@imaximous wrote:Let's not forget the other reason why they push it hard while on a flight: Flight attendants get a commission for every person they get to sign up.
True, but that is a symptom and not the root of the reason.
The Flight Attendants only get a commission because it's profitable for the airline when customers carry their card. So the real reason that airline credit cards (for all airlines, not just American) exist and that they are promoted in whatever manner (by Flight Attendants or advertising in the airport or advertising in magazines) is that they are profitable for the airlines and banks. They attract customers and add to the the revenue stream. Otherwise, the FA commissions would not exist. The Flight Attendants promote it because not only is it part of their job, but they are also sharing in the profits. But that is only fair. It's the same as any sales pitch you get for any product; someone is making money to take time and energy to pitch it. The commissions are just an incentive for them to remember to do it regularly and with enthusiasm.
@TheBoondocks wrote:
But, only time that I did see SW promote their credit card was when I was at the airport, they had a tablet with a rep I think from Chase. But then again, it's how people make their money too, like how they promote it at Kholes, Walmart, etc.
Yes, just a choice in manner of marketing it.
Maybe Southwest was being greedy and didn't want to pay their Flight Attendants a commission to promote it. Or maybe the American deal is more lucrative relatively speaking and they can afford to do it.
However, I wouldn't be surprised if the money for the American Flight Attendant's commission comes directly out of the advertising and sales budget for Barclays separately from the money the airline makes, so maybe Chase didn't want to share the commissions with Southwest but American convinced Barclays to give them promotional money to cut advertising costs in other media. It's a lot cheaper to pay a Flight Attendant to plug a card after it sells than to buy national advertising space up-front. But it could be any combination of the above.
