Hey US Airways addicts.
After two weeks of shock, joy and a whole lot of arguments that either the paradise will come and milk and honey will float after the merger or the evil people of United will take over our cute little and nobel carrier it is time for a vote on this board. So lets vote for the next 48 hours and than get a statistic answer to the question of love or hate on the planed merger under our fine group of informed frequent traveller.
To start the judgement there will be three choices to vote.
1.Pro merger ( Love it)
2. Neutral
3. Contra (Hate it)
and to get a clue of which level loves or hate the merger please indicate your Preferred or Dividend Miles level.
My vote is:
2. Neutral
I hate Uniteds upgrading policy and there lack of service I might benefit of becoming a star allince gold member to get miles on Lufthansa and SIA a use all star alliance lounges even in coach.I hate to loose the US Airways name and new logo but that might be very emotional.I would have preferred becoming a star alliance or one world member as an independent carrier.
Status: Preferred Gold for 7 years
(European based member surprise surprise with this name)
Lets vote!!!

[This message has been edited by eurousair (edited 06-09-2000).]

Contra

I don't fly US much, I fly UA a lot, and even though this merger would be more service my United to me in Boston, I don't want it to happen. I think that the merger-mania this will cause will ruin competition. Don't forget the competition is not only just prices but also service levels.

Service levels have been consistently getting better. Look at AA's More Room and UA's Economy Plus. Look at the AA Flagship Suite and First Suite. Look at how AA is increasing Business Class legroom to bring it up to the standards of DL, CO, and US.

NOOOOO!!!!! The single biggest benefit of the Dividend Miles program for me was elite upgrades. I posted a thread on the UA board about ease of upgrades, and it seems like many upgrade often with miles, not wanting to risk it with certs at X hours.

I will occasionally upgrade a US20 to the west coast for security, but otherwise all my upgrades clear 7 days out (or at time of booking if Y fare).

I'll be happy to transfer my business to Delta if this goes through. Or Continental. Or will they be the same airline?

Undecided At first I thought it sounded great when I read the press release from United about all the new service being piled on in Charlotte. But I realized, as someone said, that they may just be discontinued and a ploy to get the local governments to approve the deal.

And as Chairman's Preferred said, the ease of upgrades as a CP has been great. I don't think I'll get that benefit with UA.

Contra!

Right now US is like a small, boutique hotel in Paris. With UA it will be more like a gigantic Holiday Inn near O'Hare with the staff getting the best rooms. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/eek.gif

Gold Preferred

harold: very well said.

my vote: no, no, no. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/mad.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/mad.gif

[This message has been edited by geo1004 (edited 06-09-2000).]

Definitely NO! ...as expressed in a previous related thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum51/HTML/000289.html

More piling on to Contra

I've gone as far as to write up a three page letter outlining the negatives to the transaction and gotten the addresses for all the politicians I could think of who could help derail the merger. It probably won't matter, but at least I'll go down fighting..

I got a question for your opinion eurousair -- why 'Neutral'? You only wrote negatives of the transaction. What makes you neutral? Do you see any good out of this?

As per status: Chairman's Preferred for a year, USAirways FF for 1.75 years.

CONTRA to the merger.

First year Silver Preferred (possibly gold by 12/31)

Nay

1st year Silver, Gold, member since 1988

[This message has been edited by terenz (edited 06-09-2000).]

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

Very very CONTRA.

Gold as of mid May.

If US is gobbled up I will have to switch to TransAmerican-ContinentalWest Airways.

MG

Sorry dg1,
my neutral vote was a hard decision.
I wrote a lot of negative things especially Uniteds substandard upgrading policy and less attractive business class. But I also mentioned that at least we get acess to a mayor alliance and being I am living in europe and CMH is only my second home that is a real advantage to me. As you might have noticed I have mentioned the strong need for an international alliance before and I would love to get status miles on Singapore Airlines to Asia for example and love to have club acess on any fare in any class.
This was a feature by the way old USAir offered in the mid 90ies when the partnership with BA got you in there clubs in FRA and worldwide when flying US/BA.
Right now it is frustrating to wait in Munich for the PHL US flight being Gold Preferred and Club member but because not flying Envoy not having any club action.
From the sole or mostly domestic US travellers view there is no question this thing is bad.
To be honest as I indicated in my original starting message I would have preferred by any means that US would have become a member of an alliance on its own.This way we would have keept the small boutique hotel feeling for the elite travellers and all the advantages of a world wide network. That still would be the dream plan by far!!!!!!!!!
I hope I enlighted you on my neutral vote.


