Pranking US Airways Exec In Charge Of In-Flight Credit Card Pushing

[NYGiantsFan90]

Audio Pranking US Airways Exec In Charge Of In-Flight Credit Card Pushing

Annoyed by getting pitched credit cards in the middle of his US Airways flight, John Hargave of Zug.com calls up the VP of marketing at 5 in the morning to try to sell him a credit card. Site contains audio recording of the call. Harvgave also called up the US Airways executive office number and tried to sell a credit card to the gal there:

UA: You know what? I really need to go, because I have work to wrap up before the end of my workweek.
JH: And this is annoying, isn't it?
UA: Yeah, it is annoying. But you know what? I'm able to tune stuff out that I don't really want to hear.
JH: You know why? Because you're not captive on a plane.
The obvious next evolution is that customers can opt to sit in a part of plane that doesn't have hear the credit card offers, provided they pay a small additional fee.

The Airline Rewards Credit Card Prank [Zug]

Part 3: The Prank Phone Calls


I was getting ready to track down their VP of Marketing myself, when I received a very considerate response from US Airways:


From: Donna XXXXXXX
Sent: Thursday, August 30 1:31 PM
Subject: US Airways
Dear Mr. Hargrave,

Your correspondence regarding our onboard credit card marketing campaign has been referred to my desk for response.

Mr. Hargrave, if you would like to speak with me regarding our promotion, please contact me at XXX-XXX-XXXX.

Regards,
Donna XXXXXXX
Executive Liaison
Office of the Chairman
US Airways

Honestly, the best strategy for dealing with ZUG is to ignore us. Now I had the number to their executive office. This was very, very bad ... for them. [Click here to listen]

USELESS AIRWAYS: Executive Office, this is Donna.
JOHN HARGRAVE: Hello Donna, this is John Hargrave.

UA: Are you the Mr. Hargrave that sent that scathing e-mail that burnt my fingers when I printed it off and read it?

JH: I hope your fingers are OK.

UA: They are.

JH: Aloe.

UA: Typically, most of the airlines have some kind of marketing plan like that.

JH: You mean, selling credit cards on board the plane?

UA: Mmm-hmm.

JH: No, I don't think so.

UA: A lot of people like it, because there are incentives. They do get miles, they get bonus miles for flying. But you know what, if you travel a lot, I understand. Because people that travel frequently, you know, you hear it all the time. But you know, we have a very positive response from the passengers that actually do get it [the credit card].

JH: Can you name one person who likes it?

UA: No, I can't. That's confidential information.

JH: Can you make it optional? Could you put it on the TV, so that people could listen to it only if they wanted to, instead of forcing them to listen to the credit card pitch?

UA: No. No, because it just doesn't work that way.

JH: You guys should mix it up. Like, I have a cousin who has this thing called "Monkey of the Month Club."

UA: Monkey of the Month Club?

JH: Yeah, and every month you get a different stuffed monkey plush toy in the mail. That would be an interesting offer to give to people. Much better than a credit card promotion. "Monkey of the Month." Your passengers would love it. That's just a for instance, Donna.

UA: You know, we're always looking at different marketing tools and promotions...

JH: Involving monkeys?

UA: ...but this has been going on for quite a while, so I don't anticipate it's going to change.

JH: Are you able to fire Travis Christ?

UA: No. He would not be fired for having a successful promotion.

JH: Could you just call him into the office? He's probably just right down the hallway, right?

UA: No. He's aware of your e-mail.

JH: Could you give him a dressing down?

UA: No.

JH: Would you mind giving him a #### slap for me?

UA: You know what? Thank you for calling, have a safe holiday weekend.

JH: Christ should die for his sins.

UA: All right. Have a safe weekend. [Hang up]

I waited nearly ten minutes before calling back. [Click here to listen]

UA: Hey John.
JH: Hi Donna, how are you?

UA: I'm good. Did you forget something?

JH: Yeah. I wanted to tell you about a very exciting new credit card promotion that I'm offering. It's called the Miles by Discover Card. Let me tell you some of the benefits.

- No Annual Fee!
- Earn 12,000 Bonus Miles just for signing up!
- 0% APR on Balance Transfers and Purchases for up to 12 Months!
- Earn 1 Mile for Each Dollar You Spend!
- Air Travel Rewards with No Blackout Dates! (much better than other credit cards I can mention)
- Flexible Rewards to Fit Your Plans!
- View Discover Card Rates, Rewards, Fees and Other Important Information ONLINE, all the time!

And get this, Donna: Cardholders earn unlimited rewards on all purchases.

Now if you're interested, Donna, a flight attendant will be through the cabin shortly to pass out applications. Any takers?

