Roger:

My problem is this insistance among some flyertalkers that everyone is entitled to every promotion.

Airlines and Hotels have every right to offer selected promotions to whomever they choose.

I've seen International promotions that weren't open to US residents. Since the Airline/Hotel is paying the cost of the promotion, they have the right to choose who they offer it to.

Just because someone gives my brother a great deal, doesn't mean they have to give the same deal to me.

I've seen this issues raised time and again on flyertalk. In the continental forum this comes up every couple of months, they do a lot of targeted marketing. Some of us get one offer, others get a different one. People named JAWS usually get no offer.

The entitlement crowd is basically saying that anything a company offers to one person they have to offer to all people. I find this premise fundamentally wrong. Furthermore since most of are elites we seem to be very happy to except unequal treatment when we benefit.

As a case in point, Continental earlier this year, gave a good friend a fabulous deal, a possible bonus of 190,000 miles. This friend never flew Continental. I fly them 100,000 a year and I didnt get the offer.
Would I have liked to get the offer, sure.
Was I entitled to it, NO.
Was Continental wrong not to offer it to me? NO.