Welcome to the Freddie Awards, Live! The Freddie Webcast!

Welcome to the 18th Annual Freddie Awards! Each year, frequent travelers vote for their favorite frequent flyer programs and, when all the votes are counted, the winners are recognized with a prestigous Freddie Award. Today, the 18th Freddie Awards will take place at the Sheraton Four Points LAX, and the entire event will be covered live right here, starting at 7 p.m. PT. If you've tuned in early, you can take a peek behind the scenes to see how the preparations are coming along. We will update this live blog throughout the day -- or at least whenever we aren't setting up equipment, getting dressed and, of course, screaming at each other. Enjoy, and again, welcome to the 18th Annual Freddie Awards. Randy Takes the Stage We are underway here at the 18th Annual Freddie Awards at the Sheraton Four Points LAX, and with his introductory remarks Randy is recognizing the outstanding staff and facilities. Evidently, one of the hotel staff is a tequila afficianado ... the surest way to a frequent flyer guru's heart. Historians Before the awards get underway, three founding giants of the frequent flyer industry take to the stage. Rolfe Shellenberger - Manager Marketing Plans at American Airlines in 1981, Steve Grosvald - Manager of Merchandising and Promotion, United in 1981, and Bob Coggins - Marketing Manager Delta, 1981, are regaling the crowd with tales of how the whole thing got started. It turns out that only through their drive and ambition was the whole concept born. Other marketers weren't as thrilled with the idea. But eventually, on May 1, 1981, American Airlines launched the AAdvantage program. United Mileage Plus followed days later. Interestingly, the press didn't catch on at first. In fact, the first major article on frequent flyer programs, published in the Wall Street Journal, gave United credit for launching the idea first. According to Bob Coggins, the first customer accounts were stored in shoeboxes. After all, this was before the advent of the PC. This was also before identification was required to fly. Bob says Delta's first million-miler actually accrued many of his miles through family members flying in his name. Of course, no one knew that before that million-miler appeared on the cover of Delta's in-flight magazine. At present, the three are arguing about promotions that a.) blazed the trail in terms of frequent flyer promotions, and b.) apparently ruffled a few feathers back in the day. More Pictures: The World's Largest Freddie Award A new award is being unveiled, the Lifetime Achievement Award -- and the three men who just entertained the audience with insightful and hilarious tales of the early days of these programs are serving as presenters. In all, four Lifetime Achievement Awards are being presented, to the only four programs that got their start in 1981 and that still exist today -- American AAdvantage, United Mileage Plus, Delta Frequent Flyer/SkyMiles, and Northwest WorldPerks (interestingly, all of the other programs that also began in 1981 but that are no longer around were all, in one way or another, absorbed by those that are still going strong). In a remarkable moment of past meeting present, Rolfe, Steve, Bob, and Randy (acting on behalf of Northwest) hand-off the enormous crystal statues to the current executives in charge of each program, respectively. Ken Feldman, Vice President of Loyalty & E-Commerce, accepts the award for United; Kurt Stache, President of AAdvantage, steps up for American Airlines; Kevin Pinto, Manager-SkyTeam and Asia, is proud to take the trophy for Delta; and Russ Hinckley, WorldPerks General Manager, accepts on behalf of Northwest. Our Namesake Sir Freddie Laker passed away on February 9th of this year. It is definitely his name, and hopefully his spirit, that attach themselves to these awards tonight. Lady Jacqueline is in our audience tonight. Taking the podium is Frederick Laker, Jr. According to Freddie Jr., some of the best words of advice the ebullient elder Laker gave were: "Son, I've f*$%ed up things you haven't even thought about yet" - a colorful illustration of the entreprenerial spirit of the man for whom these awards are named. Randy donated a $1,000 check to the Sir Freddie Laker Memorial Fund, which will assist in purchasing treatment equipment at the Cardiac Department of the Rand Hospital in Freeport, Bahamas. What do the Freddies Mean to You? We are only one hour in and this is already turning into one of the most special Freddie Award ceremonies to date. And as Randy is telling the crowd right now, the event simply would not be possible if not for the wonderful sponsors. This year, the trophies, the food, the entertainment, and even this blog are being brought to you by Awards for Mortgage and Real Estate, Executive Travel SkyGuide, Points.com, Priority Pass, and BookingBuddy.com, and, of course, InsideFlyer Magazine. We thank them all for their generosity and their continued support of the industry and the Freddie Awards. The sponsors are enjoying an increasing interest in these awards, as a look at Alexa rankings shows that this past year saw the greatest traffic to www.freddieawards.com in the site's history. Industry Impact Award - Air Canada Aeroplan The winner of the night's first Freddie is Aeroplan, for their innovative public offering - something we suspect will eventually become commonplace. In 2005, Air Canada became the first airline to convert part of its frequent-flier program into an income trust. This is the first program to use this strategy of monetization of its business units. Best Award, Frequent Guest Program, Asia/Pacific Marriott Rewards is the first to take to the podium this year, making this 13 total Best Award Freddies for the former Honored Guest program. Ed French, Senior Vice