I thought to spring for Chairmans this year and just made it. Would like to know what changes to expect from others but have getting vibe many are letting their membership lapse this year. Anyone qualify or requalify or am I alone this year??

Also, if US goes under, which airline do you think will comp based on extensive flying?

I think many FT'ers will continue to be CP next year, especially with multiple years of carryover. I'm there through '10.

I think many FT'ers will continue to be CP next year, especially with multiple years of carryover. I'm there through '10.

I'm relatively new to Preferred status with US coming previously from UA. What are these carryover benefits you mention?

I'm relatively new to Preferred status with US coming previously from UA. What are these carryover benefits you mention?

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=117831

In brief, any miles in excess of the 100,000 qualification milestone, or segments over the 100 milestone, for CP are credited to your Preferred balance for next year.

So, if you finish the year with 125,000 Preferred Miles, you start next year with 25,000.

As this is the 4th year US has been generous enough to offer this benefit, you can calcuate the current Prefered balances for some 200K/year fliers.

Will do it on segments this year (hence the handle) . Curious to know what benefits a LH Senator would receive?

I just got CP for the first time yesterday. Probably actually only flew about 65,000 miles on US (4 Europe trips, 4 transcon RTs, bunch of short trips w/connection), but got a lot of help from the 3x visa promo.

I figure it's good to get top tier somewhere. Now I'm really pulling for US to survive.

No, after deciding I wouldnt fly them this year unless I got a double mileage promotion, the fiends of course send me a double EQM promotion. Whore that I am I booked 50,000 miles of tickets on US for the 2 or 2.5 months of the promotion. So Im there again.

I made CP for the first time this year. Love it. :)

Me too. I made CP for the 1st time this year.

I'm jealous of CPRich -- I'm only good through Feb of '07 :(

Would like to know what changes to expect from others

Biggest single change will be access to the CP desk. You will come to love these folks as they will do just about anything to take care of you. I'm not one to ask for favors, but when I've needed some extra help, I have never been disappointed. Treat them well and they will take care of you.

You will notice a difference in other ways too. At the counter and at the gate you will notice a subtle change in the way you are treated. Even on board, every once in a while the F/A's will come by and thank you for being a CP.

From a more pragmatic stand point, upgrades should be above 90% and many will tell you they are 99% or better. You will now clear at 7 days and will go to the top of the queue during the upgrade dance at the gate.

If you ever need a seat on a sold out flight, you will now get one provided you call 24 hours in advance. I have used it on more than one occasion.

If you don't have a club membership, it just became 50% cheaper.

If you are a bump fanatic and try to get free tickets in this manner, welcome to the gold mine. If you want to take a bump, you go to the top of the list even if your name is the last one entered on it.

but have getting vibe many are letting their membership lapse this year. Anyone qualify or requalify or am I alone this year??
You will actually find very few people, who have experienced the CP desk who will settle for GP. There are many threads here of people who are doing mileage runs to keep the status. Some even like to chase goats. <inside joke, and a baaa baaad one at that>

My guess is those who are losing status have given up on US and have moved on to other airlines. I have tried this twice, but always wind up coming back

Also, if US goes under, which airline do you think will comp based on extensive flying?

Ok, first of all US is not going under. It may not look the same this time next year, but it is not going under. Worse case is there is a Virgin in your future.

But to answer you question, DL is by far and away the most difficult to get a comp on. As for the others, try this link as it may help you........

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9558




Now to the rookies............ :D

I know a couple of you and to those I don't, well lets just say welcome to the club. I hope you find being a CP as enjoyable as I have.

I'm jealous. I'm good thru '07 too...but wait a minute...maybe I'm not jealous...that is one heck of a lot of pen-marks, brown limes and Jack Daniels.

Well, I may be the exception here, but I'm not going to make CP next year. In fact, when I'm stateside for the xmas holiday in a few weeks, I'm going to have to book a trip somewhere to make GP. I'm only doing so because it gets me *-Gold status, which means a lot more to someone based in Europe than it probably does to a CONUS based flyer.

Several major drivers here:

1. Spending 9 of 12 months of the year in Europe means that I generally don't care about domestic upgrades anymore, and lots of the places I fly when I am stateside have been expressed to death in any case. GPs can get exit rows on the RJs just the same as CPs.

