Ethics is a hot topic in the blogging world these days, so I’ve decided to put my code of ethics front and center. You’ll see the code below along with all sorts of disclosures. My goal is to be an open book here. You can always contact me with questions or comments at cf@crankyflier.com.
Code of Ethics
For the purpose of this code, “free and/or discounted products and services” refers to anything offered to me for free or for a discount simply because of my status as a blogger.
- When I write about free and/or discounted products and services, I will always disclose on this page who gave them to me, when they were given to me, and when I wrote about them. I will also include the discount amount offered in any post on the products/services.
- I will always write the truth about a product or service regardless of whether it is good or bad. I will never trade favorable press for free and/or discounted products and services.
- I will only accept free and/or discounted products and services if the people offering the product/service confirm that they have read this code of ethics and are willing to abide by the rules that have been set here.
- Just because I have been provided with free and/or discounted products and services doesn’t mean I will write about them. The only criteria for determining whether or not to write about a product is if it will make for a compelling post, good or bad.
List of Offered Free or Discounted Products/Services
The following is a full and complete list of products/services that have been offered to me along with whether they were accepted or not. This list does not include invitations to events unless a free or discounted product or service accompanied that invitation. (I apologize if I missed something small from the early days of the blog. Let me know if I need to add something.)
| Company | Offer | Date | Accepted | Blogged |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ExpressJet/LAWA | Dinner with ExpressJet executives | 03/12/2007 | Yes | 03/16/2007 |
| MAXjet | Free roundtrip from LAX to London | 05/10/2007 | No | N/A |
| ExpressJet | Free transportation for two from Ontario to Tucson | 05/11/2007 | Yes | 05/14/2007 |
| Qantas/Airbus | Flight to nowhere on A380 | 11/27/2007 | Yes | 11/30/2007 |
| Emirates Airlines | VIP flight to nowhere on A380 | 07/09/2008 | Yes | 08/07/2008 08/08/2008 |
| Pearl Resorts | Discounted hotel stays in French Polynesia | 07/24/2008 | Yes | 04/30/2009 05/01/2009 |
| British Airways | Free trip to opening of London/Heathrow Terminal 5 | 12/27/2008 | No | N/A |
| British Airways | Free trip on OpenSkies and back | 02/05/2009 | No | N/A |
| Nintendo | Nintendo DS and Game | 02/12/2009 | Yes | 04/03/2009 |
| Southwest Airlines | Transportation from LAX to Dallas and overnight stay – winner schedule planning competition | 03/06/2009 | Yes | 04/03/2009 |
| Star Alliance | Free Round the World trip | 06/15/2009 | No | N/A |
| Delta Air Lines | Gift basket onboard for my brother’s engagement | 06/30/2009 | Yes | 07/01/2009 |
| British Airways | Trip on new London/City to JFK service | 05/06/2009 | No | N/A |
| Row 44 | Ride on wifi-equipped Grumman Albatross | 08/25/2009 | Yes | 8/25/2009 8/26/2009 |
| JetSuite | Private jet from Long Beach to Orange County | 10/21/2009 | Yes | 11/2/2009 |
| United Airlines | Last United 737 flight (to SFO) and return | 10/27/2009 | Yes | 10/29/2009 |
| Sony | Two week loan of Vaio P Series laptop | 11/04/2009 | Yes | 12/08/2009 |
| Milwaukee Airport | Access to Midwest Best Care Club | 12/08/2009 | Yes | 12/29/2009 |
| Air New Zealand | Trip to Auckland for media event | 01/14/2010 | Yes | 01/25/2010 01/26/2010 02/01/2010 |
| Swiss | Trip to Zurich for SFO Launch | 02/23/2010 | No | N/A |
| Denver International Airport | Transportation and Hotel provided for State of DIA panel participation | 01/28/2010 | Yes | 03/04/2010 03/19/2010 |
| US Airways | Flight to Phoenix for Media Day | 03/02/2010 | Yes | 04/29/2010 04/30/2010 05/07/2010 |
| LAN | Trip to Peru for SFO Launch | 05/10/2010 | No | N/A |
| Southwest | Flight to Chicago and then Oshkosh | 07/14/2010 | In Progress |
Additional Disclosures
- I am currently consulting for PASSUR Aerospace
- I am currently being paid to write for the travel section of BNET Industries
- My content reproduction agreement with BoardingArea ended in March 2010
- I currently have no equity holdings in any airlines
- I began a short term social media consulting project for Long Beach Airport on 1/20/2010
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