UA: [Pause]

JH: Anyone?

UA: [Role-playing with me] Thank you.

JH: Can I interest you in this exciting new credit card promotion, Donna?

UA: Oh, not today, thank you. Maybe later.

JH: Well, our customers tell us it's a very exciting and worthwhile and engaging program.

UA: Not right at this time, but ... I'll think about it.

JH: Really? Why not?

UA: You know what? I really need to go, because I have work to wrap up before the end of my workweek.

JH: And this is annoying, isn't it?

UA: Yeah, it is annoying. But you know what? I'm able to tune stuff out that I don't really want to hear.

JH: You know why? Because you're not captive on a plane.

UA: You're entitled to your opinion, and I've documented it, and there's really nothing else I can say.

JH: I think there's a lot more you can say, Donna, like: OKAY, TRAVIS CHRIST WILL BE FIRED.

UA: Hopefully we can keep this professional...

JH: Donna, have you flown on your own planes lately? Do you know how sucky it is?

UA: This is not even debatable. I need to wrap this up, because my workday is almost done.

JH: It's a real pain to be interrupted while you're trying to get your work done, isn't it, Donna?

UA: Okay, you're being very rude.

JH: Well, that's an ironic insult.

UA: [Hang up]


After waiting a few minutes, I called back again. [Click here to listen]
This time, I got the receptionist, who wouldn't put me through. Instead, she took a message, where I outlined the many benefits of the Discover airlines reward card. Eventually, she grew sick of the credit card pitch, and she hung up on me, too.

For a company that believes in airline rewards credit cards, they didn't seem to be very interested in airline reward credit card ads. There was only one thing left to do: The Harrassment of the Christ.

 

[Ramp Rogue]

BRAVO!!!!!!!

And the same goes for the ones that are pimping credit cards in the terminals!

 

[Sally4th]

Here's the link to hear the audio on these calls:

http://www.zug.com/credit/airline/index03.html

He also calls Travis Christ.

 

[Twicebaked]

All I can tell you is that YOU PEOPLE do not listen to anything else the flight attendants says,i.e. "turn off your electronic devices such as cell phones and LAP TOP computers" "The fasten seat belt sign is illuminated" "return to your seat" etc... So why the f$%k do you listen to the short little credit card speech?

This card "pimping" by the way is revenue for the company that keeps YOUR ticket prices at the price they are and not HIGHER!!!!

If this speech annoys you soooooo bad, you obviously aren't deaf and can turn off you friggin phone next time you are told to do so!!!!!!

Stupid topic!!!!!!

And maybe the flight attendants are tired of your constant b!tching and complaining!!!

Ever think about that?

 

[freedom]

Freaking hilarious!!!!!! Ah hahaha oh my I was LMAO !!!! This guy is good , and I agree with him , I personally don’t like to be subjected to adds , I’m sick of adds , adds everywhere all the time . When the east FA’s speak of a lack of class on our airline , this really hits home with me .

thanks for the audio link!

 

[Prince of PAWOBs]

That was excellent!

 

[trvlr64]

This card "pimping" by the way is revenue for the company that keeps YOUR ticket prices at the price they are and not HIGHER!!!!

ROTFLMAO.......BIG FAT HAIRY A$$ IN FACT !!

This is the dumbest comment on here in a LONG time. It's obvious you don't have to pay for your flights or you would know this "pimping" doesn't lower my ticket price but it only puts $$ in your pocket. I've never seen a UA, AA, WN, CO or NW flight attendant "pimp" a credit card application. Have you?

I'm sure you'll have a completely argumentative reply to this. So tell me what does the credit card really get me in the long run? More miles? Big deal. Tempe lowered the number of available award seats so it's more difficult to burn my miles. Tempe also raised the number of miles needed to burn miles on certain destinations. So what am I to do with all those miles?

So in the end between the "pimping" of the credit card in the airport and in the plane this is a very annoying reminder that US can't do simple marketing to get passengers to continue to fly this airline. Just like those low-class tray table ads. US does not know how to market itself without looking like the fat ugly girl at the prom who no one wants to dance with.

But keep waving those applications around. It's good exercise to rid your arms of that waddle.

 

[Travels2mch]

And maybe the flight attendants are tired of your constant b!tching and complaining!!!

Ever think about that?

Yeah all the time.....that's what you are paid to do in any customer service industry. Any of us that work in a business that has customers is subject at some point to listening to b!tching and complaining (myself included). How we handle it is another story.

 

[jimntx]

ROTFLMAO.......BIG FAT HAIRY A$$ IN FACT !!

