DC area interview subject?
 

Hi,

I'm a journalist in Washington DC with a major news network, working on a story for a bunch of our affiliates around the country about the state of frequent flier miles. I am not posting my work email address here because last time I put it on the web, I got a lot of spam. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I am looking to interview a DC-area resident with a lot of frequent flier miles who has had trouble redeeming them for their ideal travel itinerary. Preferably someone who has had to make compromises (changing their travel plans - dates or destinations - or redeeming their miles in alternative way - for products, theater tix, etc.) or has just let them sit in their accounts, unredeemed.

If this sounds like you, please email me (rather than posting here, if possible) with your name, daytime phone number, and a little about your experiences.

Please respond only if you feel like you really fit this description. If you're responding for someone you know who fits the bill, please ask them for your permission before you give me their information -- I don't want to catch anyone unawares!

Thanks,

Karen McKinley
email: [email protected]

Edited to say: I would swing by the DC area happy hour tonight and introduce myself in person - but alas will be on a plane tonight...!

[This message has been edited by karenhey (edited 01-22-2003).]

I don't fit the bill, since I'm not from the DC area, but ...

I must confess to being a tad disturbed by what seems, on the surface, to be an attempt to document a predetermined conclusion rather than to find out what's really going on. Could you explain why you're only looking for people who have had trouble redeeming miles? There are plenty of others, myself included, who have had no trouble redeeming miles, or whose troubles have been minimal and have not interfered with the essence of their plans. If you already have plenty of those and need some others to balance the story, fine, but inquiring minds want to know if this will be a balanced report or will just give the side of the story you seem to be looking for in this post.

At this point, I am trying to find out IF such problems are prevalent. I certainly know of many who have had good experiences. Although the story is just in the early stages, so may be evolving, the plan is to talk about how miles programs are/may be changing, and among other things different options for redeeming all those miles that are out there. Thanks.

Out of nothing more than curiousity......may I ask what difference the DC area residency has to do with the story?
Truly not trying to be difficult, just 1) not from DC, and 2) curious.
Best wishes in any event.

Welcome to FT, Karen. It's always nice to have reporters checking in for the latest FF buzz from time to time.

Please keep in mind that the rubric for this particular forum is "The official get together page for the FlyerTalk community." Meaning, queries such as yours while welcome if well-itentioned, don't really belong here. I think MilesBuzz is the more appropriate forum. Of course, the moderator of that forum may think it more appropriate for TravelBuzz and it may be moved yet again.

Cheers.

---------
essxjay
FT Community moderator

Come on by the Happy Hour - we'll all be there.

I was interviewed by Consumer Reports TV about three years ago on this very issue.

A P.S. before moving ...

As a former 16-year journalist myself, I can vouch for the validity of Karen's approach on this. Sure, reporters start out with some idea of the story they're after. But a good reporter -- and I think Karen has demonstrated this in her reply to Efrem -- will certainly revise the thesis of the story if evidence warrants it.

Let's give her some credit (unless she proves uncreditworthy http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif ) if not some good, solid input.

Hey folks, we're always kvetching that "the media" (how I *hate* that expression) is always getting it wrong. Let's prove the obverse ... ess

If you want a story on mileage redemption problems, post your request in the Continental forum.

Happy hour? What happy hour? where?

Or perhaps encourage someone from the CO board to post a link to here to avoid the no-no of cross-posting? (BTW, the original poster state she would prefer to be e-mailed directly.)

Karen, I'm a former 5-year DC resident in agreement with the post above. No problems here with redeeming miles on US, other than maybe needing to move preferred dates a day or two. Reading the airline boards here should give you something of a feel for which carriers' frequent flyers are having trouble with redemption.

Karen, I'd be happy to talk to you, but unfortunately for your story, I've only had good experiences. Nobody in my family has ever had a problem redeeming our miles for flights that we want.

I'm having a hard time understanding her approach. If she is looking for a story on miles redemption, fine, but to look just for one side right off the bat, I'm not so sure. If Karen talked to 20 of us, and 15 reported many problems with mileage programs, then fine report that, but what if she gets 15 stories that everything is fine in the paradise, will she still do the story?

Whew!
Good luck, Karen.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum95/HTML/002476.html

Good crowd. Just got back - but it is C*O*L*D out.