I have a little over 25K U S Airways frequent flier miles and would like to know if the points are still good for travel.

Anyone know if the bankruptcy has voided, ended or changed the program

Sorry dude....your miles are void. Email me, and I'll tell you how to deposit them in my account.

Seriously, they are fine and dandy, so long as US is fine and dandy.

I seem to be worrying less and less lately about the possibility of losing the miles. USAir would have to completely go under and cease operations. Should conditions get that bad, another investor or carrier will most likely buy what is left of USAir and honor or convert the miles to their FF program.

The bankruptcy judge specifically authorized the FF program to continue. Obviously, it is considered an "asset" because otherwise you would lose a core group of customers and a source of revenue.

Still, if I were someone with many Dividend Miles, I would be looking to redeeem them at this point. And I certainly would not be looking at how to earn more. Most of the time in the past, FF miles have survived even when the airline did not (EA-> CO,
PA-> DL, TW-> AA). But since most other airlines are hurting, I would not count on another airline saying, "Why, sure, we'll take on the liability of upteen billion Dividend Miles."

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by RobertS975:
Still, if I were someone with many Dividend Miles, I would be looking to redeeem them at this point. And I certainly would not be looking at how to earn more. Most of the time in the past, FF miles have survived even when the airline did not (EA-&gt; CO,
PA-&gt; DL, TW-&gt; AA). But since most other airlines are hurting, I would not count on another airline saying, "Why, sure, we'll take on the liability of upteen billion Dividend Miles."</font>


Personally, if I were a Delta flier, I'd be hanging out in the USAirways forum trying to scare away as much competition as I could so that my comp'd status would be worth as much as possible.

But that would be because I'm used to having to deal with Delta and have yet to discover what a joy USAirways is to fly.

Give Leo back the kool-aid and come join US. Our frequent flier program has a very innovative feature -- upgrades! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by RobertS975:
Still, if I were someone with many Dividend Miles, I would be looking to redeeem them at this point."</font>

This is exactly what I am doing. I've been flying more and more on Continental when possible. I know that's not great for USAir, but Usair didn't get themselves in the position they are currently in becuase of me paying full fares on their monopoly route of PHL to CLT.

I've also been earning partner bonus miles (i.e., Hertz, Avis, Hilton, etc.) in my Continental account rather than USAir.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by RobertS975:
...Most of the time in the past, FF miles have survived even when the airline did not (EA-&gt; CO, PA-&gt; DL, TW-&gt; AA). But since most other airlines are hurting, I would not count on another airline saying, "Why, sure, we'll take on the liability of upteen billion Dividend Miles."</font>

But two other airlines, America West and Continental, emerged from bankruptcy with their frequently flyer programs intact, without the assistance of any other airline. If Pan Am's miles were absorbed by Delta, as your message seems to indicate, then to my knowledge in the history of frequent flyer programs NO major airline has left any significant number of frequent flyer miles stranded through bankruptcy.*

In my humble opinion, the people who have been frantically using up USAir miles over the past few weeks are like the people who have been frantically selling their stock market shares. In my personal opinion, over the mid-term both groups will regret their decisions. This is a time to be flying USAir and taking advantage of their numerous and generous bonuses and promotions; these will probably disappear when the airline recovers.

--------------------------
*I wouldn't count Midway as a major carrier, even though I personally lost a couple of "flight credits" when they went under. (As I recall, I had two credits; five were required for a free round trip between Chicago and a handful of other destinations. Not a devastating loss.)

"Still, if I were someone with many Dividend Miles, I would be looking to redeeem them at this point."

As someone who supposedly has a lot (currently about 1mm miles in our accounts) of miles 'at risk', I definitely am in an earning, not burning, mode. I think all the gloom and doom arguments about losing miles is specious.

Some of us just have to hope for the best. I have in excess of 2.5 million US Airways miles. Spending this many miles within any reasonable period of time is just not practical.

I do not believe that America West has ever declared bankruptcy.

Today's (8/20/02) USA Today has decent article regarding this in business section. What airlines ditched their FF miles (outside of Ansett, no one of real significance), interview w/ Randy, etc. America West and CO bankruptcy both quoted as significant turnarounds in same vein as what USAir's turnaround could be. Someone more industrious than myself can probably link this from their website www.usatoday.com (http://www.usatoday.com)

Skip and all-

Here's the link: http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2002/2002-08-20-frequent-flyer.htm

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by RobertS975:
"Why, sure, we'll take on the liability of upteen billion Dividend Miles."</font>

Miles have two sides -- one is a liability, the other is an asset.

The liability is very much within the control of the airline. They control the number of award seats and the rate of redemption. You're not going to get a seat unless there are plenty available at a real cost to the airline of practically nothing. It's not as scary to have umpteen billion miles outstanding as it might seem -- it's not like they can be converted to cash. The liability is carried on the books but it's a very speculative number.

The asset is represented by the loyalty of the members. More miles = stronger loyalty... Locking fliers into your airline is the whole point of these programs. Miles survive airline failures because they are a net asset that is of value to the acquirer. Not because an airline felt like doing a good deed.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by RobertS975:
I do not believe that America West has ever declared bankruptcy.</font>


BUZZZZZ!

Thanks for playing...

America West has in fact filed Ch. 11 in the past, and reemerged successfully.

http://www.fclaw.com/groups/bankrupt.html

The Delta Board called,....seems their missing one of their short school bus riding, hockey gear in 1st grade wearing, slow children at play signposting members,... and they want him back.

They sent me some of his signature posts so we might more easily ID the guy. If anyone sees the man, please direct him to the Delta Express line and ask him to leave his "End of World is Near" sandwich board next to the Y2K canned good rations.


"RobertS975
Posts: 859
From: Taunton, MA DL PM, SPG Gold
Registered: Dec 2000

US Air announced today that it has extended the triple bonus base miles on the US Air Shuttle all the way to Dec 31, 2002. Look for DL to match this offer soon.
A bankrupt carrier may be harder to compete with in the short term, and this may be an example of that. I am convinced that there will be no "long term" for US Air.


RobertS975
Posts: 828
From: Taunton, MA DL PM, SPG Gold
Registered: Dec 2000

LexPax, I have been predicting for many months that UA will need to sell of its parts to survive for the moment, ala Pan Am. My fondest hope is that DL will be there to buy the Pacific division. Most of the time, thiese predictions are scoffed at, but time will tell.
Guess what... generally speaking, people do not want to book seats on airlines that are bankrupt.

&lt;B&gt;
RobertS975
Posts: 828
From: Taunton, MA DL PM, SPG Gold
Registered: Dec 2000

Today's announcement by US Air that the triple base miles bonus on its shuttle routes has been extended through the end of 2002 is a perfect example of how the US Air bankruptcy can actually put increased financial stress on a carrier like DL. Going forward, I would expect US to have all kinds of "crazy" fare sales that DL may be forced to match. "
&lt;/B&gt;

[This message has been edited by Skip Middleton (edited 08-20-2002).]