Bye Bye MCI?
 

Continental Airlines and AT&T Form Frequent Flyer Agreement

Two Great Long Distance Carriers to Provide Customers More Ways to Earn Miles

HOUSTON, June 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL and CAL.A) and AT&T (NYSE: T) announced today that the two companies have entered into a joint marketing agreement that will allow frequent flyers to earn valuable OnePass miles for every dollar spent on AT&T Residential Long Distance services.

For every dollar spent on residential long distance calls, AT&T users will earn five OnePass frequent flyer miles. OnePass is Continental Airlines' award-winning frequent flyer program.

"Continental and AT&T are both leaders in our respective industries," said Bonnie Reitz, Continental Airlines senior vice president, Marketing and Sales. "We're confident that our customers will appreciate the awards and benefits of this arrangement."

"We're excited that Continental has selected AT&T," said Robert Aquilina, senior vice president of AT&T Consumer Services. "And we're especially pleased to be able to reward our customers with OnePass miles in one of the most popular frequent flyer programs in the industry."

Under the terms of the agreement, mileage may be earned on an array of AT&T services. AT&T and Continental will be working to expand member earning options to include Internet, wireless and cable usage, as well as online billing.

To enroll and start earning OnePass frequent flyer miles, customers may call 1-800-255-4600.

I just called them and they said that it is only for "residential long distance".... I was hoping that it also covered the "AT&T Wireless service" as well..

Although, in their press release it states "AT&T and Continental will be working to expand member earning options to include Internet, wireless and cable usage, as well as online billing."

[This message has been edited by steve100 (edited 06-14-2000).]

For all of you, I hope AT&T does a better job with CO then they do with BA. Good luck, God knows you'll need it.

Does this mean the MCI deal is over or will CO be partnered with both MCI and AT&T

Burkey:

When I enrolled in this brand-new program (thanks, UpgradeMe), I queried AT&T about the negative comments concerning the BA program.

The rep with whom I spoke said that the BA problems were due to "their systems having to migrate at the beginning of the year," and she assured me that since the CO program is homegrown, there will be none of the problems experienced with the BA program such as missing miles or accounts lost altogether.

I also asked whether the OnePass account associated with the affinity program could be that of anyone else's other than the person in whom the AT&T account is named. The reply was that a spouse's account could be - however, the spouse must have the same last name as the name under which the AT&T account is listed.

The comment was made by the rep that AT&T was not anticipating nearly the volume of response on this first day (15 June) of the program's public announcement that they've got.

.. And on the issue of getting mileage with wireless, internet, etc., service:

Continental, AT&T in frequent-flyer pact

NEW YORK, June 15 (Reuters) - AT&T Corp. (NYSE:T - news) residential long-distance telephone customers will be able to accumulate frequent-flyer miles with Continental Airlines Inc. (NYSE:CAL - news), the companies said Thursday.

Under the joint marketing agreement between the two ``long distance carriers,'' Continental and AT&T said they will also work to expand mile-earning options to include Internet, wireless and cable, as well as online billing.

Houston-based Continental is the No. 5 U.S. airline, and AT&T is the nation's largest long-distance telecommunications company.

Yikes! I thought my favorite way to Kansas City (three letter city code: MCI) was going away.

No great loss for this troubled telecommunications company to fall out of partnership.

Any word on sign up bonuses for ATT?

dgolds you just read my mind.....

Hallelujah! I have been saddled with MCI for some time now, and their customer service sucks compared to AT&T (MCI seems to hire the dreck of the earth).

Take me back AT&T (and a bonus would be nice, too!).

I do not find "Sheneesha The Customer Service Drone" at AT&T any nicer than the ones at MCI. And they are WORSE at posting miles! JMHO

Actually, I have found MCI customer service to be very good. I switched to them after having a horrific experience with HP and Sprint. Sprint is just insidious. Bar none the worst customer service I have come across in any industry.

Is CO going to keep MCI on as a partner? Any rumors?

YEEESSSSS!!!!! All those burnt offerings Finally paid off!! MCI sux... They have a collection agency after me now since i refuse to pay $1.10 a minute for domestic calling card calls! I still have the paperwork that clearly states that the cost was 12.5 cents per minute. After only five letters they still "claim" i owe $400+. MY FAVORITE AIRLINE REALLY LOVES ME (sorry sally field) http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

I"m happy with this because I will NOT go to MCI even if they offered me one million UNITED Mileage Plus miles (OK, so it's not the right airline for this forum.)

I hope they add Internet and wireless. COnsidering AT&T's "Personal Rewards" program is bust, at least all my long distance calls will mean something.

Oh, I got the e-mail announcing the program and it had this terms and conditions at the end:

*Other qualifying AT&T service includes: Local Toll service as well as
AT&T Calling Card calls billed to your domestic home telephone account.
Charges eligible to earn miles are usage, monthly recurring charges, and
qualifying AT&T services after the application of all applicable credits
and discounts.

AT&T OnePass mileage earnings begin once enrollment in the AT&T OnePass
program is processed, which may take up to 30 days. Mileage postings will
commence 4 to 6 weeks after enrollment processing. Additional terms and
conditions apply.

I switched one of my lines to Sprint 6 months ago and have just received the last 5,000 mile installment for a total of 25,000 miles. Where do I go to collect my 25,000 miles form AT&T?