President of Marriott Rewards, Marriott International, accepts the award. PointSavers Awards - those redemption opportunities discounted by a full category in point requirements - take first place. Starwood Preferred Guest and IHG Priority Club Rewards round out the top three, which together take the top six spots in this category and region overall. Best Award, Frequent Flyer Program, Asia/Pacific Though Emirates Skywards is no stranger to Freddie glory, this is its first victory in the Best Award category. With a runaway value vote average of 8.225, Skywards appealed to its Asian members by discounting awards to 30 destinations by a full 50 percent. The concept was apparently a popular one in this region this year, as a similar half-off sale from Jet Airways Jet Privilege took second place, with a whopping 57.24 percent of the overall vote. Singapore KrisFlyer’s online-booking discount, which took second place last year, drops to third, though members accorded it a higher value vote this year than last. Brian LaBelle sprints into the room from an apparent poorly timed "break" to accept the award. Best Award, Frequent Guest Program, Europe/Middle East/Africa Marriott claims its 14th overall trophy for Best Award, again wowing voters with its PointSavers Awards. A huge 25.26 percent of the overall vote went to Marriott this year. Coming in second and third, after taking the top four spots in this region last year, is Starwood Preferred Guest. Accepting the award again was Ed French, an old hand in the loyalty industry. Best Award, Frequent Flyer Program, Europe/Middle East/Africa Great awards in this part of the world are so numerous that members often seem to opt for creativity or quirkiness when it comes to voting. For the fifth time, the award goes to a member of the Qualiflyer dynasty. SN Brussels Airlines Privilege keyed in on individual members by offering a birthday gift no other program could – half off the “price” of award tickets. But the success didn’t stop there. Privilege awards took three of the top four spots in this category for 2006. Here, Mignon Buckingham, Managing Director, ICLP, graciously accepts the Freddie on behalf of SN Brussels. Coming in at a close second is relative newcomer Gulf Air Frequent flyer (they took the other two spots in the top 5), which took home the Freddie for Best Award Redemption last year. Best Award, Frequent Guest Program, Americas IHG Priority Club Rewards reclaims this award from Starwood Preferred Guest, marking just the second time that Priority Club has taken the top spot for Best Award. But what an award it was – essentially letting members redeem Priority Club points for stays anywhere, including with competitors. It was in-your-face and off-the-wall, and it clearly won members’ hearts. Steve Sickel, Sr. Vice President, Multi-Brand and Relationship Marketing steps to the podium for the trophy. Marriott’s combination hotel and mileage awards, a regular part of the Rewards program, make the jump from fifth place to second. And Starwood Preferred Guest, which alone claimed the top four spots here last year, drops to sixth. Best Award, Frequent Flyer Program, Americas For three years now, the best award in the Americas has not been a discounted seat, but a bonus for transferring points between programs. Southwest Rapid Rewards reclaims the top spot with a bonus of 25 percent for turning Diners Club points into Rapid Rewards credits. A similar bonus, also with Diners Club, is what won this award for Southwest in 2004, and proved the deciding factor in giving America West FlightFund the edge last year. Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan is always a top contender with its seasonal award sales. What’s particularly remarkable is that these sales are not once-a-year promotions, but are in fact a consistent, regular part of the program. Interestingly, two awards were presented, one each for Southwest and Diners -- both of whom just happened to be sitting at the same table -- now those really are close partners :) Ashley Miller, Vice President Diners Club Rewards N. America (L) and Megan Wood, Loyalty Marketing, Southwest Airlines, share the stage for acceptance. Best Bonus Promotion, Frequent Guest Program, Asia/Pacific Starwood Preferred Guest’s triple points promotion rules the roost in Asia. The simple, lucrative and worldwide nature of the bonus made it a member favorite, and Gretchen Kloke, Senior Director Loyalty Program, is pleased to accept the Freddie. Hyatt Gold Passport’s Faster Free Nights promotion – a truly generous and regular part of Hyatt’s promotional schedule – drops to second after winning this award last year. And Marriott Rewards demonstrates its popularity in Asia, taking third place overall. Best Bonus Promotion, Frequent Flyer Program, Asia/Pacific Jet Airways Jet Privilege has been honored in the past for being innovative; this time, it wins for its generosity -- not that the outcome was ever in doubt, as the top two finishers were revealed, Jet Privilege held both the top spots. In an effort to promote specific routes, Jet Privilege offered anyone who booked those routes online a free ticket to Singapore or Kuala Lumpur. But that’s not all, Jet Privilege also came in a very strong second for lucrative bonuses on new international routes. Emirates finishes third with its World Cup promotion. And all the way from Mumbai, Bijai Jayarajan accepts the award for Jet Privilege. Best Bonus Promotion, Frequent Guest Program, Europe/Middle East/Africa Though Starwood Preferred Guest has won enough awards to enter its own hall of fame, this is only its second Freddie in the Best Bonus category. Starwood dethrones IHG Priority Club Rewards here, having thrilled members by offering triple points on all stays worldwide. Robin Korman, Vice President, Loyalty Program