2. The transatlantic product in Envoy has gone downhill. Since I generally fly more paid J/C than upgraded, this makes a difference. Additionally, I'm tired of doing the upgrade dance as a CP at the gate into a cabin with 20 empty seats the night before. Instructing the agents not to call inventory at 3 days for CPs added insult to injury, as far as I'm concerned.

3. I don't believe that US is going to survive in any significant way past the 1Q of next year, and thus directed much of my travel elsewhere this year. I could have made CP by June had this not been the case.

4. I don't believe the current crop of losers in CCY actually values customers in any significant way (and I think the only reason they do is because folks like FFOCUS end up in newspapers and the like).

As has been mentioned, the big thing I know I'll miss is the CP desk itself. But, that really only works domestically anyway. Short of a miracle turnaround, I'll be dumping miles into BMI's program from a * standpoint, unless and until I'm returned stateside, in which case I'll credit to UA (whom I believe has a much better chance of surviving Chapter 11).

Thanks for all the posts and feedback. Of course the 3x Visa promo helped considerably.

Looking forward to 2 SWUs to Europe, should be easy clear upgrade list now, especially low season on the A330.

Still think it is a pity US is in such dire straits. I figure one of several scenarios will take place, but hey, what do I know. I just recognize a good product or offer when I see it.
a- US Air codeshares United all flights west of Mississippi River and Europe, UA codeshares US Air flights to Florida and Caribbean
b- US Air loses flights daily and reduces capacity or total flight shutdown (not very likely)
c- US and Dividend Miles gets absorbed by UA for US residents, LH takes all FFs for Europe- then CP=1K (likely?, hey we can dream a little, right?) ;)
d- US and Ted merge forming new airline Tedus Airways, or Usted Airways

idealflyer,

That was creative. I had a chuckle at that one.

Usted Airways

This is cute...an airline that literally means "You" en español.

It is perhaps telling that there are some people who would prefer to make up a story that they are flying from New York to London, through Charlotte no less, 4 times in a 2 month period to seek the comforts of members of the genus Capra than to admit to such mileage running on US. Although it isnt intuitively obvious if it is more telling about US Airways or the mileage runner/Capra seeker in question. ;)

Hope you are feeling better by the way.

This is cute...an airline that literally means "You" en español.

True, didn't exactly think of that when I planned it. I was just thinking of a more friendly advertising approach- Travel with someone you know, call 'Us Ted'

US AIRWAYS FAN, you really are a fan, I mean sticking with US in a city they don't even service.

True, didn't exactly think of that when I planned it. I was just thinking of a more friendly advertising approach- Travel with someone you know, call 'Us Ted'

US AIRWAYS FAN, you really are a fan, I mean sticking with US in a city they don't even service.

You must be referring to Barcelona, Spain. Because DCA they dominate there. Actually they do service Barcelona on off season through a code share agreement with SpanAir. I still get segments and miles. The flights are US 8604 and 8605. They are just operated by SpainAir that is all.

But starting in May they will service Barcelona.

You don't know the half of it though. I have T-shirts, mugs, hats of US Airways. I really do enjoy the employees of the company.

:)

Troy

Biggest single change will be access to the CP desk. You will come to love these folks as they will do just about anything to take care of you. I'm not one to ask for favors, but when I've needed some extra help, I have never been disappointed. Treat them well and they will take care of you.

You will notice a difference in other ways too. At the counter and at the gate you will notice a subtle change in the way you are treated. Even on board, every once in a while the F/A's will come by and thank you for being a CP.

From a more pragmatic stand point, upgrades should be above 90% and many will tell you they are 99% or better. You will now clear at 7 days and will go to the top of the queue during the upgrade dance at the gate.

If you ever need a seat on a sold out flight, you will now get one provided you call 24 hours in advance. I have used it on more than one occasion.

If you don't have a club membership, it just became 50% cheaper.

If you are a bump fanatic and try to get free tickets in this manner, welcome to the gold mine. If you want to take a bump, you go to the top of the list even if your name is the last one entered on it.


