AA potentially closing accounts due to credit card churning/churn
Jan 8, 2020, 10:32 am
#856
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: New York City + Vail, CO
Programs: American Airlines Executive Platinum, Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite
Posts: 3,226
I also think that if you're a travel manager and an airline leaves you stranded in another country--or anywhere for that matter for an issue that at best is on shaky ground is grounds for selecting another carrier.
FYI, I'm not a churner and I legitimately earn EXP status from personal and work travel. I think AA was within it's rights to close any account that it wanted, but not to summarily cancel validly issued tickets. That is a DOT violation.
Jan 8, 2020, 10:39 am
#857
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,435
I have a close friend who was also on the mailer trAAin. Him and his wife were just in Europe and had their return tickets cancelled 25 hours out. His wife is high up at a local corporate office and actually has direct influence over their travel contracts, needless to say she's ready to completely move away from AA as soon as their current contract is up. This isn't the only factor in that decision, but is really the nail in the coffin.
Jan 8, 2020, 10:41 am
#858
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
1) The shutdowns began barely 3 weeks ago. I assure you there will be a vigorous regulatory and legal response at a time and place of our choosing.
2) We have information from a leaker in AA that Citibank is behind this and that will open far more opportunities for legal challenges and discovery. And for the AA people reading this: "padlocks."
3) It became clear yesterday that AA CorpSec infiltrated the private Reddit forum, took adverse action on what they found, and are posing as members of a potential class to extract information for their purposes.
Edit:
Let me add a fourth--MANY of us received a solicitation from AA to purchase more miles--a solicitation sent to individuals that CorpSec has no intention of ever allowing to use them.
2) We have information from a leaker in AA that Citibank is behind this and that will open far more opportunities for legal challenges and discovery. And for the AA people reading this: "padlocks."
3) It became clear yesterday that AA CorpSec infiltrated the private Reddit forum, took adverse action on what they found, and are posing as members of a potential class to extract information for their purposes.
Edit:
Let me add a fourth--MANY of us received a solicitation from AA to purchase more miles--a solicitation sent to individuals that CorpSec has no intention of ever allowing to use them.
Jan 8, 2020, 10:42 am
#859
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 746
What happens is the person simply gets an automatic email that the flight has been cancelled. Later (most of the time) a form letter is sent notifying of account suspension. This is the first communication that AA has on the matter to the affected individuals.
Jan 8, 2020, 10:45 am
#860
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 746
Let me add another shot across the bow for Citi or AA people looking at this thread: we have texts and photographs proving Citi affiliated bloggers bought AA codes and had many (more than a dozen) Citi AA cards.
Jan 8, 2020, 11:09 am
#861
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: The FT AA forum, until it no longer wants me.
Programs: CK or bust
Posts: 1,913
I'm not familiar with a single case that involved a member violating the terms of an airline affinity program winning in a US court (I can think of folks who have lost cases) and that's not to say that hasn't one but it certainly doesn't come to mind.
Out of curiosity, please post back once you start your case as I'd very much like to follow it.
Jan 8, 2020, 11:14 am
#862
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 746
AA's solicitations offering to sell program members more miles have nothing to do with the mailer churn abuse topic that is the focus of this thread.
I'm not familiar with a single case that involved a member violating the terms of an airline affinity program winning in a US court (I can think of folks who have lost cases) and that's not to say that hasn't one but it certainly doesn't come to mind.
Out of curiosity, please post back once you start your case as I'd very much like to follow it.
I'm not familiar with a single case that involved a member violating the terms of an airline affinity program winning in a US court (I can think of folks who have lost cases) and that's not to say that hasn't one but it certainly doesn't come to mind.
Out of curiosity, please post back once you start your case as I'd very much like to follow it.
Last edited by OssianBlue; Jan 8, 2020 at 11:17 am Reason: Quotes around "abuse"
Jan 8, 2020, 11:25 am
#863
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,622
Don't count on anyone's sympathy for bloggers who incessantly pimp credit cards for banks.
Jan 8, 2020, 11:44 am
#865
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: PHL
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 537
This is potentially a novel situation. A highly regulated entity (Citi) is attempting to use a less regulated entity (AA) to punish people through the essentially unregulated affinity program. Given that this program is no longer basically a rebate program run internally to AA but instead is largely a store of value from non-airline, non-AA activities we're in completely new legal ground. And, as I posted, we can show that Citi affiliates participated in the "abuse."
Jan 8, 2020, 1:32 pm
#866
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 333
From TPG. https://thepointsguy.com/news/head-o...asier-to-earn/
Head of AAdvantage shares how you can make your loyalty more rewarding and easier to earn
Last edited by Adirondacker; Jan 8, 2020 at 1:35 pm Reason: Added summary
Jan 8, 2020, 3:08 pm
#867
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,622
Jan 8, 2020, 3:39 pm
#868
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Manhattan Beach, California
Programs: BMI Diamond Club Gold forever
Posts: 6,367
But i have always wondered about this, even before this mailer churning was explained, where did these bloggers get all their miles?? I mean, some years I fly a TON and mostly in J and F and I run up a decent balance of miles. But some of these folks just always seemed to be going somewhere on a miles award ticket, it seemed to not add up.
Jan 8, 2020, 3:58 pm
#869
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: New York City + Vail, CO
Programs: American Airlines Executive Platinum, Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite
Posts: 3,226
I am not sure this really has anything to do one way or the other with the future of non-blogger Churners here.
But i have always wondered about this, even before this mailer churning was explained, where did these bloggers get all their miles?? I mean, some years I fly a TON and mostly in J and F and I run up a decent balance of miles. But some of these folks just always seemed to be going somewhere on a miles award ticket, it seemed to not add up.
But i have always wondered about this, even before this mailer churning was explained, where did these bloggers get all their miles?? I mean, some years I fly a TON and mostly in J and F and I run up a decent balance of miles. But some of these folks just always seemed to be going somewhere on a miles award ticket, it seemed to not add up.
Jan 8, 2020, 4:17 pm
#870
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,435
language. The DOT just might ask AA/Citi “why didn’t ALL your terms have this 24-month language?”
How does AA answer that one?