[tlgilbert2325]

You are technically correct in that the airlines have not received bail out money since 9-11. However, I maintain that 9-11 was a very convenient 'excuse' for the airlines to receive a lot of money when their bottom lines went red. The reality is that the airlines had been pumping enormous amounts of cash into their web presence in order to eliminate their own employees as well as what remained of the travel agent delivery system. Had that money not been spent their bottom lines would not have taken as hard a hit. I am sure you will argue that the airlines have the right to put their money where they want, and they do. I take issue with yet another huge corporation actively seeking ways to get rid of employees for the sake of profit so that the execs that thought of these schemes can get their bonus checks. Did you watch the documentary on American Airlines? Not only was the past CEO bragging about firing a night watchman and replacing him with a guard dog he then bragged about depriving that dog of food to get it snarling. At that point he had the airport personnel tape record the dog and then 'got rid of' the dog. I found that very telling.
As for the time frame. The client did know she was on a waitlist and she did not travel or redeem any miles in the 3 day time window.
Why bother with an account that can be lost over one incident? The account was a large corporate one and there is nothing more powerful than an unhappy executive's wife. There is simply no defense against that situation. There are travel agents every where just waiting to pick up an account no matter the reason the first agency lost it. In this business you are just glad to have the income, period.