News and notes from around the interweb:
- Delta has now commented on my blog about the targeting data they collect on customers and its display through their website when members were logged into their frequent flyer accounts.
Like many companies, Delta uses demographic and other data to help provide a personalized experience for our customers, improve how we communicate with them and design offers customized to their interests. While the data displayed was only available to the specific user, we sincerely regret that this code displayed and the confusion it may have caused for our customers. We worked to resolve the issue promptly upon discovering it.
- When American released their new aircraft livery and logo last week, I said we’d be learning about new uniforms a week later. And indeed, American has tapped KAUFMANFRANCO to design new uniforms for Flight Attendants, customer service agents, and pilots.
Nothing has been designed yet, that process is expected to take a year and a half with rollout coming closer to 24 months from now. Love this line: “It’s about creating a wardrobe inspired by our fashion runway for American’s runway.” And this one: “Our vision is to put the ‘you’ back in uniform”
- Earlier in the week I noted that Air France KLM’s Flying Blue was offering elite status matches up to their Gold tier. Now they’ve limited the offer to Danish, Finnish, Swedish, and Norwegian residents and they’ve changed the expiration date of the off from the end of May to the end of February. No word yet on whether they will honor the offer for folks who submitted requests prior to the change in terms and conditions.
Although of course it isn’t hard to change the registration address on an account, but probably not worth it. Folks who live somewhere that Aerolineas Argentinas has competing service can still get Skyteam status with a status match through them.
- Back in October United offered bonus miles for very modest spending on a co-branded United Visa. Then they changed the terms and conditions of the offer to restrict it to residents of certain Central American countries. And then they added even more bonus restrictions. And yet lots of people got the miles posted anyway. Now, apparently, United is taking those miles away.
- You can earn 1000 US Airways miles for a Lasik exam and then 24,000 more for going through with the treatment, though if the treatment takes place in New York, Virginia, or Texas you don’t get the miles. Not nearly as lucrative as when you could get 5000 Delta miles for just the exam. Or for that matter as good as 20,000 Delta miles for a hair loss consultation. I still have my hair, but I did get those miles…
I love Delta’s response. In blunter language:
“Yes we invade your privacy for our marketing purposes. We are sincerely and extremely sorry that you were able to get a glimpse of what we do. We shall strive to make sure that never again will it be so easy to get this level of transparency in what we do with sensitive information about you.”
And not a word about the fact that much of the information they did have is incorrect. Something I’m sure they would rather their potential customers for this data not be aware of….
I find Delta to be an offensively tone-deaf and bureaucratic company, convinced that its corporate-eze communication is a) adequate, and b) fools everybody, or even anybody. Executives and other employees making and following Delta policies may be deluded, but more likely they simply have made a calculation, believing we are not smart enough to get it and/or we’re sheep. Though they have lost my business because of that attitude, they are consistently more profitable than their counterparts, so their estimation may be correct. I truly love giving my money to companies that treat me well, treat me honestly, treat me fairly, and treat me like an adult. As a byproduct, I usually focus on the positive of corporations that treat me that way, but I do hope, that some day, Delta’s arrogance bites them on their collective tushes.
It appears if you fulfilled the spend requirement the 5000 bonus miles from UA are sticking.
I got the 5,000 miles and mine have not been taken back. I did meet the spend requirement.
I am so disappointed that I missed your post re: Delta. I would love to see that data. Oh well, PH Tokyo is lovely, as always!
Any comment on the new delta website? I think it is one of the worst.
I tried the link that was posted about the data, but it only came up with one liner bcInd”:”Y”. Maybe it’s because I am in Asia. Glad not a lot was posted out there though.
Although I’ve been reading a lot of poor form about Delta, I’ve yet to encounter such problems and hope I don’t. I have had very polite customer service and am very much looking forward to the lie-down flat bed from ICN-DTW. I’ll let you know how that trip goes, though. 🙂