Booted frequent flier takes on airline

[nadinbrzezinski]

Can complaining too much get you booted from a frequent flier program?

It's one of the questions at the heart of a lawsuit filed against Northwest -- now owned by Delta Air Lines -- by S. Binyomin Ginsberg, a rabbi who lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and frequently travels to lecture and teach.

Ginsberg joined Northwest's WorldPerks frequent flier program in 1999 and reached Platinum Elite status in 2005.

But in June of 2008, Ginsberg said a Northwest representative called him and told him his status was being revoked "on the ground that he had 'abused' the program," according to court papers.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/16/travel/frequent-flier-complaints-northwest/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

Ok this is funny to me

[gristy]

1. I guess I'll side with Northwest on this one.

They simply decided his business wasn't worth the trouble he causes.

[Coyote_Bandit]

2. I'm guessing that

he's either got a starving lawyer desperate for any work or is paying more in legal fees than he would have saved in travel expenses - and got by complaining.

[Zax2me]

3. This guy is out for exploiting the system.

To the detriment of consumers who want honest rewards and aren't looking to find loopholes.

WHY does someone who sent 24 complaints in 8 months still fly the airline?!
"I don't think I was a frequent complainer," Ginsberg said.
Riiiiiiight.....
You find in necessary to file, what - three in 5 years, that sounds like enough to drop and find another airline.

I feel bad for in-flight attendant personnel, who have to deal with this prick on so many flights.
Could imagine the complaints flying left and right from such a narcissistic person.

[saras]

4. "Abuse" - he complained when they lost his luggage. His complaints were all legitimate.

Two things got him booted - he kept on complaining, not accepting that losing luggage is "the new normal", and he asked for compensation proportionate to what it cost him, which was more than the airline's "guidelines". I'm with him 100%.

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. judge agrees on slightly different grounds

I will not give my personal opinion...

I just find it funny in a zeitgeist kind of a way.

[DrDan]

7. 24 times in 8 months? give me a break

I have been a medallion member for decades - have NEVER had lost luggage - even when averaging a 25 trips a year.

[cordelia]

9. Late to the luggage carousel does

not equal lost luggage.

The article does not mention lost luggage.

[DrDan]

6. 24 complaints in 8 months - he is just trying to exploit the

whole program.

I am on Delta's side for this. The guy can take his business elsewhere - he just hurts the rest of us frequent flyers.

[aikoaiko]

8. Both parties exercised their options No big deal. But I encourage Ginsberg to complain to someone

haha.