American Airlines Contest Winner Rejects Prize

[s80dude]

Sounds like the man wanted a cash prize instead...

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American Airlines contest winner rejects prize
Wed Jul 6, 2005 12:51 PM ET
NEW YORK, July 6 (Reuters) - The winner of an American Airlines-sponsored contest has rejected the prize because of a weighty tax bill and is not taking the disappointment quietly.
Jack McCall, a 37-year-old New York resident, said in a telephone interview on Wednesday that the carrier refused to change the prize -- vouchers for 12-round-trip flights anywhere in the world, valued at $52,800 -- to ease the tax load.

http://yahoo.reuters.com/financeQuoteCompa...06212017_newsml

 

[jimntx]

I just hate it when that happens! I tried to get them to change my last $.45/hr raise to ease the tax burden also. Quelle surprise! They refused.

 

[FWAAA]

What an idiot.

He claims that he didn't know that prizes were taxed?

And he claims to be 37 years old?

I blame the schools.

Don't like the prize? Don't enter the contest.

 

[whatkindoffreshhell]

Are those tix non-transferrable?

e-Bay my friend.

This guy is an 'educational software' worker.....hmmmmmm.

 

[Wretched Wrench]

Dear Lord, please keep the revenuers from getting any ideas about taxing our passes.

 

[FWAAA]

Dear Lord, please keep the revenuers from getting any ideas about taxing our passes.

[post="280475"][/post]​

Your passes are a tax-free fringe benefit under the tax code, since you are an employee.

Free tix won by a non-employee are (and always have been) taxable.

Every free AA ticket I have ever won is accompanied by a 1099 with an outrageous value.

This fool should have accepted them and then argued the value with the IRS.

 

[Corinth2103]

"I feel angry at American and generating negative publicity for them at this point -- I'm perfectly happy doing that because I feel they deserve it," he added.

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Waaaaahhhhh...whatever.. :jerry:

He'd probably be the guy that asks why the JFK-LAX flight is so short but the return LAX-JFK is soooo long that we MUST be stopping somewhere.


Tim

 

[Bob Owens]

Valued at $52800!

That means each round trip is worth $4400!

He would have had a good arguement for saying they were worth much less but perhaps it wasnbt worth all the hassle. Like I said before peoplke dont fly for the sake of flying, they fly to get to where they want to be, if they dont want to go anywhere even a "free" ticket is worthless, but if they want to get there its doubtful that a small change in price would change their mind.

 

[TWU informer]

Another great Marketing Idea gone south.

Can we give you another 17.5% to help fund a few more brain farts?

 

[eolesen]

That means each round trip is worth $4400!

No, each round trip is worth $2200. They were 12 pairs of tickets, not 12 tickets.

WSJ.Com has a much less biased version of the story -- Reuters neglected to mention that AA offered to reduce the number of tickets awarded. WSJ also indicated that the guy had read the fine print, but didn't believe it. Also had some quotes from tax advisors who suggested he could take the awards, document what the real tax liability would have been at market rates for the travel actually flown, and file with the IRS for a lower tax liability.

All that makes it sound like he really was trying to get a cash prize.

 

[TWU informer]

All that makes it sound like he really was trying to get a cash prize.

[post="280498"][/post]​

Oh well, then reduce the concession offer to 14.5% to fund the stupididty.

 

[FWAAA]

Another great Marketing Idea gone south.

[post="280487"][/post]​

You thought it was a great marketing idea??

I pegged it as a stupid marketing campaign from the moment it was announced (and posted it here on this website).

AA has absolutely no idea Why I fly.

AA could have just as easily recycled some tried and true slogans for its new ads as the garbage the ad agency came up with here.

 

[AMFAMAN]

AA has absolutely no idea Why I fly.

[post="280513"][/post]​

Sure we do...It's cheaper than driving and a hell of alot faster than walking.

 

[flydcoop]

Sure we do...It's cheaper than driving and a hell of alot faster than walking.

[post="280516"][/post]​

You didn't win with this submission?

Nevermind, there is NO WAY you could have afforded the taxes.

The F/As have a new motto, "Don't like the bus? Fly on us!"

It's been a beautiful summer so far, can you tell? I'm flying Vegas all month! Need I say more?

Coop

SLT

 

[Bob Owens]

No, each round trip is worth $2200.  They were 12 pairs of tickets, not 12 tickets.

[post="280498"][/post]​

What did he win, 12 round trips, which would be 12 pairs or 24 tickets, 12 there and 12 back, or 24 round trips which would be 48 tickets?

A round trip is there and back.

Whenever I've flown I've needed one ticket to get there and another to get back. Usually I got the pair of tickets at the same time but both tickets added up to one round trip. One way tickets are still sold and are considered a ticket, not half a ticket. So unless I hear different 12 pairs of tickets would be 12 round trips. So the value of 12 pairs, or rounds trips with a total value of $52800 would be $4400 each round trip or $2200 for each one way ticket.