[This message has been edited by eurousair (edited 06-09-2000).]

You definitely did. I think all of us can agree US needs to become an international player.. however becoming part of an alliance (even Star Alliance) is the path I think we all hoped for.

CMH is your home? I go there all the time for the cheap fares. Next time you are in CMH or connecting through PIT drop me a line if you'd like club access. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Contra.

I'd have preferred that US became part of an alliance without losing it's independence, but that may be naive. Nonetheless, since I've been only a Silver and now a Gold, I do not like what I hear about the ability to upgrade at the equivalent levels on United. Even as a Silver, I was able to upgrade about 85-90% of the time. Oh well. If this goes through, I guess I'll just have to enjoy Economy Plus.

No way, Jose! Not now, not ever! If you like the proposed deal, I have a better one for you on some land in FL.

In case you hadn't guessed >>> Contra <<<

Newly minted Preferred Gold (and loving it)

BTW, that's actually the vote of two Preferred Golds (my wife and myself)

CONTRA
I have been Chairman's since the program began, and already requalified for next year by the end of April. Since I don't live in a hub, I can put a 100k miles on most any airline in a year. Not using UAL was a conscious decision. Frankly, their program is not nearly as good as a lot of the others. Upgrades are tougher, and award travel can be restrictive with premium seating. It's very sad. US had done a brilliant rebranding. The arrival of the 330's was the capstone. For me, I'm outta here if it happens. Now you see what happens when a management has it's compensation built on stock price, and it's payday based on cheap options. Pity the passengers, and don't forget the help, who gave bigtime on wages for the promise of building a better company.

Might as well throw in my wife's vote too -- she's a Gold Preferred and hates the idea as much as anybody here.

The worst part is if this deal DOESN'T go through as we all hope, I don't have faith that Wolf and crew will even try to grow USAirways internally, rather than sell it off again. W/o replacing management I think we (employees, frequent flyers) are all just @#$@#$!$@.

Yes, dg1, everyone is saying that the Dynamic Duo were simply staging US for a buy out, so they could get a lot money and skip town.

While it sounds feasible, I don't understand how they were staging the airline for a buyout. If they were, wouldn't they have been getting a fleet similar to other airlines (ie Boeing longhaul since DL/CO/UA/AA all use 777s, not A330s).

Anyway, we might be better off with new management if W/G will just be trying to get another airline to buy us out.

pro.

Negative

AAPlt, US: Zilch. But I fly US to get me to PIT, CLT, RIC, DAY, etc. No way I want to go back to UA!

NO, NO, NOOOOOOOO!!!

If this happens I *might* stick around for a month or so to see if United can meet or exceed my US Airways experience. (HA! HA! HA!) If not, then I'm out in favour of another airline.

I'd like to see US join an international alliance as an independent airline (as others have mentioned). Even if the UA deal doesn't work out, and Wolfman still tries to sell US...just anyone but United. And, that's all I have to say about that for now! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

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eurousair you just need to join priority pass, and get more than all the club action you need. with both a common lounge and a dl club room in muc, plus all your us club activity systemwide, you'll be more than covered.

oh yeah, on the topic, us silver shooting for gold says NOOOO!!!!

[This message has been edited by lonman (edited 06-11-2000).]

The current tally is:

1-17-2 (pro-con-neutral) against the merger. That's pretty definitive for the USAir flyers (we few, we proud).

Get this...pro!

I'm already a 1K Flyer, so the benefits can't get any worse for me. I'd love to have access to all of US Airways routes in the northeast and in Boston. I'm already a Gold Preferred thanks to my credit card, but I've never flown US Airways this year.

It will bring some new 1Ks into the MP program, but the number will be so insignificant that it won't matter.

fom BOSTONBOY, "... I'm already a Gold Preferred thanks to my credit card, but I've never flown US Airways this year..."

How can someone earn flight status miles via a credit card?

Elite status on several airlines and hotel programs is a benefit of the American Express Black door.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum69/HTML/000235.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum69/HTML/000234.html http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum69/HTML/000197.html

Now be ready to sit and read for awhile, this one's a long one: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum69/HTML/000162.html

YES please!

