Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Travel&Dining > External Miles and Points Resources
Reload this Page >

One Mile at a Time [OMaaT] discussions [merged]

One Mile at a Time [OMaaT] discussions [merged]

Old Jul 20, 2015, 6:33 pm
  #541  
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: UA-1K, MM, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Titanium
Posts: 4,419
Just read the article. It is even worse then I thought based on the upthread comments. He is running away from something for sure. If they still print Psychology Today this would be a good article for that publication.

Article is really poorly written and the writer seems like he became a fanboy. Sloppy research and reporting. Then again, it's RS so the bar is pretty low.

No questions about how a 15 year old can get top tier status without having parents foot the bill? Someone was paying for those tickets. Oh wait. He kept reusing those UA certificates. Never mind.
cruisr is offline  
Old Jul 20, 2015, 10:48 pm
  #542  
Moderator: Delta SkyMiles, Luxury Hotels, TravelBuzz! and Italy
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 26,513
Felt sad after reading that article. This is not a life well-lived (at least by my standards). No home, no base, transient friends. No time for a real relationship.
Obviously, no time for psychotherapy. It is taking being homeless to a whole other level. I have heard a homeless man describe why he enjoys living on the streets: " I have everything available, good sex, drugs, and I am free to go where I want."
obscure2k is online now  
Old Jul 21, 2015, 12:10 am
  #543  
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Stockholm
Programs: Various
Posts: 3,365
Originally Posted by cruisr
No questions about how a 15 year old can get top tier status without having parents foot the bill? Someone was paying for those tickets. Oh wait. He kept reusing those UA certificates. Never mind.
His dad worked for a bank according to the article. What it doesn't say but is easy to guess is what kind of bank it was. The Linkedin profile of, I presume, his brother Michael reveals he's a VP at [redacted]. Hid dad Arnold used to be the New York general manager of [redacted]bank (today merged into [redacted]bank). Not exactly poor people.

Last edited by oliver2002; Jul 21, 2015 at 7:58 am Reason: redacted details, feel free to google
Fredrik74 is offline  
Old Jul 21, 2015, 5:12 am
  #544  
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: K+K
Programs: *G
Posts: 4,859
Originally Posted by cruisr
Article is really poorly written and the writer seems like he became a fanboy. Sloppy research and reporting. Then again, it's RS so the bar is pretty low.
Actually RS have some really talented writers. Matt Taibbi for one.

Of course, it's easy for "insiders" to be dismissive of the article -- i too find it amusingly over-romaniticized -- but again RS has to speak to a broader audience .... and to them, flying longhaul F is pretty ritzy, dreamy stuff
deniah is offline  
Old Jul 21, 2015, 6:39 am
  #545  
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 4,374
Originally Posted by Astrophsx
"The fact is, we are beating the airlines at their own game. The people who run these programs are idiots. And we'll always be one stop ahead of them."

I don't think those are honest or positive words.
OMAAT response:

Unfortunately was taken out of context while referencing one industry executive. Certainly wasnt talking about industry execs as a whole, as there are plenty of great programs run by brilliant people. I certainly regret saying anything that could be interpreted to suggest otherwise. But I guess thats what happens when youre interviewed for over a hundred hours and then they cherry-pick what goes in the article. The first time I saw the story was after it was published.
davie355 is offline  
Old Jul 21, 2015, 6:58 am
  #546  
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: K+K
Programs: *G
Posts: 4,859
Originally Posted by davie355
I've been involved in a few articles from local prints to AP-distributed ones that hit major regional publications to prominent national magazines and websites. In different examples, as key subject, auxiliary subject, or simply being very intimate to the story.

Veracity of finished article came out somewhere between 50-75% of the truth. Although they were all quite innocuous, I would never voluntarily subject myself to this misrepresentation again.

I don't believe half of what I read in the "news" now
deniah is offline  
Old Jul 21, 2015, 7:47 am
  #547  
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: UA-1K, MM, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Titanium
Posts: 4,419
Originally Posted by Fredrik74
His dad worked for a bank according to the article. What it doesn't say but is easy to guess is what kind of bank it was. The Linkedin profile of, I presume, his brother Michael reveals he's a VP at [redacted]. Hid dad Arnold used to be the New York general manager of [redacted]bank (today merged into [redacted]bank). Not exactly poor people.
That's my point. His parents paid for all of his flights.

Last edited by oliver2002; Jul 21, 2015 at 7:59 am Reason: redacted the quote
cruisr is offline  
Old Jul 21, 2015, 12:04 pm
  #548  
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: SAN
Programs: Lots of faux metal
Posts: 6,387
Originally Posted by deniah
Actually RS have some really talented writers. Matt Taibbi for one.

Of course, it's easy for "insiders" to be dismissive of the article -- i too find it amusingly over-romaniticized -- but again RS has to speak to a broader audience .... and to them, flying longhaul F is pretty ritzy, dreamy stuff
Come on, RS sent a teenage kid out on the road with Stillwater and look how that turned out.
skunker is offline  
Old Jul 21, 2015, 12:38 pm
  #549  
Marriott Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 9,650
Originally Posted by cruisr
Article is really poorly written and the writer seems like he became a fanboy. Sloppy research and reporting. Then again, it's RS so the bar is pretty low.

No questions about how a 15 year old can get top tier status without having parents foot the bill? Someone was paying for those tickets. Oh wait. He kept reusing those UA certificates. Never mind.
Would love to have United's perspective on the ban/shutdown debacle.. although they did drop the f-word as a hint.
izzik is offline  
Old Jul 21, 2015, 12:41 pm
  #550  
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: South Park, CO
Programs: Tegridy Elite
Posts: 5,678
Originally Posted by cruisr
He is running away from something for sure. If they still print Psychology Today this would be a good article for that publication.
Not only the article but some of the blog posts give such an impression, I think.

