Apr 9, 2014, 11:05 am
Last edit by: JDiver
Angry about AAdvantage devaluation / vent / what can I do? (April 2014, consolidated)
Thread referred to: Devaluation, new tiers, oneworld Explorer award gone, etc. 8 April 2014
Without any prior notification, American Airlines announced on 8 April 2014 some significant AAdvantage program rescissions and devaluations, effective immediately:
- oneworld Explorer awards can no longer be claimed; (pre-existing awards will be honored)
- Stopovers at North American gateways for international partner award tickets were eliminated
- AAnytime awards now reflect variable, demand-based pricing
- US Dividend Miles North Asia premium awards have repriced
Important Information
AAnytime Awards: Effective April 8, 2014, for tickets issued for travel starting June 1, 2014, we have updated award levels. We will continue to honor any award tickets issued on / before April 7, 2014. For award bookings after April 8 for travel between April 8 and June 1, 2014, these award mileage levels will apply.
oneworld Explorer Awards are no longer available for award booking. We will continue to honor any award tickets issued on / before April 7, 2014.
AAnytime Awards: Effective April 8, 2014, for tickets issued for travel starting June 1, 2014, we have updated award levels. We will continue to honor any award tickets issued on / before April 7, 2014. For award bookings after April 8 for travel between April 8 and June 1, 2014, these award mileage levels will apply.
oneworld Explorer Awards are no longer available for award booking. We will continue to honor any award tickets issued on / before April 7, 2014.
Possibilities for action / communication:
Here's what you can do, as stated by the U.S. Supreme Court in its recent case (Source: http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions...2-462_p8k0.pdf page 13)
It is your duty to enter a complaint with the DOT at http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/CP_AirlineService.htm. You can even quote this passage from the U.S. Supreme Court.
Congress has given the Department of Transportation (DOT) the general authority to prohibit and punish unfair and deceptive practices in air transportation and in the sale of air transportation, 49 U.S.C. §41712(a) , and Congress has specifically authorized the DOT to investigate complaints relating to frequent flyer programs. See FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, §408(6), 126 Stat. 87. Pursuant to these provisions, the DOT regularly entertains and acts on such complaints.
Originally Posted by ooshawn
Just wrote an unhappy letter to AA/USAir execs (all email addresses I could find), if you want to feel free to use/build off of the following:
douglas.parker<at>usairways.com,
sean.bentel<at>aa.com,
tom.horton<at>aa.com ?
Customer.Relations<at>aa.com,
ken.fischer<at>usairways.com,
robert.isom<at>usairways.com,
suzanne.rubin<at>aa.com
douglas.parker<at>usairways.com,
sean.bentel<at>aa.com,
tom.horton<at>aa.com ?
Customer.Relations<at>aa.com,
ken.fischer<at>usairways.com,
robert.isom<at>usairways.com,
suzanne.rubin<at>aa.com
Originally Posted by MyTravels
USPS:
<Executive Name>
P.O. Box 619616
DFW Airport, TX 75261-9616
<Executive Name>
P.O. Box 619616
DFW Airport, TX 75261-9616
Angry about AAdvantage devaluation / vent / what can I do? (April 2014, consolidated)
Apr 9, 2014, 9:54 am
#76
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 1999
Posts: 12,097
BTW, the more complaints the DOT receives, the more they're forced to act. All complaints are matter of public record, are their numbers are tallied monthly and provided to Congress, along with a summary of DOT actions taken.
If the DOT receives hundreds of complaints on a single issue, it is in no position of just ignoring it. If it only gets a few, then it can just say that the issue isn't as important as others it receives more complaints about.
If the DOT receives hundreds of complaints on a single issue, it is in no position of just ignoring it. If it only gets a few, then it can just say that the issue isn't as important as others it receives more complaints about.
Apr 9, 2014, 10:06 am
#77
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 1,337
Or you can petition the White House for comment. You'd actually get some Press for going the WH route rather than DOT route (there were petitions to deport Piers Morgan and Justin Bieber). It takes a lot of signatures, but it'd be interesting.
Apr 9, 2014, 10:46 am
#79
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, UA Gold, HH Lifetime DIA, WoH Globalist
Posts: 57
Most of us were excited to hear Rubin would continue to lead the AAdvantage Program post merger, but to hear her say (in multiple interviews) how surprised she was at the negative feedback regarding the devaluation is disappointing. Aligning award levels to industry standards and harmonizing programs is understandable. The lack of advance notice is insulting. American had a real opportuntity to further distinguish itself, but in the course of 24 hours stumbled badly.