I'd love to move my 150,000 USAirways miles to a carrier where I could actually use them. It happens that United is my carrier of choice - so YES DO IT NOW please!

Thanks BostonBoy. I missed the topic on the Centurion card and was unable to search on it.

Now, back to the vote...

PRO, as it so happens, but my comment:

You have a huge reporting bias in this poll. Clearly people are more inclined to open their mouths when they are against this than when they are for, simply because it's a more emotional response.

Not that anyone will claim this is scientific anyway, but I wouldn't claim that 94% of frequent fliers dislike this merger.

I think it's accurate to say that most USAirways frequent fliers don't like the merger because the United FF program does not even compare to the USAirways program. Some buy the whole 'expanded route' network thing, so those guys are for.

I think it's accurate to say that most United frequent fliers like the merger since it gives them more frequency in the East Coast with only marginally more frequent flyers (compared to UA's ranks, US FFs are small). Of course some still don't like the influx of frequent flyers or dealing with some of US's baggage.

For the rest, it depends on whether you believe service/fares will get better or worse.

Markie,
What destination would you like to use your US FF miles for that is not serviced by US and its partners or through US' connection with AA and its partners?

100K,
As you noted, no has implied that the survey meets the standards for scientific accuracy. Any 'self-selecting' poll is always suspect. That being said; people who frequent FlyerTalk tend to be a mix of those who are either very well-informed about FF plans and those who want to be. I believe that if the average Silver, Gold, Chairman's Preferred were as well-informed as this group, the outcry against the merger would be far greater than it has been.

As dg1 has noted, most 'elite' United FF's will marginally benefit by the merger, while most 'elite' US FF's will be hurt by the proposed merger.

Some general comments:

1. Where did this idea that USAir is about to go bankrupt come from? Sounds like BS to me. Yes, their expense/passenger mile is among the highest in the industry. Perhaps that is why their customer service is better. <g> In the long run, that can be fixed (not the customer service, I hope).

The other big 'knock' on US in the papers is that they have posted losses the last 2 quarters. Most of us here are in the business world and realize that executive choices on the timing of various accounting decisions can totally change the revenue picture in the short term. I'm not suggesting that anything illegal was done, but I can't imagine US & UAL proposing this merger following a quarter when US might have had good revenues. Remember that the top two USAir executives will walk away with about $100 million total if this deal goes through.

2. Correct me if I am wrong; but most FF want two things: upgrades and free tickets.

The opportunities, for any elite level within US, to upgrade are far greater than a similar level with UAL. Most Silvers don't have a problem upgrading on US with upgrade certificates. Compare that with UAL, where Chairman's Preferred survey has shown that many FF, including 1K use miles to guarantee upgrades. The 'value' of upgrade certificates on UAL is very limited in comparison with those issued by US. Also, note that 20K of flight with US will yield certificates providing 8,000 miles worth of upgrades while the same amount of flying on UAL will provide an elite there with 4,000 miles of upgrades.

3. If this merger goes through and others happen, we could conceivably end up with 3 national carriers. Does anyone think that air fares will go down in this scenario? Personally, I thnk we will eventually see prices rise to pre-deregulation if this happens.

Gotta go for now. It's getting late. More tomorrow.

I'm pro the merger.

It means my free 500 US Airways miles will get credited to my United account.

Go merger!

cheers peter

Originally posted by dg1:
(compared to UA's ranks, US FFs are small)

Actually, I wiegh in several pounds heavier than a lot of the UA ff's I've met. And I'm a lot taller then that kokonutz guy. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/tongue.gif

geo1004: haha. Aren't we glad we get to sit in the big comfy seats?

Combining miles is another valid reason to be pro-merger, or if you're a shareholder of US. Those reasons make perfect sense.

As per the US going bankrupt B/S, Bud Shuster, Chairman of the Transportation Committee, aka Mr. Pork Belly Politics, has apparently been fed that line, hook line and sinker... Maybe a bit too effectively, from what I read Wolf is trying to back off the 'doom and gloom' scenario in Congressional hearings.

A politician told me that while the economy is good US is doing well, but they think they'll be first to fall if there is an economic recession. That I agree with -- US depends on high yield, high fare passengers to cover its high costs. Those will be the first to go in an economic recession. Still I don't know if those problems can't be fixed with the right type of management.