OMAT holding a kickstarter to fund his travel
May 9, 2014, 2:55 pm
#76
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: EWR
Posts: 680
The worst part about it is him feigning guilt and embarrassment for starting a kickstarter campaign. Like bolding lines such as "This is totally f*cking ridiculous." and "totally ridiculous and there are so many better ways you can spend your money." are supposed to make up believe that you didn't want to ask your readers to pay for your trip. That he was able to get his get his readers to fork over $25K, kudos to him.
May 9, 2014, 2:56 pm
#77
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Whatever the merits or otherwise of the Kickstarter campaign, judging by the attacks on Leslie Scott yesterday, I'd say certain elements of the travel blogging community take themselves way too seriously and ought to take a step back and get themselves some perspective.
In a just world "Lucky" (as he seems to call himself) would be poked in the eye with a sharp stick for the hyperbolic assertion that Leslie Scott's comments equated to AA judging/mocking their entire consumer base. That's quite some logical fallacy there.
In a just world "Lucky" (as he seems to call himself) would be poked in the eye with a sharp stick for the hyperbolic assertion that Leslie Scott's comments equated to AA judging/mocking their entire consumer base. That's quite some logical fallacy there.
May 9, 2014, 3:44 pm
#78
Join Date: Dec 2004
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Whatever the merits or otherwise of the Kickstarter campaign, judging by the attacks on Leslie Scott yesterday, I'd say certain elements of the travel blogging community take themselves way too seriously and ought to take a step back and get themselves some perspective.
In a just world "Lucky" (as he seems to call himself) would be poked in the eye with a sharp stick for the hyperbolic assertion that Leslie Scott's comments equated to AA judging/mocking their entire consumer base. That's quite some logical fallacy there.
In a just world "Lucky" (as he seems to call himself) would be poked in the eye with a sharp stick for the hyperbolic assertion that Leslie Scott's comments equated to AA judging/mocking their entire consumer base. That's quite some logical fallacy there.
It's really opened my eyes as to what many (not all) of the travel bloggers are all about. Also, what many (not all) of their followers are about.
May 9, 2014, 5:29 pm
#79
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May end up with $100,000
So if those who track are right, he may end up with $100,000!
http://www.kicktraq.com/projects/148...ad-residences/
Then he can give 75k to charity and still fly! Everyone is happy!
http://www.kicktraq.com/projects/148...ad-residences/
Then he can give 75k to charity and still fly! Everyone is happy!
May 9, 2014, 5:36 pm
#80
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Join Date: Sep 2000
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He could use the handout. I can't imagine him making any money from Amazon links.
May 9, 2014, 5:39 pm
#81
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2000
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So if those who track are right, he may end up with $100,000!
http://www.kicktraq.com/projects/148...ad-residences/
Then he can give 75k to charity and still fly! Everyone is happy!
http://www.kicktraq.com/projects/148...ad-residences/
Then he can give 75k to charity and still fly! Everyone is happy!
May 9, 2014, 5:49 pm
#82
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I'm pretty interested to see how it is played going forward... If he is going to make the $25k he will need to keep pressing the link, he won't have the momentum otherwise. But by pressing the link, he goes against the whole "aw shucks, I really don't want this, I'm doing it for you" angle that he's expressed.
So it will be an interesting 3 weeks.
And he won't come close to $100k. But dreamers can dream...
So it will be an interesting 3 weeks.
And he won't come close to $100k. But dreamers can dream...
May 10, 2014, 1:38 am
#83
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in LIMA, PERU
Posts: 58,620
I'm pretty interested to see how it is played going forward... If he is going to make the $25k he will need to keep pressing the link, he won't have the momentum otherwise. But by pressing the link, he goes against the whole "aw shucks, I really don't want this, I'm doing it for you" angle that he's expressed.
So it will be an interesting 3 weeks.
And he won't come close to $100k. But dreamers can dream...
So it will be an interesting 3 weeks.
And he won't come close to $100k. But dreamers can dream...
Apparently they're not as embarrassed as Lucky is pretending to be.
