US's executive office called me tonight
Apr 12, 2007, 9:38 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: PHL
Programs: Former long-time US GP; now AA dirt
Posts: 4,904
US's executive office called me tonight
To my surprise, I received a telephone call from the executive liason for US customer relations tonight.
A little background. When I had read here on FT that many people were made GP without earning the status, I contacted US customer service several times about the issue. My first calls were made about two months ago, when the issue was first reported here. I was promised a return call each time. Never happened. I then sent two faxes, the last being sent 3/31/07. No replies.
So tonight I get a call from a very nice guy at the Exec Offices in Phoenix. He said that US had seen my faxes and noticed that I hadn't flown yet in 2007 -- so he wanted to discuss my concerns.
To make a long story short, I told him about many different concerns -- all of which have been dicussed here.
Here's where it got weird. About the mistaken-Golds, he was told to relay this to me: the execs at US had no idea of the situation, but because I had included the link to the mistaken-Golds FT thread in my fax, the execs at US read it. It was discovered that those on FT who thought that they should not have been made Gold had actually qualified through promotions of which they weren't even aware.
So how did US know this? Get this: he said that US was able to check the status of those who reported on FT that they were incorrectly given Gold. I told him that I don't buy that explanation for a minute because there is no way that US could have figured out the status of all the anonymous posters who claimed to be a mistaken-Gold. He told me that US must have found a way to access their info after reading FT!!!
I find this to be quite troubling. Either US is actually able to trace those who post here or US is claiming that it can do so. Either way, that's messed up.
BTW, in no way am I condemning the fine man I spoke with. He was just passing on what he was told. In fact, as for all the other issues we spoke about, he was very understanding and gave me his direct line to contact him in the future. He also said that if I know of any other Preferreds (that's his department) who would like to discuss issues, then I should put them in contact with him as well.
To prevent him from getting bombarded with calls, I will not post his contact info here. If any Preferred would like to contact him, please send me a private message and I will give you his name and phone number.
A little background. When I had read here on FT that many people were made GP without earning the status, I contacted US customer service several times about the issue. My first calls were made about two months ago, when the issue was first reported here. I was promised a return call each time. Never happened. I then sent two faxes, the last being sent 3/31/07. No replies.
So tonight I get a call from a very nice guy at the Exec Offices in Phoenix. He said that US had seen my faxes and noticed that I hadn't flown yet in 2007 -- so he wanted to discuss my concerns.
To make a long story short, I told him about many different concerns -- all of which have been dicussed here.
Here's where it got weird. About the mistaken-Golds, he was told to relay this to me: the execs at US had no idea of the situation, but because I had included the link to the mistaken-Golds FT thread in my fax, the execs at US read it. It was discovered that those on FT who thought that they should not have been made Gold had actually qualified through promotions of which they weren't even aware.
So how did US know this? Get this: he said that US was able to check the status of those who reported on FT that they were incorrectly given Gold. I told him that I don't buy that explanation for a minute because there is no way that US could have figured out the status of all the anonymous posters who claimed to be a mistaken-Gold. He told me that US must have found a way to access their info after reading FT!!!
I find this to be quite troubling. Either US is actually able to trace those who post here or US is claiming that it can do so. Either way, that's messed up.
BTW, in no way am I condemning the fine man I spoke with. He was just passing on what he was told. In fact, as for all the other issues we spoke about, he was very understanding and gave me his direct line to contact him in the future. He also said that if I know of any other Preferreds (that's his department) who would like to discuss issues, then I should put them in contact with him as well.
To prevent him from getting bombarded with calls, I will not post his contact info here. If any Preferred would like to contact him, please send me a private message and I will give you his name and phone number.
Apr 12, 2007, 9:56 pm
#2
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: A lovely little town filled with cows
Programs: US2, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 3,284
Thanks, tommyleo, for the post - it's encouraging, I think...
Regarding the anonymity issue, perhaps it's not quite as "evil" as one might think. I'm using the same username for FT that I *might* be using for US Airways...
Anyway, it's nice that they finally responded to you, and nice that you now have a contact. It's pretty sad that it took several phone calls, faxes, and a lot of your time, not to mention about two months between initial communication and an actual response.
Regarding the anonymity issue, perhaps it's not quite as "evil" as one might think. I'm using the same username for FT that I *might* be using for US Airways...
Anyway, it's nice that they finally responded to you, and nice that you now have a contact. It's pretty sad that it took several phone calls, faxes, and a lot of your time, not to mention about two months between initial communication and an actual response.
