Credit Card Announcement Madness
Feb 18, 2023, 3:30 pm
#61
Join Date: Jan 2023
Programs: AA EXP 2MM
Posts: 114
My last flight from DCA to PHX the FAs were at people’s seats hawking the cards and telling impossible stories about two free trips to Europe using the bonus miles.
I was shaking my head as I could not find a single reward ticket the entire year to Prague that flew on AA metal from PHX to London instead of BA. In some cases it was cheaper to buy a ticket than get a “free” ticket.
I recently looked for a reward flight to HDN (steamboat springs). The flight time was 27 hours and flew all over the country and it the point total was 175k!
Some FA statements during the announcement are borderline fraud …
I was shaking my head as I could not find a single reward ticket the entire year to Prague that flew on AA metal from PHX to London instead of BA. In some cases it was cheaper to buy a ticket than get a “free” ticket.
I recently looked for a reward flight to HDN (steamboat springs). The flight time was 27 hours and flew all over the country and it the point total was 175k!
Some FA statements during the announcement are borderline fraud …
Feb 18, 2023, 4:01 pm
#62
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,033
Two free tickets TO Prague, PHX-LHR on AA metal (just as advertised—“two free trips TO Europe”), LHR-PRG on BA, 14:05 total travel time. If there’s two people traveling, then I guess you could also travel FROM PRG to PHX… provided passenger #2 also succumbed to that annoying/irritating/intrusive sales pitch!😉
Feb 18, 2023, 7:03 pm
#64
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,033
Feb 18, 2023, 7:22 pm
#65
Join Date: Jan 2023
Programs: AA EXP 2MM
Posts: 114
Feb 18, 2023, 7:26 pm
#66
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,033
Feb 19, 2023, 12:40 am
#67
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 139
I ended up booking in October on AA metal for 60k plus $380.. so thank you !
Feb 19, 2023, 4:48 am
#68
Join Date: May 2022
Location: Arlington, Virginia
Programs: AAdvantage Platinum, Aeroplan 25k, Hyatt Explorist, Marriott Gold
Posts: 195
Sitting in the DCA-E Admirals Club right now (my first time -- OMG this new club design is gorgeous -- also helps that it's 7am on a Sunday and the staff
assenger ratio is 1:1) and the agent who scanned me in with my Day Pass from Business Extra very gently asked if I was interested in the Citi Executive card. Her spiel did NOT include the miles, but rather she highlighted how I could bring all my friends with me into the Club. Very conversational. I indulged her and took her referral code. Maybe I will. Maybe they got me, haha.
assenger ratio is 1:1) and the agent who scanned me in with my Day Pass from Business Extra very gently asked if I was interested in the Citi Executive card. Her spiel did NOT include the miles, but rather she highlighted how I could bring all my friends with me into the Club. Very conversational. I indulged her and took her referral code. Maybe I will. Maybe they got me, haha.
Feb 19, 2023, 5:42 am
#69
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2014
Programs: Top Tier with all 3 alliances
Posts: 11,668
Some more flights and the hawking was intense. Now it comes before the drink/meal service and after. AA shuttles and main service. They were almost pleading. One of the gems was like "this offer is only available on this flight, and no other flights. You're lucky because your flight has been specifically selected for this offer".
Another one was like "take a bunch of apps on the way out to give them to your family". I thought about taking them all off their hands on the way out and throwing them into the garbage at the gate, to make everyone happy.
Another one was like "take a bunch of apps on the way out to give them to your family". I thought about taking them all off their hands on the way out and throwing them into the garbage at the gate, to make everyone happy.
Feb 19, 2023, 6:53 am
#70
Join Date: Jan 2023
Programs: AA EXP 2MM
Posts: 114
Did you book as round trip? You might be able to do it for same miles, but less fees if you book as separate 1-way trips PHX-PRG, PRG-PHX. 30K + $26.80 outbound, 30K + $97.85 return. Available many/most dates in Oct. Good luck!
Feb 19, 2023, 9:20 am
#71
Join Date: Feb 2022
Programs: AAdvantage
Posts: 949
AA is a credit card mill that prospects for applicants by flying them from Point A to Point B. Given the rising number of maxed out cards, delinquent credit card accounts and presumably a lower level of approvals no surprise at the desperation for applicants.
Feb 20, 2023, 12:42 pm
#72
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: CLT
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Lifetime Admirals Club member
Posts: 419
omg...on AA565 CLT-RSW, FA just announced during boarding : Ladies and Gentlemen, we've had a lot of people asking us about the Barclays MC while passing through the galley. We'll be happy to tell you about it once we get in the air, once we complete the drink service....
And he just repeated the same message....2nd time during boarding. This is a farce. Really need a CK to speak up and tell them to cut it out
And he just repeated the same message....2nd time during boarding. This is a farce. Really need a CK to speak up and tell them to cut it out
Feb 20, 2023, 12:51 pm
#73
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 30,013
Feb 20, 2023, 12:59 pm
#74
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2014
Programs: Top Tier with all 3 alliances
Posts: 11,668
They probably gave them the basic parameters, and told them to improvise the lies....
Here is a suggestion: "Ladies and gentlemen, your mother called and said to pick up a cc application for her"....
Here is a suggestion: "Ladies and gentlemen, your mother called and said to pick up a cc application for her"....
Feb 20, 2023, 1:44 pm
#75
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: US
Programs: (PM)AA SPG (Marriott), Hilton
Posts: 1,040
Open Letter to AA
Move the Credit Card sales to pre-boarding in the gate area.
Board groups 1 to 5. They already have your card or fly so often they've heard the pitch dozens of times and it's not effective, just annoying.
Before boarding group 6, make your credit card pitch to those waiting to board. They don't have a card yet. You can scare them "overhead bin space is limited because you weren't on the plane with group 5"
At this point, they are not going to run away any more than they can at 10K feet with seat belt light on.
While doing your group 6 pitch, groups 1 to 5 will be clearing the jetway and aisle and group 6-9 can fill into the space quickly, so boarding time should not be impacted.
Your credit card pitch will be heard by others in the gate area so it will have a larger reach than on board. Maybe even the Gate Agent will finally sign up for a card.
[Expectation of change? Zero]
Board groups 1 to 5. They already have your card or fly so often they've heard the pitch dozens of times and it's not effective, just annoying.
Before boarding group 6, make your credit card pitch to those waiting to board. They don't have a card yet. You can scare them "overhead bin space is limited because you weren't on the plane with group 5"
At this point, they are not going to run away any more than they can at 10K feet with seat belt light on.
While doing your group 6 pitch, groups 1 to 5 will be clearing the jetway and aisle and group 6-9 can fill into the space quickly, so boarding time should not be impacted.
Your credit card pitch will be heard by others in the gate area so it will have a larger reach than on board. Maybe even the Gate Agent will finally sign up for a card.
[Expectation of change? Zero]