While we are all complaining about the mileage changes to MP, AS announced 5% of its work force is being layed off. Horizon is laying off 13% of it's workforce. I'm sure those employees that are losing their jobs are sympathizing with everyone here about the degredation of MP. My neighbors son is a pilot for Horizon. I wonder if he has a job today.
Point of clarification: According to the news accounts, AS and QX are reducing their management ranks. Thus, it's unlikely that the line pilots like your neighbor's son would be affected by this; after all, they are part of a bargaining unit and such cutbacks could not be unilaterally imposed.
Point of clarification: According to the news accounts, AS and QX are reducing their management ranks. Thus, it's unlikely that the line pilots like your neighbor's son would be affected by this; after all, they are part of a bargaining unit and such cutbacks could not be unilaterally imposed.
Programs: TubWorld, Bar Alliance, Borratxo Legendarium
Posts: 10,431
Quote:
Originally Posted by dave1013
Point of clarification: According to the news accounts, AS and QX are reducing their management ranks. Thus, it's unlikely that the line pilots like your neighbor's son would be affected by this; after all, they are part of a bargaining unit and such cutbacks could not be unilaterally imposed.
Management is being reduced first. I believe we'll be notified by mid-August, but I could be remembering that incorrectly. But AS also plans to reduce capacity and there will definitely be a reduction..albeit more gradual.. in the operational workforce as well.
Having used miles for several MFR - PDX intra-state flights, I could end up saving enough in the REDUCED intra-state award to compensate for the other increases.
To me, a letter to AS would be good.
I'd emphasize the importance of having SUFFICIENT seats for the lower award levels.
Programs: AS MVP-Gold; DL Gold; US/*A Gold, AA-PLT
Posts: 156
Obviously, any changes that AS does are ones that reduce benefits in one way or another, but folks need to be realistic. Two things that AS has NOT done are eliminate the 500 mile minimum or the 1-way awards. AS & WN are the only carriers that allow 1-way awards, & I don't fly Southwest anymore (sill have an award ticket to use though). Compared to what has happened to my USAir FF program, AS is making some MINOR tweaks.
I regularly read the US, NWA, CO & DL FT forums, and am aware of changes that have been made at other FF programs, but after reading through some of the posts here, I have to say some of the AS flyers seem to have the biggest, misguided, out of proportion sense of entitlement of all of them. For a group that generally seems a bit more informed & loyal to their carrier of choice, this surprises me.
IMO, AS is still a good airline, has the best program and ways of earning miles. AS flys planes as business to make money (or not lose too much), and they offer an enticing program for my loyalty in flying them when I can do so. Where did some of you get the idea that a program is supposed to be a lifetime of free trip awards from every location that you might want to go to? Comments like "These changes will completely ruin my vacation in Jan 2009" and threats of switching to Southwest as if it's a life altering decision are over-reactions and childish.
When I read stuff like "I guess that shows that >my favorite airline< doesn't care about me as a customer anymore" I have to just chuckle at the silliness. NEWS FLASH: No airline has an wonderful, compassionate, loving feeling for you in their warm, grateful,, gracious heart!!! You are a warm body, they have a plane, and maybe you can become a seat-mile. I fly AS a fair amount, and you know what? They don't know me and wouldn't notice if I quit, because I'm just flea in the population of airline passengers. I can live with that as I fly them.
FT'ers are certainly among the more knowledgeble, loyal and committed passengers and aviation enthusiasts, but some of the attitudes and self-importance that we display here would certainly be viewed as irrelavent by airline customer service people. Maybe the best flyers aren't always the best customers.
I regularly fly AS (+ some on NWA or DL metal), will make MVPG this week, and will continue to fly AS and keep AS as my main FFP.
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Last edited by dsldog400; Jul 25, 08 at 11:39 am..
Programs: AS MVP, One Pass, Starwood, Marriot Rewards,Sky Miles, AMEX Miles
Posts: 315
re: the $25 partner booking fee
Yesterday I caught a break and grabbed a couple of Coach level awards (85K) on Quantas to NZ later this year.
However I was charged a $15 per ticket fee for each ticket. How long has that fee been on the books? I ask because of the expressions of dismay about the fee going to $25 on 11/1 expressed here.
My only problem with the fee of any sort on these partner awards is that I would gladly book them online if I could, thereby rendering the necessity of interacting with a CSR on the partner desk unnecessary....
