Expired Airline Miles - Bummed Out *But AA Rocks*

[huskies90]

You asked and you got answers and advice. We can't help that you didn't like the answers, but do you have to be sarcastic?

I guess I wouldn't consider being told what I did wrong as answering my question, providing advice and being helpful. Nor would I consider repeating the airlines policy to be helpful. I guess I was looking for some magic or an ace in the hole, but I guess I came to the wrong forum for that...As for your last question, no, I didn't have to be sarcastic, but I wanted to lighten things up a bit, that's all...

 

[DisMN]

I'm sorry, but I know of no airline loyalty program that contacts you to let you know your miles/credits are about to expire - either by phone or mail. And if your e-mail bounced back undeliverable, really it's not up to the airline or other business to search for an updated e-mail address.

It does happen. I've had both Delta and NWA send me notices about miles that are nearing their expiration. You definitely do have to keep your email info updated with them though......

best of luck to the OP. I hope you figure out a solution but if you don't, all is not lost. Maybe your experience can be a great lesson to others to keep an eye on when their miles expire.

 

[safetymom]

Y'all are being a bit testy today. My DH miles expired with USAir (not quite 75K though). I emailed them and they gave us a one-time exception. I then signed up for e-rewards and send a few miles to his account every month to keep it active.

You were lucky. US Airways customer service is terrible. Most people haven't been able to get their miles back.

 

[Lewisc]

I guess I wouldn't consider being told what I did wrong as answering my question, providing advice and being helpful. Nor would I consider repeating the airlines policy to be helpful. I guess I was looking for some magic or an ace in the hole, but I guess I came to the wrong forum for that...As for your last question, no, I didn't have to be sarcastic, but I wanted to lighten things up a bit, that's all...

You were given two suggestions; see if you can get retroactive partner credit (doesn't seem to work) or buy your miles back (not a good deal). I'd consider the first suggestion an ace in the hole.

A person who flies frequently for business is the kind of loyal customer FF programs were originally targeted to. A person who hasn't flowin in over a year isn't

loyal American Airlines customer

although that person may have been such a customer in the past.

 

[MermaidsMom]

Seriously, folks, please stop telling me what I SHOULD have done. I get that, I screwed up. GEEZ!!!!! It is awesome that everyone here is so knowledgable but do you all have to be so perfect, too???

Take a deep breath and forget about it. Life is too short and those potential "free" tickets really aren't worth it.

Look at it this way, when you do need a ticket you won't be stuck with AA and their schedule. You may have to spend money but will have lots of choices.

 

[crashbb]

It does happen. I've had both Delta and NWA send me notices about miles that are nearing their expiration. You definitely do have to keep your email info updated with them though......

AA DID notify the OP - AA sent an email. Did Delta/NWA phone you or send an email? kaytieeldr's point was that the airlines are not going to chase down members if they members don't update their emails - it is an automated system.

 

[huskies90]

AA DID notify the OP - AA sent an email. Did Delta/NWA phone you or send an email? kaytieeldr's point was that the airlines are not going to chase down members if they members don't update their emails - it is an automated system.

This is true...They even told me that they received three returned "undeliverable" emails back after sending the notice. It was my responsibility to update my profile, but any company that cares about it's customers, past, present or future, would have dropped a letter or tried to contact him. Clearly AA could care less about their customers. Sounds like a lose/lose. I lose the miles, they lose a customer. Oh well...I'll never fly American again. (lucky me!)...

 

[huskies90]

...those potential "free" tickets really aren't worth it.

Look at it this way, when you do need a ticket you won't be stuck with AA and their schedule. You may have to spend money but will have lots of choices.

The more I have calmed down the more I agree with this...The trip I was trying to book was $300 r/t...So I lost $900. Big deal. And I have already seen the fare on Southwest for $200 r/t and with a ding, it could be $160 r/t.

 

[PlutoPony]

This is true...They even told me that they received three returned "undeliverable" emails back after sending the notice. It was my responsibility to update my profile, but any company that cares about it's customers, past, present or future, would have dropped a letter or tried to contact him. Clearly AA could care less about their customers.

Airlines care about "good" customers but it's their definition of good, i.e. someone who flies a lot of high revenue miles. Customers who fly infrequently or on deeply discounted tickets (like us) aren't a customer that adds to their bottom line so spending $ to keep them (by trying to use other means to contact you) doesn't make business sense unfortunately.