You will actually find very few people, who have experienced the CP desk who will settle for GP. There are many threads here of people who are doing mileage runs to keep the status. Some even like to chase goats. <inside joke, and a baaa baaad one at that>

My guess is those who are losing status have given up on US and have moved on to other airlines. I have tried this twice, but always wind up coming back



Ok, first of all US is not going under. It may not look the same this time next year, but it is not going under. Worse case is there is a Virgin in your future.

But to answer you question, DL is by far and away the most difficult to get a comp on. As for the others, try this link as it may help you........

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9558




Now to the rookies............ :D

I know a couple of you and to those I don't, well lets just say welcome to the club. I hope you find being a CP as enjoyable as I have.

Is the CP desk REALLY that much better than the GP desk? I've heard others rave about the service at GP as compared to SP. What are some examples (CP desk) of rabbits they've pulled out of the hat? What can they do for you that the GP desk can't? Thanks :)

Is the CP desk REALLY that much better than the GP desk? I've heard others rave about the service at GP as compared to SP. What are some examples (CP desk) of rabbits they've pulled out of the hat? What can they do for you that the GP desk can't? Thanks :)


I only recently became CP and I'm sure others have some better stories; however, I was in Atlanta last week and was returning to PHL on Wednesday (there were storms up and down the East Coast). When I arrived at the airport my original flight was already delayed from 2:15 until 4:00pm. The line at the check-in desk wasn't moving very quickly so I called the CP desk while waiting. The agent told me that the 12:15 departure from ATL was late (it was not showing on the monitor at the check-in desk as delayed). She then proceeded to call the gate to get the status of that flight. She got me a seat and one for a friend who was also on the 2:15 with me and told me to go straight to the gate and we could get our new BPs there. I made it to PHL earlier than my scheduled flight. The 2:15 was delayed even longer and this saved me from sitting in ATL for at least 4 hours.

Yes. If we told you secret CP stories, we'd have to kill you. ;)

Let's just say CP is the difference between walking on water and swimming.



Is the CP desk REALLY that much better than the GP desk? I've heard others rave about the service at GP as compared to SP. What are some examples (CP desk) of rabbits they've pulled out of the hat? What can they do for you that the GP desk can't? Thanks :)

Usually stopped at Gold, just made sure I got my 100% mileage bonus.

This year, just went for the CP.

Still waiting on a package of some kind.

Anyway, I'll be happy to get back to where I was as a SP, when they used to at least give you the international upgrade coupons.

Cheers!

I just requalified with my 101 segment on Dec. 1. This will probably be my last year because I will have fewer multi-segment trips in 2005 and the fate of US is still to be determined. This is the latest I qualified since 1999. The desk has always been great and I have gotten the "thanks for being a CP" from the frontline but the morale of the employees has been laid low and the IAM will hold the key for the future so my optomism has turned to pessimism. However, I will continue on US mainly because I have so few rationale choices for my East Coast travel.

To everyone who made it, welcome to the club. My offer to buy a beer to anyone on the board when we meet stands, let me see-I got Spiff one so only about a few hundred more to go. :D

...... Let's just say CP is the difference between walking on water and swimming.

Happened yesterday 12/5 to me LGW - CLT (and many times before). Gatwick Check-in agent was snippy - "We don't do UGs here - go see US Sales around the corner". Sales rep was cold, until she found out we were CPs - "Oh, I can help you then" but then proceeded to inform us that only 1 Envoy seat was left and that the GA would determine who gets it.

GA was a gem. Not only did he find out that 3 other Non-Status pax (maybe friends of an airline employee) were already UGed ahead of us (2 CPs + Companion), he took the time to find out that they incorrectly UGed them at check-in. After consultations with his superiors, he revoked their UGs, refunded their British tax payments, and turned the 3 seats over to us. The last Envoy seat went to a Gold Preferred. "There's no way we would favor a Non-Status pax over a CP, and thanks so much for flying with us." he told me with a smile. :) I'm writing a letter of appreciation for that GA.