Apr 9, 2014, 10:49 am
#80
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 385
Why Siberian and Far Eastern Russia destinations were only available via Explorer Awards?
Those were just the rules of redemption with OW partner S7 (a.k.a., Siberian Airlines). For me I just really wanted a standard partner award ticket from Tokyo to Vladivostok, a mere 2:40 flight, but because only S7 flies that route the purchase price is over $300 one way. So if I wanted the award I had to use an Explorer award which wasn't ideal because I wanted to do some segments by train but can only have one open segment and I'm not returning to Tokyo.
I was able to get the award because there had been a pricing problem when I tried to buy it last Saturday (obviously unaware of the impending, unannounced award abolition).
I feel fortunate that I may be the last person ever to procure a OW award ticket to those destinations.
Those were just the rules of redemption with OW partner S7 (a.k.a., Siberian Airlines). For me I just really wanted a standard partner award ticket from Tokyo to Vladivostok, a mere 2:40 flight, but because only S7 flies that route the purchase price is over $300 one way. So if I wanted the award I had to use an Explorer award which wasn't ideal because I wanted to do some segments by train but can only have one open segment and I'm not returning to Tokyo.
I was able to get the award because there had been a pricing problem when I tried to buy it last Saturday (obviously unaware of the impending, unannounced award abolition).
I feel fortunate that I may be the last person ever to procure a OW award ticket to those destinations.
Apr 9, 2014, 10:51 am
#81
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: AA EXP, AA LT Gold, SPG Plat 75
Posts: 890
I have entered the following complaint with the DoT:
Doug Parker at American Airlines has, this week alone, increased the price on AAnytime Mileage Award tickets, removed 2nd checked bag benefit for Gold Elite Status Members, gotten rid of Oneworld Explorer Mileage Awards, and gotten rid of international gateway stopovers on award tickets, and gotten rid of free checked bags on full-fare tickets. All with zero notice.
Congress has given the Department of Transportation (DOT) the general authority to prohibit and punish unfair and deceptive practices in air transportation and in the sale of air transportation, 49 U.S.C. §41712(a) , and Congress has specifically authorized the DOT to investigate complaints relating to frequent flyer programs. See FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, §408(6), 126 Stat. 87. Pursuant to these provisions, the DOT regularly entertains and acts on such complaints.
What Doug Parker has done since the merger between US Airways and American Airlines became official shows that he was clearly deceptive and as such the DoT should act upon this. Parker is clearly attempting to gut American Airlines after promising enhancements and that he would not degrade quality after the merger.
Congress has given the Department of Transportation (DOT) the general authority to prohibit and punish unfair and deceptive practices in air transportation and in the sale of air transportation, 49 U.S.C. §41712(a) , and Congress has specifically authorized the DOT to investigate complaints relating to frequent flyer programs. See FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, §408(6), 126 Stat. 87. Pursuant to these provisions, the DOT regularly entertains and acts on such complaints.
What Doug Parker has done since the merger between US Airways and American Airlines became official shows that he was clearly deceptive and as such the DoT should act upon this. Parker is clearly attempting to gut American Airlines after promising enhancements and that he would not degrade quality after the merger.
Apr 9, 2014, 10:52 am
#82
Join Date: Feb 2008
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 3,049
Given the nature of the changes it is hard to imagine how they could have given notice without triggering a huge number of redemptions that could have had a significant impact on inventory ...
Apr 9, 2014, 10:55 am
#83
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: BDL, JFK
Posts: 658
BTW, the more complaints the DOT receives, the more they're forced to act. All complaints are matter of public record, are their numbers are tallied monthly and provided to Congress, along with a summary of DOT actions taken.
If the DOT receives hundreds of complaints on a single issue, it is in no position of just ignoring it. If it only gets a few, then it can just say that the issue isn't as important as others it receives more complaints about.
If the DOT receives hundreds of complaints on a single issue, it is in no position of just ignoring it. If it only gets a few, then it can just say that the issue isn't as important as others it receives more complaints about.
Apr 9, 2014, 10:57 am
#84
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: BDL, JFK
Posts: 658
Apr 9, 2014, 10:58 am
#85
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: AA EXP, AA LT Gold, SPG Plat 75
Posts: 890
This is what I submitted:
Doug Parker at American Airlines has, this week alone, increased the price on AAnytime Mileage Award tickets, removed 2nd checked bag benefit for Gold Elite Status Members, gotten rid of Oneworld Explorer Mileage Awards, and gotten rid of international gateway stopovers on award tickets, and gotten rid of free checked bags on full-fare tickets. All with zero notice.
