It’s Time to Show some Gratitude!
 

Most of us only remember what we didn’t get, and forget exactly what we received. We participated in one of the most lucrative promotions in the history of Frequent Flyer Programs; we received an incredible bonus at a rather small expense. I know for my family it allowed us to travel to incredible destinations around the world and with hotel transfer options like Hilton and Marriott, to take luxury vacations for very little expense.

It is payback time and we should show a little loyalty! GP is evolving its program and if you check your Global Pass account you will notice a great many merchants are offering products in the on line mall. Many items you would buy normally can also be purchased at the Mall. What’s wrong with giving GP a piece of the action? I have made several orders in the past few months and discovered some incredible bargains. Ex: Verizon DSL service for $14.95 a month and you receive 3,200 Global Pass Points.

This really isn’t about what the points are worth or how long it will take to earn them, this is about loyalty, and that is what Global Pass is: A LOYALTY PROGRAM. GP is not perfect, but neither is any other frequent flyer program, just read any of the other boards on this site. I am certain none of us had perfect parents, but for of all they did for us I hope we show them some respect. Certainly GP has not been a Father to any of us, but we must remember all they did that was good.

The best asset Global Pass has: is their people. I have never been treated disrespectfully by a representative of this company and if I had a question someone was always willing to find an answer. Many of the problems they have had are not problems they made on their own. As an example I know for certain the June 26th TACA cutoff was instituted by TACA and Global Pass has no control of this situation. They actually could have cut off tickets on June 1, and changed the rules completely but they at least gave some of us warning.

It is time to say thank you, and words are not enough. Go to the Global Pass Mall and make your Priceline reservations there. Purchase the nick knacks you were going to buy anyway from one of the many merchants. Remember the people at Global Pass, who were so nice to you, show some gratitude and try keeping them in business much longer. Think back to all that you received from this company. It is time to say thank you.

Once I can be assured that my CC wont be used buying GP its Office Supplies or given out to be used by someone, and their site is secure (which it hasnt been), I wouldnt have a problem using their site for purchases as long as Im not having to pay any more for the item.

Till Im convinced of that and until I receive All of my upcoming tkts , I will hold off buying off of GP. The MAIN issue is the potential use of my CC, and my Info finding its way into someone elses email as has happened recently.

cygone,

I think each of us needs to do as they feel best.

You state: As an example I know for certain the June 26th TACA cutoff was instituted by TACA and Global Pass has no control of this situation. They actually could have cut off tickets on June 1, and changed the rules completely but they at least gave some of us warning.

I do not know how you know for certain, but assume you must have inside info. BUT did they actually warn you of the June ending date with an email, letter, or phone call? I was not warned at all (and do not think others were either). I got my info from the FlyerTalk board from someone who had visited their web site, I believe. I feel the biggest concerns of LP/GP centered around the lack of communication to its customers. Therefore, I do not know how to "trust" future actions, based on the past. Will they pull the plug on their new programs without any notification to their customers again?

They said earlier this week that they had been monitoring this forum for a long time, but never once answered any of the many questions asked on it --- which would have help many and reduced the work load of their agents.

I think loyality is a two way street. And I did not feel LP/GP did their part.

But, for those that feel differently, I think they can continue to work with GP as they wish.

You do not have to worry about GP getting your credit card information. GP just acts as a referring site and I would assume gets a commission for each referral. You will be redirected to the site you wish to do business with and GP will not see any credit card information.

I don’t want to sound like I work for GP, I also had erroneous charges in Florida on my credit cards and had new cards issued. This information could have leaked out in a number of ways or GPs servers could have been hacked into. I recently received a letter from American Express in which they told me they may have accidentally revealed confidential information, so this kind of thing is just not happening to GP. Give them a break and now that you know the servers are secure how about throwing them some thank you business.

I know this because I asked a supervisor atTACA who insitituted the policy? He told me it was TACA, and Distancia reservation agents were not supposed to book GP awards after June 26th for travel next year. it is not inside information, I just asked the same question you can ask TACA.



