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If you’ve flown recently (especially on American Airlines), you’ve likely heard flight attendants get on the inflight PA to talk about the wonders and joys of the airline’s co-branded credit card. While as someone who is also (at least partially) in the credit card promotion biz, I do appreciate the hustle, I think it may be getting a bit out of control. And while I don’t have a problem just putting on my headphones or tuning them out, what irritates me is when they start saying things that are clearly lies (“This offer is ONLY available on THIS flight!!!”)

“I am tired of hearing the AAdvantage Credit Card offer spiel mid flight, multiple times”

The other day, I saw a post over on Reddit titled “I am tired of hearing the AAdvantage Credit Card offer spiel mid flight, multiple times“. The poster continues –

I get it.. The flight attendants make $50 on each approved applicant. They live in the same world I do and they need money.. But they are getting too aggressive.

Its one thing to mention that they have a credit card at the end of a safety spiel, but there is a fine line between “hey, we offer this card with X miles sign up bonus” to the 5-6 minute talk over the about what the card offers and all the potential vacations that many miles could get me to.

I have been tolerating this, but what pushed me over the edge recently was a redeye from LA to NYC, it was 5 in the morning and the flight attendant practically swallows the PA phone as she proceeds to wake up the entire aircraft and begin the 5 minute rant about why we need the card. I thought I was done… nope, as soon as we landed and were taxiing to the gate we get the rant a 2nd time. Followed by walking down the aisle waving the pamphlet in each aisle-seat passenger’s face – shaking it a little to really get our attention.

Promoting Credit Cards

Again, as I said before, I do appreciate the irony of a travel / credit card blog complaining about someone else pitching credit cards. I will say a few differences I see are a) Nobody forced you to click on this link (as opposed to being captive on a plane and having to listen to it) and b) I do attempt to do my best to always give truthful information. In fact, there are compliance people that regularly review my site and I can get in trouble if I am posting incorrect or inaccurate information.

Also c) I am not here “primarily for your safety” 😀

I Have To Agree

I have to agree with the original poster on the Reddit thread. I have been hearing these credit card pitches more frequently recently. I would say I don’t mind it if it’s done once on a flight and with correct information, and not done on a redeye or at a time when most of the flight is asleep. But when it’s done multiple times in a flight, or done at a time when most of the cabin is asleep, that is super annoying. Also, I don’t appreciate being lied to, like having someone talk about how this deal is ONLY available on THIS flight, or when FAs overstate what you can do with the miles.

The Bottom Line

Some passengers have noticed an uptick in flight attendants making pitches for credit card signups on the inflight PA, sometimes (often?) with incorrect or inaccurate information.

Have you had flight attendants relentlessly promote credit card applications on recent flights? Leave your experience in the comments below

Featured image from Flickr Via CC 2.0 license


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