View from the Wing [VFTW] discussions
Apr 25, 2014, 8:28 pm
#121
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: SEA
Posts: 3,955
Great that he's not taking anything - I don't think he would outright do so. But he's already a phone call away from having HHonors Gold anyway.
Apr 25, 2014, 9:11 pm
#122
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
^
Originally Posted by PWMTrav
Gary has an Amex Platinum. It's in his "what's in my wallet" post from not long ago. Therefore, he has HHonors Gold as long as he calls in and asks for it. Does a travel blogger really not know that?
Great that he's not taking anything - I don't think he would outright do so. But he's already a phone call away from having HHonors Gold anyway.
Great that he's not taking anything - I don't think he would outright do so. But he's already a phone call away from having HHonors Gold anyway.
<shrug>
Apr 25, 2014, 9:45 pm
#123
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
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Posts: 21,624
Apr 25, 2014, 11:36 pm
#124
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
I don't know how anyone can conclude that the AAdvantage folks are "still improving" when AAdvantage hasn't produced any concrete public evidence of either actual improvements or at the least, better management and rollout of devaluations. In fact "still" improving seems to imply some improvement has been happening in the past, and that's a joke.
Apr 26, 2014, 9:10 am
#125
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 was telling my wife about this thread this morning.
She said 'how is taking gold from hilton any different than taking cash from chase? Hotels and credit cards are both products he reviews and recommends. He should either take both or neither.'
I didn't have a good answer.
I guess you either trust bloggers or you don't.
She said 'how is taking gold from hilton any different than taking cash from chase? Hotels and credit cards are both products he reviews and recommends. He should either take both or neither.'
I didn't have a good answer.
I guess you either trust bloggers or you don't.
Apr 26, 2014, 10:51 am
#126
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
Gary addressed my wife's question directly:
I’m far from pure. There are comps that I would take. If Aman Resorts wanted to give me a suite at one of their better properties, I would take it. I think the old apocryphal Winston Churchill story makes sense here (“now we’re just haggling over price”). But I’m not going to give anyone the idea that my reviews and opinions are influenced by a mere Gold status.
Apr 27, 2014, 6:23 pm
#127
Join Date: May 2007
Location: ORD, DEL
Programs: AA (Plt Pro; 1.5 MM)
Posts: 6,185
I think the old apocryphal Winston Churchill story makes sense here (“now we’re just haggling over price”).
Apr 28, 2014, 2:27 am
#128
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,185
VFTW accepting or not accepting comps is a huge issue in the blogosphere... but as Mrs Koko put it, it really doesn't matter. The HH gold for Amex Plat was out there only for a trial period in Q4/2013, it was not there when I called in for it in Feb 2014.
VFTW and OMAAT (plus probably some others, but I don't all) clearly mentioned some weeks ago that achieving elite status (ie forking over a lot of cash... erm loyalty to one airline) doesn't benefit anyone, just sign up for cards, do manufactured spend and live the great life of premium travel.
Taking such positions basically disqualifies you in the eyes of the managers administering the programs. Any points you make are considered, but not really deal breakers for upcoming changes. Instead the collective howl in the blogosphere probably confirmed that they made the right changes
VFTW and OMAAT (plus probably some others, but I don't all) clearly mentioned some weeks ago that achieving elite status (ie forking over a lot of cash... erm loyalty to one airline) doesn't benefit anyone, just sign up for cards, do manufactured spend and live the great life of premium travel.
Taking such positions basically disqualifies you in the eyes of the managers administering the programs. Any points you make are considered, but not really deal breakers for upcoming changes. Instead the collective howl in the blogosphere probably confirmed that they made the right changes
Apr 28, 2014, 3:06 am
#129
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA, VS, HH, IHG, MB, MR
Posts: 26,871
Frankly if Hilton offered me free Gold (which isn't necessary, since I live in Australia and have a Visa Infinite card :-) ) as a comp, I would be embarrassed. Diamond, yes ....
(Not that the benefits are any better, but you need to have principles!)
The whole thing is bizarre UNLESS you assume Gary is, by association, making a point to people who think he has been bought off by AA!
(Not that the benefits are any better, but you need to have principles!)
The whole thing is bizarre UNLESS you assume Gary is, by association, making a point to people who think he has been bought off by AA!
Apr 30, 2014, 7:52 pm
#130
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: check swarm
Programs: DL DM & 2MM, SPG/Bonvoid LT Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, $tarbucks Titanium
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Neat? One of the co-owners of MilePoint/Freddies/FTU posted on social media with excitement that he was headed to DFW to see one of his favorite AA execs. On one hand it was transparent, but on the other hand it made me cringe thinking back to this thread.
May 5, 2014, 10:01 pm
#131
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
Remember when points and miles folks used to have favorite lounge attendants or flight attendants?
This game has changed...into a business.
VFTW accepting or not accepting comps is a huge issue in the blogosphere... but as Mrs Koko put it, it really doesn't matter. The HH gold for Amex Plat was out there only for a trial period in Q4/2013, it was not there when I called in for it in Feb 2014.
VFTW and OMAAT (plus probably some others, but I don't all) clearly mentioned some weeks ago that achieving elite status (ie forking over a lot of cash... erm loyalty to one airline) doesn't benefit anyone, just sign up for cards, do manufactured spend and live the great life of premium travel.
Taking such positions basically disqualifies you in the eyes of the managers administering the programs. Any points you make are considered, but not really deal breakers for upcoming changes. Instead the collective howl in the blogosphere probably confirmed that they made the right changes
VFTW and OMAAT (plus probably some others, but I don't all) clearly mentioned some weeks ago that achieving elite status (ie forking over a lot of cash... erm loyalty to one airline) doesn't benefit anyone, just sign up for cards, do manufactured spend and live the great life of premium travel.
Taking such positions basically disqualifies you in the eyes of the managers administering the programs. Any points you make are considered, but not really deal breakers for upcoming changes. Instead the collective howl in the blogosphere probably confirmed that they made the right changes
Where does he suppose the credit card issuers get the cash to pay him his hundreds dollar commissions per sign up!? From annual fees!?
The whole business model, including affiliate payments, is BUiLT on people making irrational financial decisions. If everyone took his advice he would be out of the advice business and back to the advice hobby.
Last edited by kokonutz; May 5, 2014 at 10:09 pm
May 6, 2014, 3:31 am
#132
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA, VS, HH, IHG, MB, MR
Posts: 26,871
May 6, 2014, 2:12 pm
#133
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: check swarm
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Posts: 14,404
May 23, 2014, 12:06 pm
#134
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,624
View from the Wing calls out the AAdvantage police via non-censored comments
Read his post. Here's what I wrote there:
Also see this presumably related discussion in the AA forum.
What a clever tactic: Post the general outline and rely on readers to name names. Nobody can blame Gary for that because this blog has an established policy against censoring comments. Well played!
If other bloggers need a reason to stop censoring comments, this example should suffice.
If other bloggers need a reason to stop censoring comments, this example should suffice.
May 23, 2014, 2:18 pm
#135
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,185
Strange blog post. If that individual at AA was so vile, why not email some of his contacts high up in AA and ask them why such a person was going after the innocent?
When I was audited by US in 2011 I just emailed Fern and asked why. Soon after the audit block was lifted.
When I was audited by US in 2011 I just emailed Fern and asked why. Soon after the audit block was lifted.