"BUT did they actually warn you of the June ending date with an email, letter, or phone call? "

I was not warned but the fact is they were under no obligation to even give thirty days notice. I would also point out Loyal customers who visited the GP site were given warning. Would you prefer GP treated you the same way Distancia treated its customers when they notified members they would no longer be participating in Global Pass as of June 30th with a email they sent out on July 1st.

We participated in one of the most lucrative promotions in the history of frequent flyer programs and it is time to show some thanks.

Even with the fraudulent charges on my credit card I have to say we got one helluva deal with LatinPass/GlobalPass.

By the way mine and my associates credit cards were compromised by giving GP the numbers over the telephone and not by computer! Over four thousand dollars from four of us !

THANKS for the Heads Up!

Ive been fortunate in that so far B"H no unknown charges have appeared on my cards. But until everyone has gotten their promised tkts and without the extra charges being made to their cards - Ill wait it out before giving GP any Biz.

They need to prove themselves to US All.

cygone,

You defend GP above about having posted the warning on the web site. Yet I find your post (below) on 12 June in the Forum "Effective 6/30/05 ..... " where you stated that the GP Web posting was disguised and admit that GP should have contacted customers about the change.

GP could have showed loyality by posting answers to the numerous questions and issues that arose (including your own) by just posting to this forum -- which they montior per their own admission. Instead you and others needed to call frequently -- and then get conflicting answers.

Just because Distancia/TACA did not do the right thing, does not excuse GP.

I still accept your decision to remain Loyal to the program. I just cannot do so.

cygone post:

My point is Global Pass should have made some effort to contact at least the very best customers and notify them of the changes. Even the notification on the GP web site is disguised to appear as if only minor changes are occurring. I know if I had a reservation and was told it would take 130,000 miles when I made it and by the time I ticketed the amount had risen to 700,000 miles I would be a little more than upset. Certainly they should have sent out a letter, or at least tried to contact participants by email. If you know anybody who still has miles, it is time to call them and tell them of the changes.

bunch of problems....no surprise, right?
 

Give 'em a break? Why? >>I recently received a letter from American Express in which they told me they may accidentally revealed confidential information, so this kind of thing is just not happening to GP.<< The big difference here and the difference the author misses is that AMEX was forthcoming about the breach of confidentially - and as far as we know from this and past corporate revelations no one has been victimized. This GP Card Fraud issue is 100% different. GP has said nothing - ignores/denies the problem and we do know that there have been victims. BTW what happened to the CC FRAUD THREAD? Has GP gotten to WebFlyer? This was the 2nd most viewed thread in the forum.

Sapman,

It is just not just Distancia or GP that changes the rules or the awards without notice. Almost all of them do it. I would point out to you Hilton one of the most distinguished hotel programs did something very similar just a couple of years ago. Hilton had an award: for 400,000 Hilton points (at the time 200,000 LP Miles) you could get two airline tickets anywhere in the world on about twenty different airlines and six nights stay at any Hilton resort. My wife and I had made many transfers from our LP account to Hilton and had saved for these awards. On December 19th I learned by reading the Hilton board that they were discontinuing the award effective January 1st. Hilton gave no notice, nor no apology for the action. Fortunately because I read these boards I was able to have them issue two of the awards before the end of December. They also changed the terms of many of the most frequently used awards to cost as much as 75% more. I was a Diamond member spent an average of 100 nights a year in Hiltons and they did not bother to inform me or anyone else. I also had a very similar problem although not as drastic with Marriott a few years before that.

I agree with you that FF programs should not act in this manner but unfortunately most of them do. I was mad when GP changed its terms as you were but I have learned from several programs: the longer you wait to use miles the less value they have.

You all can choose to remember what you want about GP but this is what I choose to remember.

The Latin Pass run: I did it with my wife and two kids: went from June 5th to June 29th traveled thru Central and South America and we all had a great time (still talk about it when we all get together). Cost about $5,000 plus travel expenses: received 2,000,000 miles.