Other bloggers are also un(pretend)ashamedly promoting the KS link.
May 10, 2014, 7:06 am
#84
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OMAT holding a kickstarter to fund his travel
My biggest issue with it is that he will no longer be able to provide an unbiased report. If he had simply dug into his pocket, and bought the trip himself, and THEN posted it, I would have huge respect for him. It would have generated plenty of page views and grabbed a lot of attention.
As is, Etihad is fully aware of who he is, what he does, and knows his name. There won't be that many people who fly the Residence, so it is trivial for the route manager or station managers at LHR or AUH to keep an eye out for his name on a manifest. On the day that they see he is flying, inform all crew of who he is and what a good review from him will mean for the airline. We saw what was rumored to have happened when he gave a (deserved by the airline) less than stellar review of China Southern's A380 F service. It certainly drew a huge discussion on Weibo and other Chinese social media platforms and forums. Because of this, I see no way in wish he can give an unvarnished review of service.
It would be better if two people that the airline did not already know of flew the product and did a review. That would be a more accurate and fairer review of how the Residence actually works out, and not some version played up for when the provider knows a reviewer is trying a product. There is a reason that Michelin reviewers and other reviewers do their absolute best to maintain anonymity. Who wants to pay for MY (and another FTer's) Residence ticket!
Sadly, searching "etihad" "residence" on Google gives his post promoting his KS the fourth spot, and the KS itself the fifth spot.
As is, Etihad is fully aware of who he is, what he does, and knows his name. There won't be that many people who fly the Residence, so it is trivial for the route manager or station managers at LHR or AUH to keep an eye out for his name on a manifest. On the day that they see he is flying, inform all crew of who he is and what a good review from him will mean for the airline. We saw what was rumored to have happened when he gave a (deserved by the airline) less than stellar review of China Southern's A380 F service. It certainly drew a huge discussion on Weibo and other Chinese social media platforms and forums. Because of this, I see no way in wish he can give an unvarnished review of service.
It would be better if two people that the airline did not already know of flew the product and did a review. That would be a more accurate and fairer review of how the Residence actually works out, and not some version played up for when the provider knows a reviewer is trying a product. There is a reason that Michelin reviewers and other reviewers do their absolute best to maintain anonymity. Who wants to pay for MY (and another FTer's) Residence ticket!
Sadly, searching "etihad" "residence" on Google gives his post promoting his KS the fourth spot, and the KS itself the fifth spot.
May 10, 2014, 7:12 am
#85
Join Date: May 2009
Location: South Park, CO
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Posts: 5,678
Yeah there are some large egos on the bloggers' side and sort of a weird cult of personality among some (many?) of their faithful readers. It's almost like teenage girls swooning at an Elvis concert or something.
May 10, 2014, 11:12 am
#86
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: PHX
Programs: AA Peon Gold
Posts: 2,915
Whatever the merits or otherwise of the Kickstarter campaign, judging by the attacks on Leslie Scott yesterday, I'd say certain elements of the travel blogging community take themselves way too seriously and ought to take a step back and get themselves some perspective.
In a just world "Lucky" (as he seems to call himself) would be poked in the eye with a sharp stick for the hyperbolic assertion that Leslie Scott's comments equated to AA judging/mocking their entire consumer base. That's quite some logical fallacy there.
In a just world "Lucky" (as he seems to call himself) would be poked in the eye with a sharp stick for the hyperbolic assertion that Leslie Scott's comments equated to AA judging/mocking their entire consumer base. That's quite some logical fallacy there.
On topic, the problem I have with donating to this cause, is that his blog presumably generates revenue for him, correct? Why am I donating capital for him to run his business(and indulge his hobby) when I'm not going to see any returns from it?
May 10, 2014, 11:19 am
#87
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,456
Couldn't think of a better handle for an OP to start this topic. Thanks freeloader.
