2 reservations; same hotel; same person; same nights....?
Jul 27, 2014, 9:00 am
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
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Right! It’s easy to come up with legitimate examples such as booking extra rooms for accompanying family, friends, and business associates. But some of the situations described in this thread don’t seem entirely legitimate to me:
- decide between Virtuoso and points
- see whether guests will show up
- find out whether a promotion will be offered
- decide how long to stay
From the discussions in the AA forum it looks as if AA would take away all of your miles and kick you out of AAdvantage for this sort of thing. I suppose the problem must be that these tactics take away inventory and drive up prices on the basis of false demand. They might also result in empty rooms/seats when real customers could have booked them.
- decide between Virtuoso and points
- see whether guests will show up
- find out whether a promotion will be offered
- decide how long to stay
From the discussions in the AA forum it looks as if AA would take away all of your miles and kick you out of AAdvantage for this sort of thing. I suppose the problem must be that these tactics take away inventory and drive up prices on the basis of false demand. They might also result in empty rooms/seats when real customers could have booked them.
Businesses will set their own limits in tolerance of deceitful and manipulative behaviors. You noted that American Airlines has taken strong action.
Jul 27, 2014, 9:09 am
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP
Posts: 11,329
...From the discussions in the AA forum it looks as if AA would take away all of your miles and kick you out of AAdvantage for this sort of thing. I suppose the problem must be that these tactics take away inventory and drive up prices on the basis of false demand. They might also result in empty rooms/seats when real customers could have booked them.
Booking rooms months ahead and cancelling well ahead is an acceptable action. After all, that is what many consolidators do, granted in bulk and not just a few rooms at a time (and their contact may allow for night-before cancellation). Those properties that don't wish their inventory to be manipulated in such a manor will invoke a longer cancellation window (like resorts that can have a 30-day window).
Personally, I'm not fond of all the price manipulation businesses do, but then marketing was not my forte in school. In accounting a $50 product was a $50 product, not $47.50, $50, and $65 depending upon the sales channel.