channa

Clearly this is what they meant, and of course they didn't mean for the whole world to find out about this offer, as it is only meant to apply to a very narrow segment of OnePass members.

Now I wonder how they're going to handle these non-targeted customers who are registering and applying. Do they honor the deal for those not targetted? Or do they throw the book at them. They know exactly who they targetted, and it says it's targetted in the terms, so you do run the risk of them declining the status. Then again, the risk is only $85, and you get 15,000 bonus miles anyway, so it's not a bad deal even if it doesn't pan out.

Oh well, yet another brilliant marketing tactic by CO, botched up by poor IT implementation. When, oh when, will CO let me run their IT shop and clean it up?

pmaddock

Well it says you've got until March to make the first purchase and secure the status so it seems to me that taking a wait and see approach would be best. Doubtless someone who wasn't targeted will take the risk and 'pull the trigger' and then either get the the status or get declined. Once word gets out then we'll know what to do - make the first purchase or not. After all, if you cancel without making a purchase then you don't owe the fee.

RNE

Maybe you're right, but CO could have disallowed my registration (which they all-too-blithely do in other cases for non-targeted would-be registrants) yet they allowed it. I followed all the instructions, got approved by Chase and will make my one required purchase before March 1, as specified. Once done, they better honor the deal!

radonc1

Now I wonder how they're going to handle these non-targeted customers who are registering and applying. Do they honor the deal for those not targetted?

Very simple. You say you made a mistake, sorry or just plain no. I am afraid I live by the rule "if it's too good to be true, it probably isn't". Even if this were a true offer, it was probably made to only a highly select group of individuals that CO wants for some reason (maybe they travel millions of miles on a competitor or have access to tons of travel funds). If I can get my status for a tiny amount of money, then I will go and attain staus on as many airlines as possible. In truth, I can now get it on US, UA and AA for what is relatively small amounts of money compared to what it takes to earn it.
I suspect that we will find out that this is not really going to happen, one way or the other.
BTW, I earned my status for next year and I do not need another cc

bhatnasx

As a NW elite - I'm really disappointed that CO likes to hand out status like candy. Back in 2003, I got comped to CO Silver - which at the time I thought was great - (and to all those that this promo works out for - congrats!) - however, that's silver - to comp someone to Plat just by having good enough credit to get Chase credit card - is pretty pathetic of CO.

radonc1

One more point I would like to make to every FF on this board. If anyone can purchase elite status, then we are all "elites" which makes us all the "same" which means OP is worthless since it doesn't do what it was designed to do and that is to distinguish the frequent flyers from the routine traveler.
If that is the design of this promotion, then spending your bucks on Chase is a waste of time since you will be purchasing worthless "status". You can do as well with a free credit card.

MIA-SAT

If in a few weeks those who were not targeted are told they were ineligible and lose their new Elite status. This happened last year with Hilton Honors and the Citibank Chairmans Preferred card. Many signed up and had bennies for a few weeks before being returned to their former status.

In reality a mass move to Plat status will cause the dreaded dilution of which much is said. Real plats going to near zero upgrade status due to the influx of those who registered for the Chase promotion will kill One Pass faster than Co could ever imagine unless corrective action is taken.

If it is too good to be true is usually is . . . . . . . In the meantime I will double book my refundable tickets on both AA and CO and punish CO with a cancellation if they pass out upgrades to their instant Plats. Actions do have consequences.

channa

Pathetic? You're assuming this promo being available to the general public was intentional, despite the wording on the very same promotion mentioning it's targeted.

So I don't think "pathetic" is the right word. Careless? Sure. Sloppy? Definitely. but not pathetic (unless, of course, we can confirm it was intentional). It's just as careless as say Air Pacific selling $51 tickets to Fiji, or NW selling $110 tix to Europe.

bhatnasx

Maybe not pathetic - but certainly sloppy...

If I were a CO elite, I'd be pretty damn disappointed with CO's marketing efforts - the Silver promo that I signed up for in 2003 was targetted too - yet they didn't disqualify me. And with the HH promo above, I'm still a Hilton Gold - even though I got a letter in the mail telling me I wasn't eligible for the promo...

Air Pacific screwed up - but they didn't take responsibility - Travelocity did, remember?

rci98

I am not sure how to respond to this bad decision by CO. Last month I sent them a letter asking to be comp PE because NW is pulling out of RNO. (I am now a PE with NW.) They said NO that they would review my account in March to see how much I flew CO in Jan and Feb. Seems this is a way to beat the system. Not a good idea for CO to honor these.

Derrico

Yep Bhatnasx.. it is worse even than all of the super easy double EQM hyper mileage programs NWA has been giving away all year. far worse than that..

It is horrific. I worked my ... off to stay on CO for as many work flights as possible for my CO status. Almost all leasure flights as well. I have had the CO chase world mastercard for several years (which has never followed though with its extras BTW) and I do all sorts of things to maximize my miles, and now Plat is given away for nothing?

WOW.. This was a mistake. I know this must be an error. What are they saying to all of us who worked for status on CO? I can tell you what this says... SUCKER!!! I hope this is an error, or I will be shopping for a new program, since this one may have just devalued itself to next to nothing.

As a spoke elite, I have choices. If this flies though without being fixed I will get a status match at the beginning of the year. My CO card will be cancelled, and I will shift all of my flights away from the airline.

What a slap in the face.

* Edited to add:
I will calm down and have a drink. I will wait and see what Continental is going to do about this joke. If it is for real, I will follow through with what I said, but I just can not see that happening. They would not shoot themselves in the foot like this. I just can not see it.

J.Edward

Just for amusment, the lady friend (who works for Chase) passed along to me this number when I was ranting and raving to her about that Bank. If you want a grin give 614.213.2518 a dial!

mbreuer

For now, I'm going to treat this like the MCI-LAX "Z" fare last year (which I missed). A last-minute, end-of-year mistake to jump on before it's pulled. Should they not back the offer to those who registered & applied, I'd at least expect them to cancel the application and undo the hard inquiry. That said, I did bother to call the OPSC and confirm my registration... hopefully that'll be good for something.

And had I bother with the 3k EQM offer earlier this year, or made a 16k MR, man, would I be pissed right now.

familyflier

Having qualified for 2006 silver by 96 miles, of course I want the promotion. Unfortunately I'm a Continental Visa cardmember and am apparently "ineligible" for the card. I called the number given and got shifted to an "outsourcing country" which could provide no answer on how to become eligible. Has any one had any luck or should I cancel the Visa card tonight?

andrewsheehan

LOL!! Just gave it a ring via skype, hillarious, I wonder what you have to do to get forwarded there...