Email campaign to ban frequent flyer programs
Mar 8, 2002 | 8:09 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2000
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Email campaign to ban frequent flyer programs
I received this forwarded email this morning. I find amusing and horrifying at the same time.
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">
I am a taxpayer. I work hard for my money so that I can feed my family, but the Government takes a chunk of my income in the form of taxes. Taxes are essential so that the Government can provide citizens with various services best administered by the state. Taxes are not intended for the Government to hand out my hard-earned money to failing businesses.
When the Government unilaterally decided to siphon my tax dollars into the airline's pockets back in September, they did so under the guise that the airlines would fail if they did not receive my charity. The airlines succesfully pulled off one of the biggest confidence scams in history. Not only do they continue to operate today, but they continue to dole out free travel to their "frequent flyer club members".
Everyone knows a "frequent flyer club member". These people are usually your obnoxious neighbors who cannot stop bragging about how they take all their vacations for free in First Class using their "frequent flyer miles". "Free" is a relative term though. Even though they do not pay, their vacations are now being subsidized by my tax dollar.
These same "frequent flyer club members" are also the people who complain about airport security taking too long and whine when their special lines for security are taken away. They are too selfish to realize that our country is at war and that we must all make sacrifices for the sake of our children's future.
The airlines need to terminate these "clubs" immediately. I cannot stand passive and allow my hard earned money to be used for someone else's vacation, or for someone else to fly in First Class.
Please take the time to write your Congressman, your Senator and the Department of Transportation asking them to ban these "frequent flyer clubs". You can write to the Department of Transportation at Aviation Consumer Protection Division, Room 4107, C-75,
Washington, DC 20590 or simply add your name to the bottom of this email and forward it to [email protected]</font>
I am a taxpayer. I work hard for my money so that I can feed my family, but the Government takes a chunk of my income in the form of taxes. Taxes are essential so that the Government can provide citizens with various services best administered by the state. Taxes are not intended for the Government to hand out my hard-earned money to failing businesses.
When the Government unilaterally decided to siphon my tax dollars into the airline's pockets back in September, they did so under the guise that the airlines would fail if they did not receive my charity. The airlines succesfully pulled off one of the biggest confidence scams in history. Not only do they continue to operate today, but they continue to dole out free travel to their "frequent flyer club members".
Everyone knows a "frequent flyer club member". These people are usually your obnoxious neighbors who cannot stop bragging about how they take all their vacations for free in First Class using their "frequent flyer miles". "Free" is a relative term though. Even though they do not pay, their vacations are now being subsidized by my tax dollar.
These same "frequent flyer club members" are also the people who complain about airport security taking too long and whine when their special lines for security are taken away. They are too selfish to realize that our country is at war and that we must all make sacrifices for the sake of our children's future.
The airlines need to terminate these "clubs" immediately. I cannot stand passive and allow my hard earned money to be used for someone else's vacation, or for someone else to fly in First Class.
Please take the time to write your Congressman, your Senator and the Department of Transportation asking them to ban these "frequent flyer clubs". You can write to the Department of Transportation at Aviation Consumer Protection Division, Room 4107, C-75,
Washington, DC 20590 or simply add your name to the bottom of this email and forward it to [email protected]</font>
Mar 8, 2002 | 8:19 am
#3
Join Date: Jan 2002
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[quote]<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by B747-437B:
I received this forwarded email this morning. I find amusing and horrifying at the same time.
Interesting how he complains about paying for someone else's vacation, yet fails to explain exactly how his money is used that way. Obviously he thinks his tax money being used for the bailout somehow directly benefits us FF's in the form of free travel. Personally, I think his logic is severely flawed.
Last time I checked, I have to pay for my own vacations, which I think sucks
. But what are you gonna do....
Brings to mind a great quote from Mark Twain - "It is better to keep one's mouth shut and be thought a fool, than to open it and remove all doubt." Or something like that.
I received this forwarded email this morning. I find amusing and horrifying at the same time.
The airlines need to terminate these "clubs" immediately. I cannot stand passive and allow my hard earned money to be used for someone else's vacation, or for someone else to fly in First Class.
/QUOTE]
/QUOTE]
</font>
Last time I checked, I have to pay for my own vacations, which I think sucks
. But what are you gonna do....Brings to mind a great quote from Mark Twain - "It is better to keep one's mouth shut and be thought a fool, than to open it and remove all doubt." Or something like that.
