Rolling Stone profiles 25 year old gay man Ben Schlappig who spends most days of the week flying across the world, just for the sake of flying, living on board first class flights, in luxury hotels and in airport lounges. A strange obsession and the portrait of a... sociopath? Perhaps not, but this guy's gotta be somewhere on the autism spectrum, right?
Meet the gay man who flies around the world for free
by Anonymous | reply 116 | September 2, 2020 1:54 AM |
What a tiresome life. And it sounds as if he's on his way to becoming a first-class alcoholic.
by Anonymous | reply 1 | July 26, 2015 10:48 AM |
Cute. I'm guessing that the movie rights have already been optioned.
by Anonymous | reply 3 | July 26, 2015 11:17 AM |
To each his own, but he spends a big chunk of his life at one of the places I hate most: airports.
by Anonymous | reply 4 | July 26, 2015 11:18 AM |
[quote]I'm guessing that the movie rights have already been optioned.
Doubt it. Film's been made already.
by Anonymous | reply 6 | July 26, 2015 11:34 AM |
what's the point though of just going airport to airport without spending much (if any at all) time exploring the various places he travels to? Also it's not healthy to fly such an extreme amount. He could end up getting blood clots. Of course there's the whole annoying thing about taking advantage of the system without contributing anything in return. This guy is a self-centered piece of shit.
by Anonymous | reply 7 | July 26, 2015 11:43 AM |
Ben is actually a nice guy, and doesn't deserve the hate... flying is just his passion so you can't really blame him for doing what he loves.
And it's not really free, he does pay for a lot of his travel. Points/miles are not always "free".
But I think this article will mark the top in the frequent flyer/mileage "game". In other words, spend your miles before even deeper devaluations hit.
by Anonymous | reply 8 | July 26, 2015 12:03 PM |
And it's probably better to save your hate for J*wjetter (a friend of Ben's)
He is regarded as one of the biggest douchebags in the air
by Anonymous | reply 9 | July 26, 2015 12:09 PM |
I love the part about his parents dropping him off alone at the airport on a Fri evening and picking him up on Sun night when he's only 15 years old. This in a post-9/11 world. After they'd already lost an older son in an accident. Clearly, the whole family is traumatized.
by Anonymous | reply 10 | July 26, 2015 12:20 PM |
R9: omg, what a douchey ass clown.
by Anonymous | reply 11 | July 26, 2015 12:23 PM |
I get the "stickin' it to the Man" game. What I don't get is traveling aimlessly without enjoying any of the sights/sounds of the destinations he visits.
You've seen the inside of one airport, you've seen them all.
by Anonymous | reply 12 | July 26, 2015 12:25 PM |
1) PTSD from his brother dying when he was very young. According to the story, the only thing that his parents could do to get him to stop screaming was taking him to watch airplanes take off and land.
2) Probably some autism. Almost Rain Man.
3) An inability to deal with gayness, as mentioned by one of his friends in the article.
by Anonymous | reply 13 | July 26, 2015 12:35 PM |
R13 has it right. But it's also about the cash. He gets $100-$400 from each person that signs up for a credit card using one of the links on his blog. The blog is little more than a well disguised infomercial selling banking services.
Some of his hotel or airline reviews contain dozens of affiliate links.
by Anonymous | reply 14 | July 26, 2015 12:48 PM |
[quote] flying is just his passion
If he were a pilot, then your assertion would be true. But he's not a pilot.
Being a passenger is his passion. Being someone who is catered to, who doesn't need to move from his small, circumscribed area while looking at other people is his passion. He's like those 19th century authoresses who were bedridden for no reason. They lived in a small space and had people taking care of them and telling them what to do.
by Anonymous | reply 15 | July 26, 2015 12:55 PM |
I'd read the article if Rolling Stone would load up on my iPad. But it refuses to do so. After more than one minute of blank screen, then black screen, then photo with no text, then blank screen, then black screen ..... Farewell, Rolling stone. I e got better things to do.
by Anonymous | reply 16 | July 26, 2015 1:00 PM |
Oh, it 'aint "free", honey.
by Anonymous | reply 17 | July 26, 2015 1:01 PM |
[quote] Ben is actually a nice guy, and doesn't deserve the hate...
I was ready to hate him, and then it turned to awe.
I was going through his instagram photos, and he has visited some really amazing places.