Apr 12, 2007, 10:03 pm
#3
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 86
OMG my suspicious mind again... that has got to be complete and utter nonsense. Even if they could determine the names of the posters (and I'm sure big powerful companies probably could) how would they know that John Smith is the same John Smith as DM# xxxxx, vs John Smith as DM# xxxxx. (ok, maybe they could even map that out...) however, it's ridiculously so far fetched that I don't buy it for one minute. It sounds just like the trumped up stories that we've seen -- take your pick of a dozen different answers the posters have been given and relayed here. For goodness sake, a number of posters indicated that they hadn't flown with US or had any interaction of any kind, for years. I wonder how long it took to craft that carefully worded answer of the week. (I think of that SNL character that used to just make up lies on the fly (no pun intended) as he went along...can't remember his name.) I wonder if that is the story that the execs were fed by someone in the organization covering massive butt, and it's being viewed by them as reliable info. They'd have to be saturated drunken fools to believe that, no?
Mostly, I wonder what the Randy Petersen's and others who've founded forums like FT, would have to say about US's claim. Wow.
By the way, and I should have said this first: thanks for sharing that information.
Mostly, I wonder what the Randy Petersen's and others who've founded forums like FT, would have to say about US's claim. Wow.
By the way, and I should have said this first: thanks for sharing that information.
Apr 12, 2007, 10:19 pm
#4
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: [in flux]
Programs: CO-P, HH-DIAMOND, *WOOD-PLAT
Posts: 127
#1 There is no way that US Airways could have legitimately determined legal names and correlated them with US Airways DM accounts. FACT. As a sign of my confidence in this statement, I will offer 100,000 DM miles (and I'll pay the transfer fee) to anyone who can determine my real name.
#2 I respect that US Airways responsed right up until I read that they (he or whomever gave him the script) told the outright lie (as mentioned above)... At the point of lying to a customer, they were better off ignoring the phone calls and faxes.
This makes me livid.
Will be PMing OP for contact info.
#2 I respect that US Airways responsed right up until I read that they (he or whomever gave him the script) told the outright lie (as mentioned above)... At the point of lying to a customer, they were better off ignoring the phone calls and faxes.
This makes me livid.
Will be PMing OP for contact info.
Apr 12, 2007, 10:23 pm
#5
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: CLT
Programs: FT Member #8119 F & J Free Agent
Posts: 6,550
Code:
Doug Parker: My name's Doug, Dr. Doug.. uh.. Senator Doug Parker. FTer's: Really? Doug Parker: Mmm hmm.. Say, haven't I seen you somewhere before? FTer's: I doubt it. Doug Parker: Oh, I know! I saw you at the.. Super Bowl! Yeah, that's the ticket. Why, I was just there last.. uh.. yesterday. Yeah.. having dinner with the President. FTer's: Which President? Doug Parker: Uh.. the one on TV. Yeah. Yeah, I'm a producer, you know. Big-time tele.. movie producer. Yeah, that's the ticket! So, what do you do? FTer's: Oh, we do some flying, post on FT and we love to party. Doug Parker: Oh, yeah? I wrote a book about flying. Yeah, it was about the guy who invented flying. Yeah, that's it! In fact, it was.. it was an autobiography! Yeah!
Apr 13, 2007, 5:34 am
#6
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHL
Programs: AA EXP MM, HHonors Lifetime Diamond, Marriott Lifetime Ti, UA Silver
Posts: 5,036
...It was discovered that those on FT who thought that they should not have been made Gold had actually qualified through promotions of which they weren't even aware.
...he said that US was able to check the status of those who reported on FT that they were incorrectly given Gold. I told him that I don't buy that explanation for a minute because there is no way that US could have figured out the status of all the anonymous posters who claimed to be a mistaken-Gold. He told me that US must have found a way to access their info after reading FT!!!
I find this to be quite troubling. Either US is actually able to trace those who post here or US is claiming that it can do so. Either way, that's messed up.
...he said that US was able to check the status of those who reported on FT that they were incorrectly given Gold. I told him that I don't buy that explanation for a minute because there is no way that US could have figured out the status of all the anonymous posters who claimed to be a mistaken-Gold. He told me that US must have found a way to access their info after reading FT!!!
I find this to be quite troubling. Either US is actually able to trace those who post here or US is claiming that it can do so. Either way, that's messed up.
Either that or the guy at US is completely full of BS.
I strongly suspect the latter, and I'm guessing that his response was coordinated with the company.
