$110 Companion Ticket Valid for COACH class only - Effective August 1st, 2012
Jul 14, 2012, 9:54 am
#211
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: JNU
Programs: HH D, AS MM/MVPG for life/AL, Awesome Wipes VIP Club, NEXUS, Hertz 5-Star Gold
Posts: 2,893
Wake up folks: You can't expect to get anything other than a canned response if everyone is voicing the same complaint. Front-line staff at any business will state a FAQ-like response if the complaint is similar. That's how first-line customer service works, and there are many good reasons for it.
While it makes me cranky that the 1K online booking bonus is gone, it makes sense if I take a step back. It's a relic. It was created in a time when it was unusual to book on the web. Now, you're penalized if you don't. So while I benefited from the bonus, I can't argue with the fact that the original reason for the incentive no longer exists.
I don't like the loss of the first class use of the companion certificate, but I only used mine once that way.
So in the grand scheme of things, the reduction in benefits is not huge. It's annoying. But it's not huge.
What's more significant to me is the crappy BofA customer service, and that's a BofA problem, not an AS problem. And it's why I still plan to cancel my cards as soon as I can can get replacements in place at BECU. I simply don't believe any BofA promises, if there are any, to make that part of the experience better.
While it makes me cranky that the 1K online booking bonus is gone, it makes sense if I take a step back. It's a relic. It was created in a time when it was unusual to book on the web. Now, you're penalized if you don't. So while I benefited from the bonus, I can't argue with the fact that the original reason for the incentive no longer exists.
I don't like the loss of the first class use of the companion certificate, but I only used mine once that way.
So in the grand scheme of things, the reduction in benefits is not huge. It's annoying. But it's not huge.
What's more significant to me is the crappy BofA customer service, and that's a BofA problem, not an AS problem. And it's why I still plan to cancel my cards as soon as I can can get replacements in place at BECU. I simply don't believe any BofA promises, if there are any, to make that part of the experience better.
You offer up a unique insight on the 1,000 mile online booking bonus. But while you're taking a step back on that, consider all the changes that have happened in the past few years (AS has truly transformed itself). I refer back to my boiled-frog parable. I imagine AS felt they had to all the cuts and changes to survive. In any event, they are a completely different airline now and I would argue that, considered in their totality, the scope of changes in benefits is huge. Reality sucks.
When you say that the loss of the companion F ticket is not a big deal, you project your values over the rest of us. That one change will preclude me, as a person who doesn't fly quite as much as I used to, from accruing a 50% EQM bonus. The answer to that might be, "use the companion code to buy a Y ticket and you'll still get a 25% bonus." Point taken. It's left to me to decide if it's worth buying Y with the companion code. The 50% windfall was what I valued most about the companion code and it's doubtful I'm the only one who feels that way.
Jul 14, 2012, 9:54 am
#212
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Portland, Or USA
Posts: 1,800
How do you figure it is and additional cash incentive for AS? If that were the case, why would they get rid of it?
Jul 14, 2012, 10:05 am
#213
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,654
It makes us more likely to use our AS Visa for AS flight purchases. That is the cash incentive. If we use the Podunk Visa, AS doesn't make any $, and it has a transaction fee.
Jul 14, 2012, 10:08 am
#214
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,654
Jul 14, 2012, 10:10 am
#215
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,654
Another new restriction from the AS website:
"Valid for round-trip or one-way travel. Multiple stopovers not allowed."
and when shopping for a two city stopover I got:
"The Discount Code entered is valid for round-trip or one-way travel, however the itinerary selected exceeds the maximum stopovers. Clear all selections to choose other flight options."
Shuts down a lot of options
"Valid for round-trip or one-way travel. Multiple stopovers not allowed."
and when shopping for a two city stopover I got:
"The Discount Code entered is valid for round-trip or one-way travel, however the itinerary selected exceeds the maximum stopovers. Clear all selections to choose other flight options."
Shuts down a lot of options
Jul 14, 2012, 11:46 am
#217
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,654
Well this is all interesting because if it isn't a "computer glitch or typo" (the excuse for changes that aren't spelled out on a cave wall) it means there has been a material change to the T&C / validity of the discount codes that were already issued, during the period of their validity.
Jul 14, 2012, 11:50 am
#218
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Anchorage, AK
Programs: Lifetime AS 1MM & MVPG, AS MVPG100K, AA, DL, HH-G
Posts: 8,259
Jul 14, 2012, 12:24 pm
#219
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,654
Jul 14, 2012, 1:35 pm
#221
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: BLI
Programs: Alaska Million Mile Flyer, Marriott Lifetime Titanium Elite
Posts: 3,195
Any comments I made about reduction in benefits was limited to my perception of the credit card benefit changes alone. I don't claim to speak for anyone else and this is, after all, a discussion forum in which perspectives are freely shared.
I suspect you may be projecting your disappointment, which is - considering how you used the card - understandable.
Last edited by Seattlenerd; Jul 14, 2012 at 1:46 pm Reason: it IS a discussion forum, after all
Jul 14, 2012, 1:36 pm
#222
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: SEA
Posts: 12,485
Why would AS get a cash incentive for ticket purchases with AS Visa over other cards? Are you talking about the additional miles BoA awards?
Jul 14, 2012, 5:53 pm
#223
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: JNU
Programs: HH D, AS MM/MVPG for life/AL, Awesome Wipes VIP Club, NEXUS, Hertz 5-Star Gold
Posts: 2,893
I didn't say it was "not a big deal." I said, "I don't like the loss of the first class use of the companion certificate, but I only used mine once that way."
Any comments I made about reduction in benefits was limited to my perception of the credit card benefit changes alone. I don't claim to speak for anyone else and this is, after all, a discussion forum in which perspectives are freely shared.
I suspect you may be projecting your disappointment, which is - considering how you used the card - understandable.
Any comments I made about reduction in benefits was limited to my perception of the credit card benefit changes alone. I don't claim to speak for anyone else and this is, after all, a discussion forum in which perspectives are freely shared.
I suspect you may be projecting your disappointment, which is - considering how you used the card - understandable.
Jul 14, 2012, 7:38 pm
#224
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: GEG
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Lifetime SkyClub, AS MVP
Posts: 2,411