It was with great disappointment that I read the following email from AwardWallet:

“We regret to inform you that we will be discontinuing support for the AwardWallet browser extension on February 25, 2012. This means that you will no longer be able to track your American Airlines related information (balance, status, etc.) on AwardWallet.com.

 We have been forced to take this action by American Airlines’ stance toward AwardWallet. We created the browser extension in order to address American Airlines’ concern that AwardWallet was collecting customers’ mileage data. We believe the extension addressed this concern because it simply collected your mileage data and stored it locally on your computer. American Airlines, however, objects to the extension. It’s position appears to be that AwardWallet is prohibited from providing any software tool that facilitates the ability to track the customer’s American Airlines’ mileage information. We think this is unfortunate….. ”

As I’m sure you’ve gathered from reading the blog, I am a fan of American Airlines in general, and the AAdvantage program in particular. This is a disappointing development in a saga that I’m not sure any of us truly understand. I LOVE AwardWallet, and I will continue to use it, with or without AAdvantage. That said, it is truly mesmerizing to me that the oldest frequent flier program in the business can’t find a way to work with what is arguably the most popular program to manage mileage accounts out there. Seriously AA, can’t we all just get along? AwardWallet and the handful of others similar to it are the way the world is headed. Don’t get left behind.