May 10, 2014, 11:25 am
#88
Join Date: Oct 2013
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Posts: 2,580
So if those who track are right, he may end up with $100,000!
http://www.kicktraq.com/projects/148...ad-residences/
Then he can give 75k to charity and still fly! Everyone is happy!
http://www.kicktraq.com/projects/148...ad-residences/
Then he can give 75k to charity and still fly! Everyone is happy!
$71,656
TRENDING TOWARD
TRENDING TOWARD
May 10, 2014, 11:57 am
#89
Join Date: May 2004
Location: LAX
Posts: 1,849
I'm pretty interested to see how it is played going forward... If he is going to make the $25k he will need to keep pressing the link, he won't have the momentum otherwise. But by pressing the link, he goes against the whole "aw shucks, I really don't want this, I'm doing it for you" angle that he's expressed.
It looks like he made 10 grand on day 1 and nothing since.
I honestly never trusted him as there is simply something fundamentally
strange about flying Lufthansa first class every week and pretending
he earns 800K miles a year. Math just doesn't make sense. But who cares...
The worst out of this is how Etihad got promoted and it will be now so much
harder to find the award seats.
May 10, 2014, 11:58 am
#90
Join Date: May 2009
Location: South Park, CO
Programs: Tegridy Elite
Posts: 5,678
My biggest issue with it is that he will no longer be able to provide an unbiased report. If he had simply dug into his pocket, and bought the trip himself, and THEN posted it, I would have huge respect for him. It would have generated plenty of page views and grabbed a lot of attention.
As is, Etihad is fully aware of who he is, what he does, and knows his name. There won't be that many people who fly the Residence, so it is trivial for the route manager or station managers at LHR or AUH to keep an eye out for his name on a manifest. On the day that they see he is flying, inform all crew of who he is and what a good review from him will mean for the airline. We saw what was rumored to have happened when he gave a (deserved by the airline) less than stellar review of China Southern's A380 F service. It certainly drew a huge discussion on Weibo and other Chinese social media platforms and forums. Because of this, I see no way in wish he can give an unvarnished review of service.
It would be better if two people that the airline did not already know of flew the product and did a review. That would be a more accurate and fairer review of how the Residence actually works out, and not some version played up for when the provider knows a reviewer is trying a product. There is a reason that Michelin reviewers and other reviewers do their absolute best to maintain anonymity. Who wants to pay for MY (and another FTer's) Residence ticket!
Sadly, searching "etihad" "residence" on Google gives his post promoting his KS the fourth spot, and the KS itself the fifth spot.
As is, Etihad is fully aware of who he is, what he does, and knows his name. There won't be that many people who fly the Residence, so it is trivial for the route manager or station managers at LHR or AUH to keep an eye out for his name on a manifest. On the day that they see he is flying, inform all crew of who he is and what a good review from him will mean for the airline. We saw what was rumored to have happened when he gave a (deserved by the airline) less than stellar review of China Southern's A380 F service. It certainly drew a huge discussion on Weibo and other Chinese social media platforms and forums. Because of this, I see no way in wish he can give an unvarnished review of service.
It would be better if two people that the airline did not already know of flew the product and did a review. That would be a more accurate and fairer review of how the Residence actually works out, and not some version played up for when the provider knows a reviewer is trying a product. There is a reason that Michelin reviewers and other reviewers do their absolute best to maintain anonymity. Who wants to pay for MY (and another FTer's) Residence ticket!
Sadly, searching "etihad" "residence" on Google gives his post promoting his KS the fourth spot, and the KS itself the fifth spot.
Actually what would've been even more interesting and less self-serving for OMAAT, would have been to use the funding to do something like that and fund a reader's travel too.
Or if that were a bridge too far financially, just send a lucky reader. Maybe not just a completely random reader if he's wanting to be sure of a good review. He could've done interviews or something, I don't know....then randomly draw from his top finalists. I'm sure there would be some way to do it.
But then not publicize the person's identity or date of trip ahead of time, so they'd just be a random customer in Eithad's eyes. So it also addresses the issue you addressed above.
Long-term I'd think the huge publicity and goodwill from something like that would have been better than this particular venture.