He stays in some very beautiful hotels, flies in the lap of luxury, and best of all, he gets to see some incredible sights that I could only dream of seeing.
I think that if given the choice and the opportunity, most of us would be doing what he gets to do.
I'm kind of jealous.
by Anonymous | reply 18 | July 26, 2015 1:06 PM |
I love hotels and first-class cabins, too, but cant imagine it 24/7. It would be awful.
by Anonymous | reply 20 | July 26, 2015 1:46 PM |
R19 I've been stuck in the workhouses for three months now but it looks pretty good from my basement, barred window. Hopefully, my boss will give me my passport back because I've already given up on getting my wages and I'd really like to go home.
by Anonymous | reply 21 | July 26, 2015 1:47 PM |
This time tomorrow, where will we be?
On a spaceship somewhere
sailing across an empty sea
This time tomorrow, what will we know?
Will we still be here
watching an in-flight movie show?
I'll leave the sun behind me
and I'll watch the clouds as they sadly pass me by
Seven miles below me
I can see the world and it ain't so big at all
Field full of houses, endless rows of crowded streets
I don't where I'm going,
I don't want to see
I feel the world below me
looking up at me
I'm in perpetual motion
and the world below doesn't matter much to me
This time tomorrow....where will we be?
by Anonymous | reply 22 | July 26, 2015 1:52 PM |
So much flying exposes him to high amount of radiation. Pilots and flight crews are monitored to not exceed legal limit for radiation exposure but passengers are not, because most people don't travel frequently enough.
by Anonymous | reply 23 | July 26, 2015 2:03 PM |
I get it, The family won a huge settlement after the death of the brother. Didn't really want the money so they gave it all to the alive brother to fly around the world and waste. Sounds like a very dysfunctional situation to me.
by Anonymous | reply 24 | July 26, 2015 2:12 PM |
The family doesn't really want him around. They're fine with him flying around up there, never coming home. They probably told him his brother was up in heaven, hence the fascination with being in the sky, where his brother is.
The family is cool with two of their sons being out there somewhere, just orbiting the earth and never setting down to have a life. One can't and the other won't. I'd be ok with it, too. He's an uninteresting person who has nothing to talk about except airliners. He only ever thinks about airliners. Who wants someone like that around? Go get on your airliner and leave us to have a nice life here on earth with the humans.
by Anonymous | reply 25 | July 26, 2015 2:20 PM |
r25, he is very open about sharing his flying with his family. He has taken his parents on several trips around the world. What have you done in a similar manner for your parents??
Sad that you would make such a cold, hateful comment.
Much of this hate is simple jealousy. We live in America, why are people unwilling to support those who are pursuing their dreams and building their own businesses. R25, I recommend you move to China, or N. Korea.
by Anonymous | reply 26 | July 26, 2015 3:27 PM |
No one has mentioned the "unwanted hand job"? If I were flying first class, I'd expect some mouth action.
by Anonymous | reply 27 | July 26, 2015 3:34 PM |
r27, I was quite curious about that myself. That's sexual assault.
Anyone care to guess which airline? Male or female FA?
by Anonymous | reply 28 | July 26, 2015 3:37 PM |
Right, R28. The guy gets assaulted on a flight and RS talks about it like it's a "perk" of his lifestyle. No wonder Cosby got away with it. No one thinks anything of it.
by Anonymous | reply 29 | July 26, 2015 3:44 PM |
Right!? Imagine if he had been a woman: "And then there was that time a flight attendant cornered her in her seat and finger banged her without her consent".
by Anonymous | reply 30 | July 26, 2015 3:54 PM |
I always wondered, is it safe for Americans to travel to Dubai. I mean is it like Europe or what is the situation there as far as safety goes. I think it looks incredible and would like to go there some day.
by Anonymous | reply 31 | July 26, 2015 4:00 PM |
I'm actually very impressed by him and I agree with R26 that quite often jealousy manifests itself in hateful comments.
by Anonymous | reply 32 | July 26, 2015 4:21 PM |
With DL fave, Richard Quest of CNN. I wonder whether there was a cock sling at 39,000 feet involved.
by Anonymous | reply 33 | July 26, 2015 4:24 PM |
Spending my days in airports and on planes non-stop is my idea of hell.
by Anonymous | reply 34 | July 26, 2015 4:53 PM |
I agree with the poster above - sounds like the family got a settlement and he spent the money "investing" in the points system. What I don't like is that they don't talk about the flights he does pay for.