Mar 8, 2002 | 8:27 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Location: Massachusetts, USA; AA 2.996MM & Plat Pro, DL 1MM, GM & Flying Colonel
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Whatever this person does for a living, whatever his or her lifestyle (short of a loincloth in a jungle), he or she surely patronizes some businesses on a regular basis and is rewarded for doing so. Maybe it's something as simple as a card they stamp every time you buy a cup of coffee that gets you a free cup when you have six or ten stamps. I wonder what he/she thinks the difference is between that and what the airlines do? Do I hear any complaints that the taxpayers are, in some unexplained, mysterious way, subsidizing that "free" cup of coffee?
I'm with geo1004 in not losing sleep over it. Congress's priorities aren't always mine, but I suspect they have other things on their mind these days.
I'm with geo1004 in not losing sleep over it. Congress's priorities aren't always mine, but I suspect they have other things on their mind these days.
Mar 8, 2002 | 8:44 am
#5
Join Date: Dec 1999
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Efrem:
I wonder what he/she thinks the difference is between that and what the airlines do? Do I hear any complaints that the taxpayers are, in some unexplained, mysterious way, subsidizing that "free" cup of coffee?</font>
I wonder what he/she thinks the difference is between that and what the airlines do? Do I hear any complaints that the taxpayers are, in some unexplained, mysterious way, subsidizing that "free" cup of coffee?</font>
In any case, that email is total nonsense.
------------------
Getting closer to 2000 posts, one meaningless post at a time.
Mar 8, 2002 | 9:15 am
#6
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Bethesda, MD USA
Posts: 2,802
The joker who wrote that must have way too much time on his hands. If he really wants to save the government some money, why doesn't he write to his Congressional reps and ask them to stop the program to hand out $1.8 million to the families of those who died in the terrorist attacks?
Don't get me wrong, what happened to those folks was horrible and an atrocity. But you know what, some $250K a year bond trader ought to be buying life insurance, and if he didn't, I really don't feel compelled to pick up the tab for him.
Don't get me wrong, what happened to those folks was horrible and an atrocity. But you know what, some $250K a year bond trader ought to be buying life insurance, and if he didn't, I really don't feel compelled to pick up the tab for him.
Mar 8, 2002 | 9:28 am
#7
Join Date: May 2001
Location: PDX
Posts: 863
It looks to me like a cunning device to harvest email eddresses of the extremely stupid for the purpose of selling them a 'Phone Zapper' or 'Gerber Life Insurance for children'
edited to add - No offence to any FTer of course.
[This message has been edited by RDY3238 (edited 03-08-2002).]
edited to add - No offence to any FTer of course.
[This message has been edited by RDY3238 (edited 03-08-2002).]
Mar 8, 2002 | 9:30 am
#8
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by mdtony:
Don't get me wrong, what happened to those folks was horrible and an atrocity. But you know what, some $250K a year bond trader ought to be buying life insurance, and if he didn't, I really don't feel compelled to pick up the tab for him.</font>
Don't get me wrong, what happened to those folks was horrible and an atrocity. But you know what, some $250K a year bond trader ought to be buying life insurance, and if he didn't, I really don't feel compelled to pick up the tab for him.</font>
Does life insurance cover this sort of thing? I thought that most policies said that they do not cover deaths that are as a result of war, if declared or not.
With the govt calling 9/11 an act of war, does that make it official?
Mar 8, 2002 | 10:15 am
#12
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Everyone knows a "frequent flyer club member". These people are usually your obnoxious neighbors who cannot stop bragging about how they take all their vacations for free in First Class using their "frequent flyer miles".</font>
P.S. I am not onbnoxious, nor do I brag about my miles ... I simply gloat discretely in First Class.
Mar 8, 2002 | 10:19 am
#13
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He also failed to mention that business travelers (who earn the bulk of FF miles) also pay super high fares.
While I agree that the airlines should probably pay back the $5B in cash at some point in the next couple years, getting rid of FF programs will cost the airlines more than it will save. AAdvantage makes a fortune from its partners.
And he wants to close airline clubs? The airline clubs we pay a yearly membership fee for? If that's a good idea, we should be able to close other things people have paid for. Let's close this guy's house.
Maybe you should reply to whomever sent you this nonsense with a link to this thread. Education is important.
d
While I agree that the airlines should probably pay back the $5B in cash at some point in the next couple years, getting rid of FF programs will cost the airlines more than it will save. AAdvantage makes a fortune from its partners.
