Airplane cards from the cockpit
Apr 13, 2017, 5:40 am
#17
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,399
I'm curious: When pilots give out these cards, wings, brochures, and the activity books for kids, who pays for them? The pilot personally or does the airline provide a supply for the asking or even stock them when the aircraft is catered?
Jul 13, 2017, 7:15 pm
#20
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 180
United Trading Cards
Here is a little history on about the trading cards. I created them in 2002 and just had the Boeing 757 and Boeing 767 cards made for my customers. My thought in creating them was to engage as many customers as I can. Other pilots saw them and kept asking me to make them for the whole fleet. I took the idea to United and on Thanksgiving weekend of 2003 I delivered 1.8 million cards to United. Now a couple weeks later on December 9th United filed bankruptcy and since I was an unsecured creditor I was not paid. Well the word got out to all the pilots to put $2 in my company v-file. In the following weeks when I came to work my mail box was overflowing with cash and checks.
What a great group of pilots I worked with.
As far as what I have been up to since retirement you can ask me at Oshkosh. On July 23 at 7pm I will be giving a the kickoff speech.
What a great group of pilots I worked with.
As far as what I have been up to since retirement you can ask me at Oshkosh. On July 23 at 7pm I will be giving a the kickoff speech.
Jul 13, 2017, 7:41 pm
#21
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: BDL/NYC/BOS
Programs: UA/*A Gold, Global Entry, Marriott Plat, Hilton+IHG Gold, Hertz PC, DL
Posts: 1,752
Here is a little history on about the trading cards. I created them in 2002 and just had the Boeing 757 and Boeing 767 cards made for my customers. My thought in creating them was to engage as many customers as I can. Other pilots saw them and kept asking me to make them for the whole fleet. I took the idea to United and on Thanksgiving weekend of 2003 I delivered 1.8 million cards to United. Now a couple weeks later on December 9th United filed bankruptcy and since I was an unsecured creditor I was not paid. Well the word got out to all the pilots to put $2 in my company v-file. In the following weeks when I came to work my mail box was overflowing with cash and checks.
What a great group of pilots I worked with.
As far as what I have been up to since retirement you can ask me at Oshkosh. On July 23 at 7pm I will be giving a the kickoff speech.
What a great group of pilots I worked with.
As far as what I have been up to since retirement you can ask me at Oshkosh. On July 23 at 7pm I will be giving a the kickoff speech.
Jul 13, 2017, 8:16 pm
#22
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Programs: United Gold
Posts: 2,047
This reminded me to post.
on a recent pit-sfo flight, the captain (Gordo McQueen) not only had the signed cards distributed during the flight but also gave a several minute welcome message on the PA system in the gate area about 45 mins before the flight (15 from boarding?). Talked about the great weather, experience and service we should expect on the flight. Lots of smiles in the gate area after that. I don't think I have heard such a welcome before. Funny thing is, I found out he is from the PIT area but didn't mention that in his speech.
on a recent pit-sfo flight, the captain (Gordo McQueen) not only had the signed cards distributed during the flight but also gave a several minute welcome message on the PA system in the gate area about 45 mins before the flight (15 from boarding?). Talked about the great weather, experience and service we should expect on the flight. Lots of smiles in the gate area after that. I don't think I have heard such a welcome before. Funny thing is, I found out he is from the PIT area but didn't mention that in his speech.
Jul 13, 2017, 8:21 pm
#23
Moderator: Smoking Lounge; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: SFO
Programs: Lifetime (for now) Gold MM, HH Gold, Giving Tootsie Pops to UA employees, & a retired hockey goalie
Posts: 28,878
Here is a little history on about the trading cards. I created them in 2002 and just had the Boeing 757 and Boeing 767 cards made for my customers. My thought in creating them was to engage as many customers as I can. Other pilots saw them and kept asking me to make them for the whole fleet. I took the idea to United and on Thanksgiving weekend of 2003 I delivered 1.8 million cards to United. Now a couple weeks later on December 9th United filed bankruptcy and since I was an unsecured creditor I was not paid. Well the word got out to all the pilots to put $2 in my company v-file. In the following weeks when I came to work my mail box was overflowing with cash and checks.
What a great group of pilots I worked with.
As far as what I have been up to since retirement you can ask me at Oshkosh. On July 23 at 7pm I will be giving a the kickoff speech.
What a great group of pilots I worked with.
As far as what I have been up to since retirement you can ask me at Oshkosh. On July 23 at 7pm I will be giving a the kickoff speech.