They make it sound like he doesn't pay for anything ever - which cannot be true. He's making a lot of money in ads on his sites - fine - but let's not think that he doesn't have a significant amount of money to support all this.
It's not a life I would like to lead and I agree that I'm not sure it's safe to fly that much.
by Anonymous | reply 35 | July 26, 2015 4:57 PM |
[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]
by Anonymous | reply 36 | July 26, 2015 5:16 PM |
Hmmm you can run -- even luxuriously -- but you can't hide.
by Anonymous | reply 37 | July 26, 2015 5:35 PM |
I've been a contributing (not lurker) member at Flyertalk for 15 years now. Been hoarding miles for much of that time, so have 1.5 million in three airline plans, and slightly less than that in hotel points in two chains. Hoping to go to Dubai for the first time later this year via Emirates business class (miles) and stay at a nice place there using up my four free nights (expiring Dec 31) I earned through a hotel promotion. It gets addictive. I take advantage of promotions as much as I can, but not the credit card churning and manufactured spending, where I just don't feel comfortable regarding my credit rating/score.
If Ben is who I think he is, I recall when he came onto the scene and he was MAJORLY dorky then, and was mentored by some of the older folks who felt sorry for him. I do believe the frequent flier scene attracts a fair amount of gays, who have the time to do the underlying travel (mileage runs, mattress runs, etc.) absent family responsibilities, though there are A LOT of folks who travel for business as well. R35 is right that there has to be some underlying outlay, though someone as Aspie-obsessed as Ben leverages those to get tens of thousands of miles from a single $3000 ticket overseas and such.
by Anonymous | reply 38 | July 26, 2015 5:39 PM |
Thanks, R9. I was trying to decipher from the article how the guy was actually getting all this free travel. Even buying coins with the credit card costs something, and the prices are inflated. There has to be more to the story, or else he's not actually traveling for completely free.
But, if he's enjoying it, more power to him. I detest flying, airports, the entire ordeal. I did it heavily for work. It's been 5.5 years since I've been on a plane, and I hope not to do it again until I start working on the Bucket List travel. If I can get to Iceland by boat, that'd be preferable.
by Anonymous | reply 39 | July 26, 2015 5:42 PM |
Airlines make bank off people who think they are gaming the system.
by Anonymous | reply 40 | July 26, 2015 5:46 PM |
R40, you might want to read the link at R36. They were losing millions on some.
by Anonymous | reply 41 | July 26, 2015 5:53 PM |
All manner of oddballs live among us- this one in the skies and in airports looking for a way to live off the world- sad really- and good thing not too many people decide to live like this. I have no idea what personality traits or psychiatric diagnoses may or may not come into play. His life does seem to be a waste of a smart mind- maybe?
by Anonymous | reply 42 | July 26, 2015 5:59 PM |
So I went to this guy's website and the RS piece is very misleading. He fully admits that he pays for many of his trips (albeit good deals) and that travel is NOT free due to taxes, fuel surcharges, etc.
And he travels - he does not vacation as he states. Among his flights (if you fly 200,000 miles a year in FC, they are double miles, so that's 400,000), credit card bonuses, and the $150K in flights he books on his cards for others, buying miles at opportune times, he's able to amass a large pile of miles.
There's a lot of math involved - I think there are some good ideas there, but it seems like a full time job.
by Anonymous | reply 43 | July 26, 2015 6:02 PM |
"We live in America, why are people unwilling to support those who are pursuing their dreams and building their own businesses."
He's not really accomplishing anything or building a business. As a white male, he's taking advantage, and basically, he's a con man, not contributing or achieving anything at all.
by Anonymous | reply 44 | July 26, 2015 6:13 PM |
Agree with R13. Parents lived consequences of pushing now dead son academically. Then suicide.
Realized they were wrong in a big way with how they raised now dead son. Allowed trauma stricken son to self soothe by watching airplanes. What the fuck else could they do Go to individual and family therapy, take prescribed psychotropic drugs, and continue forever like a bipolar rat in a maze?
I think the family's choice was the best; nurture the surviving son by allowing him to live his life as he wanted
by Anonymous | reply 45 | July 26, 2015 6:33 PM |
The Brits would call this guy an "anorak."