And he wants to close airline clubs? The airline clubs we pay a yearly membership fee for? If that's a good idea, we should be able to close other things people have paid for. Let's close this guy's house.
Maybe you should reply to whomever sent you this nonsense with a link to this thread. Education is important.
d
Mar 8, 2002 | 10:25 am
#14
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Chapel Hill, NC--
Posts: 169
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by dbaker:
I don't know much about this, but . . .
Does life insurance cover this sort of thing? I thought that most policies said that they do not cover deaths that are as a result of war, if declared or not.
With the govt calling 9/11 an act of war, does that make it official?</font>
I don't know much about this, but . . .
Does life insurance cover this sort of thing? I thought that most policies said that they do not cover deaths that are as a result of war, if declared or not.
With the govt calling 9/11 an act of war, does that make it official?</font>
My understanding is that most life insurance companies were paying out for 9-11. Some stated that it was an act of good will, etc.
As for the original email... I can think of a lot of other things that the government "subsidizes" in a much more direct manner than FFers. Hmmm, seems the author has a lot more emails to write.
Last I checked the airline bailout was yesterday's news anyway.
Mar 8, 2002 | 10:43 am
#15
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by B747-437B:
I received this forwarded email this morning. I find amusing and horrifying at the same time.
I received this forwarded email this morning. I find amusing and horrifying at the same time.
I am a taxpayer. I work hard for my money so that I can feed my family, but the Government takes a chunk of my income in the form of taxes. Taxes are essential so that the Government can provide citizens with various services best administered by the state. Taxes are not intended for the Government to hand out my hard-earned money to failing businesses.
When the Government unilaterally decided to siphon my tax dollars into the airline's pockets back in September, they did so under the guise that the airlines would fail if they did not receive my charity. The airlines succesfully pulled off one of the biggest confidence scams in history. Not only do they continue to operate today, but they continue to dole out free travel to their "frequent flyer club members".
Everyone knows a "frequent flyer club member". These people are usually your obnoxious neighbors who cannot stop bragging about how they take all their vacations for free in First Class using their "frequent flyer miles". "Free" is a relative term though. Even though they do not pay, their vacations are now being subsidized by my tax dollar.
These same "frequent flyer club members" are also the people who complain about airport security taking too long and whine when their special lines for security are taken away. They are too selfish to realize that our country is at war and that we must all make sacrifices for the sake of our children's future.
The airlines need to terminate these "clubs" immediately. I cannot stand passive and allow my hard earned money to be used for someone else's vacation, or for someone else to fly in First Class.
Please take the time to write your Congressman, your Senator and the Department of Transportation asking them to ban these "frequent flyer clubs". You can write to the Department of Transportation at Aviation Consumer Protection Division, Room 4107, C-75,
Washington, DC 20590 or simply add your name to the bottom of this email and forward it to [email protected]</font>
When the Government unilaterally decided to siphon my tax dollars into the airline's pockets back in September, they did so under the guise that the airlines would fail if they did not receive my charity. The airlines succesfully pulled off one of the biggest confidence scams in history. Not only do they continue to operate today, but they continue to dole out free travel to their "frequent flyer club members".
Everyone knows a "frequent flyer club member". These people are usually your obnoxious neighbors who cannot stop bragging about how they take all their vacations for free in First Class using their "frequent flyer miles". "Free" is a relative term though. Even though they do not pay, their vacations are now being subsidized by my tax dollar.
These same "frequent flyer club members" are also the people who complain about airport security taking too long and whine when their special lines for security are taken away. They are too selfish to realize that our country is at war and that we must all make sacrifices for the sake of our children's future.
The airlines need to terminate these "clubs" immediately. I cannot stand passive and allow my hard earned money to be used for someone else's vacation, or for someone else to fly in First Class.
Please take the time to write your Congressman, your Senator and the Department of Transportation asking them to ban these "frequent flyer clubs". You can write to the Department of Transportation at Aviation Consumer Protection Division, Room 4107, C-75,
Washington, DC 20590 or simply add your name to the bottom of this email and forward it to [email protected]</font>
I would like to think that this is someone's idea of a joke, but unfortunately, there really are individuals who think this way. I would add more but I have to go next door and tell my neighbour that I'm off on another trip at his expense! 