BATTLE CREEK, Michigan -- Kellogg Co.(NYSE:K) (K) said a computer glitch involving its American Airlines online sweepstakes resulted in some people being informed erroneously by e-mail that they had won a grand prize of 25,000 of the airline''s frequent-flier miles.
American spokeswoman Laura Mayo said Monday that several thousand of the airline''s customers who take part in the AAdvantage loyalty program received the computer notification sometime over the weekend.
She said the snafu hasn''t inconvenienced the Fort Worth, Texas-based airline, which is a unit of AMR Corp (AMR).
The Kellogg''s-American Airlines 25,000 Miles-a-Day Sweepstakes started April 7 and continues through June 5. Only 60 grand prizes -- one per day -- were supposed to be awarded.
According to Kellogg''s Web site, 25,000 AAdvantage miles are enough for a round-trip coach fare anywhere in the continental U.S., Alaska and Canada. Each grand prize has a retail value of $700.
Kellogg spokeswoman Christine Ervin said the Battle Creek-based cereal giant is uncertain how many erroneous e-mails were sent. The glitch was corrected and the contest is continuing, she said.
We''re apologizing for the technical error, Ms. Ervin said. We plan to notify the correct winners directly and we''re also going to be e-mailing an apology to those who received the e-mail incorrectly.
As a goodwill gesture, Kellogg will issue credits for 500 AAdvantage miles to each household that received the erroneous message, she said.
American spokeswoman Laura Mayo said Monday that several thousand of the airline''s customers who take part in the AAdvantage loyalty program received the computer notification sometime over the weekend.
She said the snafu hasn''t inconvenienced the Fort Worth, Texas-based airline, which is a unit of AMR Corp (AMR).
The Kellogg''s-American Airlines 25,000 Miles-a-Day Sweepstakes started April 7 and continues through June 5. Only 60 grand prizes -- one per day -- were supposed to be awarded.
According to Kellogg''s Web site, 25,000 AAdvantage miles are enough for a round-trip coach fare anywhere in the continental U.S., Alaska and Canada. Each grand prize has a retail value of $700.
Kellogg spokeswoman Christine Ervin said the Battle Creek-based cereal giant is uncertain how many erroneous e-mails were sent. The glitch was corrected and the contest is continuing, she said.
We''re apologizing for the technical error, Ms. Ervin said. We plan to notify the correct winners directly and we''re also going to be e-mailing an apology to those who received the e-mail incorrectly.
As a goodwill gesture, Kellogg will issue credits for 500 AAdvantage miles to each household that received the erroneous message, she said.
