Sunday, April 6, 2014

Imagine That! A Complaining Jew! Rabbi S. Binyomin Ginsberg Tossed Out Of Nortwest's Frequent Flyer Programme For Complaining Too Much Loses Lawsuit As Well


They say it pays to complain, but it seems there is a limit to what even the most generous of companies will tolerate. A rabbi who was tossed out of an airline's frequent flyer programme for constantly complaining has lost his lawsuit against the company. Rabbi S. Binyomin Ginsberg attempted to sue Northwest Airlines over its decision to strip him of his top-level frequent flier status and then end his membership. But U.S. Supreme Court justices unanimously dismissed his lawsuit on Wednesday.Northwest Airlines, which has since absorbed by Delta Air Lines Inc., said it cut off Ginsberg because he complained too much. The rabbi said Northwest did not act in good faith, and was trying to cut costs because of its merger with Delta. Justice Samuel Alito said that the federal deregulation of the airline industry in 1978 prohibits most lawsuits like the one filed by Ginsberg. The frequent flyer programme is clearly connected to the airline's prices, routes or services, which are covered under the Airline Deregulation Act, Alito said. Ginsberg and his wife flew almost exclusively on Northwest, logging roughly 75 flights a year to travel across the U.S. and abroad to give lectures and take part in conferences on education and administration. He said he flew on Northwest even when other airlines offered comparable or better flights and in 2005, reached the highest level of the WorldPerks programme. Northwest cut him off in 2008, shortly after Northwest and Delta agreed to merge. Ginsberg said Northwest was looking to get rid of the high-mileage customers. Northwest says Ginsberg complained 24 times in a seven-month period, including nine instances of luggage that turned up late on airport baggage carousels. Northwest said that before it took action, it awarded Ginsberg $1,925 in travel credit vouchers, 78,500 bonus miles, a voucher for his son and $491 in cash reimbursements. The airline pointed to a provision of the mileage program's terms that gives Northwest the right to cancel members' accounts for abuse. Alito said the court ruling does not leave airline customers without recourse. The Transportation Department has authority to punish unfair and deceptive practices in air transport and can investigate complaints about frequent flier programs. Customers also have the option of enrolling in a rival airline's program, he said. Daily Mail Read More>>>>


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