VegasGambler

I would feel no anger. But, I would feel that I'd have been wronged (in the legal sense) if they took my miles, and therefore I'd pursue legal action.

They can have the account once I've spent my miles, and Citi can blacklist me if they want. But, let's face it, they aren't that smart. I'll probably start churning for TYP after this. I wouldn't have churned if I cared about my relationship with Citi or AA. AA is a tire fire and every time I talk to someone on the phone at Citi I get the idea that I'm talking to a complete moron. Apparently this level of intelligence extends to the people who design their promos. The average IQ at that bank has to be at least 20 pts lower than any other bank.

Anyway, I'm off to look for Qantas F inventory to spend my AA miles on. What can I say, I'm an optimist.

Visconti

Likewise. Even now, I'm probably going to app for the Citi Exec and then the Prestige again for the Asiamiles transfer and use the TY for the 10 point top off thing. If you find any QF F pocket of availability, I'd appreciate a head's up! For whatever reason, I just haven't had luck finding any on AA or AS.

VegasGambler

I'll let you know after mine tickets

flyer4512

Then we should all be getting emails shortly, LOL

azepine00

AA got paid for those miles. Amex, Chase etc occasionally go back and penalize folks for violations - take back bonuses occasionally close accounts but allowing ppl to redeem outstanding balance unrelated to said violations. Annoying but usually understandable.
AA on the other hand appears to take away what they sold to citi as well as everything earned through other means without any explanation or due process.

stephem

You have been watching way too much TV if you think AA is required to give you either. Put up and sue them or else sit back and watch your miles disappear. That’s the cold hard reality you need to face.

Happy

AS definitely saw the QF F far more often than AA. It is very random but they do pop up about 3 to 4 months before departure time, almost always to / from MEL regardless season. Never see SYD though.

Though it is a subpar F product in my book. Flew that last Nov MEL-LAX on AS miles. Utterly underwhelmed even with very low expectation. In fact flew it because could not find Oz to HKG than HKG-US on CX, so had to fly QF back. Meh.

LWT3

I haven't read everything since this started. Which is more common: posts from serial churners who express anger at being shut down or posts from people who haven't churned and aren't impacted at all but are happy that the churners got shut down? This became some peoples' favorite thread who aren't impacted in any way by this. That strikes me as odd.

I'll never be angry. I received the benefit of a LOT of free travel, and I never expected it to last forever or for as long as it did, for that matter. What I am surprised about is that it was AA rather than Citi who stepped in.

MaxVO

The odd part is rather open expressions of schadenfreude. People used to hide it as character weakness, or for fear of inviting bad karma.

VegasGambler

Yes but that was before the internet.

Visconti

Ah, while I haven't read everything, of course, and mostly skim them quickly, I don't get a sense that anyone's popping champagne over churners getting shut down. In my view, let's not confuse a lack of empathy for anger. Is anyone surprised there's a lack of empathy from those who didn't participate, for whatever reason, in this game of ours? To me, they're just telling it like it is, and while I certainly sleep very well at night, I wouldn't have any empathy for my own actions here either. And, this is my own personal human failing, I just can't stand whiners & crybabies. Don't get me wrong, I'll always stand up for their right to whine like a bunch of schoolgirls/boys, but would also expect the courtesy reciprocated allowing me to voice my displeasure in return--entire notion of "I can whine at my heart's content," but you have to be empathic & supportive is indeed laughable.

Been many years since they sent me to sensitivity training, but since I've violated everything they tried to impress upon me, one more won't hurt. Using a sports analogy from that movie The Program with James Caan, "when's the last time you saw 50K people show up for a chemistry experiment?" In the same vein, who in his right mind not directly involved would want to follow that DP only thread? Those seeking a cure for insomnia?

Agreed.

And, I couldn't care less about Citi and will keep pillaging them until they stop it. As to AA, even if they were to nix my rewards account, I'll still pay for a ticket if in the end it makes the most sense once I've considered the route, net cost (price + rewards or lack thereof), equipment, location, etc. In the end, for me, the prospects of actually paying with any of my hard earned money to subsidize this cheezing is so utterly unappealing that I'd rather join them and be labeled a perk abuser/gamer. Again, only speaking for myself, while I didn't think it likely, I knew enough and have had enough experience with AA to know of their reputation for taking draconian measures on perceived threats to the integrity of their program. It was an acceptable risk. What wasn't was being a chump and paying for the freeloaders.

jiaogulan

No, there are definitely people with detailed fantasies of churners getting stuck in Kathmandu trying to board and being given the finger by a Cathay Pacific head purser.

Visconti

I think it's more "you guys deserved it" sort of mentality, and I understand where they're coming from. I just don't think anyone cares enough about us (me) to garner enough anger to the point where anyone would feel "glee" over our (my) misfortunes. I just expect a sort of cold indifference along with the "you reap what you sow sentiment," and that's ok.

cheaptom

I know this isn’t the right forum (if there is one), for this question, so maybe someone could please guide me to the right place or answer...but here goes:
I’m a total amateur in the world of refundable tickets, but I’m trying to book refundables to back up my AA Trip in my locked account.
Is there some kind of wiki about how it works, how easy is it to get your refund if you don’t need the flight, when can/do you ask?
In a few months, My AA trip is at noon. If I’m not allowed to board, I want to have a backup flight scheduled at 4pm on Delta. If AA bans me, I’ll jump on the delta flight at 4. If AA boards me, then I’ll call delta and ask for a refund of the 4 pm flight.
that easy ?
thanks

VegasGambler

If your ticket is refundable you can just cancel online and it will go back to your original form of payment.

But, refundable tickets are expensive. The whole point of this exercise is to avoid a crazy high-priced ticket (which you can buy anyway as a walkup)

I would humbly suggest booking something with a low cancellation fee instead. Is this a domestic ticket? Is Southwest an option? I hate Southwest with the fire of a thousand suns, but they have no cancellation fee, so they are not a bad option here (the funds go into a wallet though, so you have to fly southwest later in order to use those funds. So you still get punished)

AS has $125 cancellation fees (waived for mid- and high-level status).