A man who traveled the world in style thanks to his first class American Airlines pass revealed what it felt like when it got revoked from him years later.
Flying in first class is a complete luxury that only the wealthiest among us can afford, but Steven Rothstein was able to travel in luxury every single time he flew.
How did he manage that, you ask? Well, in 1987, the then 37-year-old businessman became one of just 66 people to purchase an AAirpass with American Airlines for $250,000 which granted him unlimited first-class tickets with the airline.
Rothstein added a companion for an additional $150,000 in the years that followed, and was able to use it as he pleased – as long as he followed one simple rule.
The stockbroker was later accused of ‘fraudulent activity’ by the airline (Caroline Rothstein)
What rules did Rothstein have to follow when using his AAirpass?
Rothstein told the Guardian: “When I bought the AAirpass, in no uncertain terms, they told me that there was only one rule: I couldn’t give anybody the AAirpass.
“And those were the days before they took identification from passengers.”
The keen flyer did actually stick to the rules, even turning down a colleague who offered $5,000 a week for use of the AAirpass, though he still ended up getting in some serious trouble.
Legal troubles
American Airlines claimed he had been ‘fraudulent’ in the way he used the pass and that he made ‘speculative bookings’ for flights he never had any intention of boarding.
Steven Rothstein had a lifetime first-class ticket (Caroline Rothstein)
The airline also alleged that the first-class jet-setter booked seats for non-existent passengers under names such as ‘Bag Rothstein’ and ‘Steven Rothstein Jr’, which ultimately left the airline $21 million out of pocket.
He had his pass revoked in 2008 and American Airlines even went on to sue him.
How did Rothstein feel about his AAirpass being revoked?
Caroline, Rothstein’s daughter, sat down with the Guardian to discuss her father’s travelling habits and how it felt years after the first-class ticket was revoked.
Caroline recalls her father saying to her: “Why did they have to be mean? What American did was nasty.”
“It took away my mobility. It took away my hobby. I thought that I could go to Sweden for the weekend in July and pick up flowers when I was 70,” he apparently added.
American Airlines revoked the pass (Diane Miller/Getty Stock Photo)
Rothstein continued: “I’m angry. Still. I’m less angry. But I’m still angry.
“They stole my personality. They stole my love. They stole the very thing that caused me to give them a half a million dollars in the first place. And a half a million dollars is probably like 5 million dollars today.
“And they did it maliciously. If there had been a problem, the proper thing to do would have been to telephone me and tell me they’d like me to change the way I used the AAirpass.”
Does the AAirpass still exist?
It’s bad news for anyone who has found themselves tempted to bag the first class pass for themsleves.
The airline gave the unlimited passes the chop in 1994, going on to re-brand the program as the ‘AirPass’.
But this too has been discontinued.
In 2022, the airline explained on its site: “As of November 30, 2022, the AirPass program is no longer accepting new or renewal contracts.
“The AirPass program will be sunsetting, with all program functionality to end by March 31, 2024. AirPass will no longer accept additional funds for existing contracts.”