accepts this award thanks to members who apparently appreciated the generosity, simplicity and universal applicability of the promotion, and rightly so. Marriott Rewards takes second place again this year, offering double points, while its strong finish last year was for offering triple points. In third is Priority Club’s well-loved “Double Points or Double Miles” promotion, which also placed third last year. Best Bonus Promotion, Frequent Flyer Program, Europe/Middle East/Africa If anyone has doubts about the growing size and influence of Middle Eastern airlines, let this year’s top three finishers lay them to rest. Qatar Airways Privilege Club takes home its first Freddie Award for doling out miles to members based on the number of years they’d been members. While not the richest bonus ever created, it nonetheless showed creativity and a focus on longevity, which obviously tilted the scales in Qatar’s favor. Gulf Air Frequent flyer finishes in a respectable second place, again showing a flair for the creative. And Emirates Skywards tipped its hat to the soccer (football)-crazed region, giving 100 World Cup tickets away in what became a competition for the most miles. Best Bonus Promotion, Frequent Guest Program, Americas For the third straight year, IHG Priority Club Rewards takes home the Freddie for Best Bonus on the strength of its “Double Points or Double Miles” promotion. The perennial favorite won handily, with a higher value vote than it received last year. Once again, Steve Sickel accepts the award on behalf of Priority Club. In second place again is Choice Privileges, whose “Stay 2 Times, Earn a Free Night” promotion might well have been one of the most generous bonuses in the hotel industry last year, and whose high finish drew several oohs and aahs from the crowd. Priority Club, not satisfied with just first place, comes in third as well, earning high marks for giving out 2,000 points or 500 miles on every second stay. Best Bonus Promotion, Frequent Flyer Program, Americas History has a way of repeating itself. For six straight years, from 1998 to 2003, Southwest Rapid Rewards won Best Bonus for offering members double credits for booking online. Then, having decided that the bonus had done its work, Southwest nixed it. But it didn’t matter. Rapid Rewards won again the following year, this time for offering one credit for online booking. Now, for the eighth straight year, Southwest Rapid Rewards takes home the Best Bonus Freddie for bringing the fabled double-credit bonus back, if only for a limited time. And, just as it did in 2005, Rapid Rewards also claims the second place, with the one-credit promotion that won the overall category last year. This time, Manager of Loyalty Marketing, Karen Wright makes her way up to the front for the trophy and a photo with Randy. In third place for the second straight year is America West FlightFund, which is again recognized for enticing members into first class with the promise of elite status. Best Member Communications, Frequent Guest Program, Asia/Pacific IHG Priority Club Rewards maintains its top spot in the Asia/Pacific region -- and it's a good bet this won't be their last walk to the podium this evening. Hyatt Gold Passport continues to show its renewed focus on communications by taking second, and perennial contender Starwood Preferred Guest claims a respectable third. Best Member Communications, Frequent Flyer Program, Asia/Pacific Last year’s gate-crashing Gulf Air Frequent flyer proves it belongs among the Freddie elite by taking home its first-ever Member Communications Freddie, and its first Freddie of the evening. Under the leadership of Louise Robertson, whose signature and smiling face adorn every issue of the program’s lengthy “Update” newsletter, Frequent flyer is becoming a familiar program. Gulf Air West Coast Manager Prem Sadani is pleased to accept the accolades and the sparkling trophy. Right behind is Qatar Airways Privilege Club, staking yet another claim for recognition. And oh, yes. There’s Jet Airways Jet Privilege again, this time with a massive 48.75 percent of the overall vote. Best Member Communications, Frequent Guest Program, Europe/Middle East/Africa IHG Priority Club Rewards bumps Starwood Preferred Guest out of first. By increasing its value vote from 7.85 to 8.34, Priority Club reclaims its spot. Marriott Rewards again makes great strides, finishing in second place after coming in seventh last year. And it would appear that Hyatt Gold Passport has improved its communications in this region, too, rising to claim third place. Best Member Communications, Frequent Flyer Program, Europe/Middle East/Africa And the winner is ... TAP Portugal Victoria, whose representative Gloria Melo reminds everyone that TAP is the largest airline in Portugal. This marks the second straight win in this category for TAP Portugal Victoria, which won last year under the name “Navigator.” With a powerful 8.669 value vote, Victoria clearly communicates with its members, particularly when it comes to Freddie voting. In second place again is Aeroflot Bonus, which earns kudos for its consistent efforts to treat its members as individuals. And SN Brussels Airlines Privilege, a Loyalty Gate partner of TAP Victoria, rounds out the top three. Best Member Communications, Frequent Guest Program, Americas For the fourth straight year, IHG Priority Club Rewards claims the prize for Best Member Communications. With a healthy portion of the overall vote and a comfortable value-vote lead, Priority Club once again proves that they can get the word out. Mark Shepherd, Global Alliances Manager accepts the Freddie. Marriott jumps to second place from a strong third last year, and Hyatt Gold Passport, finishing a disappointing 10th place last year, leaps to third. Best Member Communications, Frequent