lwildernorva

Which, of course, could be said about almost every post in every blog covered here.

So nothing to see here, move along. Time to shut down this forum?

ScottC

^

oliver2002

Oh, there is plenty to talk about. Its seems all this click baiting has led to a increase in page views, but ad revenue seems to be in trouble. @:-)

lwildernorva

See, we at FT talk about clickbaiting. Let's forget that we're that knowledgeable for a moment--we're just some guys on the internet doing a search and we come upon that post. We don't know anything about flying--we just know that a thought leader in travel just told us that if there are fighter jets tracking our plane, we're likely to get shot down. Think it's possible such a person who has read that and is now a passenger on an airplane who sees some fighter jets tracking the plane might start acting irrationally? Or, even if not flying, might simply have contempt for the military unearned by their actions--especially given the real world example I cited and even the real world example Gary cited in is post? I mean, did the plane get shot down?

Speaking of, my contempt for Gary grows larger by the day. I can live with a clickbating post. He's a capitalist, he's trying to make money. I really don't have heartburn about that.

But this was an irresponsible post--and I would agree that normal standards of journalism don't apply to blog posts, which I view as statements of personal opinion. I'm sure Gary would defend his post in that way, but I expect a "thought leader" and "one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business traveler" [or maybe "frequent business travel"--hey, nice proofreading of your own bio, GTL] to have a slightly more refined, responsible opinion--not something any fool with a tin foil hat could post on the internet.

gpapadop

You have no idea what you are talking about

Now excuse me while I go prepare a post about how many millions of miles I have earned, albeit not in a single program, boo!

When nothing to write, rest assured a post about bad TSA is right around the corner...

Mountain Trader

Did somebody say bad TSA? Is it time to Buzz again?

lwildernorva

For further confirmation that this thread is followed, check my comment about GTL's bio in post #334--and his revised bio. Of course, not corrected in both places he made the mistake. We'll see how many days pass before that mistake is corrected. . .

kokonutz

It's a very safe assumption that Gary and most other bloggers read this forum very regularly.

If you look, they aometimes forget to log out and show as present in the forum. @:-)

skunker

You can also turn on the feature where FT doesn't show you are here. I use it.

If you click on gleff's profile it doesn't say when his last activity was. I would imagine Gary doesn't like people knowing he is checking out the competition.

kokonutz

Nice to see View from the Cookie is back!

It made me chuckle that VFTC is mocking others' typos.

http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea....ndal/#comments

nsx

In a subtle nod to you, it was a coconut cookie.

itsaboutthejourney

If I had a cookie for every typo or misspelling in Gary's blog... Just sayin'

lwildernorva

GTL's post about Amex yesterday again highlights his analytical shortcomings. A stock analyst saying that Amex is losing the rewards game and therefore may face losses is not the same thing as arguing which rewards program is the most valuable (and yes, before we get there, I know that's click bait and probably Gary's smarter than that but twists the comparison to get his clicks). But then, even when he's on ground that seems more secure for him, he then muddles the issue with Starpoints--yes Amex runs the card; no Amex does not run the program--and an unwillingness to concede the obvious weakening of the MR program over the last several years with the loss of Continental as a transfer partner to the merger with UA, Delta's limitation, albeit mild, of transfers from MR to DL, and the recent announcement that BA transfers from MR will go from 1:1 to 250:200.

Of course, he conveniently ignores his own harping upon the SkyMiles program ("Hey, did you know that I'm the one who coined the term SkyPesos? Probably on one of my many appearances on CBS, ABC, Fox, CNN as a thought leader in travel. And yeah, I've been softpedaling that term for awhile while pushing affiliate links for DL cards."), BA for any use other than domestic short-haul connections, and UR as the most valuable rewards currency.

The potential issue missed to my mind is where does Amex go from here? Amex has already made some moves in directions away from emphasizing MR transfers as a feature of the program. As spectacularly bad a value as many of us might think using MR for purchases at McDonald's might be, Amex has shifted some focus away from straight transfers to emphasizing MR as another form of currency. Benefits like Boingo wifi and the airline credit for the Platinum card along with developing cards with multiple category bonuses show that Amex, while retaining a focus on MR, has realized that they'd better catch up to the competition.

I'd think the next horizon is rental car insurance. Chase and Citi (and by extension, MC and Visa) now offer more cards with an obvious primary rental car coverage versus the secondary offered with some cards, with the supplemental purchase of primary insurance available. I personally believe the Amex benefit is the best--I've had two occasions to use it, and the process has pretty much not required much input from me as compared with some of the stories I see in some threads here at FT about experiences with other cards. But the point is not which is the objectively best rental car coverage--it's what the public perceives that to be. I tend to think Amex is going to have to consider offering primary coverage with no added cost through several of their cards to compete, especially since MR has lost some of its luster.

No way Amex drops MR--not with Citi continuing to do hit or miss with TY Points--but I think Amex wouldn't mind redefining the issue since MR no longer has a clear edge over Chase and Citi in this regard. So yes, to a certain extent GTL wouldn't acknowledge, Amex is losing the rewards war.

kokonutz

Lol, maybe I've become a cynical crank, but I saw the headline and thought, 'Oy, that post is clearly a commercial for a few credit cards half-baked into an analysis of someone's analysis of MR' and moved along without clicking.

<shrug>

Kagehitokiri

did stock analyst talk about plenti?