeks ago. I tried to do the magazines and got a "account on hold" message. No other indication on the web site that anything was wrong/expired.

Any more info on this credit card signup deal? Is it for real? All cards, they have a $0 fee card out of 6 others. Will it work? How are they connected, anything in writing?

I must say, real sneaky. I could see 18 months after the effective date and/or merger of accounts dates - but when alienate so many people.

Certainally not worth $200+ in cash for 50k in miles that I may never see a benefit from.

What about a 1000 mile donation? I just did it and it seemed to go through without an error message.