LeaveYourDailyHell

Yeah, but at least he Scotchgarded it against cappuccino stains.

FlagrantViola

Daniel's profile seems to have disappeared from the Meet the Team section.

Astrophsx

I don't think it was ever there on the newly designed webpage.

Astrophsx

Hmm... (to save you a click Cathay Pacific first). BTW, his videos are barely breaking 500. Even worse than Brian Kelly's videos when he's not paying for views.

https://t.co/PxbtHULkrQ

cruisr

Well, I only go over occasionally to see if there are any improvements and sadly there aren't. No need to give OMAAT a click today so thanks for saving me!

So sad that he continues to perpetuate the lie that one can travel in F for free. Free would me zero cents spent. I guess free for him doesn't count paying for AA miles and using them to redeem for seats. If he takes out credit cards with annual fees in order to generate miles that is not free. To be very picky the taxes and surcharges are not free. It's sad that there are fan boys that believe him and media to hype the bs.

I have traveled in CX twice in F on points and I will not say those tickets are free. That would be a lie.

84fiero

There's been a noticeable shift with this blog (and others) from being pretty frank that you can save a ton of money with this game but it's not totally without cost and sometimes still a decent chunk of cash (e.g., FFPs that charge YQ). OMAAT's "about" pages used to - maybe still do - even make a point of that fact, which was at least one good thing about the blog.

However he's being a little more "liberal" with the picture being painted of late. This piece just constitutes a total sell-out...completely pushing the "freeee!!!!" line.

I don't have an issue with being a little loose with the phrase "free ticket" and similar, among those of us in the FFP-crazy community. We all realize it doesn't literally mean zero cash outlay when someone writes "The pre-arrival meal wasn't quite what I hoped for in J on this carrier, but not bad for free" in a trip report on FT or something. But this sort of piece is obviously trying to sell an illusion to the uneducated in order to pump CCs, affiliate purchase point links, or what have you.

This intro to the "article" above was cringe-worthy:

G-CIVC

If such deception triggers CX like how Sam Huang did to EK I'm all for it

Astrophsx

In the previous article title he stated that he was staying in the "party capital of Bali". Since when is W hotel in Seminyak the party capital of Bali? He also wrote, "The food was delicious, and because the W is known throughout the island for their Sunday brunches, the people watching on point."

I don't think Ben is writing these articles, yet is actively promoting them via his social media.

cruisr

Interesting theory. Ive been to Bali and never heard that the W was known for its Sunday brunches. I guess since I was actually staying in a non US chain hotel and actually meeting people who were local I must have missed that.

On a side note, I think all this air travel is having its toll. Ben looks much older then 27. All that travel, time changes, resetting your bodies clock, eating at odd hours and radiation from his time in the air can't be good. Not to mention how that dry air in a plane does a number on the skin and drinking all that champagne can't be good for the body.

84fiero

Good question!

But yeah the writing in those doesn't sound at all like his style or wording.

LeaveYourDailyHell

As far as the Bali post is concerned, why would factual accuracy mean that Ben didn't write it? Ben's non-flight posts are always light on facts, not to mention insight—don't y'all remember all the unfounded smack he talked about Cuba, or the Pulitzer-nominated "Why I Love the Vibe of Dubai"?

This makes sense, of course, considering he measures him time on the ground in hours more often than days, and never seems to leave his five-star hotel without a member of staff minding his every need.

I've always given Ben credit where credit is due, namely on his posts that relate to miles, points and flying—the old ones, at least. But he's never been much of a travel writer, let alone a traveler.

84fiero

Nothing to do with facts or lack thereof, I just think it doesn't sound at all similar to his writing style - the "voice" of his writing, if you will. No way to know for sure, just my impression. But I'm betting he wrote a draft or outline and Bravo edited/reworked it to suit their desired style, tone, or whatever.

Astrophsx

It seems as if he handed off his notes and photos and then some 20 year old social media intern at Bravo tried to "spice" up the articles by changing the titles, throwing in stock images that don't relate to the article, tossing in lingo like "the people watching was on point", and editing together horribly shot iPhone video footage taken by Ben and Ford with sit down interviews.

I guess when you brag to your readers that you are getting a "show" with Bravo... most wouldn't expect the end product to be 45 second long cellphone videos posted to Bravo's YouTube account.

invalyd

Congrats to Ben and Ford on their engagement.

LeaveYourDailyHell

It's really rich how Ben spends an entire election season on the sidelines (likely in tacit support of Trump), then complains about how his same-sex relationship isn't respected, let alone in an ultraconservative country.