Complaint Review: American Express Airline Promotion Services

I responded to American Express' TV advertising for an opportunity to "buy one airline ticket and get one free" in early October 2005 and completed it's Registration Form on October 14, 2005. The offer required a minimum of $300.00 for an AMEX credit card and a nonrefundable fee of $15.00 (AMEX definition of "free" appears to be $15.00)

I met all requirements and expected a ticket "ACTIVATION FORM" within 14 to 21 days from Airline Promotion Services (API) in acordance with the contract. That did not happen until January 27, 2006(that's about 3 months late).

after multiple written inquires to AMEX and API all of which wentuanswered until a certified letter of Dec. 10, 2005 which AMEX answered by stating it's "investigation" had begun.

The AMEX investigation must have resulted in confirmation of my complaint because API finally issued the promised ticket "Activation Form" in mid January, 2006 and it was received Jan 27th as noted above,with NO explanation or apology! I had absolutely no use for one ticket much less two by this late date.

Had I wanted to finish the arrangement the delay would have meant the alleged "free" ticket would have cost an additional $30.00 for the minimum cost required for the initial ticket.

I then filed a complaint with the Customer Protection Div.of Kansas Attorney General's Office which forwarded the complaint to American Express by letter of February 16, 2006 requesting the company respond within two weeks from its receipt.

American express has chosen to ignore the Attorney General's request as of this date, April 12, 2006.

Daryl'
TOPEKA, Kansas
U.S.A.