SDQBound

Used my newly-acquired KM tag a few weeks ago. Arrived to ATL, and after passing the customs area, a DL employee spotted it and asked me "Sir, who authorized you to use these KM credentials?"... At that point, I thought he was being serious, until I looked into his face and noticed that he was just kidding. I wonder if he's one of the DL employees who got the memo, or if he found out about it by reading this thread.

OnTimePlease

That's great! A subtile turning of the tables on the inside joke.

sethb

"I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you." Or, since that probably isn't a good thing to say at an airport, use your sternest look "You aren't cleared for that information."

immiLawyer

Unfortunately, I am not sure this would be so easily defined as you suggest.

What most people claim to be 'parody' is actually product disparagement, particularly in large-scale distributions of opinionated information via videos on the Internet. One of the factors courts routinely consider is number of recipients / viewers / holders / etc., of the offending item(s) or information in question, as related to the financial and figurative impacts upon the rights and / or goodwill of the original holder of the products or marks.

We can discuss this further in PMs, if you like....


Or we can just continue to post great stories about how others react to the limited number of KM tags out there. Essentially, that is really what we are doing with the small number of these tags in a 'fair use/parody' defense to any potential copyright infringement or trademark infringement challenge.

These tags do not comment upon the SM program and its levels directly; instead, the SM program serves as a springboard for a whimsical commentary as to how other flyers (and staff members) REACT to our fictional program.

And most importantly, they're not being sold in any way, and there is a very small number of them in existence; thus, there is a very tiny chance of confusion.

Father-of-3

KM always give their First Class seat to members of our Military.

RatherBeOnATrain

I don't know if you have seen an actual KM tag immiLawyer, but the back side makes it clear that the tag is a parody of certain passengers, not disparaging a product (the DL FF program).

I suspect one could also argue that having the tags out in the wild is a form of
performance art. I think it is more like what Stephen Colbert is doing with his political action committee and less like opinionated videos on Youtube.

immiLawyer

Did you read my response you quoted from, or just the first two sentences of it?

And yes, I acquired my set of 4 from BogusRogus quite a while ago. I agree with BogusRogus it is probably best NOT to make more of them.

Cheers.

BogusRogus

+1^

This is a good idea. Is this allowed or would Delta say, "well if you don't want the seat we'll just pull the next medallion on the list."? - and furthermore - what if the next medallion on the list started to whine? Anyone have any experience on this?

On another topic - I've added up the totals as best I could. There were 98 KM medallion packages sent out in the original list (most people got 4). Then some went out later with Susan or myself. I threw a few extra to DL Roads to hand out what I had left.. So I would easily say there are less than 150 total and of those maybe only 100 are truly frequent fliers. I still have a two named tags for DHG and Thomas Hudson whenever I finally track them down.

Always an ATL Layover

I know I am late to the game but I would love to get one of these tags (or three). What can I do to get one? Where do you fly out of in Bama maybe I can meet you in BHM, MGM or ATL.

Father-of-3

I've done it a few times. I have simply asked them if they were on my flight and then offered to trade seats. I don't think anyone but the two of us know although in one case the guy told the FA who gave me a huge hug and kiss when I was departing. Her son is in Iraq and she thought I was 'the bees knees' in addition to being KM.

The thing here is about Karma not credit.

On a side note- I have my second KM tag and could eBay it and donate a percentage to the Wounded Warrior Fund. I bet it would go for a chunk of change.

immiLawyer

There are probably people in this thread who may buy it instead (and you could still send the money to the WWF) just to keep it OFF eBay.

Although selling these in any way would probably be really really really bad form.

DLroads

(with the permission of BogusRogus, I share a little summary here)

Let's take your numbers disclosed above, and estimate them. For the purpose of the discussion, let's even double them-So let's say 200 (not 100) of the KM are really 'heavy' FF.

There are 32,000-40,000 DM throughout the world, and there are about 75 million delta SM accounts, of which in the past delta said that about 60 million are active
(This is all according to different DL press releases, from the program merger, the DM launch and program updates, and different numbers discussed and disclosed on flyertalk by individuals who had discussions with Delta). This number may be slightly higher now that accounts do not expire.

200 is our number? OK.

Out of all SM accounts:
200/75,000,000=0.0000026667, or less than one divided by 10,000 of a percent of the entire SM program, (2 for every million members, approx.)

Out of skypriority:
less than 0.000053 percent of the entire skypriority program size (gold, platinum and diamonds, based on a five percent of SM program which is eligible to SP, numbers that were revealed on FT in the past when skypriority was introduced) .

The KM:
the KM "program" became so famous is less than 6-9 months around the world from its official launch date, raised inquiries and is widely recognized in numerous stations, to the level DL decided to send a memo to all stations.

Actually, KM was recognized faster than the Diamond Medallion level was recongized throughout the system. It took more than 18 months for the DM to be recognized across the skyteam world (e.g. for lounge and special lines access), and almost 2 years to be integrated (and still there are 'glitches' occasionally). KM just left everyone green of envy.

Two lessons to learn:
(a) Don't ever underestimate flyertalk if 200 (or, in fact- 100 members) are noted throughout the world so fast,
and
(b) BogusRogus- you can add on your professional protfolio one outstanding 'branding' (I am not sure you can really put it on your business protfolio, but this is something for the textbooks). You've beat them in their own game!

Tomphot

I've been thinking the same thing, I'm glad you put real numbers to it!
On 3 occasions, in ATL, DTW and LGA, I had agents ask if they could take a Inc of my tag so they could share it with friends. On 4 flights, I had FAs tell me that they had heard about it. On 2 occasions, a DL employee told me that mine was the second that they had seen.
With only 200 or 300 out there in heavy FF hands, I guess I'm not surprised that I haven't seen another in the wild.
I'm still waiting to hand an extra out when another FTer stops me - No, I'm not going to send it to someone, I want to actually hand it over to someone who finds me.

DaChief

Hmm, I like this! I will also carry my second one around to give away but it must be someone from FT who is aware of this super elite status program ^

NWA/Deltaflygirl

"Finding one in the wild' keeps it special- Ebaying it off, even for charitable purposes kind of diminishes it in a way - Unless you know the history, and all the surrounding hoopla, it takes the fun out of it (she says as one of the few NRSA's who's a member!)

I'll be proudly displaying mine on a quick SEA/MEM/BOS (award) BOS/LHR (NRSA) run in June - maybe you'll find me!