Flyer Program, Americas For the fourth time, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan takes top honors for its efforts to communicate with members, and for the fourth year in a row the entire group at Mileage Plan's table erupts in glee :) Ann Ardizzone, Managing Director-Customer Experience, is thrilled to make the trip to the stage for the honor. Alaska has been dominant in this category for many reasons, not the least of which is its ability to leverage the communication power of the Internet. In fact, Mileage Plan has no printed newsletter, yet its members consistently crow about their program’s ability to reach out and to respond. Southwest Rapid Rewards takes second place yet again, and Midwest Miles takes a surprising third. Surprising, not because Midwest has been out of touch before, but because it didn’t even make the top 10 last year. Best Web Site, Frequent Guest Program, Asia/Pacific Hyatt Gold Passport makes its own claim to fame as it edges out IHG Priority Club Rewards in a leap from fifth place in 2005. GP Systems Director Kristy Smith shares the spotlight as Randy passes off the award. Choice Hotels Choice Privileges claims fifth overall, a noticeable jump from its No. 11 finish last year, while Shangri-La Golden Circle and Le Meridien Moments both drop in the rankings, from third and seventh place last year, respectively. These results seem to highlight the fact that the future is indeed never certain. Best Web Site, Frequent Flyer Program, Asia/Pacific Newcomer Qatar Airways Privilege Club appeared from relative obscurity to nudge out Gulf Air, another newcomer to this category, for top honors in Web excellence. Holding steady in fourth place again is Jet Airways Jet Privilege, dominating the vote percentage even more than last year, when it grabbed a stunning 34.38 percent. Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer seems determined to make a statement by claiming third place, after establishing itself at sixth last year, where it leapt from thirteenth place in 2004. While Northwest WorldPerks maintains its strong Pacific region presence at fifth place, last year’s first and second finishers, Emirates Skywards and Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, make the sudden drop to sixth and seventh place. The upsets this year seem to prove that the standards for a quality Web experience change nearly as often as fashion trends. Randy accepts the award on Qatar's behalf, but with this kind of showing we wouldn't be surprised if a representative makes the trip next year -- just in case. Best Web Site, Frequent Guest Program, Europe/Middle East/Africa After taking fourth place for two years running, Marriott Rewards snags the Freddie for this region, elbowing out favorites IHG Priority Club Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest from their frequented top spots, and bumping last year’s top three all down a spot. As a familiar member of the top five in many Freddie categories recently, Marriott is getting some long-deserved attention. Hyatt Gold Passport emerges near the top once again after a sixth-place finish last year, though if Hyatt is taking notes from Marriott, they’ll see it doesn’t take long to surpass expectations. Here, Ed French again accepts the award for Marriott. Best Web Site, Frequent Flyer Program, Europe/Middle East/Africa Patience pays off as Aeroflot Bonus takes its first Freddie of the evening for Best Web Site, after an amazingly close second-place finish last year. TAP Portugal Victoria remains a top contender right behind them, after winning this category for the first time in 2005. No surprise here: SN Brussels Airlines Privilege keeps climbing, up from last year’s fourth place slot, which was replaced by rising star Continental OnePass. Who’s that in fifth place? Qatar Privilege Club, making quite the statement as a newcomer to this category. Voters must want the world to notice this “little program that could” as one to watch in the coming years. Welcome to other newcomers bmi diamond club and Alitalia MilleMiglia. Best Web Site, Frequent Guest Program, Americas IHG Priority Club Rewards establishes itself with top honors in this category for the second year in a row. Don Berg, Director of Loyalty Programs, has the honor of accepting this trophy. Surprisingly, its frequent sparring partner and Freddie favorite, Starwood Preferred Guest, is nowhere to be seen. Wait a second… there it is in fourth place, bumped from second by Marriott Rewards, which wasn’t willing to settle for third place once again. Hyatt Gold Passport leaps back into contention from its ninth- place spot last year, bumping Starwood down yet another slot. Wyndham Hotels drops two spots, and LaQuinta Returns plummets from fifth place to the bottom of the list, though it bears mentioning that just over one point separates them from first place, demonstrating that in the end, it’s really anyone’s game. Best Web Site, Frequent Flyer Program, Americas The trend repeats itself: Alaska and Southwest have been taking turns stealing the spotlight in recent years. After lurking on the sidelines (second place) for four of the past five years, Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards has reclaimed its 2004 award in this category, but Alaska Mileage Plan is hot on its heels. Karen Wright once again takes the podium to accept the Freddie. Continental has been climbing the ranks recently, and claims third by a thin margin. The big surprise in this year’s results is Midwest Airlines, not even a contender in previous years, slipping in with a solid fourth-place finish. Much of the rankings reflect previous results, though it looks like JetBlue TrueBlue is steadily heading for the top with a strong fifth-place finish, and Northwest WorldPerks surprisingly slips further down