The other aspect of this is HOW you got your miles and whether that truly benefits the airline. For instance, DH typically keeps 75-100k United miles in his account. While a chunk came from him flying out of the country several years ago, the vast majority now is from our United credit card that dumps miles in each month. That doesn't make us a good airline customer for United (since we fly only once or twice a year and then it's a cheap fare or rewards ticket) so anything they do to "keep us" is coming from the credit card side of the house, not airline....

 

[Lewisc]

This is true...They even told me that they received three returned "undeliverable" emails back after sending the notice. It was my responsibility to update my profile, but any company that cares about it's customers, past, present or future, would have dropped a letter or tried to contact him. Clearly AA could care less about their customers. Sounds like a lose/lose. I lose the miles, they lose a customer. Oh well...I'll never fly American again. (lucky me!)...

Don't take this the wrong way but airlines care about their loyal customers, business flyer's who fly often and pay $$$. Those of us who fly a couple of times a year for leisure, and who book the cheapest (money losing fares) are customers airlines can afford to lose.

This wasn't mentioned but if your spouse was an elite flyer you might have gotten somewhere. Your miles expired, there isn't anything else for the AA rep has to tell you.

Airlines have a lot of miles out there. The miles are priced with the assumption a lot of them will expire before used.

Saver reservations are getting harder and harder to book. I suspect many of us would be better off with a rewards card that isn't linked to miles.

This isn't what you want to hear but the system is designed to purge the mileage accounts from people like you (actually most of us). It's a frequent flier program and a passenger that hasn't flown that airline for 18 months isn't a frequent flier.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

You're talking about a business (any airline) that is struggling to pay its costs related to flying paying customers... and you expect them to go as far as a bill collector would to locate you and beg you to update your information? You and the 90,000 other folks who failed to update theirs as well?

Be reasonable!

Why don't you sign up your favorite debit or credit card with their aadvantage e-shopping program under your current FF # and make a small purchase from an affiliated merchant... it may just re-activate your miles without charge. Crimony...

This is true...They even told me that they received three returned "undeliverable" emails back after sending the notice. It was my responsibility to update my profile, but any company that cares about it's customers, past, present or future, would have dropped a letter or tried to contact him. Clearly AA could care less about their customers. Sounds like a lose/lose. I lose the miles, they lose a customer. Oh well...I'll never fly American again. (lucky me!)...

 

[NancyIL]

75,000 miles is a LOT of miles! It's the equivalent of 3 domestic tickets, and almost enough miles for 2 off-peak tickets to Europe @ 40,000 miles per ticket on American. I have let miles expire on airlines where I had just a few thousand in my account. But if I had enough miles for even 1 free ticket, I personally would've paid attention to them.

 

[MermaidsMom]

Never mind

 

[huskies90]

Don't take this the wrong way but airlines care about their loyal customers, business flyer's who fly often and pay $$$.

Well, that is how I accumulated so many miles. I was a frequent business traveler and even reached elite status one year on American. True, over the last few years, I have a different job and don’t travel as much. I agree that the “normal” business practice is to allow the miles to expire. I just think that is a bad and wrong practice. Heck, didn’t I “earn” those miles being a loyal customer and should be able to keep my reward? And all the stuff they are doing to make it easy to keep the miles just confirms that.

You're talking about a business (any airline) that is struggling to pay its costs related to flying paying customers... and you expect them to go as far as a bill collector would to locate you and beg you to update your information? You and the 90,000 other folks who failed to update theirs as well?

Be reasonable!

Maybe this is why the airlines are struggling so much? Who knows? Airlines are not my business but I have worked in a customer service organization and learned quite a bit about the importance of keeping a customer -- ANY customer. Do you know it costs about five times as much to attract a new customer as it costs to keep an old one? I’ll have a job that travels a lot again in the near future…Does AA care? Apparently not. Yes, maybe “beg” is a bit strong, but I would expect them to provide great customer service. Does it really matter what “all the other airlines are doing?” Is it so unreasonable to just credit me back my miles and not penalizing me for not doing a simple thing like going online and donating 300 miles to charity???