He's the Ultimate Plane Spotter.
by Anonymous | reply 46 | July 26, 2015 7:00 PM |
I'm Facebook friends with a guy who seems to make it a point to fly somewhere every weekend since he and his younger/cuter boyfriend broke up with each other. You can tell he yearns to inspire envy, but his adventures are just pathetic. Yeah he flies first and business class and visits some exotic locations, however, people who are truly having fun are too busy to spend all their time on Facebook trying to create clever hash tags.
by Anonymous | reply 47 | July 26, 2015 7:19 PM |
I love airports, weird but I do. Perhaps it's not love, but like them very much. Used hang out in nearest all days as a kid. Back then I would have loved to travel like he does. I grew up, still like travelling and airports, watching planes, hot men, but I am too old to handle suitcase life like he does. Can you imagine having your life in a luggage and travelling from one hotel to another year after year?
by Anonymous | reply 48 | July 26, 2015 8:26 PM |
Going to and from an airport has to have a purpose. To visit a friend, take a vacation, on business, etc. That's what I love about traveling. With Ben, there's no purpose other than what he sees as his hobby and "job" to hop from one plane to the next. He's basically a lost soul searching for whatever it is he thinks he can find at an airport. Can't focus in school. Can't hold down a "real" job. Can't hold down a relationship.
I read this article and feel sorry for him. He's clearly intelligent, but I agree with above poster who say he might have a form autism.
by Anonymous | reply 49 | July 26, 2015 8:40 PM |
From RS Comments:
Ok, lets do the math here... the bad math I mean.
He is going to fly ~500 000 miles per year. Airliner speed: ~500mph, so this equals 1000 hrs of flying. Flying radiation dose average: 0.5 millisieverts / 100 block hours. He will get at least five millisieverts of radiation, which is 25% more than the average airline worker annual dosage. Occupational dosage safety limit is 20mSv, so he is well below it, but still, he is more than one millisievert ahead of nuclear power plant workers. Melanoma, which is a bad form of cancer, occurs twice more often with airline workers.
TL;DR: Continuous exposure to random high intensity cosmic rays is bad. He will get cancer soon. That is why United is probably doing nothing, nature, or space, will take care of him.
by Anonymous | reply 50 | July 26, 2015 9:19 PM |
I'd posted a couple of his reviews here -- his "job" is no different from that of those who review restaurants, and the airport lounge, flight, and hotel information he imparts is very useful in itself. How he got there is immaterial to most -- very few people who even have the inclination to emulate him and his "gaming" have the time, money, or stamina.
What his reviews make clear to me have nothing to do with him -- that luxury class is a lot of bling, but not worth it to those who don't fly enough to qualify for the reduced price that would make it worth while. Especially with the American carriers -- they charge far too much for what they (usually fail to) deliver.
by Anonymous | reply 51 | July 26, 2015 10:05 PM |
[quote] Parents lived consequences of pushing now dead son academically. Then suicide.
Well, you write "consequences" as if they're all negative.
by Anonymous | reply 52 | July 26, 2015 10:46 PM |
I'm sure there's a reason why his last name ends in "Pig". Just to drive this joke home, here's a video feat. him called "Ben Schlappig's Top 5 Hot Nuts"
by Anonymous | reply 53 | July 26, 2015 10:54 PM |
His brother was killed by a drunk in a jet ski accident -- it wasn't suicide.
by Anonymous | reply 54 | July 26, 2015 11:16 PM |
If he likes it great. But it seems like he leads a lonely life that requires a great deal of work to support.
by Anonymous | reply 55 | July 26, 2015 11:51 PM |
So he's an airplane megadork. What's there to like? Back in the day people like this would be made fun of.
by Anonymous | reply 56 | July 27, 2015 12:02 AM |
This reminds me of the phone freaking people - same kind of social weirdness with the let's-fuck-the-system sort of bravado mixed in.
by Anonymous | reply 57 | July 27, 2015 12:06 AM |
Freaking ripped off the phone company. Many think this guy is ripping off other customers, but he is not.
by Anonymous | reply 58 | July 27, 2015 12:10 AM |
Here is a typical review.