the list. The message this year? Well, simplicity is still key, and bigger is not always better. And what does Randy think of this result? He is in agreement, as he applaudes Southwest for making its Ding notifications Mac compatible. Best Affinity Credit Card, Asia/Pacific American Express Membership Rewards claims the top spot in Asia, marking the sixth international award for the venerable Membership Rewards program. By leveraging an enormous list of partners, Amex does it again. Yet another Amex card claims second place, this time the Singapore Airlines PPS Club card. And jumping from fifth to third? That’s right – Jet Airways. We think you should get used to seeing these guys around. Best Affinity Credit Card, Europe/Middle East/Africa For the second straight year, the SN Brussels Airlines American Express claims the lead in this important part of the world. In fact, by Freddie voting standards, the card ran away with it, scoring a dominating 8.249 in value voting. Right behind is the American Express Membership Rewards program, leaping from fourth to second. And had anyone heard about the Alitalia Amex before now? Apparently, its holders had, as they stormed in to place it in a solid third. All three of the top finishers were American Express cards, so it only makes sense that a representative from American Express accepts the award on behalf of their SN Brussels partner. Best Affinity Credit Card, Americas Though only one program has consistently won in this category year after year, the competition is always intensely fierce. Last year’s top three finishers, in fact, were only separated by a mere eleven hundredths of a point. To all the world, it appeared that this category was wide open. But for the ninth straight year, Club Rewards from Diners Club takes the honors for Best Affinity Credit Card, and Ashley Miller, Vice President Club Rewards N. America, once again makes the trip to the stage. To some, this may come as a surprise. After all, since its co-branding with MasterCard, Diners has made some fairly major changes to the Club Rewards program, and some important airline partners have dropped out. Apparently, though, that wasn’t enough to dissuade the voters. In a notable jump from seventh place last year, the Marriott Rewards Visa takes a strong second, with the Starwood American Express just a hair’s breadth away. Best Award Redemption, Frequent Guest Program, Asia/Pacific Starwood Preferred Guest takes top honors in the Asia/Pacific region, and Robin Korman is happy to take the trophy again. Once again, it seems that the fewer restrictions you put on awards, the more votes you’ll get. Hot on its heels is IHG Priority Club Rewards, which jumped from fourth to second place in this year’s balloting. Best Award Redemption, Frequent Flyer Program, Asia/Pacific More oohs as the top two finishers are announced and Virgin Blue Velocity announces itself for the first time at the Freddies. If you haven’t heard of Virgin Blue Velocity, you’re not alone. The program is so new that it’s barely out of the wrapper. Yet somehow it managed to garner enough votes not just to be included in this year’s Freddies, but to win. Of course, award availability is usually not a problem for a brand-new program, so we’ll see what next year brings. Creeping up from third place to second is Thai Royal Orchid Plus, and Jet Airways Jet Privileges grabs yet another top-3 finish. Best Award Redemption, Frequent Guest Program, Europe/Middle East/Africa Asserting its dominance in award redemption yet again, Starwood Preferred Guest wins its eighth international Freddie in this category. Only Shangri-La Golden Circle has ever slowed the Preferred Guest juggernaut in award redemption. Marriott Rewards and IHG Priority Club rewards switch places this year. Best Award Redemption, Frequent Flyer Program, Europe/Middle East/Asia The biggest little airline in Portugal does it again. TAP Victoria nudges its way to a Freddie in this category, scoring yet another victory for old Lusitania, and Gloria Melo graciously accepts the Freddie. Last year’s upstart winner, Gulf Air Frequent flyer, drops to fifth place, though we don’t think that’s the last we’ll be hearing from them. A mere fraction of a point behind is Aeroflot Bonus, which continues to be a favorite among Freddie voters in a number of categories. SN Brussels Airlines Privilege takes third, indicating that Loyalty Gate is not to be trifled with in the frequent flyer industry. Best Award Redemption, Frequent Guest Program, Americas Starwood Preferred Guest’s lack of award restrictions almost makes this an unfair fight. Starwood has owned this category since 1999, and this year is no exception. Surprise! It's Robin Korman accepting the Freddie for another time! It even appears that Starwood widened its lead over competitor IHG Priority Club Rewards, though two-hundredths of a point is just barely a “lead.” Marriott Rewards finishes third, again with a huge portion of the overall vote. Best Award Redemption, Frequent Flyer Program, Americas They did it again. Southwest Rapid Rewards, which has claimed this award since its inception in 1998, wins again for the eighth time. And with no capacity controls for years, who’s surprised? Karen Wright certainly looks pleased to be on stage for the third time this evening. But all of that might change now that this Freddie favorite has joined the restricted-awards club. Thus far, we haven’t seen much of an impact on Southwest’s legendary award availability, but who knows what the future holds? Frontier Airlines makes a giant leap into second this year, considering they weren’t even in the top 12 last year. Apparently, a diversification of award options is working. Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan finishes in a strong third, taking a top-3 spot yet again. Best Customer Service, Frequent Guest Program, Asia/Pacific Though the value votes for last year’s top three were a few-tenths of a point higher, Starwood stays on top, leaving Marriott Rewards in second place, a solid jump from its No. 7 spot in 2005. Who's that accepting the Freddie, you ask? Well, William Sanders, Customer Service Coordinator, and past Freddie Award honoree himself, though many of you may recognize him as the Starwood Lurker in a little land called FlyerTalk. IHG Priority Club Rewards is steady in third place for the second year in a row. Shangri-La Gold Circle slips from second to fifth, but remains a serious competitor as usual. Choice Hotels Choice Privileges improves its placing, while Hyatt Gold Passport remains a constant customer service member-pleaser in fourth place once again. Best Customer Service, Frequent Flyer Program, Asia/Pacific This time, they would not be overlooked. No, we aren't repeating a promo line from the most recent action flick, we're talking about Jet Privilege. In recent years, Jet Airways Jet Privilege has escaped much of the spotlight, but this year it firmly establishes itself as a silent powerhouse, unseating American AAdvantage. Former first-place winner Emirates Skywards slips to sixth. Thai Royal Orchid Plus and Cathay Pacific Asia Miles stake their claims to contention in the same spots they took last year, as Gulf Air Frequent flyer moves into the ranks. Last year’s seventh-place finisher and former Pacific region favorite Northwest WorldPerks is strangely absent this year, as are the smaller but significant Air New Zealand Airpoints and Malaysia Enrich. Another rising star, Singapore KrisFlyer, makes a solid improvement, moving to a noticeable third-place finish. Best Customer Service, Frequent Guest Program, Europe/Middle East/Africa Marriott Rewards claims the top spot from Starwood Preferred Guest after its five-year streak. By now you should recognize Ed French accepting the Freddie for Marriott. Starwood remains a fierce contender in second place, followed closely by Hyatt Gold Passport, regularly a top finisher. Radisson goldpoints plus and IHG Priority Club each slide down a spot, while Shangri-La once again claims fifth place. Ed French makes the jaunt to stage to accept the award once again. Best Customer Service, Frequent Flyer Program, Europe/Middle East/Africa For the second year in a row, SN Brussels Airlines Privilege proves that it does indeed know how to treat customers right, and although its value vote is nearly four-tenths of a point lower, it still garners top recognition. Again, Mignon Buckingham of ICLP is happy to accept for them. Pleasantly, TAP Portugal Victoria improves its value vote (from 8.46) and makes a move from No. 8 up to a strong second, followed closely by former No.14 Aeroflot Bonus. Virgin Atlantic flying club climbs three slots, landing just above newcomer Qatar Airways Privilege Club, which has made some startling appearances in several categories, and an airline which Randy frankly admits he hasn't flown ... yet. While Gulf Air Frequent flyer, American AAdvantage, and Emirates Skywards slip significantly in the rankings, from Nos. 3 and 4, respectively, in 2005, Continental OnePass and United Mileage Plus continue to climb, and Alitalia MilleMiglia makes another appearance. If these programs take some lessons from the likes of Southwest, Alaska, and SN Brussels, we could see them rising to top Freddie honors as well. Best Customer Service, Frequent Guest Program, Americas Once again, Marriott Rewards has its revenge. After a series of recent second, third, and fourth-place finishes in many Freddie categories, behind the battling Starwood Preferred Guest and IHG Priority Club, Marriott moves into the limelight. And, say it with me, Ed French is again pleased to accept the award for Marriott. Starwood ends its six-year reign in this category, but remains a contender in fourth place, as IHG Priority Club holds onto second, just a fraction of the vote behind Marriott. Radisson goldpoints plus is absent from the list this year, as TripRewards jumps up four spots. Also, Hyatt Gold Passport moves up into serious contention in yet another category, and seems to be hungry for Freddies. Best Customer Service, Frequent Flyer Program, Americas At the end of the day one of the most valuable factors in loyalty marketing is customer service. This year, 2003 winner Midwest Airlines Midwest Miles reappears on the scene to unseat five-time winner Southwest Rapid Rewards ... by six-tenths of a point! Steve Mathwig, Director, Loyalty Marketing, Midwest Airlines accepts the award, remarking on the importance of customer service to everyone at Midwest Miles. Southwest remains a great example for customer service in second place, with a solid majority of the overall vote, while strong contender Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan remains in the top three yet again. After appearing on the scene for the first time and taking second place in 2004, Frontier EarlyReturns was noticeably absent from the list in 2005, and we’re glad to see it return to a fourth-place finish as newcomer Aeromexico Club Premier takes fifth – stronger than ever – after a year-long absence from the category. AirTran A+ Rewards also makes a nice finish, up from last year’s tenth place, while Northwest, United, and American all slide down a few spots. It appears that not much has changed for voters: All the perks in the world don’t mean anything if there isn’t a consistent and discernible appreciation for the customer. Best Elite Level, Frequent Guest Program, Asia/Pacific Was it only last year that Starwood Preferred Guest swept the entire category of Best Elite-Level Program? Well, in the Pacific Region, Starwood maintains a solid second-place showing, only one-hundredth