What? No ruckus about Continental joining the use it or lose it gang?

[geo1004]

Reality, once again you should read what you just posted from the AA site:

"To qualify for AAdvantage Executive Platinum membership, you must earn 100,000 qualifying points or 100,000 qualifying miles during the calendar year (January 1 through December 31).

The number of AAdvantage points you earn is based on the actual miles flown on elite qualifying flights.

Here's how it works:

Purchased Fares Points Earned Per Mile Flown
First Class 1.50
Business Class 1.25
Full-fare Economy Class* 1.00
Discount Economy Class** .50 "





IT IS VERY SIMPLE:

ALL PURCHASED FARES ON AA EARN ***ACTUAL MILES FLOWN*** FOR ELITE STATUS. ALL OF THEM!!!

IT IS ONLY THE NUMBER OF ***POINTS*** YOU EARN THAT GET THE 1.5, 1.25, 1, or .5 MULTIPLYER depending on the fare you paid.


As a US2 and an American FF'er, I think I've got this one straight.


[:bigsmile:]



And for anyone who thinks US can match the low fare carriers at the low fare game, I suggest a walk around the terminals at BWI for a refresher course...


And BTW, no one really argues the new restrictions on non-refundable standby or even the 'use or loose' rules. Depending on who matches or doesn't match it you will see some differentiation in the marketplace.

 

[RobinT]

I work in Chairman's Preferred. I really feel like the company is not finished making all the changes. I just hope that everyone will sit tight and wait. I feel our whole fare structure is getting ready to change. Everyone knows that travel today isn't like it was prior to 9/11/01. The whole industry is changing. I don't doubt it that all airlines will jump on board with these changes. US Airways is the one to do this first. Usually in this industry all others jump on board afterwards. We are going back to the day where you get what you pay for. Those who have a preferred status might have to pay a little more than they are used to paying in order to retain their status. I don't feel that it is going to be as much as you think. I might be wrong in this, but we won't know until close to the first of next year. I have a feeling that those who have jumped ship will only be disappointed in the end. There's no way to compare the fares right now since they haven't loaded the new fares yet. I know that Delta is trying to get all of our customers right now. Offering them preferred status and lower fares. Trust me on this. Let's just sit back and see what DL does in the next few months. I may be totally off on this one, but let's all be patient. Thanks for listening!

Robin

 

[ITRADE]

If I were to move from the lowest fare to the lowest fare which earned miles I would, in many cases, have to double the fare paid.

TPA fares now are $148 - they'd have to be about $400 to accrue status miles.

Sorry, a 250% increase in fare is not worth it.

 

[thepoohbear]

As usual everyone has been running around yelling the sky is falling.If you take some time(you'll need it) and actually read the rules on these non ref. The unwritten flat tire rule is still there. Worse than that is the illness/death waiver. We are moving backwards.As for the
pref not accruing pref miles for the low low fares.There are still low fares for the business person which you can accrue pref miles. The're not just rock bottom. [:]

 

[KCFlyer]

----------------
On 9/5/2002 9:15:13 AM

We are going back to the day where you get what you pay for. Those who have a preferred status might have to pay a little more than they are used to paying in order to retain their status. I don't feel that it is going to be as much as you think.
----------------

99% of those who will have to pay a little more than they are used to aren't the ones who are actually PAYING for the ticket...their companies are. Their companies might have been willing to approve travel on U (or whatever airline) as long as the costs were similar. At times, that might mean that someone chose a one stop on U versus a nonstop on SWA. If there's nothing in it for the "elite" traveller, they won't have a real problem shifting their alliances to another carrier. If they all play "follow the leader" with gaining "elite" status, then those people may just say screw it and book a SWA flight, where at least they can get a companion pass for their husband/wife/significant other.

If U plans on tweaking the pricing, they should have done that first, rather than piss off most of the FF members, then announce overall fare reductions.

 

[geo1004]

Robin, thanks for your comments. I certainly hope you are correct in your assesment of the soon-to-change fares structure. US Airways has received a bunch of my money over the years and in turn I have been treated very well.

My fear is that the other major carriers in the USA will allow US Airways to step out on a limb and as a result US's frequent flier base will deminish.

And no one is better served by a US Airways in crisis/BK than the other majors. And guess who gets to cherry-pick the best pieces of US Airways (the Shuttle, the DCA, BOS & LGA slots, PHL O&D traffic, etc) during a fire sale????