I sense the handjob came on an Asian airline, but mostly because I cannot picture Lufthansa or KLM FAs doing this, (unless on a mean dare.)
by Anonymous | reply 59 | July 27, 2015 12:25 AM |
I think it's an addiction. I don't think he can control it, but he's kind of a genius. I'm a flying and travel addict as well, but I can control it. If you've been on Flyertalk any length of time, you can see that there are plenty of these kind of addicts around there. They want to visit every country on Earth, even if it means spending an hour at the airport or they have to fly on every type of plane.
by Anonymous | reply 60 | July 27, 2015 12:57 AM |
How does it do it for free?
by Anonymous | reply 61 | July 27, 2015 1:04 AM |
He doesn't fly for free -- he stacked up a lot of miles for upgrades and free seats, but he still has to pay for many flights and rooms.
by Anonymous | reply 62 | July 27, 2015 1:10 AM |
R61 - he doesn't. This is his post today on his site. All of the stuff that was misconstrued and wrong. He seems like a pretty good guy actually.
by Anonymous | reply 63 | July 27, 2015 1:12 AM |
What does he do for work? Who the fuck has time to do this and hold down a job? A friend of mine on fb is always flying here and there and using his miles and he is a construction worker, he goes on at least 10 trips a year.
by Anonymous | reply 64 | July 27, 2015 1:14 AM |
I'm actually pissed at Rolling Stone for another article that's less than truthful. After reading his blog, he is a good guy - and has been getting shit from all over the world because of it.
He flights and spends A LOT OF MONEY - but he also maximizes his miles. So he does NOT travel the world for free.
by Anonymous | reply 65 | July 27, 2015 1:19 AM |
I don't get it. The guy spends his time in airports & hotels and on airplanes, right? What's the point? So he can say "I've been to here and here and here" when all he's 'seen' of these places was the airport and maybe a hotel?
Someone please explain.
by Anonymous | reply 66 | July 27, 2015 1:31 AM |
[quote] He doesn't fly for free -- he stacked up a lot of miles for upgrades and free seats, but he still has to pay for many flights and rooms.
He does not pay for many flights and rooms. Read the article. He knows how to game the system, so he does it. It's not illegal. He wouldn't have a website telling people how to game the system if he was paying for it.
[quote] The guy spends his time in airports & hotels and on airplanes, right? What's the point?
The perks. Champagne. Massages. Expensive food. More champagne. Being treated like someone special. It's the only way he can live a life of luxury. His "job" is writing sentences with lots of travel and credit card links in them.
[quote] he's a good guy
A "good guy" contributes positive things to society, has meaningful relationships and doesn't spend so much time and effort pursuing luxury perks. Plus, there's obviously OCD going on here. He can't stop.
He's not a good guy, he's a nothing. He just exists to catch planes and stay in hotels overnight. He's like a gnat buzzing around in the air trying to score some free fruit from your kitchen counter.
by Anonymous | reply 68 | July 27, 2015 3:48 AM |
He's not bothering anyone...
by Anonymous | reply 69 | July 27, 2015 3:57 AM |
O/T r58 but freaking also had a valuable element that today's white hat hackers provide. I'd rather have a blind eccentric compromise my network and boast about it than a criminal org. I'd also argue that it actually saved the company money because they did the work of finding the weaknesses in the system.
OnT, r9 that guy is an obnoxious piece of shit. I'm surprised an enterprising hotel and/or airline worker hasn't called him on his bullshit, especially when he's so blatant about it on his social media.
I know some DLs have worked in those industries. How do you deal with someone like that? Any revenge stories?
by Anonymous | reply 70 | July 27, 2015 4:09 AM |
I'm r58 and I guess I wasn't clear in that I was agreeing with you, r70. I was around several freakers at the time (and partook in a few blasts of the whistle, myself) and saw them as Robin Hoods of sorts.
Agree about the guy in r9, though.
by Anonymous | reply 71 | July 27, 2015 4:14 AM |
Why is r69 on this website?
by Anonymous | reply 72 | July 27, 2015 4:16 AM |
Right now he's young but wait till he's older, he's gonna have all kinds of health problems with this. Not getting enough sleep or restful sleep is bad for your heart among other things.
He could go down in a crash, or get blood clots, food is horrible on board, not enough exercise etc.
by Anonymous | reply 73 | July 27, 2015 4:26 AM |
[quote] Much of this hate is simple jealousy.
