@ISIDEWITHQuestionstransportationStarted 10mos agoActive 7 days ago

Should the government regulate airline frequent flier programs?

In September 2024 the U.S. Transportation Department began an investigation into U.S. airline’s frequent flier programs. The department's inquiry centers on practices that it describes as potentially unfair, deceptive or anti-competitive, with a focus on four areas: changes to the value of points that the agency said can make it more expensive to book tickets using rewards; lack of fare transparency through dynamic pricing; fees for redeeming and transferring rewards; and reduction in competition among programs due to airline mergers.  “These rewards are controlled by…  

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Answer Overview

Response rates from 167 Phoenix voters.

35%
Yes
65%
No
35%
Yes
65%
No

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Other Popular Answers

Unique answers from Phoenix voters whose views went beyond the provided options.

 @9TTJ42B from North Carolina  answered…9mos9MO

There shouldn't be a rewards program, period. It insinuates that they care more about people who fly regularly than ones that don't. It inherently shows their bias, that being their greed for money.

 @9ZRT2QM from New Jersey  answered…7mos7MO

No, the government should only have an overseeing role regarding frequent flier programs as to not take away from the autonomy of the airlines, but still ensuring transparent and fair frequent flier systems.

 @B5X32CW from California  answered…7 days7D

no let airlines determine the price for their tickets. More cost friendly and efficient air lines will attract more customers

 @83BYVHG  from Alabama  answered…8mos8MO

Yes, they should overhaul the airline sector as a whole. Airlines should not be able to nickel and dime customers to death for every little thing, nor should they be able to oversell flights

 @9W6FVKQ from Texas  answered…9mos9MO

Not regulate, per se. But, there should be rules set in place, so practices are fair to those who've earned points.

 @B5RT93J from Alaska  answered…3wks3W

No this is a marketing strategy used by airlines so it should be well understood that it benefits the airlines more than the frequent flier member. Individuals should be able to decide their own risk tolerances and weigh their personal risks and benefits when choosing to participate. Remember these programs are voluntary.

 @B4RTFSC from Texas  answered…2mos2MO

Yes, but this could be easily solved by ensuring the company honors the benefits by giving the equivalent value in points once change has been made for program.

 @B425TCL from Missouri  answered…3mos3MO

Not for completely private airlines, unless there is evidence of corruption, discrimination, or nepotism. The government should do so if the airline benefits from government subsidies

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 @ISIDEWITH submitted…12mos12MO

“Throw out everything you thought you knew about this election.”

By Chuck Todd, NBC News:We are getting awfully close to the moment when it might be fair to say, “Throw out everything you thought you knew about this election.”We are now going from a presidential campaign that left the public disinterested and at times disgusted it to a campaign that I could see generating an electorate that might be as interested, if not more so, as in 2008 and 2020, two of the highest-turnout elections in the last 50 years.If the Democrats do end up with a new nominee — and it’s looking more likely by the hour that they will — that, too, is likely to suddenly trigger interest in what the new nominee has to say, which in turn could engage the electorate in a way that the pre-debate version of this campaign just didn’t.But before we get to this campaign reset, the Democrats have to figure out what their ticket looks like and, more important, how quickly they can get their ticket selected and certified by the party.As of this writing, my sources indicate to me that about the only folks who are still trying to rationalize Biden’s staying in this race all share the last name of Biden, with the possible exception of Biden’s longtime chief political strategist, Mike Donilon — who, as the gatekeeper of the data that makes it to the president's desk, is starting to get blame along with Biden and his family for Democrats’ being in this position.

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