Alaska confirms: 'travel hackers' killed their Emirates Offerings
Apr 1, 2016, 2:30 pm
#31
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And it always was. Say you needed 100K for an award and you were chugging along "normally" and finally made it to 75K after some period of time. Or even to 95K. You still needed more and a 30-day warning probably wouldn't have been enough to get the rest.
What warning/window would have been sufficient for a "normal" member of the program who earns through a combination of flying and regular (not churning/MS) co-brand CC activity? Someone will say 30 days and someone else will demand at least 90. There's no sufficient answer.
As for lawsuits, I think that the UA MMer suit set sufficient precedent to show that there is not a valid claim, but that doesn't mean someone wouldn't try. But I doubt that was a significant factor at play here.
What warning/window would have been sufficient for a "normal" member of the program who earns through a combination of flying and regular (not churning/MS) co-brand CC activity? Someone will say 30 days and someone else will demand at least 90. There's no sufficient answer.
As for lawsuits, I think that the UA MMer suit set sufficient precedent to show that there is not a valid claim, but that doesn't mean someone wouldn't try. But I doubt that was a significant factor at play here.
I share doubts that litigation was the reason for AS granting a refund allowance for recent mileage purchases. AS makes too much money from selling miles to want to kill that goose by telling all its loyalty program customers that they should have no faith in AS when buying AS miles or crediting partner activity to an AS account.
Apr 1, 2016, 2:57 pm
#32
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This would have been nice. I will make MVPG75K again this year, and recently used my BIS-earned miles for an EK F redemption. I booked it assuming there had to be a deval coming up, as this is what happens with FF miles. But I am admittedly surprised by how much more the new EK F redemption costs. Some sort of exception for elites, or for example, upping the annual MVPG75K mileage bonus from 50k to 75k or 100k miles, would soften the blow. Not that I expect it to happen.
Apr 1, 2016, 4:09 pm
#33
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Sure, the airlines create the bubbles then the airlines pop the bubbles. It's their bespoke currency...they are free to manipulate it any way they please.
Whining about how 'unfair' it is that an airline mnipulates its currency after hacking that airline seems both naive and selfish....a bit like Yogi Bear b!tching about the fact that people don't cool their pies on window sills anymore...@:-)
Whining about how 'unfair' it is that an airline mnipulates its currency after hacking that airline seems both naive and selfish....a bit like Yogi Bear b!tching about the fact that people don't cool their pies on window sills anymore...@:-)
Apr 1, 2016, 4:14 pm
#34
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Apr 1, 2016, 4:17 pm
#35
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To continue the blame-shifting game started by Alaska, here's Ben (trying to) shift the blame: http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.c...ruining-deals/
I will say he made a couple of good points such as AS pumping miles sales for the last couple of years and profiting from it. Alaska isn't a victim here, either, as much as they may (attempt to) act like one with their blog post.
I will say he made a couple of good points such as AS pumping miles sales for the last couple of years and profiting from it. Alaska isn't a victim here, either, as much as they may (attempt to) act like one with their blog post.
Apr 1, 2016, 4:41 pm
#36
Join Date: Apr 2011
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I guess what I don't understand is this: they only upped the award chart for EK. Where are the people outraged about this going that can't be re-routed on CX or AA in F?
I genuinely don't know much about these awards so I'm not sure if there was a sweet spot. I know Australia is basically the holy grail of awards but why would it be more attractive to route via DXB over HKG on CX / LAX on AA? Maybe I'm missing something but I am also not one of those that purposely spends more time on a plane than I need to.
I genuinely don't know much about these awards so I'm not sure if there was a sweet spot. I know Australia is basically the holy grail of awards but why would it be more attractive to route via DXB over HKG on CX / LAX on AA? Maybe I'm missing something but I am also not one of those that purposely spends more time on a plane than I need to.
Apr 1, 2016, 5:12 pm
#38
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And the circle is round.
Apr 1, 2016, 5:33 pm
#39
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US airline loyalty programs that do business with counterparties outside of the US are NOT excluded from all foreign litigation/liability exposure; nor are they immune from being subject to non-US courts. Do you really think that a US airline has never been subject to a foreign court over matters involving the airline's loyalty program?
Last edited by GUWonder; Apr 1, 2016 at 5:38 pm
Apr 1, 2016, 6:00 pm
#40
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To continue the blame-shifting game started by Alaska, here's Ben (trying to) shift the blame: http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.c...ruining-deals/
I will say he made a couple of good points such as AS pumping miles sales for the last couple of years and profiting from it. Alaska isn't a victim here, either, as much as they may (attempt to) act like one with their blog post.
I will say he made a couple of good points such as AS pumping miles sales for the last couple of years and profiting from it. Alaska isn't a victim here, either, as much as they may (attempt to) act like one with their blog post.
And if he truly did share things out of the good of his heart - then why didn't he share the lucrative LM tricks that he had made use of on a regular basis? Oh right, AV isn't giving him any kickbacks to do so, and he wanted the cheap LH F flights to last a while longer...
The whole mileage game has been largely American-centric ever since I could remember!
Last edited by tng11; Apr 1, 2016 at 6:05 pm
More like maximizing your own wallet.
Apr 1, 2016, 7:05 pm
#42
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Rather disingenuous of Lucky to make himself look like he's the benevolent Robin Hood just sharing deals with his readership out of the good of his heart. He used EK F and showers to pimp Alaska credit cards to the extreme, which no doubt contributed to the devaluation. But of course, Alaska did have a role in it by selling miles and probably profited handsomely from it until EK stopped the music for them.
And if he truly did share things out of the good of his heart - then why didn't he share the lucrative LM tricks that he had made use of on a regular basis? Oh right, AV isn't giving him any kickbacks to do so, and he wanted the cheap LH F flights to last a while longer...
And if he truly did share things out of the good of his heart - then why didn't he share the lucrative LM tricks that he had made use of on a regular basis? Oh right, AV isn't giving him any kickbacks to do so, and he wanted the cheap LH F flights to last a while longer...
+100. Nothing to add. Hypocrisy on display.
Apr 1, 2016, 7:06 pm
#43
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I'd love to see some examples of cases which have seen a foreign claim actually go to trial and or verdict. Please feel free to share some; I cannot think of any off-hand.
Apr 1, 2016, 7:11 pm
#44
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IMHO, we're nearing a point where airlines have strayed far enough from the intended protections of the ADA that a state or federal consumer protection agency will take their shot.
Cheers!
Last edited by RFDMinnesota; Apr 1, 2016 at 7:12 pm Reason: Grammar... Bleh
Apr 1, 2016, 7:23 pm
#45
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