1.) There's no "hate," Ben. People are mostly saddened and bewildered at someone who would waste his life in such a wandering fashion
2) Nobody is jealous of such a life, any more than they were jealous of the woman Rosie O'Donnell played in "Riding the Buses With My Sister." It's a compulsion that occupies empty time in a pointless way. That's why people find it sad, odd, bizarre or inexplicable. There's no joy in it, just a compulsion to get more miles, fly more places, stay one night in a hotel. There's no accomplishment except taking part in the burning of jet fuel. If it makes you proud of yourself....whatever.
Just because we don't admire you doesn't mean we're "haters" or jealous.
by Anonymous | reply 74 | July 27, 2015 4:34 AM |
r73 there's also the increased cancer risk, especially if you're genetically predisposed to certain cancers.
by Anonymous | reply 75 | July 27, 2015 4:35 AM |
No one hates the guy. It's just his endeavor is pointless and ultimately, unproductive. What is the endgame? He's 25 now, but what is his life going to be like when he's 40? Still hopping from one plane to another? Still gaming the system for free hotel rooms for one? Doe she have health insurance? Is he saving up for retirement? There's no substance in what he is doing. As the reporter points out in the article, despite being surrounded by airport crowd, this guy leads a very solitary life. He could handle regular life of boyfriend and career so he decides to literally take off.
There's no doubt he enjoys his high flying lifestyle, but he's not really thinking much about the future when he's a 40y/o man.
by Anonymous | reply 76 | July 27, 2015 4:46 AM |
Here is a typical article on how to "maximize" airline mileage/points He is deep in the rules, but he doesn't defraud anyone.
by Anonymous | reply 77 | July 27, 2015 2:15 PM |
Well, that's one way of just floating through life.
by Anonymous | reply 78 | July 27, 2015 4:26 PM |
Perfectly stated, R74. No hate here, either. I honestly pity the guy.
by Anonymous | reply 79 | July 27, 2015 4:34 PM |
R9 actually went bankrupt a few years ago. Not clear if he's still coasting on his stash of points or he found a new con.
by Anonymous | reply 80 | July 27, 2015 4:48 PM |
Quite the hobby and I would guess that travelling in style without the added stress of arriving in time for business meetings or travel with needy kids or spouse can be quite fun, but as others pointed out there are still some health risks that may occur.
by Anonymous | reply 81 | July 27, 2015 4:50 PM |
A total weirdo.
by Anonymous | reply 82 | July 27, 2015 5:00 PM |
Even flying first class with discounted miles, many flights these days are delayed or rescheduled. Spending all that time waiting in airports just to then sit more on a flight is my version of hell.
by Anonymous | reply 83 | July 27, 2015 5:27 PM |
On British Airways, A380, First Class, London to LA:
"After a few glasses Stuart refilled my glass and said “sir, you do realize this is a delicate champagne.” I responded “I know, or else I wouldn’t be drinking it.” He said “it’s 180 quid a bottle, you know.” I called him out on that, as it’s really “only” about half that, and told him not to pretend that it’s 2002 Dom. He responded “oh, Dom in first class is so cliche.”
Why I don't fly BA -- just pour, wanker.
by Anonymous | reply 84 | July 27, 2015 6:05 PM |
The flight attendant could tell the guy was a phony. That's assuming the story is even true.
by Anonymous | reply 85 | July 27, 2015 6:08 PM |
To paraphrase Angela Lansbury from the play Deuce: "That was a very cunt-like thing to say."
by Anonymous | reply 86 | July 27, 2015 6:10 PM |
FAs bully young adults alone in First Class -- that is why the handjob, I suspect.
by Anonymous | reply 87 | July 27, 2015 6:10 PM |
Regarding the HJ, wouldn't another passenger or FA witness the behavior? I can't imagine a FA would risk his job for a minute or two of pleasure. Ben claims it was unwanted, so I don't think they would have escaped to a secluded area.
by Anonymous | reply 88 | July 27, 2015 6:25 PM |
[quote]flying is just his passion so you can't really blame him for doing what he loves.