of a point behind Hyatt Gold Passport. This time, Marriott Rewards settles into third place, as IHG Priority Club Rewards rounds out the top four. With the top stacked evenly, could the competition be any more fierce? Shangri-La Gold Circle placed second last year, but slips to sixth behind newcomer Choice Hotels Choice Privileges, which deserves hearty congratulations. TripRewards also enters the spotlight, taking the 10th place over from last year’s owner, Park Plaza Park Rewards. Best Elite Level, Frequent Flyer Program, Asia/Pacific Though they came from relative anonymity to capture first place, it is clear that voters have been paying attention to Qatar Airways Privilege Club. Where are the top three finishers from 2004, you ask? It seems they have been replaced, as United Mileage Plus jumps up to second place from their No. 8 and No. 11 finishes in 2004 and 2005. Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer quietly crept to third, up from seventh last year. Congratulations to Gulf Air Frequent flyer and ANA Mileage Club for breaking into the ranking. Emirates Skywards relinquished its hold on second place after two years, and Northwest WorldPerks slid to a surprising seventh place finish after squeaking past Emirates to win top honors last year. We were surprised to find no New Zealand Airpoints, especially considering their recent revamps to remove restrictions and capacity controls from their program. And, as always, we recognize Jet Airways Jet Privilege for maintaining its solid fourth place finish, reassuring that its quality elite perks are here to stay. Best Elite Level, Frequent Guest Program, Europe/Middle East/Africa Marriott Rewards has nudged past Starwood, jumping up from fifth place and firmly establishing itself as a contender in the hearts of the this region’s elites. Starwood slides into a secure second place only about a tenth of a point behind. IHG Priority Club Rewards slips from second into fourth, winning the highest percentage of the overall vote, and Hyatt Gold Passport claims third prize once again. Radisson goldpoints plus remains in fifth, and Hilton HHonors climbs up from No. 8 in last year’s results. Le Meridien Moments rounds out the top ten, only just a point-and-a-half behind first place, proving there’s not much room to move at the top. Best Elite Level, Frequent Flyer Program, Europe/Middle East/Africa In one of the most dramatic leaps, top honors go to last year’s No. 10 finisher, Virgin Atlantic flying club. Virgin knocks TAP Portugal Victoria down to second. TAP Portugal joins Aeroflot as the only returning top-five finishers in the past two years. Qatar Privilege Club takes a well-deserved third place for its wealth of elite perks. In another amazing jump, Aeroflot Bonus edged into fourth after its strange tumble to No. 18 in 2005, and Alitalia MilleMiglia gains plenty of attention with its rise up eight slots from No. 17. But the news isn’t all good – Emirates Skywards slips down after a solid third-place finish last year, and American AAdvantage, United Mileage Plus, and Delta SkyMiles all slide further down in the results. Could it be that the voters are fickle, or could they be increasingly selective about the elite benefits they value? Best Elite Level, Frequent Guest Program, Americas Once again, Marriott Rewards sweeps into the results to scoop up the coveted Freddie, upsetting Starwood Preferred Guest’s six-year reign, with a stunning 31.25 percent of the overall vote. And once again, here's our friend Ed French with the trophy. Starwood manages to land in third place, while last-year’s No. 2 winner, IHG Priority Club, retains its firm hold, finishing less than two-hundredths of a point behind first. Hyatt Gold Passport takes Marriott’s 2005 spot, proving its ability to please its elite members. TripRewards makes a solid fifth place appearance, just above Choice Hotels Choice Privileges, while LaQuinta Returns is strangely absent after being barely nudged out of fifth place last year by Wyndham ByRequest. Best Elite Level, Frequent Flyer Program, Americas Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan has been waiting in the wings, or top three, for the past few years as America West FlightFund got all the glory in one of the most hotly contested categories. This year, satisfied elite members spoke, and Alaska Mileage Plan basks in the success of its elite program. Rick Rasmussen, Director, Loyalty Marketing, Alaska Airlines accepts the award and is joined on the stage by Alaska Airline's most decorated flight attendant, Agi Fisher. A well-deserved congratulations to both. Continental OnePass remains at second place, while Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards breaks into this category with a bang, making a solid claim to third place with a full 12.14 percent of the vote. Apparently its version of elite status – the companion pass – is enough to impress its members. Right on Southwest’s heels is another newcomer, Midwest Airlines Midwest Miles, replacing Northwest WorldPerks in fourth, as Northwest slides to eighth. Aeromexico Club Premier makes a respectable reappearance up from its No. 8 ranking in 2004, after missing qualification last year. JetBlue TrueBlue also makes an appearance, and adds to the statement the small programs are making here. You don’t need to be big to be noticed, and the small margins separating the value votes of top finishers seem to suggest that all those elite members are paying attention to detail. Program of the Year, Frequent Guest Program, Asia/Pacific It seems Starwood Preferred Guest just can’t go a year without a Program of the Year Freddie Award. Topping a very competitive field in the Asian market, Preferred Guest leaves its seven-year streak intact, and Robin Korman joins Randy onstage for the honors. Marriott