HEY, there already IS real-time chat on FT! PG posted while I was refining my thoughts above!!!

I agree that ff programs are available to all. But elite benefits certainly are not. They are only available to those customers who fly a certain amount (i.e. are "targeted" by the airline). BTW, these benefits are not earned as we are so fond of saying. They are granted as a part of the airline's marketing scheme, TARGETED at their best customers. And targeted to the amount you actually fly with them. And in fact, it is those elite (targeted) benefits that I care the most about!!!! So I would say that we all like targeted marketing in that case.

So if certain benefits are available ONLY to those who fly 50,000 miles/year on an airline, why is it any different if an offer is ONLY made to someone who flew 0 miles on that airline but 100,000 on another?

You cannot have your cake and eat it, too. (Punki's view on this cliche notwithstanding )

If I book my tickets on United connection on the web (I do not) and already know of the convenience and benfit of doing so (I dont actually think it is) then why would I get upset that United wants to give a bonus to people who book a ticket that way for the first time in an effort to show them how good it is???

I guess what I am saying is be careful what you wish for. If 1k or AA exec platnum or whatever were made available "on a level playing field" to every customer out there, you certainly would not like the result!!!

It just seems to me that we are very proud and happy when we are in the "targeted" group, but get upset when we are not.

All I am saying is that I am not interested in a level playing field when it comes to frequency programs. I like being targeted when I am and can live with it when I am not...And, as I say if it ever gets to a point where my own personal threshold is (like pornograpy, I know it when I feel it ), there's always USAirways


[This message has been edited by kokonutz (edited 12-08-1999).]