bkafrick

Yesterday, was flying home through PHL E Concourse.

The Barclays/Juniper agent offering "free flights" to anyone who signed up for a USAirways M/C was particularly obnoxious.

In the 2 minutes I was near him, I heard these fun responses:

"Excuse me sir! What airline are you flying today?" [Um, USAirways is the only airline in this entire concourse jacka$$.]

"Sir, are you flying USAirways today?" [No, I'm flying Delta. Am I in the right terminal?]

"Sir, do you have 5 minutes?" [No, I'm late for my flight.] "Don't worry, sir, this will only take 5 minutes."

Sometimes I can ignore these guys, but yesterday, I really wanted to walk up and just punch him. The last poor gent could have really been late for his flight. I wonder what a G/A would have said when he walked up too late, and his excuse was, "well the mastercard guy told me not to worry."

These guys were just really agressive...almost to the point of harrassment.

Travels2mch

Something needs to be done about these morons.....I also feel like pulling an "Airplane the movie" move (remember the guy punching out all of the hari krishna and other solicitors, leaving a trail of bodies up the concourse?).

I just got nailed in CLT, guy yells over to me (I never get close) and I did my standard response....'I already have one'. He yells, "you don't have THIS one". Now HTF does he know what is in my wallet? I just gave him an 'if looks could kill' look and kept walking. Idiots, and the airline management are idiots for letting this happen (well for that and 1000 other reasons).

PineyBob

Happened in PHX quite some time ago as I was on my way to the Club for some A & A (Alcohol & Anonymity)! He start with his pitch and I say "No Thanks I have Both cards." The M-F'er starts toward me and says "but is it this one?" I do not take kindly to being accosted and now he's between me and the Club. Well the Clint Eastwood in all of us came out and I looked him in the eye and replied, "Step Away from me or I will drop you where you stand, are we clear?" Doesn't he try to speak to me again!!! I said the first comment loudly and this time even louder, "Step AWAY! Are you deaf, Do NOT take another step toward me". I was trying to attract a cop or someone to get this guy off my arse. Finally he gives up and I go on.

Got to the Club and called my "Secret Squirrel" in the executive office and told her, "You almost had a dead Mastercard solicitor at the end of A in PHX" and I related the story. I came back through 2 days later about the same time and he wasn't there, a much mellower lady was and she was actually signing someone up.

Now I come right at them if they open their mouth. More then one in PHL has gotten the F bomb dropped first sentence out. I have no Patience left with them. BTW just for giggles google Juniper Bank Consumer Complaints. What an eye opener.

A Trailer Park bank for a Trailer Park Airline, a match made in someplace south of heaven.

coachrowsey

Heck they are only trying to make a buck like you & me

bkafrick

And you are absolutely right. Its not really the employee's fault here, its the company that empowers them to be rude, hostile, and intimidating...all in the name of making a buck for their company.

I would love to listen in on their employee training seminars on how to "get the sale".

kudzu

Maybe potential customers like you look successful enough to qualify for another credit card?

Seriously, I simply veer away from those guys, and I guess I don't look good enough for them to chase after me for a sale!

redtop43

In truth, they ARE just trying to make a buck, and we can just ignore them.

But if you really want to take one for the team.... just go over and sound interested. Then when they pitch the "free ticket" - say "Now is this really a free ticket? Can I actually get a ticket with the 25,000 miles?" Then pull out your laptop and get on USAirways.com and look for a flight you actually want for 25K miles. Since availbility is close to nil, then start yelling at them and calling them a liar, false advertising, theft, then stand 10 feet away and every time they get a pigeon walk over and say "Before you get the card, make sure it's really a free flight. I tried to get a free flight and there was nothing available, except to fly from Tulsa to Little Rock at 11PM on March 11."

Yeah, I know it's not worth it.

BDL-FRA

Holy cow are these people annoying! I went through PHL this past week for the first time in almost a year and could not believe how aggressive they are. They also seem to space them strategically that it is impossible not to have to pass at least one. I had to pass three from my domestic to international connection. The first time I was curious, then annoyed, and finally quite ticked off when the last dude would not take no for an answer (the terminal was near empty and he apparently had nothing else to do).

Just be glad they have not decided to station them in the Clubs yet.

me4yankees

Shhhh! Don't give them any ideas!

tommyleo

That's baloney. I'm flying PHL-LAX next week on a 25K award ticket. Pleney left, too.

Maybe US has cut back on its 25K awards to some degree, but I read too many posts here claiming that they are impossible to find. That's not the case either.

Dan6681

I have a very simple strategy for everyone who is bothered by hawkers, beggars and used car salesmen. Ignore them, do not make eye contact, and pretend that they do not exist in any other way possible.
The more they try to get at you the less human they feel and no one can take that for very long. It works every time.

uva185

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8330/4.3.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)

Agreed! While they really annoy me I never even acknowledge their existence. By giving them a reason you don't want the card you give them the ability to negotiate / argue with you.

PineyBob

Since the PHX dust up I've adopted the "talk to the paw" approach when passing by. It ususally works quite nicely. A very sharp "NO" seems to do the trick with the more aggressive ones.

The guy in PHX was so over the top trying to block me.

shttrdrvr

The few times I passed through PIT, they had one that looked he was one of the Gotti kid's cousins. I never saw him talking to anyone, but I'm sure he knew how to score a dime bag. PHX by far has the pushiest 'dealer' Still don't get the logic in getting a stuffed animal for just filling out the application, but I guess it's better than hearing the 5 minute script for the B of A card on the plane. I remember a flight from FLL to CLT with the A being a Southern Gentlemen who went on for a good 10 minutes the wonders of this card. That by was more painful than the 'dealers' at the airport. They are annoying but you can always walk away and wonder if they know how irritating they are.

newbiztraveler

Agreed, that is absolute BS. Why should I be forced to listen to a fscking ad after I already paid to be on the plane?