As the personal recipient of one of your cards, and those from many other United pilots, I humbly thank you
Jul 13, 2017, 8:24 pm
#24
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,324
I've asked for a post-flight "cockpit-chat" on each of my last 5 intl. 744 flights. The crew is always happy to oblige (5/5 success ), though they may ask you to wait a few minutes (understandably).
The most recent, the FO was kind enough to give me an entire card deck he pulled out of his briefcase - it was a pmUA tulip deck in a nice cardboard box. Has both a 67I in tulip livery and a big tulip on the front. I asked him if he was sure, he said he had a handful of them and hasn't been giving them away. Class act. I LOVE IT!
), though they may ask you to wait a few minutes (understandably). The most recent, the FO was kind enough to give me an entire card deck he pulled out of his briefcase - it was a pmUA tulip deck in a nice cardboard box. Has both a 67I in tulip livery and a big tulip on the front. I asked him if he was sure, he said he had a handful of them and hasn't been giving them away. Class act. I LOVE IT!
Jul 14, 2017, 6:42 am
#26
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: SEA, WAS, PEK
Programs: UA 3K UGS 3MM
Posts: 2,176
Here is a little history on about the trading cards. I created them in 2002 and just had the Boeing 757 and Boeing 767 cards made for my customers. My thought in creating them was to engage as many customers as I can. Other pilots saw them and kept asking me to make them for the whole fleet. I took the idea to United and on Thanksgiving weekend of 2003 I delivered 1.8 million cards to United. Now a couple weeks later on December 9th United filed bankruptcy and since I was an unsecured creditor I was not paid. Well the word got out to all the pilots to put $2 in my company v-file. In the following weeks when I came to work my mail box was overflowing with cash and checks.
What a great group of pilots I worked with.
As far as what I have been up to since retirement you can ask me at Oshkosh. On July 23 at 7pm I will be giving a the kickoff speech.
What a great group of pilots I worked with.
As far as what I have been up to since retirement you can ask me at Oshkosh. On July 23 at 7pm I will be giving a the kickoff speech.
Jul 27, 2017, 10:45 pm
#29
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Earth
Programs: UA MM Platinum; HH Diamond; Marriott Gold; Starwood Gold; Hyatt Discoverist; Avis Preferred Plus
Posts: 1,527
Funny story. Here I am, sitting in the United Club at SFO, eating my bowl of chicken corn chowder and thinking about something that happened one time, many, many years ago...
After a trip to Disneyland, my family and I were getting ready to fly home. This airline captain strolled right into the restaurant at SNA where my family was eating. He plopped himself down next to my kids, handing them each a nice set of airline wings. As I slowly looked up, I caught sight of his nametag... and of course, recognized the name immediately from FlyerTalk.
"Captain Denny Flanagan, legend of FlyerTalk!" I blurted out.
Today, I decided to check FlyerTalk before my flight boards, and here he is...
Thanks, Captain, for that time I'm sure you don't remember... but that my family still does. You are a class act. I still have the card you gave me on that flight, and my wife says it was the only time I seemed to go "star crazy" for someone...
After a trip to Disneyland, my family and I were getting ready to fly home. This airline captain strolled right into the restaurant at SNA where my family was eating. He plopped himself down next to my kids, handing them each a nice set of airline wings. As I slowly looked up, I caught sight of his nametag... and of course, recognized the name immediately from FlyerTalk.
"Captain Denny Flanagan, legend of FlyerTalk!" I blurted out.
Today, I decided to check FlyerTalk before my flight boards, and here he is...
Thanks, Captain, for that time I'm sure you don't remember... but that my family still does. You are a class act. I still have the card you gave me on that flight, and my wife says it was the only time I seemed to go "star crazy" for someone...
Aug 15, 2017, 11:02 am
#30
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Various tier levels of frequent flyer/hotel plans received for bellyaching about minor flaws in the service I received.
Posts: 610
Got one yesterday from Capt. Mayer on a flight from ABQ to IAH. He stopped and thanked me for flying.
I was sitting next to a person who self-upgraded to the middle seat in the exit row and seemed quite smug about it - until then. Right after the pilot stopped by, he rang his call button and let the f/a know that he'd changed seats. Someone had taken his original seat on a full flight, so the f/a let him know that it was "not OK." In any case, I think he got the impression that I was friends with the pilot and was going to rat him out.
I was sitting next to a person who self-upgraded to the middle seat in the exit row and seemed quite smug about it - until then. Right after the pilot stopped by, he rang his call button and let the f/a know that he'd changed seats. Someone had taken his original seat on a full flight, so the f/a let him know that it was "not OK." In any case, I think he got the impression that I was friends with the pilot and was going to rat him out.