The Fine Print: My Guest Blog on The Frequent Miler

August 9, 2016

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A few weeks ago I started writing as a guest blogger for The Frequent Miler. Greg and his team which includes fellow BA blogger, Miles to Memories, do a great job of keeping everyone apprised of the latest points earning techniques. The title of my guest blog series is The Fine Print.

Here’s the Premise:

In our hobby, there is huge potential for rewards. We work hard to earn these perks but sometimes they are randomly taken away. Banks shut down cards without explanation, businesses freeze accounts for no discernible reason, and points, miles, or rebates are not honored based on the whim of corporate conspirators. ‎Is this end of the road for the pointspreneur? Hardly. This is a series of guest posts which shows that the words used by a company can and will be used against them.

As always, I have to include the disclaimer that the posts do not constitute legal advice. Contact an attorney or me directly (alex@bachuwalaw.com) should you have questions.

Thus far I’ve written two articles:

1. Consumer Arbitration — an unfamiliar weapon for battling corporate mischief: If you’re having problems with your cell phone company, cable or dish provider, streaming provider, auction house, rental car company, credit card institution, among many others, there is a way to get off of hold and get results. It’s not through small claims, it’s not through class action. It’s called arbitration. The process is efficient, affordable, and binding. Contrary to popular belief, these claims are worth pursuing through this medium because awards can be significant for the consumer.

2. Should You Record Your Calls for Quality Assurance?: Here, I ask the question if one should record calls for quality assurance. I had an ugly incident with British airways whereby they said I could cancel my Avios + revenue ticket for a $50 penalty and a cash + points refund. Per their instructions, I did so. Seeing no instant refund as promised, I called back and was told that I was misinformed and that I would receive nothing. Two weeks ago, I filed a case in small claims court in Queens, NY. Today I found out that the court date will be April 2017! Good grief.

3. My next article will be published on Friday. While the first article focused on consumer arbitration and the second on small claims, this one will be devoted to a class action claim that impacts many international travelers.

I hope you enjoy reading the The Fine Print.