Angry about AAdvantage devaluation / vent / what can I do? (April 2014, consolidated)
 

Wow! Zero advance notice is definitely NOT in the tradition of Aadvantage.

https://www.aa.com/contactAA/viewAad...eFormAccess.do

Don't send them a message privately. It's easy to sweep it under the rug.

Flood them publicly with your disapproval.
https://www.facebook.com/AmericanAirlines
https://twitter.com/AmericanAir

Time for a new hashtag, #AAHate

Angry about AAdvantage devaluation / vent / what can I do? (April 2014, consolidated)
 

Vis a vis the Sneaky AAdvantage Devaluation Ver 1.0:

DAArth Parker appears to be now finally re-showing, yet again, one more time, his true colors. Who here is truly shocked?

He is positioning himself for the "Frank Lorenzo Airline Manager of the Year" Award ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Lorenzo ). But unlike Lorenzo, he has the unions (Expense) on his side, and has fired the 1st shot against customers/passengers (Revenue).

Sarcasm on-It is always a good business model, in a competitive environment, to piss off your clients/customers as much, and as frequently, as possible. Sarcasm off

You're going to have to provide more linkage to whatever it is you're rabbiting on about. What's he done this week?

Upped the price on AAnytime Awards, removed 2nd checked bag for Golds, got rid of Oneworld Explorer Awards, and got rid of international gateway stopovers.

Plus, he did all this without any advanced notice.

Other than that-nothing. But its only Tuesday! Film at 11

That, too!

Angry about AAdvantage devaluation / vent / what can I do? (April 2014, consolidated)
 

Since AA, pre-PAArker or current, doesn't seem to give much credence to FT... <redacted>

Example #1: That recent program that give <redacted> users miles/points for playing a game, to the exclusion those who don't use the "service".

Example #2: Exclusionary "Behind the Scenes" do's (with AA Management) for <redacted> EXP's in DFW, LAX, and God knows wherelse.

My suggestion, is to take that heretofore useless tool, and make it useful. Use it let AA know you are unhappy. Let them know you are mad as hell.

Here's some help: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGIY5Vyj4YM

Contact AA and US!
 

Hello everyone! I think it may be hopeless and the last good frequent flyer program could come to a slide but I recommend as many people as possible email AA and US today to share their concerns. May be a last ditch effort to save Advantage!

Let's see, the list of airlines that I can think of that have devalued miles and/or benefits in the past few years, many with little or no notice:

AA
AC
AF
AS
AV
B6
BA
DL
KL
LH
VX
WN
UA
US

Note that this is off the top of my head. I bet I could find SQ/CX/NH devaluations, too...

So as long as you stay out of those loyalty plans, you should be OK. That should be easy to do for someone based in the US, right?

:rolleyes:

In a competitive environment where all the other airlines are devaluing their miles and, over time, explicitly linking benefits to revenue as best they can, not doing so is leaving money on the table, sad to say.

There really is no hope, unless we patronize some of the small guys. They know that there are few choices, so even if we get upset there really is nowhere to go.

Contacting AA and US will be less useful than flaming them in every public forum imaginable. Make it into a media firestorm if you really think it will help.

Or, better yet, vote with your wallet. Fly B6, fly VX, buy F and connect on another legacy (DL has recently been undercutting AA's first class fares in many domestic markets).

And, most importantly, remember that you are not hub captive. Every AA hub has plenty of service on non-AA airlines.

I'm happy to buy a first class ticket and connect through ATL on DL (the bourbon's better anyway) if I can save money and send an economic F-you to AA.

Exactly. The legacies rely on blind loyalty. Each year they cut some more and then people are excited to get their little card which gives them a free bag or a decent seat. You can do that without any status at all on jetBlue/Virgin/Southwest--with free bags on B6/WN and Virgin having a good overall product. Plus more and more jetblue planes have free, fast wifi, and in a few months with Mint you can even get a good price for a private suite from LAX/SFO to JFK.

Support the businesses which bring you a product that serves your needs at a price you want to pay. FF programs are moving into becoming more of a rebate scheme, so it is best to prepare for further devaluations. There are only three legacies left and they are all doing the same thing regarding FF programs. One may end up the best of the worst--but not by much.