The CP desk is the only reason I fly US at this point really. They are unbelieveable. The GP people arent even close. My favorite was when I was very delayed from LGA on an LGA-CLT-LGW weekend trip and missed the CLT-LGW flight. The delay was probably weather-ATC so they arent at fault. So Im in CLT and have to wait until Satuday if Im going to London and am supposed to come back on Sunday. So I call the CP desk and they said no problem to change my return to Monday if I want. So, okay but what am I supposed to do now. I told them I wanted to go back to NY and start over but all the flights are full. Meanwhile Im trying to find a Newark flight that maybe has seats and is due to leave in a few minutes. Im talking to the CP service person while this is going on and she asks me where I am. I tell her Im heading to gate whatever and she says: "Sir I cant help you if you are wondering around Charlotte airport. Get to a customer service counter or a club and tell me where you are and I will fix this." So I go to the club, tell her which one Im in and sit down by the front counter. About 30 seconds later I hear the phone at the club desk ring. The person picks it up and starts saying "okay" repeatedly. Then on my cell phone Im told to go to the desk. I hear the person at the club counter say "why are we paying for the room?" I go over and they have a hotel voucher for me and on the reason for paying for the room slot on the form is written "CP". They give me my hotel and meal vouchers then the woman at the CP desks asks if I want row one on my return on Monday as it was originally for Sunday. Okay, she makes some calls and comes back on, Im in row one in both directions on my two new flights. It is fixed.

Lots of other instances like this as well. There have been a few disappointments during irregular ops, but very few, and not major ones. When things get bad operationally, they are the best at sorting things out for you.

Made it last night on the Shuttle (100 segments) 4th year running. Used to be Platinum with DL and much prefer US. Agree the CP make a huge difference domestically. Had vaiable experience internationally especially where there is a non US handling agent.

I'm about to make CP for the first time. I leave tomorrow for the first of two flights to qualify me via challenge (and the double miles promo). I look forward to experiencing the Great CP Desk for myself. :)

welcome to CP Gretchyn!

I have left AA EXP for US and Star Alliance because of the better treatment. If I told you the number of times AA has left me stranded at the airport or the arguments I get into with AA EXP Helpdesk who think they know everything.

US even as Gold never left me stranded except once in PHL due to weather and even then reimbursed me for hotel expense wiht air voucher. Any time there were flight delays or cancellations, I was automatically rebooked before having to call. AA and others always look at airfare paid and don't like to use other airlines. On the Airbus 330 using a SWU, I got to experience Row 1 on a flight in October, and I thought this area was ony reserved for CPs and full fare tickets!

How come there isn't a Chairman's Do planned in PHL or CLT? ;)

I have left AA EXP for US and Star Alliance because of the better treatment.




^ ^ ^

Just curious, idealflyer: Did AA's recent LRTC announcement factor at all into your decision making?

Edited to add: As a mere Gold, I hope I didn't offend anyone by posting to a CP thread. I wouldn't want you guys to think I've gotten too uppity & forgotten my "place."

I think MRTC is just a gimmick and prefer E+ on UA more.

I like US for their new Airbus planes- 330 to Europe (100% upgrade success using SWU here + an op up) And I would take the Airbus 319/320 anyday over another dreaded MD80. Lounge access, lower prices, greater customer customer service - need I go on? US makes me feel like I am the only elite on board. AA EXP reservation continues to ask me if I prefer Aisle or Window. :rolleyes:

Congratulations, you have earned a first class seat on the TITANIC! :D

Nah, TITTANTIC was a luxury liner. US Air serves TGI Friday's club sandwiches and has pen marks all over the back of the First Class seats. :p

Congratulations, you have earned a first class seat on the TITANIC! :D

HPTunco,

Did you requalify as well???

Agree that CP is better that DL Plat. US folks are way nicer

I hit my CP mark again last night - - a 2 1/2 rain dealy just to make it interesting. My last revenue flight for the year.

All that remains is a vacation trip with Ms Phillyguy at the end of December.

My 5th year at CP.

Nah, TITTANTIC was a luxury liner. US Air serves TGI Friday's club sandwiches and has pen marks all over the back of the First Class seats. :p

If the first class seat even HAS a back! The last flight I took had a seat in F without a back on it.

Sorry...once again I bust into this CP-only thread where I clearly have no business being. :( Maybe next year.

Sorry...once again I bust into this CP-only thread where I clearly have no business being. :( Maybe next year.

Bring some TastyKakes and we'll welcome you with open arms!