This is the dumbest comment on here in a LONG time. It's obvious you don't have to pay for your flights or you would know this "pimping" doesn't lower my ticket price but it only puts $$ in your pocket. I've never seen a UA, AA, WN, CO or NW flight attendant "pimp" a credit card application. Have you?

To be completely honest, that is not quite correct. ONE TIME (repeat, ONE TIME), we were supposed to pass out Citi cc apps on an AA flight (you know the Citi card that "gives" you AAdvantage miles). I made the PA, and walked down the aisle with the apps. I had exactly 1 passenger take an app. It was a young man who looked to be 18 or 19 years old (on the high side).

I noted the response in my FA report. We were never asked to do it again.

 

[Zarah]

Skymall, bank cards, tray table ads, sick-sack ads, BOB, and the US Airways Add book ... uhhh I mean magazine, all make money for the company and are here to stay until they don't. So, it very funny to see the company become the hostage in this prank.

As the reader of the promotions, I do not like the ones that go and on and on and even start to annoy me while I am reading them.

As for the PAX not listening to us - some do, some don't, and some you have to stand over like a child, and some I would love to just follow them to work one day and make the most simple tasks of their job soooooooo difficult and time consuming that by the end of they day they couldn't wait to be away from me. LOL. Kidding about the last part.

 

[Jetsetter2Ord]

To be completely honest, that is not quite correct. ONE TIME (repeat, ONE TIME), we were supposed to pass out Citi cc apps on an AA flight (you know the Citi card that "gives" you AAdvantage miles). I made the PA, and walked down the aisle with the apps. I had exactly 1 passenger take an app. It was a young man who looked to be 18 or 19 years old (on the high side).

I noted the response in my FA report. We were never asked to do it again.

Well over on the East side of operations, the FA is rewarded a $50 incentive for EVERY completed form turned in. So until they stop rewarding for annoying the customer, they will continue to do it. For those who do not want to be bombarded with this annoying process, fly West metal, your FAs do not get included in this reward process, so we are not required to hawk a credit card. Another way to divide the FA workforce.

JMHO

 

[FlightChic]

I just listened to the recordings and OMG I was LMAO! That was sooooooo funny! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Twicebaked]

ROTFLMAO.......BIG FAT HAIRY A$$ IN FACT !!

This is the dumbest comment on here in a LONG time. It's obvious you don't have to pay for your flights or you would know this "pimping" doesn't lower my ticket price but it only puts $$ in your pocket. I've never seen a UA, AA, WN, CO or NW flight attendant "pimp" a credit card application. Have you?

I'm sure you'll have a completely argumentative reply to this. So tell me what does the credit card really get me in the long run? More miles? Big deal. Tempe lowered the number of available award seats so it's more difficult to burn my miles. Tempe also raised the number of miles needed to burn miles on certain destinations. So what am I to do with all those miles?

So in the end between the "pimping" of the credit card in the airport and in the plane this is a very annoying reminder that US can't do simple marketing to get passengers to continue to fly this airline. Just like those low-class tray table ads. US does not know how to market itself without looking like the fat ugly girl at the prom who no one wants to dance with.

But keep waving those applications around. It's good exercise to rid your arms of that waddle.

It is NOT direct revenue, but ANY REVENUE into the company keeps tickets lower.

And yes, it puts money in our pockets.

Like I said you people don't listen to anything else so don't listen to that!!

 

[bofie]

All I can tell you is that YOU PEOPLE do not listen to anything else the flight attendants says,i.e. "turn off your electronic devices such as cell phones and LAP TOP computers" "The fasten seat belt sign is illuminated" "return to your seat" etc... So why the f$%k do you listen to the short little credit card speech?

This card "pimping" by the way is revenue for the company that keeps YOUR ticket prices at the price they are and not HIGHER!!!!

If this speech annoys you soooooo bad, you obviously aren't deaf and can turn off you friggin phone next time you are told to do so!!!!!!

Stupid topic!!!!!!

And maybe the flight attendants are tired of your constant b!tching and complaining!!!

Ever think about that?

Don't be a dope. The CC speech is a big intrusion. It is LONG. It comes at a time when people are working or sleeping. No other airline does it in my long and varied experience. The return to US is paltry and the negative experience is huge. It is just one more thing that angers the FF. Crappy food, CC speeches, indifferent service by some FAs, dirty planes, broken seats all add up to push FFs away from US.

If US is serious about improving the experience then this is one thing to get rid of. If it is part of a contractual deal with the CC company and they have to do it, then do it immediately after take off and don't wait till mid-flight.

And by the way don't call me "you people" again unless you want me to refer to FAs as Sky Waitresses.

 

[beachboy]

Only one more year. Ends on Jan 1 09 I hear as part of the settlement when that other bank filed suit. And I say good riddance. It was tacky in the first place.