Oct 25, 2007
Some airlines are now trying to bilk their own frequent fliers
In case you missed my post on the subject back in May ("Attention, frequent flyers: you have big problems"), most airline frequent flier programs have begun instituting use-it-or-lose-it expiration dates on accrued miles. In some cases the deadline within which one must use miles has shrunk to a ridiculous 18 months. The financially strapped airline industry is understandably searching for ways to save money, but its seems to me that punishing their own most loyal customers by suddenly changing the rules of the relationship and revoking their frequent flier privileges may be entirely the wrong way to go about doing so.
Now at least one airline is compounding its actions with greed. A friend, who a few months ago saw more than 50,000 miles evaporate from her long-established US Airways account simply because she hadn't used them or earned more in the past 18 months, recently received an email from US Airways offering to reinstate those miles...for a price. It was entitled "Get your Dividend Miles back" and gave her three options.
Option 1: Sign up for a US. Airways credit or debit card, all but one of which carry and annual fee (and with the caveat that she would have to make a purchase with the card to get her miles back).
Option 2: Pay a service charge of $300.
Option 3: Purchase a ticket to fly First Class or Envoy Class on US Airways.
The kicker? The fine print on these offers to "reinstate" her miles carried yet another 18-month deadline.
Is this how airlines now reward loyalty? By taking away the rights and privileges their frequent fliers have earned and then holding them hostage with the promise to return them only in exchange either for a cash payment or for further shows of "loyalty." That's not customer appreciation. That's an abusive relationship. The airlines can do better.
Write and read comments about this post.
Now at least one airline is compounding its actions with greed. A friend, who a few months ago saw more than 50,000 miles evaporate from her long-established US Airways account simply because she hadn't used them or earned more in the past 18 months, recently received an email from US Airways offering to reinstate those miles...for a price. It was entitled "Get your Dividend Miles back" and gave her three options.
Option 1: Sign up for a US. Airways credit or debit card, all but one of which carry and annual fee (and with the caveat that she would have to make a purchase with the card to get her miles back).
Option 2: Pay a service charge of $300.
Option 3: Purchase a ticket to fly First Class or Envoy Class on US Airways.
The kicker? The fine print on these offers to "reinstate" her miles carried yet another 18-month deadline.
Is this how airlines now reward loyalty? By taking away the rights and privileges their frequent fliers have earned and then holding them hostage with the promise to return them only in exchange either for a cash payment or for further shows of "loyalty." That's not customer appreciation. That's an abusive relationship. The airlines can do better.
Write and read comments about this post.
Labels: airlines
Fifty years ago, 
Arthur Frommer is generally acknowledged to be the nation's foremost travel authority. He is the founder of the
