Buy AS MVPG status for $545?
Feb 2, 2008, 5:22 pm
#2
Formerly known as stellertony
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: MEX
Programs: UA Gold, DL Gold, NEXUS, APEC
Posts: 1,146
If anyone wants to see it, the eBay auction is http://preview.tinyurl.com/2bbehk.
Feb 2, 2008, 10:12 pm
#5
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: BLI
Programs: Alaska Million Mile Flyer, Marriott Lifetime Titanium Elite
Posts: 3,195
Hmmm:
- Five separate MVP Gold status "upgrades" available for immediate purchase;
- You are buying the seller's "travel advice" and the MVPG status is "complimentary;"
- 216 feedback scores, but only 18 in the last twelve months, and very similar language in much of the feedback (the last, from what I've seen on eBay, may not be unusual);
- Some of the recent feedback specifically refers to a number of sales of Continental Airlines OnePass GOLD status upgrades, Alaska Airlines MVP Gold Status elite upgrades, Delta Airlines Gold Medallian Elite Status upgrade, Northwest Airlines WorldPerks GOLD Elite Status upgrades, and JetBlue Airways Round-Trip travel voucher, all within the last 90 days.
- Prices on the recent Continental status upgrades seem similar to the Alaska status upgrades, based on the purchase prices listed in the Feedback section.
- Instead of an eBay item picture, there's an image of a travel business ad for "The Early Air Way" with a toll-free number and URL. The site's About Us indicates it is owned "Mr. Alex Mark Early. Alex Early is a student at New York University (NYU) studying Tourism Business." It also promotes inexpensive upgrades.
- Five separate MVP Gold status "upgrades" available for immediate purchase;
- You are buying the seller's "travel advice" and the MVPG status is "complimentary;"
- 216 feedback scores, but only 18 in the last twelve months, and very similar language in much of the feedback (the last, from what I've seen on eBay, may not be unusual);
- Some of the recent feedback specifically refers to a number of sales of Continental Airlines OnePass GOLD status upgrades, Alaska Airlines MVP Gold Status elite upgrades, Delta Airlines Gold Medallian Elite Status upgrade, Northwest Airlines WorldPerks GOLD Elite Status upgrades, and JetBlue Airways Round-Trip travel voucher, all within the last 90 days.
- Prices on the recent Continental status upgrades seem similar to the Alaska status upgrades, based on the purchase prices listed in the Feedback section.
- Instead of an eBay item picture, there's an image of a travel business ad for "The Early Air Way" with a toll-free number and URL. The site's About Us indicates it is owned "Mr. Alex Mark Early. Alex Early is a student at New York University (NYU) studying Tourism Business." It also promotes inexpensive upgrades.
Last edited by Seattlenerd; Feb 2, 2008 at 10:27 pm Reason: added Early Air Way detail
Feb 2, 2008, 10:26 pm
#6
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: LAS
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 273
my bet is it's a travel agent (or former one with connections)
top notch (read pricey) travel agents who've been around have connections with all the airline reps...they get some freebie's every year to do instant status bumps for their special (read highest paying) customers...it's mutually beneficial, the travel agent looks like a super star to the customers, and the airline rep expects more bookings in return ("when you've got a choice on routing, pick me")
my friend years ago booked a pricey trip for 4 thru a Travel agent, and as a "Thank you" got insta-status on BA (even though only one of his legs was on BA)
i can't imagine it's an AS employee...they wouldn't be that dumb....
top notch (read pricey) travel agents who've been around have connections with all the airline reps...they get some freebie's every year to do instant status bumps for their special (read highest paying) customers...it's mutually beneficial, the travel agent looks like a super star to the customers, and the airline rep expects more bookings in return ("when you've got a choice on routing, pick me")
my friend years ago booked a pricey trip for 4 thru a Travel agent, and as a "Thank you" got insta-status on BA (even though only one of his legs was on BA)
i can't imagine it's an AS employee...they wouldn't be that dumb....