Rewards makes an enormous leap from 10th place in this category last year, pulling in to a close second with a commanding amount of the overall vote. IHG Priority Club Rewards rounds out the top three, all of which are separated by a mere .075 points in value voting. Program of the Year, Frequent Flyer Program, Asia/Pacific For the first time ever, the venerable Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer steps into this winner’s circle, having won the hearts of Asian frequent flyers, who are generally well-used to exemplary service, and thus become quite discriminating. This is KrisFlyer’s very first Freddie Award – and what a way to win. Accepting for Singapore KrisFlyer is Kenneth Bright, V.P. Marketing. "Thank you on behalf of Singapore Airlines," said Bright, "the largest airline in Singapore." Coming in a close second is Jet Airways Jet Privilege, which took third place in this category last year. The Indian program won the Industry Impact Award in 2005 for its dynamic tier review system. And seemingly out of nowhere comes Qatar Airways Privilege Club, finishing third with a hefty value vote of 8.422. Since Emirates Skywards began winning awards in 2002, Middle Eastern programs like Qatar Privilege Club have been demonstrating the phenomenal growth of the airline industry in that part of the world. Program of the Year, Frequent Guest Program, Europe/Middle East/Africa In an astounding jump from last year’s seventh-place finish, the world’s oldest continuous guest rewards program comes out on top. Marriott Rewards hasn’t won a Program of the Year Award since 1998, though it’s been a top contender every year, and always seems to generate the most interest among the voters. It has been a good night for Marriott, and a tiring one for Ed French, as he makes the trip to the podium and carts off another heavy Freddie. I hope he brought a forklift and a moving van. IHG Priority Club Rewards finishes a strong second, also making an impressive leap from sixth place in 2005. And Starwood, which dominated here last year, drops to third – but not by much. It appears that the hotel loyalty game in this part of the world is competitive indeed. Program of the Year, Frequent Flyer Program, Europe/Middle East/Africa Competition for the best in this region is always intense, and has been so since the SAS EuroBonus near-monopoly was broken by Emirates Skywards in 2002. Last year, a descendant of the now-defunct Qualiflyer program, Swiss TravelClub, walked away with top honors. This year, its sibling, TAP Portugal Victoria, comes in first with a fairly comfortable lead, and there's the smiling Gloria Melo accepting for TAP again. Victoria is no stranger to Freddie glory, having won five awards in various categories in years past as “Navigator.” This year, however, marks its first Program of the Year award. Rising from 14th to second place is Aeroflot Bonus, which has made enormous strides as the Russian carrier prepares for SkyTeam Alliance membership. And not surprisingly, we see yet another Qualiflyer descendant in third place – SN Brussels Airlines Privilege. Privilege has held the third-place spot for two years in a row. Program of the Year, Frequent Guest Program, Americas A changing of the guard? The Starwood Preferred Guest stranglehold on the Americas has finally been broken. For six straight years, Starwood shamelessly dominated this (and many other) categories. Say hello to IHG Priority Club Rewards, which despite 19 previous Freddies in other categories has never won Program of the Year. With a commanding value vote of 9.201, and a larger percentage of the overall vote than ever before, Priority Club clearly appealed to its growing membership base with solid, uncomplicated promotions, risky (but effective) marketing, and good old-fashioned quality. Steve Sickel, onstage again, looks thoroughly pleased to accept this Freddie for the first time. Continuing its march up the charts is Marriott Rewards, which moves from third place last year to second. Program of the Year, Frequent Flyer Program, Americas Unlike any other award, the Program of the Year Award honors not only excellence, but consistent, overall excellence. The winner of this all-important category must have demonstrated fairness, attentiveness, and generosity across the board, from customer service to communication to award redemption. Only a spectacular program run in a spectacular way has a chance here. This year, after a three-year hiatus, Southwest Rapid Rewards returns to dominance. The no-frills, egalitarian spirit of the low-cost giant is reflected in the Rapid Rewards program, and has clearly resonated with those who fly Southwest the most. Of course, much of the “LUV” is based on fact that until recently, awards on Southwest had no capacity controls. We’ll see if that change can be effectively managed in 2006. "This is a great honor for us and for Southwest Airlines," said Karen Wright, Manager of Loyalty Marketing, Southwest Airlines. "We appreciate all the voters and everyone who supported us and we're looking forward to more great things. Coming in a very close second is Midwest Miles, the little Milwaukee program that could. Apparently, the “best care in the air” extends to all branches of the airline. Falling to an agonizingly close third this year is Alaska Mileage Plan, which had previously won this award for three straight years. A point difference of .043 between first and third indicates that this award is still very much up for grabs next year. Thank you and good night. We hope you enjoyed the 18th annual Freddie Awards. It's been a long, but revealing evening. We appreciate your interest, and thank our friends in the industry for their time and effort. To our staff...thank you. To the industry...thank you. And to you, our friends...thank you and good night.