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

Old Apr 9, 2014, 11:05 am
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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.
This thread is specifically to vent and offer ways for readers to protest or complain.


Possibilities for action / communication:

Originally Posted by hillrider
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)

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.
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.
Sample communication to USDOT here.

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
Corporate structure: http://www.aa.com/i18n/amrcorp/corporateInformation/facts/structure.jsp

Originally Posted by MyTravels
USPS:
<Executive Name>
P.O. Box 619616
DFW Airport, TX 75261-9616
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Angry about AAdvantage devaluation / vent / what can I do? (April 2014, consolidated)

Old Apr 8, 2014, 5:47 am
  #1  
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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
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Old Apr 8, 2014, 8:30 am
  #2  
 
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Originally Posted by rrgg
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

Last edited by reuthermonkey; Apr 8, 2014 at 8:39 am
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Old Apr 8, 2014, 9:17 am
  #3  
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Originally Posted by reuthermonkey
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
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Old Apr 8, 2014, 9:59 am
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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
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Old Apr 8, 2014, 10:10 am
  #5  
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You're going to have to provide more linkage to whatever it is you're rabbiting on about. What's he done this week?
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Old Apr 8, 2014, 10:15 am
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Originally Posted by SeriouslyLost
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.
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Old Apr 8, 2014, 10:24 am
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Originally Posted by Pinned
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.
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Old Apr 8, 2014, 10:32 am
  #8  
 
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Originally Posted by Pinned
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.
Other than that-nothing. But its only Tuesday! Film at 11
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Old Apr 8, 2014, 10:33 am
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Originally Posted by austin_res
Plus, he did all this without any advanced notice.
That, too!
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Old Apr 8, 2014, 11:48 am
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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

Last edited by Microwave; Apr 9, 2014 at 2:42 am Reason: removed questionable verbiage and some unnecessary font/size changes
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Old Apr 8, 2014, 11:53 am
  #11  
 
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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!
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Old Apr 8, 2014, 12:23 pm
  #12  
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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?



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.

Last edited by eponymous_coward; Apr 8, 2014 at 2:36 pm
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Old Apr 8, 2014, 12:26 pm
  #13  
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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.
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Old Apr 8, 2014, 12:50 pm
  #14  
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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.
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Old Apr 8, 2014, 1:17 pm
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Originally Posted by Herb687

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.
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.
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