Apr 13, 2007, 6:05 am
#7
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 86
Yes!! That's it, John Lovitz... I love that skit ------ when it's a skit.
Let's start a contest on writing dialog around the gold preferred debacle.
Let's start a contest on writing dialog around the gold preferred debacle.
Apr 13, 2007, 6:59 am
#8
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Lehighton, PA, USA,HH Gold, US Plat
Posts: 467
Maybe this should be brought to Randy's attention. US gained access to confidential posters information--their names. I don't believe any of the privacy or user's agreements with US or Flyertalk indicated they would exchange information.
Apr 13, 2007, 7:03 am
#9
Join Date: Nov 2005
Programs: Chick-Fil-A Red, Wawa, Red Cross blood donor
Posts: 4,824
Based on a single thread, I don't think US could figure out who we are. But I'm pretty sure ~if they took the time~, they could figure out who I am based on particular flights I've commented on here on FT. I'm sure they could do it for others, too.
And I'm trying to remain as anonomous as I can (I would love to post about Monday's flight).
And I'm trying to remain as anonomous as I can (I would love to post about Monday's flight).
Apr 13, 2007, 7:10 am
#10
Join Date: May 2006
Location: PHL/EWR
Programs: UA, AA
Posts: 1,821
I don't care if they figure out who I am. I'm the consumer with 5 airline choices, if they were to try any funny business I would just take my money elsewhere.
Apr 13, 2007, 7:30 am
#11
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Philadelphia, PA, USA
Programs: US Silver, AA Gold, CO Gold
Posts: 85
US Airways needs to communicate
About 2 months ago, I sent an e-mail to Doug Parker about this very same issue and mentioned flyertalk.com. The executive office called me (can't remember the reps name) and explained that some people did receive the gold preferred status through the matching or challenge programs. I replied that they should read flyertalk.com because some received it by mistake given the poster's description of their flight patterns. The rep looked into her system and explained that US Airways did give the gold status to a "limited number" and chose to honor the inadvertent grant.
I really wish US Airways would communicate a single, uniform and HONEST message about what happened. I also wish that US Airways would eliminate all of these challenge/trial programs and let people earn status the way it was meant to be earned - by flying!
I really wish US Airways would communicate a single, uniform and HONEST message about what happened. I also wish that US Airways would eliminate all of these challenge/trial programs and let people earn status the way it was meant to be earned - by flying!
Apr 13, 2007, 7:34 am
#12
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: HKY
Programs: DL-DM MM & RW, UAL- PS, Marriott Lifetime PLT, SPG-PLT, Hilton-Gold
Posts: 4,468
As to determining who we are, the old management at US knew who I was here before I told them. They simply put the pieces together from my post. Of course in the past I shared quite a bit of detailed info was well as the city in which I live.
Apr 13, 2007, 7:41 am
#13
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,451
I can tell you for a fact that FT nor Randy do NOT share information about the posters here, even under the threat of legal action. Just take my word for it.
As to determining who we are, the old management at US knew who I was here before I told them. They simply put the pieces together from my post. Of course in the past I shared quite a bit of detailed info was well as the city in which I live.
As to determining who we are, the old management at US knew who I was here before I told them. They simply put the pieces together from my post. Of course in the past I shared quite a bit of detailed info was well as the city in which I live.
Just look at city, status, and route pairs on dates, any mention of credit cards used, or hotel stays or even car rentals that credit to your account.
Apr 13, 2007, 7:51 am
#14
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Programs: DL Silver, UA Silver, Marriott Lifetime Silver, IHG Plat, Hilton Silver
Posts: 5,695
I have refrained from commenting until now, but first of all, it would be very difficult to prove without a shadow of a doubt who is who.
Secondly, I find saying this to a customer appears to be almost threatening and intimidating. Was this person trying to scare FTers?
Thirdly, so what? As a customer, I have the freedom to voice my opinions and experiences according to the FT Terms and Conditions and this should no way impact my relationship with the airline.
Secondly, I find saying this to a customer appears to be almost threatening and intimidating. Was this person trying to scare FTers?
Thirdly, so what? As a customer, I have the freedom to voice my opinions and experiences according to the FT Terms and Conditions and this should no way impact my relationship with the airline.
Apr 13, 2007, 8:26 am
#15
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: MKE
Programs: AA Exec Platinum, SPG Platinum / Ambassador / Lifetime Gold, Avis FIRST
Posts: 3,293
The guy, though friendly, very simply had no idea what he was talking about.