Frequent Flyer Funnies: The Turbulence of Loyalty

by BoardingArea | May 10, 2024 | 0 Comments

Welcome back to our sky-high series, #FrequentFlyerFunnies, where we find the humor in the hustle of racking up those miles. This week, we’re navigating the turbulent emotions that come with changes to our beloved loyalty programs. Fasten your seatbelts and stow your tray tables—this is going to be a relatable ride!

A comic strip depicting the various emotional stages experienced by frequent flyers when dealing with changes in airline policies. The comic is divided into six panels each representing different stages: Denial, Anger, Negotiation, Depression, Acceptance, and Change. Each panel humorously illustrates typical reactions such as a traveler in denial saying, "Nooo! They can't be changing the rules!", and one in anger shaking a fist at an airline counter. The Negotiation panel shows a traveler pleading, "But I'm one of your best customers: can't I get an exception?" In Depression, a person is slumped over a bar. Acceptance shows a resigned traveler at the elite check-in, while Change shows someone happily switching to a different airline offering a status match. The caption humorously comments, "They say that acceptance is the hardest stage of frequent flyer grief—thank goodness for status matches!"

What the Comic Shows:

Our comic portrays the “Stages of Frequent Flyer Grief” with sharp wit and inky insight. We see our frequent flyer hero grappling with policy changes at the airline, going through a cycle familiar to anyone who’s lost a treasured status or perk: denial, anger, negotiation, depression, and what looks like acceptance—until a tempting offer appears.

Punchline:

The final twist comes when our traveler, seemingly resigned to their fate at the elite check-in, is lured by the siren song of a status match offer. It’s an unexpected shift from acceptance to opportunistic change—because in the frequent flyer game, it’s all about staying airborne in the best possible way.

Why We’re Chuckling:

It’s a playful jab at the emotional bonds we form with our loyalty programs and how quickly they can be tested. The comic captures the quirky truth of the frequent flyer life: no matter how many times we say we’re done, there’s always a new deal that might just get us back in the air.

Dive Deeper with Us:

