crAAzy

I refer you to the following threads:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum71/HTML/018465.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum15/HTML/005093.html

While there seems to be differing opinions on this topic, one thing seems clear. It does nothing to encourage what many consider to be valuable and insightful posts from airline employees and other people in the business. In fact, it seems to be driving them away.

In addition, since some people may not be aware of their "outing" the question of security and safety has been raised.

While there seems to be no formal rule on FT about situations like this, maybe consideration should be given to the appropriateness such posts.

One possible solution - no posting of both first and last names in a title or the body of a thread.

mymiles2go

Randy, I don't often comment in this forum. But this is a serious issue that needs to be looked at. I believe someone needs to serious develop a policy about posting ANYONES personal information (that includes their real name) without that person written (e-mail is fine) permission. We cannot have a community that must fear retaliation for either helping customers (in the case of airline/hotel employees) or circumstances where general members themselves are targeted (which has occurred in the past) for simply expressing their opinions.

Regardless of where one stands on the issue of airline/hotel/etc employees communicating via this forum unofficially - the issue of posting ones real name and/or any associated details needs to be looked at. In many cases having such details on the internet can seriously impair ones personal & professional lives. I am absolutely sure that is not the point of Fltyertalk. You yourself said slightly over an hour ago that some members needed to focus on the “best of FlyerTalk topics that are about miles and points”. There is ZERO that anything about posting one’s real name in a public forum has to do with miles and points. 99.9999% of all issues raised in the forums are solved without EVER mentioning one’s real name.

Thanks

robb

I agree. Ariline employees go to work and do their jobs for better or worse, and they didn't sign up for global, personal criticism.

I'd go even further and say that you shouldn't be able to post praise by name. Oftentimes, we praise employees for something that we liked, but it might not be something the airline likes.

If you post it here and we come to expect it from the airline, then that person might get fired.

I think our privacy policy does cover this, but it should be enforced that you can't name names.

Punki

I totally agree with mymiles2go. No one should refer to anyone by their real name on line without specific permission.

There have been several occasions where FlyerTalkers whom I have not met, and would never give permission to call me by my first name in real life, have used my real first name on the boards. I was very suprised at this lack of tact and good netiquette, although, they did immediately change their post when requested to do so.

I will admit that once, after just having e-mailed a friend, using his real first name, I accidentally referred to him on-line with his real name. I didn't even realize what I had done until he pointed it out.

Some people could care less, but others are sensitive. It is a good idea to ask first.

Rudi

can I please keep my '
Rudi' handle and all my FlyerTalker-colleagues should please be allowed to go-on addressing my posts and mentioning my 'Rudi' handle? please!

But I agree with the above posts,.iI the poster him-/herself or a third person working for the airline/hotel/car-rental or credit-card business doesn't expresivly agree, FlyerTalkers should not be 'allowed' to post their real names/identities.

I herewith agree, that you all can go on using my real-name Rudi when posting on FlyerTalk.

robb

But you don't agree with me, P*nki?

Randy Petersen

Well, for the record, I happen to agree. There's certainly the same opportunity to explain your fustrations with a programs and get results or attention to the same without the pure mention of someone's name in headlines. But as has been noted here - there is no clear sign from a select group of members - those on that thread - of handling the issue one way or another. Of course that would leave it to a judgement call and we know that generally speaking 50% of those involved are never happy with that.

Let me noodle it a little more. I did actually go back in to that thread earlier today and edit out the employee's name from the thread title as it seemed there was some resolve to the issue. This was not to censure the member's post but rather acknowledge that the issue had changed as the thread and additional information came into being.

My only regret in this is that it comes up to install yet another 'rule.' Even a lawyer might say that rules are still subject to interpretation.... yikes.

UALOneKPlus

I agree with robb

The problem with naming names here is that the accused most of the time will not be aware of the posting here, and even if he/she were, he/she could be prohibited by the employer from presenting his/her side of the story here.

I have come across very rude and bad customer service people. Never once would I dream of outting a bad rep on a public IBB.

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there are somethings that money can't buy, everything else - priceless

ozstamps

In the case of one of the links posted above:

www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum15/HTML/005093.html

It is the FlyerTalker concerned who started the thread - saying they were leaving FT. It is a BA employee who posts valuable info on the boasts.

One Flyertalker gave that staffer grounds to feel he/she was being threatened in some way to be exposed to BA and may lose his/her job. The same FlyerTalker (foolishly and recklessly IMO) kept emphasising this point in the thread.

That issue is most concerning, and why any Flyertalker would choose to do that to a valuable BA contributor is one of life's mysteries.

No amount of changing the rules can stop further incidents like that. Only an intelligence injection (or some other deterrent) to the Flyertalker who repeatedly posted re the loss of job threat will do that IMO.

TxLobo

For whatever it is worth... I got a call from AA Customer Relations this afternoon. AA has done an about face on the issue at hand and the lady that called me twice yesterday has been overruled and the offer has bene pulled back off the table by a supervisor. No real explanation given. She did apologize for the "Illegal" comment and the problems with the DFW TA's but that was it....... AA has refused to refund the ticket from this weekend and I will be disputing it with my credit card company.

Right now I have cancelled AA flights and moved them over to Southwest Airlines.... which has made my client very very happy.

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AA member since 1981. Oracle Implementations .... Will Travel....

JonNYC

WOW-- that stinks. I certainly hope it in some weird way didn't have anything to do with your posting here? I seriously, seriously doubt it, but it's pretty odd for them to do that-- hope not in any case. Best of luck, I hope AA can win you back some time soon.

crAAzy

As much as I love AA ... I'm quite disappointed at this news. Hope they can make things right by you TxLobo. Makes you wonder if "Big (AA) Brother" is watching and how powerful your agent actually is

[This message has been edited by crAAzy (edited 09-24-2003).]

TxLobo

The supervisor who called me made it sound like a QC issue and she was following the CODE.... "ROBOTALK" Her comment was that since I did not have the original contact with AA placed into the PNR, which I readily admit I did not ask that to happen. That it was MY FAULT, that Kay Carlson was forced to put the comment into the record, though she should have used a different notation. Since Kay is a EXP Supervisor it is not Customer relations position to over ride her and allow the refund on the ticket, even if I had to purchase travel on another airline. (I know better than that.)

This response was totally unacceptable. The reason that I have placed so much of my business (which is very substantial)with AA is to be treated special when the situation arises.

The justification to my client for flying on AA versus Southwest has always been that I can get accomodation when needed that makes them competitive with other airlines. If I had paid the $1,350 additional collection at DFW it would have come right out of my pocket since it exceeded the contractual limit of $500 and could not be pre-approved on a Sunday.

This has sure been a whole lot of hassle, just to attend my daughter's softball game in Dallas....

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Oracle Implementations .... Will Travel....

Plato90s

My read of TxLobo's original post was that while the agent's actions were technically correct, it made very bad business sense.

It's sad to see that when AA had the opportunity to correct it, they screw up once again by following set rules instead of using some business sense.

I've posted the final update TxLobo posted on this thread to the original AA thread, but I'm afraid there's too much rancor to re-open that thread.

Thanks for sharing your experience with us, TxLobo, and I hope the one obstinate agent won't put you off AA on a permanent basis.

doc

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Is it agreed that posting others names, particulalry surnames of posters, is prohibited? I always thought it was myself. Has it been incorporated into the official TOS? FWIW, I would hope so!

Thanks.

-Mark