Congress has given the Department of Transportation (DOT) the general authority to prohibit and punish unfair and deceptive practices in air transportation and in the sale of air transportation, 49 U.S.C. §41712(a) , and Congress has specifically authorized the DOT to investigate complaints relating to frequent flyer programs. See FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, §408(6), 126 Stat. 87. Pursuant to these provisions, the DOT regularly entertains and acts on such complaints.
What Doug Parker has done since the merger between US Airways and American Airlines became official shows that he was clearly deceptive and as such the DoT should act upon this. Parker is clearly attempting to gut American Airlines after promising enhancements and that he would not degrade quality after the merger.
Congress has given the Department of Transportation (DOT) the general authority to prohibit and punish unfair and deceptive practices in air transportation and in the sale of air transportation, 49 U.S.C. §41712(a) , and Congress has specifically authorized the DOT to investigate complaints relating to frequent flyer programs. See FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, §408(6), 126 Stat. 87. Pursuant to these provisions, the DOT regularly entertains and acts on such complaints.
What Doug Parker has done since the merger between US Airways and American Airlines became official shows that he was clearly deceptive and as such the DoT should act upon this. Parker is clearly attempting to gut American Airlines after promising enhancements and that he would not degrade quality after the merger.
Apr 9, 2014, 10:58 am
#86
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 385
Most of us were excited to hear Rubin would continue to lead the AAdvantage Program post merger, but to hear her say (in multiple interviews) how surprised she was at the negative feedback regarding the devaluation is disappointing. Aligning award levels to industry standards and harmonizing programs is understandable. The lack of advance notice is insulting. American had a real opportuntity to further distinguish itself, but in the course of 24 hours stumbled badly.
) off peak after the Explorer award but I am expecting that sweet award to be eliminated after the current tumult dies down. I mean, no other carrier has this award, why should AA?
Apr 9, 2014, 10:58 am
#87
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 1,309
Umm
You guys need to get over this. Frequent flyer program terms and conditions all say that airlines can unilaterally make changes or even shut a program down. At their will. You are paying for air transportation. That's what you get when you buy a plane ticket. Nowhere in your contract does it say benefits will always be the same. Deal with it and move on
Apr 9, 2014, 11:01 am
#88
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: San Jose, CA, USA
Posts: 546
Phasers, I think the thing to mention is the recent bonus on purchased miles offer and the persistent promotion of miles via credit cards as perhaps better examples of what we might think to be an unfair or "deceptive" practice. AA is at liberty to change its own rules (as disingenuous as that is and was in this case), but the arguably deceptive practice for me was the very recent release of a bonus on mile purchase offer and/or the offer of miles with CC (with an assumed value at the point of offer) in the knowledge that the changes were coming. The lack of notice, of course, is the "unfair" component.
Apr 9, 2014, 11:02 am
#89
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: LAX; AA EXP, MM; HH Gold
Posts: 31,789
Yes, DL is firing on all cylinders and making huge profits despite its less-than-friendly frequent flyer program changes.
UA, on the other hand, is a different story. Since March 3, 3012, the Shares integration date, UA has underperformed relative to both AA and DL.
When AA filed for Ch 11 in November, 2011, the Wall St stockpushers unanimously predicted that AA would shrink by at least 10% (some fools predicted 15% or more) and thus AA would see its revenue decline by at least $2.5 billion in 2012 compared with 2011.
What actually happened was vastly different from the predictions of JamieBaker/HunterKeay/et al: AA's 2012 revenue was up by almost a billion dollars over 2011, and AA shrank very little. Over at UA, 2012 revenue was $42 million higher compared with 2011. It wasn't just AA; US and DL also saw their 2012 revenue grow substantially compared to UA.
Against that backdrop, I would have predicted that Parker would stay the course and continue to dance with the one that brung him for at least a couple more years, you know - not piss off the elites, both native and recent arrivals from UA. Continue to look attractive to customers fleeing UA (and maybe even DL given its very recent changes to Skypiles).
Instead, he's angered the AA elites long before he's even integrated the computer systems, perhaps jeopardizing the huge revenue growth that AA and US saw in 2012 and 2013 (especially compared with UA).
Maybe his aggressive changes will bring in even higher profits in the short-term. We'll see.
Apr 9, 2014, 11:03 am
#90
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 385
You guys need to get over this. Frequent flyer program terms and conditions all say that airlines can unilaterally make changes or even shut a program down. At their will. You are paying for air transportation. That's what you get when you buy a plane ticket. Nowhere in your contract does it say benefits will always be the same. Deal with it and move on
AA gave zero notice of these significant changes. ZERO.
I think the complaining is more about the process than the actual actions themselves which if given proper notice could have been handled by members in ways they saw fit.