Pop goes the promotion: Crowd makes mad scramble for free airline coupons
Filed under: Bargains, Transportation
A low-cost airline's attempt to celebrate its fifth anniversary turned into a free-for-all for onlookers trying to grab $50 coupons for the Budapest airline.Before balloons with coupons worth 10,000 Forints, or $49.45, could be released into the air, some onlookers noticed the coupons attached to each balloon and started popping and grabbing them, according to a Reuters story.
The balloons were to be released from a giant net in the center of Budapest as a way for Wizz Air to celebrate its anniversary.
"Someone popped one of the balloons, hoping to get the gift coupon that was attached to it," said Wizz Air communications director Natasa Kazmer. "As if on cue, the entire crowd attacked the net."
Some people scrambled after balloons, chasing as many coupons as they could. One young woman kneeled over a grill in the gutter to grab coupons out of the rainwater underneath.
"The idea was that the balloons would spread far and wide, so we did not place a limit on how many vouchers they could use for a single purchase," Kazmer said.
The crowd and the vouchers were mostly gone before the airline, the largest in Eastern Europe, could outline its long-term vision at a press conference.
If you're interested in transportation, you may like
these related sites for: Maps, Driving Directions, Travel, and Cars.
Subscribe to Walletpopthese related sites for: Maps, Driving Directions, Travel, and Cars.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-29-2009 @ 9:43AM
David Hall said...
I noticed you enjoy the art of saving money, so I wanted to quickly tell you about my website BOGOfetcher:
You can get local BOGO (Buy One, Get One) deals emailed to you weekly from BOGOfetcher! Over 90 nearby grocery stores, more than 15 neighborhood pharmacies, plus the shoe stores, fast food and other places you already shop have amazing bargains you can receive weekly, at no cost. No personal info is required other than your email address, city and state so we can send you the BOGOs in your area. You can even do a local search without signing up using the “Find BOGOs” tab! After that the BOGO's will begin to roll in. And simply unsubscribe if you’re not satisfied.
Reply
6-29-2009 @ 2:32PM
Melvin Mitchell said...
Well Mr. Hall. Because you decided to use this forum to run your advertisement I can absolutely gaurantee that I will NOT be going to your website. It is obviously a scam.
6-29-2009 @ 5:56PM
Noel said...
David Hall is a door knob
6-29-2009 @ 2:23PM
hello asca said...
poor planning and poor crowd control
Reply
6-29-2009 @ 9:30PM
steve chichester said...
Another ten or fifteen feet would probably have put them out of reach. But the failure to limit use to one coupon per ticket purchased is sure going to put a crimp in customer service.
Re: Michell's accusation that Hall's offer "is obviously a scam:" unethical, a violation of rules, are obvious (to those who have read the rules.)
Obviously a scam? Not hardly. Legitimacy of marketing method does not invalidate/identify the legitimacy of the product or service offered. In fact, con men and women succeed by creating an image of reliability and authenticity.
Have you heard about the man in a rush, standing on the curb, who when the light turned green, without looking for traffic, leapt to his own conclusion?
Reply
6-29-2009 @ 3:54PM
Mark said...
I see a PR company getting fired! Anyone else?
Reply
6-29-2009 @ 5:21PM
Ric said...
"As God as my witness, I thought turkeys could fly..."
Reply
6-29-2009 @ 5:46PM
Sue said...
I remember that statement,I am laughing my butt off.That WKRP show was so funny.Thanks for the memory,lol
6-29-2009 @ 6:27PM
Lucy said...
Yeah, the best laugh I've had in days.
6-29-2009 @ 7:17PM
RossEskimo said...
The funniest episode of a classic sit-com. Thanks for the laugh. I needed that.
6-29-2009 @ 7:58PM
Ted said...
LOL I remember that WKRP Cincinnati show too. TKS for that memory.
6-29-2009 @ 5:35PM
Who cares ? said...
They should have had wal-mart do it !
Reply
6-29-2009 @ 6:30PM
Lucy said...
It saddens me to hear about these programs which bring out one of the baser human instincts--greed. The whole KFC thing, geez. Oprah got the credit for a paid announcment and KFC got the bad press from the overwhelming (is there a word which means super overwhelming?) response. It's just pure greed and it's ugly.
Reply
6-29-2009 @ 6:54PM
mage0213 said...
Well that airline will be going bankrupt in about a month :( there should have been more security there but I guess the airline didn't think that far ahead.. remember Murphy? his 1st law.. Anything that CAN go wrong WILL go wrong!!
rather than chastise the A$$WIPES who choose to advertise their scams and spams I simply click the report this tab, and click the YES I want to report this I am sure, maybe if everyone did that these low lifes would lose their priveleges to post in these forums, sure they will find ways around that though but at least it sends a message that we do not want to read about their scams
Reply
6-29-2009 @ 8:00PM
sunny said...
LOL!
Remember WKRP in Cincinatti??
"I swear I thought turkeys could fly!"
Reply
6-29-2009 @ 8:13PM
Bernie said...
Thank god they didn't offer Kentucky Fried Chicken on these flights. There would be a ticket riot and a free chicken riot. Not sure the Buddies could handle that!!!:)
Reply
6-29-2009 @ 8:54PM
Chillie Willie said...
If the airline chose to not honor the STOLEN vouchers, I feel that they should have the law on their side (even here in the US).
Reply