rubbernyc

Hi Randy,

A personal thank you to you on this offer. I can't remember the last time that I won something. To win something that is close to one's heart is especially nice.

Looking forward to meeting everyone on the flights and on the ground in Paris.

Thank you from all of us.

Gus

goalie

a hearty thank you randy for an awesome offer ^^^ and congrats to all the winners ^^

Pterodactyl

I have been a lurker for years and only recently joined. Messages like this are making me question my decision.

Whenever an airline has a program where you send in your name for a chance at a free ticket or miles, that's called a "contest." There are a zillion flyertalk threads about airline contests including a very memorable one in which the winner of an AA contest refused the prize because he couldn't afford the taxes.

This is a web site, not a religion. It's okay to ask questions. I am confused why anyone would think it isn't.

I saw the question about the value of the tickets given away in this contest. I didn't see an answer from FT or the head of FT so I asked my company's comptroller who is herself a CPA. She said the ticket is absolutely, positively taxable income whether or not you get a 1099. She said anyone who wants to claim "gift" at an audit is nuts.

Is that "hate" to ask a question that affects your potential tax liability?

Speaking of contests, on the recent AAdvantage Milestones giveaway for 270,000 miles, there were numerous terms and conditions listed, including how the winners would be chosen by independent judges and how one could obtain a list of winners.

What is wrong with asking how the winners of an FT contest are chosen? Especially if disclosing that information is required by law.

Unfortunately, I am sad to predict that this message will disappear within a half hour, probably along with my membership, for daring to suggest that FT is required to follow the laws regarding contests.

How sad that asking questions is deemed hate speech.

Randy Petersen

First of all welcome to FlyerTalk and hopefully all this time as a lurker has been beneficial to your travels.

Sorry that it seemed that way to you (the question or statement by a few members). I don't think the member meant it that way and welcome to FlyerTalk. And I'm sorry if anyone thought this was a contest - it was never meant to be that way and almost impossible to predict what someone will think. As you might see, it was positioned as a member Do. As a long-time lurker, you might have noticed that these Do's for and by members are a long part of our history and I don't think we've ever thought of them as contests, even the ones like the upcoming Brooklyn Reality Tour in which only so many seats are available. Unlike a contest, no member had to buy anything to enter or go through any undue hassle. In fact as i mentioned, my only thought during this 10th anniversary was to do something where i can have some quality time with some members to reflect on where FT has been and where it might be going - call it market research if you will. There's a difference between being a lurker and an active member on FT and I would highly suggest when it works into your schedule or when it is a venue or destination that suits your travel that you try and get out to join a few of the members and enjoy the conversations about your miles, points and travel and if you're at one where I might be, then likely I'll want to know how FlyerTalk can serve you better.

Getting back to your take on the questions. It's probably that those that have offered up comments are ones who have just grown quite loyal to FlyerTalk and have benefited in the generosity of various members over time and probably are not sure why there would be anything to question.

So again, this is a member Do, and I'm inviting a few members to talk travel and as part of that, the history and celebration of 10 years of the very same.

yyzprincess

Randy,

Thankyou very much.

I have only won twice in my life.Both wins being a member of Flyertalk Board.

My First Win was in Nov. 2006. The mega London Do ,I won 10K SPG points:

This is my second win.

Thankyou once again^

rubbernyc

Pterodactyl, Welcome to FT!

No one is questioning people's ability to question. My objection was to a couple of specific posts about how all the winners would only be people that were intimate with Randy and so forth. There were also a couple of posts which to me ( speaking only for myself ) seemed malicious. As if the whole process was a big sham.

I've never met Randy and would not question his integrity. While that does not mean that we're not entitled to question how the winners were chosen in this instance, it should be done in a respectful way without baseless accusations.

Once again welcome aboard.

Cholula

Folks, we've had to remove the last several posts as off-topic to this thread.

Please limit your comments here to the DO and not on conjecture regarding who is or is not a legitimate winner of the contest.

Thanks for your cooperation.

_______________________________

Cholula
CommunityBuzz! Co-Moderator

Randy Petersen

Here is the final list of guests for the 10th Anniversary/OpenSkies Do to Paris. There are only 17 listed here because as you can see from the original list:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showp...&postcount=190
we had a number of members that couldn't go based on their original interest and then the replacements couldn't go and so forth. In other words - we ran out of time. We actually had been instructed to finalize our list last Friday but I was able to buy a little time. At the end, we almost decided to just pick from those posting on the thread to fill the spots but I wanted to make sure that no one could claim any favoritism and as well, everyone invited enjoyed the same chance to fly with me and put forth their thoughts on the 10th anniversary of FlyerTalk.

If you haven't seen the tremendous interest and planning from this small group of members and their excitement, head on over to this thread to see:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=834270

I'll be hosting this group on the way over, but will be pulling the first "mileage run" on OpenSkies as I'll basically be staying on the plane once landing Friday and flying the return back to JFK later that same morning ... whooo, whooo! less than three hours in France. Just something on Saturday I could not back out of and besides, good for me to keep my hand in one the fine aspects of doing a mileage run.

gba
Bobovespa
heffa
hartd
deeaytch
baccarat_king
rubbernyc
YYZPRINCESS
Vsevolod4
OrlandoFlyer
FlyMeHomeAA --> mara916**
Pat89339
Ckc123
Calcifer
lex
SweetWillie
ittboss

Randy Petersen

** mara916 will be the guest of this member.

*** We will have additional members going that represent their blogs on BoardingArea.com. The two blogs being represented are The Gate (Canarsie) and One Mile At A Time (lucky9876coins).

jmd001

Disappointing to those of us who could have (and would have) committed on the spot, but can understand the situation...

Anyway, a big huge thanks again, Randy, for making this incredible opportunity available. Hope everyone has a really, really GREAT time. Looking forward to reading all the blogs!

Now to go cancel my reservation at the Hilton Paris!

KLC

Thank you for posting the final guest list for the OpenSkies Do. Those of us standing by hoping for a chance to fill one of the alternate spots will now go back to our normal activities. It was really nice to dream for a few days! Thanks again for sharing this opportunity with us.

I've met several of the FT members on the list, and know that the group will represent our community in great fashion.

vsevolod4

Thank you very much, Randy; this is most generous and highly creative and further stimulative of the FT community. I look forward to this trip and meeting everone! Sorry we won't get to do a toot around Paris with you, but at the same time, I'm a bit jealous of your inaugural MR -- as usual, you're the trailblazer!

Sic transit, gloria mundi!

CosmosHuman

For offering me the trip. I tried to arrange airfare to NY and was unable to, and time ran out. Maybe next time. I do appreciate the thought.

rtarbuck

I can still be at JKF for this flight.

DWNewman

Randy,

I would like to throw My thank you into the pot. I have only been a member here for a short time, but I have gained much.

I appreciate the opportunity to participate in your selection process, and while I was not chosen (this time) I hope someday to meet you and talk about our mutual interests. Travel has become so much of my and my better half's lives, and there is still sooo much to see.

Life is short, and good friends (even those that we have yet to meet) are so dear.

I hope you all have an enjoyable trip... and I'll catch you on a different flight.

Dennis

zoonil

Randy,

This is indeed a fine act by you! I think even non-winners (like me) are convinced of the good feelings FT generates among its members and their families.


Even with a post count of a little over 300, I have benefited in many ways from FT and its members.

Congratulations to the winners again and Thanks for a this classy act, Randy!

Regards,
Zoonil!