 

[Lewisc]

75,000 miles is a LOT of miles! It's the equivalent of 3 domestic tickets, and almost enough miles for 2 off-peak tickets to Europe @ 40,000 miles per ticket on American. I have let miles expire on airlines where I had just a few thousand in my account. But if I had enough miles for even 1 free ticket, I personally would've paid attention to them.

Great advice. Airlines are limiting the number of saver tickets that are available. Some airlines are adding booking fees and fuel surcharges, even for "free" FF tickets. Airlines are even increasing the number of miles it takes to get certain types of tickets.

Most experts suggest not waiting to redeem miles.

The OP still doesn't understand AA has no motivation to work with a passenger that used to be a loyal passenger. The system worked as designed, miles for an in-active account were forfeited.

I understand the OPs frustration but given the status of the airlines I understand them not making an exception.

I suggest writing a letter (not email). I don't think it will make a difference but I think that's the best opportunity for an accommodation.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

But you're not still a customer. You're a former customer who wants to change the terms under which he participated in an entirely separate perk program when he was a paying customer. You didn't follow the terms of your participation and yet you still want the perks. I get the feeling if THEY had not followed the terms of the agreement you wouldn't be any more accommodating. It's not like you're going to up and start flying again like you once did if they give in to you. You're going to use up the miles and fly the cheapest airline if/when you ever do fly again.

Maybe this is why the airlines are struggling so much? Who knows? Airlines are not my business but I have worked in a customer service organization and learned quite a bit about the importance of keeping a customer -- ANY customer. Do you know it costs about five times as much to attract a new customer as it costs to keep an old one? I’ll have a job that travels a lot again in the near future…Does AA care? Apparently not. Yes, maybe “beg” is a bit strong, but I would expect them to provide great customer service. Does it really matter what “all the other airlines are doing?” Is it so unreasonable to just credit me back my miles and not penalizing me for not doing a simple thing like going online and donating 300 miles to charity???

 

[huskies90]

Do you guys all work for the airlines are something??? You are too wrapped up in policy, rules and what other companies do. That doesn’t make you a great company. Look at Disney. I read on these boards so many great stories about Disney providing great customer service regardless of what it says in their rules and policies.

For example, I read a post about someone who complained about MNSSHP. He bought normal hopper tickets that did not allow him access to the MK during the party. He said his understanding was that the hoppers allow him access to any park at any time which includes the MK during the party. That was HIS understanding. We can look at the rules and policies and argue that he is crazy and he is wrong. But guess what?? Disney gave him and his family free tickets to the party. THAT, my friends, is great customer service!!

Yep, I know blew it. I did not stay on top of it and lost my miles. Please stop telling me I should of done a better job watching it. Yes, I already know that. But, right or wrong a great customer focused company would recognize the situation and would step up to the plate and do something regardless of what it says in their rules and policies. Bottomline, they are not going to do anything which says something about their customer service and a former valuable customer.

 

[crashbb]

Things like WDW letting someone into the party are EXCEPTIONS and, even with WDW, not to be expected. Why the heck even bother having any rules if companies are expected to simply ignore them every time a customer screws up?

It isn't as if you have any special circumstances around screwing up - you just did. You need to move on and stop blaming AA for not bending over backwards to fix your mistake.

I provided helpful suggestions for ways to fix your mistake, but I'm now just getting bored of your self-entitlement.

 

[MermaidsMom]

Things like WDW letting someone into the party are EXCEPTIONS and, even with WDW, not to be expected. Why the heck even bother having any rules if companies are expected to simply ignore them every time a customer screws up?

It isn't as if you have any special circumstances around screwing up - you just did. You need to move on and stop blaming AA for not bending over backwards to fix your mistake.

I provided helpful suggestions for ways to fix your mistake, but I'm now just getting bored of your self-entitlement.

His speculation about what would be NICE for AA to do and wondering if there is some way to approach them about it is much more civil than many of the responses he has received.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

But we gave him several completely civil suggestions on how to try and resolve the issue. I suspect many who use the blanket 'poor customer service' generalization for not getting what they want are used to successfully manipulating others when they need something, regardless of who dropped the ball.

How many times does this guy need to say in great big letter that is was HIS FAULT?? His point is about failing companies reaching out to customers, current, former and potential. His speculation about what would be NICE for AA to do and wondering if there is some way to approach them about it is much more civil than many of the responses he has received. I suspect many of the responders here frequent another flying website that is full of bitter travelers who chew each other up for fun.