Just like my Uncle Hilter, killing Jews was his passion, yet people blame him for doing what he loves
by Anonymous | reply 89 | July 27, 2015 7:21 PM |
If he were my kid, I'd be glad he was pointlessly flying around the world rather than pointlessly living in my basement. It doesn't seem like he's going to accomplish anything in life. He couldn't do school, couldn't do a relationship, can't live full time in an apartment. Might as well just flit around like a firefly than land in my basement for the rest of his life.
by Anonymous | reply 90 | July 27, 2015 10:53 PM |
Methinks R90 has strangers chained in his basement.
by Anonymous | reply 91 | July 27, 2015 11:39 PM |
Clearly many of you have not read his blog or this thread. He pays for a LOT of flights and maximizes his miles to get some free ones. He has a business - if you'd call it that - that provides income and allows him to fly and get a lot of great perks.
I'm not mad at him. The RS article was sensationalized.
by Anonymous | reply 92 | July 28, 2015 1:26 AM |
Why They Game:
Delta Air Lines to alter reward program; other airlines may follow
If you are saving up reward miles to pay for a trip on Delta Air Lines, you might want to book the trip before the airline switches to a new format that could raise the number of miles you need for the most popular destinations.
For travel on or after June 1, 2016, Delta said the number of miles needed to book a flight may rise based on destination, demand and “other considerations.”
But don't expect the airline to disclose the exact reasons why fares will vary from day to day.
Southwest Airlines adopted similar changes to its reward program, taking effect last April.
The move — the latest by airlines to reduce the value of reward points — is sure to frustrate travelers, who are already relying less and less on loyalty reward programs to pay for airline tickets.
“What's disturbing about this is the complete lack of transparency,” said Tim Winship, publisher of the rewards program monitoring website Frequentflier.com. “Nobody knows what these other variables might be.”
by Anonymous | reply 93 | July 28, 2015 1:30 AM |
R73 But is food really that terrible on airplanes, even in first?
by Anonymous | reply 94 | July 28, 2015 1:30 AM |
It just seems like a waste of a sharp, analytical mind.
by Anonymous | reply 95 | July 28, 2015 1:46 AM |
He's running from something.
He needs therapy.
by Anonymous | reply 96 | July 28, 2015 1:53 AM |
R95 - really? I guess I don't see why He seems to like it, how is that a waste? Plus it's supporting him.
R92 - I think the truth is somewhere between the two stories. Schlappig description of the terms he agreed to for the profile are just silly. He gave a series of interviews to a reporter and thought he would have editorial control? On the other hand clearly the headline isn't supported by the content of the story.
My guess Schlappig overstated how much free flying he did to get the press. Now traffic is driven to his website - where he makes the money he needs.
by Anonymous | reply 97 | July 28, 2015 1:58 AM |
[quote]Probably some autism. Almost Rain Man.
That must be why he has affect, smiles, and hugs acquaintances when he meets them. Hallmarks of those "on the spectrum."
I don't get the hate for the guy. Yes, he has an obsession that far surpasses even his fellow hobbyists, but he managed to parlay it into a paying career, not just through his blog ads and credit card deals with the banks, but with a consulting business, all by the age of 21. He graduated from college, seems to have a good relationship with his parents, came out and had long-term friendship and eventual live-in romantic relationship before the age of 25, which is more than a lot of his cohort has accomplished.
I found his reaction to his brother's death fascinating. At first I thought he probably wouldn't remember much because he was so young, but it sounds like he had an unusually close relationship with his brother, more so than is his father. The gruesome nature of Marc's death probably played into it and maybe the three year old witnessed it. This is also about the age kids start experiencing night terrors. Incredibly stressful and traumatic confluence of events. Then there is the association of planes and flying with being soothing and calming during the worst times. It all makes sense, in a way. I wonder if he's ever had any sort of therapy.
by Anonymous | reply 98 | July 28, 2015 3:41 PM |
R27 Is there such a thing? I suppose, if you really use your imagination.
by Anonymous | reply 99 | July 28, 2015 3:43 PM |
r38 what is the best way to get started? I'm on the West coast and I have family on the East coast and points in between. I'd like to be able to see them more, so how do I get started? I looked at some of the websites but there is a lot of information and I'd like to keep it simple. Not looking for hotels or expensive vacations. Just want to get to the cities where my family live. TIA.
by Anonymous | reply 100 | July 28, 2015 3:50 PM |
[quote]FAs bully young adults alone in First Class -- that is why the handjob, I suspect.
