61: AAirpass: American Airlines’ Best Worst Idea

61: AAirpass: American Airlines’ Best Worst Idea

In 1981, American Airlines offered an incredible deal. For just $250k, people could purchase a lifetime pass that entitled them to unlimited first class travel, anywhere the airline flew, for the rest of their lives. People could also purchase a companion pass that would allow anyone to fly with them.

They called it the AAirpass. It didn’t take long for the airline to discover that they’d priced the AAirpass too low. Way too low.

Remember, kids, history hoes always cite their sources! For this episode, Kristin pulled from:
“The frequent fliers who flew too much,” by Ken Bensinger for the Los Angeles Times
“My father had a lifelong ticket to fly anywhere. Then they took it away,” by Caroline Rothstein for Narratively
“The rise and demise of the AAirpass, American Airlines’ $250k lifetime ticket,” by Zachary Crockett for thehustle.co
“‘Free’quent flier has wings clipped after American Airlines takes away his unlimited pass,” by Kate Briquelet, for the New York Post
“Extreme frequent fliers sue American Airlines over loss of unlimited lifetime ticket,” by Erin McLaughlin for ABC News

Are you enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Then please leave us a 5-star rating and review wherever you listen to podcasts!

Are you *really* enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Well, calm down, history ho! You can get more of us on Patreon at patreon.com/oldtimeypodcast. At the $5 level, you’ll get a monthly bonus episode (with video!), access to our 90’s style chat room, plus the entire back catalog of bonus episodes from Kristin’s previous podcast, Let’s Go To Court.

Jaksot(89)

73: The Pet Rock: A Fad is Born (Patreon Bonus)

73: The Pet Rock: A Fad is Born (Patreon Bonus)

Wipe your slate clean of everything you *think* you know about the pet rock. You’ll marble (err, marvel) over its true history! Its inventor, Gary Dahl, thought he’d created a novelty gift that was se...

24 Syys 20251h 52min

72: Last Man Standing: Hiroo Onoda Finally Surrenders (Part 3)

72: Last Man Standing: Hiroo Onoda Finally Surrenders (Part 3)

It took countless efforts and nearly three decades to convince Second Lieutenant Hiroo Onoda that World War II was over. When those efforts finally paid off, Hiroo Onoda went home to Japan. He receive...

17 Syys 20251h 24min

71: Hiroo Onoda Fights a Non-Existent War (Part 2)

71: Hiroo Onoda Fights a Non-Existent War (Part 2)

World War II was over. (Really. Truly.) But a group of Japanese soldiers stationed on Lubang Island in the Philippines weren’t convinced. They didn’t believe that Japan had surrendered. So they kept f...

10 Syys 20251h 35min

70: The Japanese Soldier Who Refused to Surrender (Part 1)

70: The Japanese Soldier Who Refused to Surrender (Part 1)

As a second lieutenant in the Japanese Army, Hiroo Onoda took his job seriously. He’d been ordered to lead guerilla warfare missions on Lubang Island in the Philippines. He was told to never surrender...

3 Syys 20251h 22min

69: Judgement Day for the Donner Party (Part 5)

69: Judgement Day for the Donner Party (Part 5)

In the finale of our series on The Donner Party, rescue groups head off for Truckee Lake and Alder Creek, hoping to save as many survivors as they could. For many members of The Donner Party, the resc...

27 Elo 20251h 56min

68: The Donner Party Resorts to Cannibalism (Part 4)

68: The Donner Party Resorts to Cannibalism (Part 4)

By the winter of 1846, the Donner Party found themselves in the exact scenario they’d been dreading. They were trapped in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, pummeled by snowstorms. Their food supply dwindle...

20 Elo 20251h 30min

67: The Donner Party Falls Apart (Part 3)

67: The Donner Party Falls Apart (Part 3)

By the time they realized what they’d done, it was too late. Hastings Cutoff turned out to not be much of a cutoff at all. In fact, it was more time consuming and taxing than the regular California Tr...

13 Elo 20251h 25min

66: Warnings and Lies: The Deception of the Donner Party (Part 2)

66: Warnings and Lies: The Deception of the Donner Party (Part 2)

The Donner Party was at a crossroads. They’d made good progress on their journey to California, but they were still about a week behind schedule. Lansford Hasting’s new shortcut appealed to the worrie...

6 Elo 20251h 13min

Suosittua kategoriassa Komedia

nikotellen
tuplakaak
antin-matka
anni-jaajo
olipa-kerran-otsikko
ihan-oikeesti
rss-saarinen-shoy
antin-palautepalvelu
puurojengi
antin-elokuvakerho
rss-nikotellen
rss-kaheli
ela-viitti
naakkavalta
kasper-ja-mikko-suomen-suosituin-podcast
everypodi
rss-kuukka-vehvilainen-hartlin
rss-tuhannes-podcast
mysteeripodcast
suomen-suosituin-podcast