Frequent flyers have spent years staying loyal to airlines. Now airlines are giving them ‘the middle finger’
CNNCNN — Imagine you’re booking a flight. This is the dance of the frequent flyer program — often a costly dance, but one that reaps benefits in the form of lounge access, free seat selection, priority security and other things that make flying in the crowded 21st century a little more bearable — as long as you spend or fly enough to earn enough points to reach the “elite” tiers of airlines’ loyalty programs. Lam Yik/Bloomberg/Getty Images For decades, frequent flyers have taken to the skies in the attempt to win points — and “prizes.” So coveted are the higher status tiers in airline loyalty programs that people do outwardly illogical things like take out new credit cards, book flights they don’t need to take, and even fly across the globe without even leaving the airport — because they want the points. Lipsey of all people should know — he’s a self-described “loyalty nut.” At 16, he started managing his dad’s frequent flyer account, ensuring that family vacations had extra perks thanks to his father’s on-business flights. Business is business but it has to be fair.” And as for British Airways’ failure, five weeks from launch, to clarify the rules around accruing points on their BA-linked credit cards, Thomas says, “If you don’t have the information, that’s where trust is compromised.” In September, the US Department of Transportation launched a federal probe into frequent flyer programs, demanding information from American Airlines, United, Southwest and Delta on how they run their programs.
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Frequent flyers have spent years staying loyal to airlines. Now airlines are giving them ‘the middle finger’
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These frequent fliers are done with loyalty programs
Live Mint
Delta Air Lines scales back changes to its loyalty program after a revolt by customers
The Independent
Delta Air Lines scales back changes to its loyalty program after a revolt by customers
Associated Press
Do frequent flyer schemes make loyal passengers?
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