JMN57

Airpass is a great program. I had one in the early 90's as the corporation I worked for got me one and also a PassPlus on United - 100k miles per year on each. I was based in Chicago so both UA or AA were in play depending on where I needed to be.

It spoiled you as you never cared about status, etc as First was essentially default. When I left the company, I had a chance to make it lifetime - kick myself for not having done it, particularly when I see what hoops I jump through today for status.

EsquireFlyer

+1. Although I couldn't afford it back in the '80s (and probably couldn't now either, once those $ amounts are converted into 2012 dollars.)

Oh, and there's no way I could afford the $3 million it was offered for in 2004.

FullFare

True. Done it many times. Another good thing has been lifetime AC for both myself and spouse.

i_fly_AA

They mention S. Rothstein in the article. That name sounds familiar. Wasn't this the same frequent flier that appeared on "A Week in the Life" on CNBC?

WRCSolberg

Yeah, it's the same guy in that documentary.

toomanybooks

Wonder if it could have stacked with this January's TEQM promo ex-IL/TX/CA? The mind boggles.

And isn't "Jacques Vroom" a great name for a frequent flyer?

kmandrew

I bought an 80k 5 year in 81 when Lifetime was 250k but I thought you had to give 30 days notice for a change on the companion ticket name because I was considering getting a second one for my wife. Obviously after reading the artice I remembered wrong; the 30 day rule must have applied to transferring my pass to a different name.

I'll have to admit it was a great time. I covered the whole country and worked a differnet city each day, kept an apartment near DFW to save on hotel expenses. Whenever may wife and I were bored I would cash in some miles and we would fly F to europe for the weekend. One thing the article didn't address was Airpass members also earned miles, that is why I'm over 4mm.

gemac

From the article: "Pass holders earned frequent flier miles on every trip and got lifetime memberships to the Admirals Club, American's VIP lounges."

ma91pmh

There is another thread on here relating to the court case. In general the board seemed to sympathize with AA, whereas I, and much more deeply so having read this article, feel this is tough on AA. They are the dopes that wrote the contracts, and I don't think these guys "abused" it. As pointed out there was nothing actually contractually barring them for booking trips they didn't take or selling them. And AA basically offering to bribe the witnesses... that is the illegal behavior in all this.

I still hope to this day they win the case against AA. I have no doubt at the very least they will have to settle for an extremely large amount of money. Maybe next time they will be more careful writing such a stupid product

Herb687

No surprise there!

lobo411

IIRC, they won't get a dime unless the bankruptcy judge decides to prioritize payments to shyster AAirpass holders over other creditors.

dcAA

Hence the problem with lifetime passes...yours is not the lifetime being measured.

Upgraded!

As long as AA remains in business I don't see why the judge couldn't just force them to honor the contract as written (with any other judgements being subordinate to secured/major unsecured creditors).

lobo411

Because the contract costs AA money, harming the continued viability of the airline. IIRC, the article states that each of these guys was costing the company $1 million/yr. If union contracts can be invalidated to ensure the continued viability of the company, then certainly the AAirpass contract can be voided.

SFO777

+1
Tough on AA indeed. AA offered the lifetime pass and some accepted.
Wish I had the foresight and cash to buy one when it was originally offered.
AA is not alone in coming up with ideas they came to regret, although this 1984 UA campaign was only limited to a year of unlimited F travel. I recall some pax using creative routing and cars to do it in a few weeks and for less than $3,000. Unfortunately, I was not working for myself at the time.

CHICAGO, OCT. 25 /PRN/ -- To celebrate as the first
airline to serve all 50 states on Oct. 28, United Airlines will
conduct a unique marathon covering 50 days and the 50 states.
Passengers who can land in all 50 states within 50 days after
Oct. 28 will win a gold pass good for unlimited first class free
travel within the fifty states on United for one year.
Entry in the 50 State Marathon is limited to members of United's
frequent flier program, Mileage Plus.
''Granted, United's 50 State Marathon is a lot longer than a
traditional marathon of a little over 26 miles,'' said John Zeeman,
senior vice president - marketing.
''It's going to take thousands of miles of air travel to win our
race and the rewards are great.
''We don't have any idea how many people will make it to 50
states in 50 days, but it's going to be interesting to see how many
of our frequent fliers try to do it,'' he added.
There are other prizes, too. For participants who land in 30
states, United will award unlimited first class travel anywhere in
the 50 states for 30 days.
Travelers who touch down in 20 states will receive a gold card
good for unlimited coach travel in the 50 states for 30 days.
All travel in the 50 State Marathon must be on United and
completed between 12:01 a.m. Oct. 28, 1984 and midnight Dec. 16,
1984.