Feb 2, 2008, 10:34 pm
#7
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: BLI
Programs: Alaska Million Mile Flyer, Marriott Lifetime Titanium Elite
Posts: 3,195
my bet is it's a travel agent (or former one with connections)
top notch (read pricey) travel agents who've been around have connections with all the airline reps...they get some freebie's every year to do instant status bumps for their special (read highest paying) customers...it's mutually beneficial, the travel agent looks like a super star to the customers, and the airline rep expects more bookings in return ("when you've got a choice on routing, pick me")
my friend years ago booked a pricey trip for 4 thru a Travel agent, and as a "Thank you" got insta-status on BA (even though only one of his legs was on BA)
i can't imagine it's an AS employee...they wouldn't be that dumb....
top notch (read pricey) travel agents who've been around have connections with all the airline reps...they get some freebie's every year to do instant status bumps for their special (read highest paying) customers...it's mutually beneficial, the travel agent looks like a super star to the customers, and the airline rep expects more bookings in return ("when you've got a choice on routing, pick me")
my friend years ago booked a pricey trip for 4 thru a Travel agent, and as a "Thank you" got insta-status on BA (even though only one of his legs was on BA)
i can't imagine it's an AS employee...they wouldn't be that dumb....
Feb 3, 2008, 3:46 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: DCA
Programs: AMC MovieWatcher, Giant BonusCard, Petco PALS Card, Silver Diner Blue Plate Club
Posts: 22,298
Previous discussion of this character here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=546282
If I had to guess he's fake documents for the winning bidder and submit a status match request. He doesn't have bona fide AS MVP Gold status to hand out. Pretty sure of that.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=546282
If I had to guess he's fake documents for the winning bidder and submit a status match request. He doesn't have bona fide AS MVP Gold status to hand out. Pretty sure of that.
Feb 3, 2008, 7:58 am
#9
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: BLI
Programs: Alaska Million Mile Flyer, Marriott Lifetime Titanium Elite
Posts: 3,195
Previous discussion of this character here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=546282
If I had to guess he's fake documents for the winning bidder and submit a status match request. He doesn't have bona fide AS MVP Gold status to hand out. Pretty sure of that.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=546282
If I had to guess he's fake documents for the winning bidder and submit a status match request. He doesn't have bona fide AS MVP Gold status to hand out. Pretty sure of that.
Seems like someone who is enamoured of the airline industry (and may someday have a career in it) and is making money at the shadowy fringes, selling stuff in such a way that there's no way to verify where he gets it, how he does it, or if it'll be honored.
Feb 3, 2008, 9:02 am
#10
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Wenatchee, WA
Programs: Lifetime AA Gold-1MM
Posts: 4,909
I think it's interesting that the Elite year for AS is January 1 - December 31. Everyone's MVP or MVP Gold status expires December 31 except that the MVP Gold status he's offering expires February 28. There's certainly something fishy about this!
Last edited by BLI-Flyer; Feb 3, 2008 at 9:09 am
Feb 3, 2008, 9:16 am
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: DCA
Programs: AMC MovieWatcher, Giant BonusCard, Petco PALS Card, Silver Diner Blue Plate Club
Posts: 22,298
Indeed, me thinks he doesn't know as much as he thinks he knows!
Feb 4, 2008, 3:09 am
#12
Moderator Communications Coordinator, Signatures
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: deep within the Eskimo lair
Programs: TubWorld, Bar Alliance, Borratxo Legendarium
Posts: 16,968
Feb 4, 2008, 4:53 am
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,196
Heh, just read the other thread gleff linked to, but I'll post here to avoid bumping that one.
I did a quick search for him to see if he's turned up any more in the last year. This from his LinkedIn profile:
Heh heh heh...
I did a quick search for him to see if he's turned up any more in the last year. This from his LinkedIn profile:
Formerly, The Early Air Way specialized in upgrading passengers from coach to first-class on commercial airline flights for a simple fee of $75 -- this service was wildly successful until we lost out airline partnerships due to high volume.
Feb 4, 2008, 8:58 am
#14
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: OAK
Programs: AS MVPG 100k
Posts: 3,756