I think it happened on an Asian carrier and I suspect it was a female groupie type who took it upon herself to provide an extra service. Asians have different mores about sex. Remember that story a few months ago about a volunteer group that was created to enhance the sexuality of handicapped people? The volunteers were able-bodied and provided hand jobs to those who could not do it for themselves.
by Anonymous | reply 101 | July 28, 2015 4:22 PM |
R38 -- stick with one airline or alliance wherever possible. Flyertalk is a great site, where you'll learn how to get miles for eating out in local restaurants, shopping etc.
by Anonymous | reply 102 | July 28, 2015 5:08 PM |
[quote] I don't get the hate for the guy
You keep repeating that Ben, as if you are being chased by torch-wielding villagers. We never said you did anything illegal. We never said we despised or disliked you. We just don't admire what you do and some people pity you. If you don't accept their pity, that's fine. But don't characterize it as "hate." You should know what it's like to feel hated. You'd never mis-assign that feeling again.
You also keep repeating that you are a "good guy" and that you pay A LOT (your caps) for flights. We read about Manufacture Spend and about how you paid for flights where you complained about the most inconsequential of imperfections so you could get "apology vouchers," and about how you systematically booked flights on airliners you knew would be overbooked, so you could give up your seat and get a free flight plus a travel voucher worth several hundred dollars. You said yourself that the object of the Hobby is to "invest" and to get an more valuable return than the initial investment. Yes, you spend, but you get more in return than you lay out.
So forgive us if we don't feel that a guy who,proudly posed with the issue of Rolling Stine containing the article about him where he said [italic] "The people who run these programs are idiots." Then he paused. "And we'll always be one step ahead of them" [/italic] isnt a such a "good guy." Just because you're not doing something illegal doesn't mean we have to admire you for your efforts and lifestyle. You were all smiles with the Rolling Stone article until you started reading on DL and other sites where people don't find your life effort to be commendable or praiseworthy. Then, all of a sudden, you started back pedalling about your activities and claiming that there is hatred aimed at you.
There's no hate --- you're just not earning any laurels here. We don't think you're Hitler or Dillinger. We just don't think you are a particularly "good guy." We're not gunning for you, we just disagree on that point. Most of us know a lot more "gooder" guys than you, that's all. We do agree that you have spent money in order to get free miles. That's been adequately explained in the article.
by Anonymous | reply 103 | July 28, 2015 5:41 PM |
I apologize for my typos. Mea culpa.. I saw my eye doctor last week and my new contacts are ordered. I hope to be less egregious after I receive them. Sorry.
by Anonymous | reply 104 | July 28, 2015 5:46 PM |
Your egregiousness has nothing to do with typos or your eyesight.
by Anonymous | reply 105 | July 28, 2015 6:00 PM |
I would be far more interested if he was attractive and interesting. Instead, he seems like an empty hipster suit
by Anonymous | reply 106 | July 28, 2015 6:19 PM |
Without socks.
by Anonymous | reply 107 | July 28, 2015 7:34 PM |
If he doesn't get cancer from spending so much time in the troposphere, he'll get it from all the salmon appetizers and sea bass he routinely eats.
by Anonymous | reply 108 | July 29, 2015 11:41 AM |
Fraus -- Dallas to Dubai First Class Emirates (Ben is out-sourcing reviews now, it seems.)
by Anonymous | reply 109 | August 4, 2015 5:45 AM |
[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]
by Anonymous | reply 110 | August 6, 2015 12:54 AM |
Before he drank, he visited the Nines in Portlandia:
by Anonymous | reply 111 | August 6, 2015 3:05 AM |
Who was schlappig Ben's cock on the plane? Was it a massage girl on Korean Air or a gay air steward. I hope that they were well compensated for their services beause he is a super fiug.
by Anonymous | reply 112 | August 6, 2015 3:24 AM |
Sorry, Ben. We're done with you.. You're last week's news.
by Anonymous | reply 113 | August 6, 2015 3:55 AM |
I bet he has tops in every city. Lucky bastard.
by Anonymous | reply 114 | September 2, 2020 12:25 AM |
I'm confused - who is the woman with the huge tits with him in his Instagram?
by Anonymous | reply 115 | September 2, 2020 12:42 AM |
Not this one again.
We’re finished with it.
by Anonymous | reply 116 | September 2, 2020 1:54 AM |