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ecwis
November 23, 2009 5:32 PM
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This is clearly the most important issue for Congress to address.

While it's annoying that they expire after t3 years of non-use, it kind of makes sense since they're called Frequent Flyer Miles.

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Rachacha
November 23, 2009 5:32 PM
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@ecwis: Hey come-on, don't forget Baseball...Congress wasted awhole week debating the use of steroids by baseball players a couple of years ago.

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TouchMyMonkey
November 23, 2009 5:32 PM
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@Rachacha: There's actually a pretty important, but underlying, labor issue associated with this. Namely, should players be compelled to take steroids in order to remain competitive because Big Mac and Sammy Sosa were taking them and MLB tolerated it? Well, should they? Would you knowingly take something or do something to yourself that's bad for you just to keep your job?

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working class Zer0
November 23, 2009 5:32 PM
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@ecwis: Doesn't Senator Chuck U. Schumer have bigger fish to fry?


If the airlines changed their policy and customers don't like it, they should protest. Why is congress involved?

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nova3930
November 23, 2009 5:32 PM
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@working class Zer0:


Since Chucky Schumer's entire life is built around being a rampaging dumbass, he probably doesn't have better things to do...

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hotdogsunrise
November 23, 2009 5:32 PM
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@working class Zer0: How should they protest it? By not flying anymore?


Not every airport has dozens of airlines to choose from. For some, they don't have options. How are they going to protest?

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wickedpixel
November 23, 2009 5:32 PM
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@working class Zer0: Congress is likely involved because Senator Schumer's miles are about to expire.

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pecan 3.14159265
November 23, 2009 5:32 PM
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\"As the holiday season approaches...\"


Really? Did he just wake up? The holiday season for flying has been going on for at least four months because people try to book way in advance to get better prices. He should have been investigating this long before people booked their flights for Thanksgiving (which is this Thursday, in case Schumer didn't know), and Christmas, which is less than a month after that.


Maybe he's just preparing for next year's holiday season.

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econobiker
November 23, 2009 5:32 PM
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@pecan 3.14159265: Or one of Schumer's extended family, for whom he can't wraggle a seat on a gov't jet, complained to him about this horrific problem of expiring frequent flyer miles...

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speedwell (!)
November 23, 2009 5:32 PM
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@pecan 3.14159265: No, he means that he's bringing up the issue at the time when it will make the biggest impact on consumers, and thus his re-election chances.

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crabbygeek
November 23, 2009 5:32 PM
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Finally our tax dollars focusing on a worth while issue!

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jdmba
November 23, 2009 5:32 PM
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American Airlines mastercard will refresh that 3 year window with every charge. For those who want to respond about there being an annual fee, then American dining (which is free and links to any credit card) will post miles to your american airlines account after each dine, which will ALSO refresh that 3 year window.

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VidaBlueBalls
November 23, 2009 5:32 PM
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Yup, this is priority No. 1. Passengers' Bill of Rights, arbitrary fees, bumped passenger compensation, drunk pilots, and loss of flight ammenities are all way, way, way below Frequent Flyer Miles on the list of things airlines do to irritate consumers. Thanks Chuck, when you're done with this perhaps you and Arlen Specter can champion more steroids hearings instead of working on health care.

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Rachacha
November 23, 2009 5:32 PM
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@VidaBlueBalls: You are looking at it all wrong...by addressing this problem you will lower stress levels and therefore improve everyone's health, therefore they will no longer need health care. And Steroids, that also falls in with healthca...awww forget it, I can't even pretend to fake that I am serious.


Nothing more than a way to get facetime on the news.

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wjamny
November 23, 2009 5:32 PM
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Great job Chuck - cherry pick a non-important issue to get yourself in the news. Just more proof that all of these multi-term incumbants need a reality check and need to be voted out of office.

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hotdogsunrise
November 23, 2009 5:32 PM
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@wjamny: Ahh, yes. Let's vote everyone out of office so that then no one will know what to do.


I'm all for term limits. But voting everyone out of office is a little unwieldy.

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FatLynn
November 23, 2009 5:32 PM
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There are many ways to keep your FF miles active other than actually flying. They are a reward, not something the airlines are mandated to give, and Schumer should worry about bigger issues.

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ben
November 23, 2009 5:32 PM
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As long as the airlines are disclosing their policies, then I really see no reason for Congress to be involved in this at all. Frequent Flyer programs are a perk that airlines provide. If someone doesn't like the way one airline runs their program, they're free to use a different airline.