  • Loyalty Loop: Does the ‘acceptance’ stage in our flyer’s journey ever truly come, or are we eternally circling the airport of better offers? Share your looping loyalty tales.
  • Point of Diminishing Returns: At what moment does the pursuit of points eclipse the perks they promise? Dive into your experiences when chasing rewards turned into a taxing trek.
  • Autopilot Actions: Have you ever found yourself on autopilot, doing the same travel routines for the sake of status, even when they stop making sense? Let’s discuss when it’s time to switch off autopilot and navigate a new course.
  • The ‘Change’ Choice: Is the real power in acceptance, or is it in the freedom to change loyalty at a moment’s notice? Reflect on what true traveler empowerment looks like in today’s loyalty program landscape.
Frequent Flyer Funnies
Also on BoardingArea
One Mile at a Time
Which US Airline CEO Was Highest Paid In 2025? ($32.3 Million)
In recent weeks, we’ve seen major US airlines release their proxy statements, which contain all kinds of interesting information. Among those is the executive compensation that these airlines paid in 2025.
View from the Wing
Airlines Secretly Sold Your Travel And Payment Data To The IRS And FBI — Now They’re Being Sued
Airlines and their payment-clearing partner quietly sold searchable travel and payment data to federal agencies including the IRS and FBI, giving the government a back door into records it would normally need legal process to obtain. Now a proposed class action argues that violated financial privacy laws.
Eye of the Flyer
Delta Gift Card Offer, Cruise Drink Crackdown Coming, American Airlines Tasers a Couple, and More
A couple got tased and banned for life by American Airlines, cruise lines may be restricting drink packages, and there's a Delta Gift Card Offer worth checking before it disappears.
TravelUpdate
Have you seen this BBC feature on British Airways cabin crew training from 1987?
The BBC visited British Airways cabin crew training centre at Cranebank back in 1987. They followed several crew…
You Are Travel
Minor Hotels’ Anantara Joins the ‘Cruising Game’ – Offering a Luxurious Bangkok River Adventure
​tl;dr – If you find yourself in Bangkok… ​Many luxurious hotel brands now offer water adventures. Anantara –…
One Mile at a Time
American Flight Attendant Jokes About Iran Attacking White House, Gets Fired
An American Airlines flight attendant was fired over her social media content, and even she wasn’t surprised…
Live and Let’s Fly
Statistically, United CEO Kirby Is Right, Airfares Are Low
United CEO, Scott Kirby wants higher fares and claims they should be 15-20% higher. The uncomfortable part is that the long-term data says he has a point. Kirby Said The Quiet Part Out Loud United CEO Scott Kirby recently argued that fares need to rise, with United looking for yields...
View from the Wing
Passengers Take Selfies, Evacuate Swiss Flight With Bags In Hand After Engine Failure
A Swiss flight bound for Zurich suffered an engine failure during takeoff in Delhi, forcing the crew to reject the departure, stop on the runway, and evacuate 228 passengers and four infants. As smoke poured from the aircraft, passengers still grabbed their bags, filmed the scene, and paused for selfies...
You Are Travel
Waldorf Astoria Rabat Salé Finally Opens in One of Africa’s Tallest Skyscrapers
tl;dr – After several delays, the property has finally opened its doors. Last July, I wrote about Hilton’s…
One Mile at a Time
Are Carry-On Rules Always Enforced For First & Business Class Passengers?
I’ve written in the past about the pros and cons of traveling with carry-ons vs. checked bags, and I’ve also written about how to avoid gate checking bags. An OMAAT reader asked me a question along the lines of this topic, which I haven’t addressed before. I’m sure he’d appreciate...
Live from a Lounge
SWISS Flight LX147 Rejects Takeoff At Delhi After Engine Failure, Emergency Evacuation Follows
SWISS's A330-300 operating Delhi - Zurich had an aborted take off last night, which led to fire tenders being rushed and an emergency evacuation as well.
Frequent Miler
Last Chance Deals: 3 transfer bonuses, several increased welcome offers, Wyndham points sale, & more
Welcome to our weekly list of what’s ending this week as well as a collection of some other deals that are due to end soon. There are lots of deals ending this week as Thursday is the last day of the month, so the bulk of them expire that day. Among...
One Mile at a Time
Aeroplan Updating Award Chart As Of June 2026: It’s A Devaluation, Mostly
Air Canada Aeroplan is one of the most useful frequent flyer programs out there for redeeming points, thanks to the huge number of airline partners the program has, the reasonable award pricing, and the ability to add stopovers for 5,000 points.
Points With a Crew
Which Marriott credit card is the best? (New Higher Offers – Up to 5 Free Nights)
There are 5 different Marriott credit cards - each with their own set of perks and benefits. Let's take a look at the pros and cons and decide which Marriott card is best
The Gate with Brian Cohen
What Is Wrong With This Photograph? Part 350
I took the following photograph as I walked through a parking lot of a hotel property at which I was staying. For this edition of this popular game, can you guess what...
The Bulkhead Seat
2026 Weekly Review: April 25th
Greetings from Tampa! I spent some time in Las Vegas and Dallas this week.…
Frequent Miler
American Airlines will grade flight attendants, Frontier sues American for collision, and United’s CEO is in talks about asset acquisition (Saturday Selection)
Throughout the week, our team shares articles they’ve stumbled upon that may interest our readers, even if they might not otherwise merit a full post. Here are some of the posts we found interesting this week: American Airlines will grade flight attendants, Frontier sues American for collision, and United’s CEO...
Economy Class & Beyond
Last Week at Economy Class and Beyond (25th April)
It’s the end of another week as we head towards the end of April. And with my brain still full of seats, IFE and components, it must be time for Last Week at Economy Class and Beyond. Thinking Coffee (a V60 Pour-over) at 200 Degrees Coffee, Birmingham. And yes, that’s not...
View from the Wing
Airlines Are A Terrible Business — Here’s How I’d Lose Less Money Starting One
Airlines are such a bad business that the smartest startup strategy is probably not building the most beautiful premium carrier, but finding a way to lose less money than everyone else. If I had to start one anyway, I would skip the glamorous dream model and focus on underserved leisure...
One Mile at a Time
Weekly Review: April 25, 2026
I hope everyone is having a nice weekend so far! I’m just wrapping up a trip to Asia. Sorry, I had intended to write more about it “live,” though there was a lot of news this week, so I didn’t get around to it, especially since I was trying to...
Points With a Crew
This Is Why You Should Always Check Your Hotel Bill
I don't always check my hotel bills, but this time I noticed an incorrect charge that could have cost me over $200. Find out how I ...
2PAXfly
WEEKLY REVIEW: Sunday 26 April, 2026
I’m still in London, but will be departing soon. It’s really begun to warm up now, just in time for the London Marathon today. Not that I’m a participant. In fact, the only reason I know is because of its effects on public transport. And there seem to be a...
View from the Wing
American Retired 40% Of Its Long Haul Planes During Covid — Many Are Now Headed To A New Airline
American Airlines retired roughly 40% of its long-haul-capable fleet during the pandemic, betting travel would stay weak and replacements would arrive when needed. Now some of those supposedly obsolete widebodies are heading to a new airline in Vietnam, a reminder that the planes still had life left — and that...
The Gate with Brian Cohen
I Have Walked To and From These 5 Airports — and You Can Too
I have walked to and from these 5 airports — as well as more airports that I have not documented — and you can walk as well if you choose to do so. Airports seem to be designed to be complex and confusing; and — more often than not — they...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Categories

Our Bloggers