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Programs: AS MVPG, DL GM, UA 3P, PriorityClub Platinum, Marriott Silver, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,683
Quote:
Originally Posted by dsldog400
Obviously, any changes that AS does are ones that reduce benefits in one way or another, but folks need to be realistic. Two things that AS has NOT done are eliminate the 500 mile minimum or the 1-way awards. AS & WN are the only carriers that allow 1-way awards, & I don't fly Southwest anymore (sill have an award ticket to use though). Compared to what has happened to my USAir FF program, AS is making some MINOR tweaks.
I regularly read the US, NWA, CO & DL FT forums, and am aware of changes that have been made at other FF programs, but after reading through some of the posts here, I have to say AS flyers have the biggest, misguided, out of proportion sense of entitlement of all of them. For a group that generally seems a bit more informed & loyal to their carrier of choice, this surprises me.
IMO, AS is still a good airline, has the best program and ways of earning miles. AS flys planes as business to make money (or not lose too much), and they offer an enticing program for my loyalty in flying them when I can do so. Where did some of you get the idea that a program is supposed to be a lifetime of free trip awards from every location that you might want to go to? Comments like "These changes will completely ruin my vacation in Jan 2009" and threats of switching to Southwest as if it's a life altering decision are over-reactions and childish.
When I read stuff like "I guess that shows that >my favorite airline< doesn't care about me as a customer anymore" I have to just chuckle at the childishness of it. I fly AS a fair amount, and you know what? They don't know me and wouldn't notice if I quit, because I'm just flea in the population of airline passengers. I can live with that as I fly them.
FT'ers are certainly among the more knowledgeble, loyal and committed passengers and aviation enthusiasts, but some of the attitudes and self-importance that we display here would certainly be viewed as irrelavent by airline customer service people.
I regularly fly AS (+ some on NWA or DL metal), will make MVPG this week, and will continue to fly AS and keep AS as my main FFP.
I think the point that you are missing is that ANY program devaluation is bad news for consumers of FFPs (which is what we all are).
If we say "no big deal" when sweeping changes are made, there will be little incentive not to devalue the program further down the road.
It's not about entitlement. My miles were earned fair and square according to the rules set forth. Of course, the airlines manage to insert the clause "subject to change", but that doesn't mean the customer should be happy with those changes.
Programs: AS MVPG, DL GM, UA 3P, PriorityClub Platinum, Marriott Silver, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,683
Quote:
Originally Posted by JPat
Yesterday I caught a break and grabbed a couple of Coach level awards (85K) on Quantas to NZ later this year.
However I was charged a $15 per ticket fee for each ticket. How long has that fee been on the books? I ask because of the expressions of dismay about the fee going to $25 on 11/1 expressed here.
My only problem with the fee of any sort on these partner awards is that I would gladly book them online if I could, thereby rendering the necessity of interacting with a CSR on the partner desk unnecessary....
I believe there is a difference between a "partner award fee" and a "telephone booking fee".
Programs: AS MVP, One Pass, Starwood, Marriot Rewards,Sky Miles, AMEX Miles
Posts: 315
Ouch on the partner award fee...
Quote:
Originally Posted by missydarlin
you are correct.
A $10 ticketing (telephone booking) fee was put into place Jan 2006, and was increased to $15 earlier this month.. or maybe it was last month.
The partner award fee is separate from the ticketing fee and will apply to online as well as call center bookings.
So in the future we will be paying a partner award fee of $25 for both online and phone line bookings of award tixs and the use of a CSR on the partner desk will have the telephone booking fee of $15?
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You might want to read Scott McCartney's recent The Middle Seat column from June in the Wall Street Journal which showed that the fuel cost percentage of the average ticket price was 50% or higher. Four years ago, it was 10-20%. It was a very scary economics lesson -- prices have not risen nearly as rapidly as costs.
Thanks, I'll check this out.
By the way, I do have to give AS credit for giving us some warning about the change in the AS50. Since hearing about this yesterday I have ticketed 2 AS50 itineraries for December and expect to ticket at least several more for travel next year before the November 1 change. Might as well go out in style. I'd better also print out the rules so that I remember to expect to receive miles for the trips I book now when I take them months from now.
Programs: TubWorld, Bar Alliance, Borratxo Legendarium
Posts: 10,431
Quote:
Originally Posted by JPat
So in the future we will be paying a partner award fee of $25 for both online and phone line bookings of award tixs and the use of a CSR on the partner desk will have the telephone booking fee of $15?