An African Safari with my wife: Hilton points (GP Transfer) and two Business class tickets from LA to Kenya on KLM.

Two Business Class tickets on TWA to Cairo and the kids went in coach to see some of the great wonders of the World.

Two Coach class tickets to Rome for my wife and I on US Air, and six nights at one of the greatest hotels in the world from Hilton.

Four tickets to Australia (Marriott Transfer) I think my wife and I had to add some miles so our tickets could be upgraded to Business. Kids went in coach. Received two seven night stays in Marriott hotels as part of this transfer as well. Used one in Sydney and actually used the other in New York City.

A trip to South Africa with the kids, Hilton transfer, but paid for the Safari.

Several trips to Central America (some great memories)

Still have a couple trips to come

You can remember what you wish, I am grateful for what I received, and GP if you read some of us really do remember you fondly.

Flyingformiles,

You are correct what AMEX did is not the same thing as what GP did. Amex accidentally released information about my personal portfolio account. It resulted in me having to sell some stock. Transfer mutual funds back to the originating company and about two days on the telephone. And it took them quite a while to realize the information had been leaked. Some speculation is the information was leaked over one year ago.

Now I have had two credit cards with fraudulent charges from Florida and have had to cancel them both and have reissues done. If I had my choice; believe me it is much easier to fill out the couple of pages of fraud documentation from the credit card company than to go thru the Amex experience again.

Certainly GP has made a mistake and if you have any actual loses, because of the mistake you may be able to approach GP about the losses you sustained. If it is just an inconvenience I sure hope GP is nicer to you than AMEX was to me. Amex charged me to close my account after they did not safeguard my personal information.

You were a very LUCKY person, It took me a few months until I was able to get LP to credit a missing flight and thusly get the 1M miles, not too lnog after teh ability to transfer miles to the Hotel programs was gone, I only got a few miles transferred.

It does seem from the above you were very fortunate in how it worked out for you, NOT so with most others. Had it worked for me as it did you I would be singing the praises also.

I agree, that you were very lucky to be able to travel the way you did. While the employees at LP/GP have been very pleasant to deal with for the most part, the company itself is as crooked as they come and did whatever they could to screw many of us who legitimately earned those miles out of them. Through misinformation on the part of one of their employees, my husband lost 500,000 of his million miles. Initially they wanted to take all of his miles. In a nutshell what happened was this. All travel and requirements were completed and documents hand delivered by us to the LP office in Miami in the first week of May 2000, however his award still hadn't posted by Nov. 2000. We wanted to use miles for tickets and consulted with the manager (can't remember her name off the top of my head) in the Miami office asking whether we would be able to book an award ticket using miles that were already in the account (there were enough). She booked the award for us saying that it would have no effect whatsoever on the award miles that we were still waiting for. Well, when his bonus finally posted in Dec. (which was an inordinate amount of time to wait in light of the fact that they had everything in their hands needed to post those miles on May 2, 2000) they changed their tune saying that the bonus was now void because he had used miles from his account before it posted. My husband made numerous calls to LP management, only to be stonewalled--finally they gave him 500K miles, which was still 500K short of what he had earned. This company has done nothing to earn our gratitude whatsoever. Neither my husband or I were made aware of the changes to their program in time to do anything with our miles---I learned of the changes on here in early July of this year and never did recieve any notification from GP, even though I am registered on their website. It's good that you were able to enjoy all of your miles, however after speaking with many others who were screwed out of miles and also stonewalled by LP, I believe you were the exception. Most of us have no reason to offer any gratitute to that company at all.

Underlines added to above.
First, you may get a nasty post from the GP Lurker on slander, etc. like I did -- and I didn't even say too much bad about them!!

Second, isn't it strange that they could not send email to us when the system was changing drastically or to explain the many questions that popped up continually, BUT since the miles program ended I have received a number of emails in the past month from them on their "good deals" for their new program! :td:

Yes, I agree, loyalty is earned by being upfront, honest, and with good communications. GP does not deserve it in my opinion.