Originally Posted by davie355
OMAAT response:

Unfortunately was taken out of context while referencing one industry executive. Certainly wasnt talking about industry execs as a whole, as there are plenty of great programs run by brilliant people. I certainly regret saying anything that could be interpreted to suggest otherwise. But I guess thats what happens when youre interviewed for over a hundred hours and then they cherry-pick what goes in the article. The first time I saw the story was after it was published.
It's interesting that he claims that it was "taken out of context" rather than asserting it was a misquote. The latter would be an argument that the words printed were not what he said. That isn't what he wrote in the above linked blog comment, which indicates the words were said, claiming only some other context.

Perhaps he was discussing one particular executive before or after the printed "idiots" quote. But the use of plurals in the RS-quoted sentences doesn't add up against the claim that he was referring to only one person in particular.
84fiero is offline  
Old Jul 21, 2015, 1:41 pm
  #551  
Used to be 'Scooter'
 
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: SAN
Programs: Free Agent
Posts: 398
Originally Posted by cruisr
Just read the article. It is even worse then I thought based on the upthread comments. He is running away from something for sure. If they still print Psychology Today this would be a good article for that publication.
Not to pick on your comment directly, but what is it about someone wanting to be alone that sends people into panic? Some people (myself included) are just wired like that. I've lived my entire life so far not having a strong desire to have lots of friends, and I'm a very happy guy and satisfied in life. Friends are important, yes, but I don't base my happiness upon being around other people.

Ben sounds like he's a bit of an introvert, that's all. I totally get where he's coming from, and it doesn't necessarily mean he's clinically depressed and in need of help.
SANspotter is offline  
Old Jul 21, 2015, 1:56 pm
  #552  
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: ORD (formerly SAN)
Programs: Hilton Diamond; IHG Platinum; Bonvoy Gold; AA Platinum Pro and United Premier Silver (DH = AA EXP)
Posts: 1,927
Originally Posted by SANspotter
Not to pick on your comment directly, but what is it about someone wanting to be alone that sends people into panic? Some people (myself included) are just wired like that. I've lived my entire life so far not having a strong desire to have lots of friends, and I'm a very happy guy and satisfied in life. Friends are important, yes, but I don't base my happiness upon being around other people.

Ben sounds like he's a bit of an introvert, that's all. I totally get where he's coming from, and it doesn't necessarily mean he's clinically depressed and in need of help.
Agreed. Does anyone in this thread even know Ben? I've had a few conversations with him back about 10 years ago when I was just getting "into" FT. He's always truly loved flying, traveling, and the experience. That's his passion and he's getting to live it. How many people really get to do that with their lives?

Here's another thought...what about the thousands of other people who fly all the time with no purpose other than to go hub to hub and earn a paycheck? They are called pilots and flight attendants. Not really different here.

Also, to the people criticizing him about who's paying for his travel when he was younger... Like most of us, he took family trips, vacations, holidays and trips to visit family and friends in other locals. As a 15 or 16 year old, no he didn't pay for the tickets. But why is it different with him than when we tagged along with our own parents on family trips or vacations or holidays as kids and teens?

There's a lot of sour grapes in here, and I'm not quite sure why.
TravelLawyer is offline  
Old Jul 21, 2015, 1:57 pm
  #553  
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,736
I feel like there was some sort of movie out there with a ridiculously handsome business man who lives out of a suitcase and tended to shut himself off from real friendships and relationships other than making a connection with another frequent flyer... The name of the article might be a clue
Astrophsx is offline  
Old Jul 21, 2015, 3:14 pm
  #554  
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: UA-1K, MM, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Titanium
Posts: 4,419
Originally Posted by AtomicLush
Agreed. Does anyone in this thread even know Ben? I've had a few conversations with him back about 10 years ago when I was just getting "into" FT. He's always truly loved flying, traveling, and the experience. That's his passion and he's getting to live it. How many people really get to do that with their lives?

Here's another thought...what about the thousands of other people who fly all the time with no purpose other than to go hub to hub and earn a paycheck? They are called pilots and flight attendants. Not really different here.


Also, to the people criticizing him about who's paying for his travel when he was younger... Like most of us, he took family trips, vacations, holidays and trips to visit family and friends in other locals. As a 15 or 16 year old, no he didn't pay for the tickets. But why is it different with him than when we tagged along with our own parents on family trips or vacations or holidays as kids and teens?

There's a lot of sour grapes in here, and I'm not quite sure why.
Not sour grapes just people who don't like hypocrites. He use to deny that he was a "trust fund" kid so maybe he technically isn't but he certainly had bank rolling for his 6 trips across the Pacific, not to visit anyone, just to fly when he was a teen. Good for him if he has parents that aren't worried about that sort of thing but be honest about. He knew he was moving to SEA to be with his boyfriend yet went through the silly game of "guys, where should I move to?" I don't care where he lives but agan, just be honest about and say you are moving to SEA. Other examples but If I gave them It would just be attributed to "sour grapes" I still believe in honesty which I guess is not a valued commodity anymore.
cruisr is offline  
Old Jul 21, 2015, 3:18 pm
  #555  
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: SAN
Programs: Lots of faux metal
Posts: 6,387
Originally Posted by Astrophsx
I feel like there was some sort of movie out there with a ridiculously handsome business man who lives out of a suitcase and tended to shut himself off from real friendships and relationships other than making a connection with another frequent flyer... The name of the article might be a clue
I would give anything to spend a flight with Anna Kendrick.
skunker is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.