Originally Posted by Cathay Boy

There are two types of op-ups that airlines should realize.

1) Those idiotic loud mouths that demands an op-up everytime they check in, because they are either semi-famous (a famed director in Taiwan is notorious for demanding op-up everytime he flies), they are some elite member of a program that thinks everyone should kowtow to him, or, they just realized arguing works sometimes and when it works its his gain.

2) Op-ups presented as a gift that motivates people to stay with your airline. These are op-ups that just made FF feel special, and rewarded, for their loyalty and love for the airline. When done right it "steals" would-be FF from other airlines into your own.

I'm all for airline cracking down on 1), and stop appeasing to loud mouths and just tell them NO; however, airlines should also not be stingy on 2) (when done right), and realize this is why people gravitate towards you and sticks with you. Things like birthday upgrades, anniversary upgrades, operational oversold upgrades, milestone upgrades, are good ways to keep loyalty from FF.