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friday3
November 25, 2009 11:44 AM
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BUT, the airlines change the rules on your past miles. It is like telling somebody they would be rewarded fortheir work at a rate of $10 per hour, then AFTER you did the work telling them, we will be rewarding you only if you continue to work for us at least once every three years. Otherwise we are taking away that reward

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Rachacha
November 23, 2009 5:32 PM
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Frequent Flyer miles are a perk for doing something that you likely have to do already (flying for work or personal travel). Their sole purpose is to try to encourage people to use one carrier whenever possible to maintain their status as a \"preferred customer\" or to accumulate enough points to get a free ticket or \"purchase\" other services that you may want.


The points have no cash value, and consumers do not (directly) pay any money for them. FF points should be thought of like a coupon for a grocery item. The provider gives you something to encourage you to use their product or service, and they place an exparation date on that enticement.

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RedwoodFlyer
November 23, 2009 5:32 PM
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@Rachacha: They actually do have cash value - AA, for example, makes well over $100 million selling miles each year

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bhr
November 23, 2009 5:32 PM
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Shouldnt they be treated about the same as grocery store promotions and coupon books? They are an add-on to the service provided, and they can pretty much make their own rules as they go. As long as they aren't changing them without notice why should I care?


(To be fair, I never have enough miles to get squat, I fly as little as possible, and never stick with a preferred carrier).

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stopNgoBeau
November 23, 2009 5:32 PM
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Dear Senator Schumer, find something better to do with your time.

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4 replies
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TouchMyMonkey
November 23, 2009 5:32 PM
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@stopNgoBeau: News flash. Sen. Schumer can do this AND address the other, arguably more important issues his committee is responsible for dealing with. The Republicans aren't in charge anymore, and so is the idea that government can't do anything. You're about to find out just how much government really can do.

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magic8ball
November 23, 2009 5:32 PM
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@stopNgoBeau: As many people have already noted, such issues might include the Passengers' Bill of Rights, or the numerous and outrageous fees the airlines charge, which make it difficult to comparison shop and also allow the airlines to avoid paying taxes on what is essentially a fare increase by another name.

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hotdogsunrise
November 23, 2009 5:32 PM
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@magic8ball: I agree. There are many issues with airlines right now. Someone has to fight for consumers, don't they?


Senator Schumer has worked very hard to get variety in an airport upstate that has none. I know if you live outside of New York, or even upstate New York, you may not realize this. But if it wasn't for him, there may not be a Syracuse airport. (Especially if US Airways goes under...)

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swearint
November 23, 2009 5:32 PM
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Personally, I don't find frequent flyer miles all that useful and mostly a pain in the backside. Well at least on American Airlines. The last time I used any flier miles, the only eligible flight was at 6:00 am, meaning I had to get up around 4:00 am to make the flight. Anyways, about 30 minutes into the flight, there was a mechanical issue and we had to return to the airport. They were able to put all the passengers onto the 8:00 am scheduled flight. So if the 8:00 am flight was so empty, why could I not have used my miles for that flight?

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RedwoodFlyer
November 23, 2009 5:32 PM
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While I don't think congress should be involved, I will admit that some airlines need to be hit a few times. The main issue is airlines who retroactively screw people over... i.e. you stick with a carrier and earn 100,000 miles, which was good for 4 free round trips. Then, all of a sudden, the airline tells you that you need to pay a $150 fee to book a ticket within 21 days, and that your miles will expire if you don't use them soon.

If you knew about that policy from the get go, you probably would have chosen a different carrier.

We would also like our competitors to be forced to prove availability of seats. There are certain airlines who are notorious for just about giving miles away, yet making it nearly impossible to redeem.

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Fo34rd
November 23, 2009 5:32 PM
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Frequent flier miles have been bitten by the shrink ray. American airlines have cut most of their low mile 35k seats and push 70k mile seats which are always available. So roughly they have doubled the miles required for a flight...

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eaglearcher
November 23, 2009 5:32 PM
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This happened to me. I had about 100,000 miles with United Airlines. I used to fly international a lot. A couple of months ago, it went poofed. They did give me a warning about 3 months in advance that I need to use it, or else they're gone. But I seriously don't have any thing I want to spend it on. So, it poofed.

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BIim
November 23, 2009 5:32 PM
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The airline should be able to handle their frequent flyer miles however they want. It sounds like he's upset that he didn't get to use a few of his miles before they expired.

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RogueWarrior
November 24, 2009 2:35 PM
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Oh sure, the moron won't set up a lottery for departure times at NYC airports so the traffic doesn't suck but he's got to screw people over for the frequent flyer miles. That's what will happen. Congress tells a company or industry to do something but they don't bend over and take it up the a$$. They just pass the cost on to the consumer who can't pass it on to anyone else. In this case, they'll just sh*tcan the whole frequent flyer program. Thanks a bunch, (up)Chuck.

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