Long standing loyalty taken for granted
Feb 28, 2015, 8:42 am
#32
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: Waffle House DM
Posts: 467
From a business perspective, If I have a policy that says when threshold "X" is reached, benefit "Y" occurs, I don't need to employ staff to make subjetive decisions. This makes their lives easier and prevents me from legal jeopardy when they get it wrong. If, on the other hand, I have a policy that can be overridden by random acts of kindness and the whim of employees' emotions, I am probably headed for trouble.
This applies pretty much anywhere in business.
This applies pretty much anywhere in business.
Feb 28, 2015, 9:29 am
#33
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: San Diego
Programs: IHG Spire Amb, HH Diamond, DL Diamond and 1MM
Posts: 3,610
Feb 28, 2015, 11:47 am
#34
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2008
Programs: Formaldehyde Medallion DL DieMiles
Posts: 12,646
Feb 28, 2015, 2:36 pm
#36
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Usually in SAN or Central Europe.
Programs: AA:EXP/1MM. Accor/Radisson:Silver; HH:Gold; ICH:Plt Amb.
Posts: 22,307
Why do people always wait until the end of the status year to do a mileage run to retain/achieve status? Do it early on (when you find a low enough fare) and get it over with.
Feb 28, 2015, 3:43 pm
#37
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Wayne, PA USA
Programs: DL MM, Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, HHonors Gold
Posts: 7,242
So a work colleague of mine has consistently been UA GS. Last year, he had over $48K of spend on * and was way over the miles requirement on UA metal for renewal of GS. At the end of the year, he was shocked to find that United welcomed him to another year of Silver Elite status as a valued member in their Mileage Plus program. He called and said ...O. United pointed out that he didn't meet the spend on United, (he was somewhat short of the Gold spend requirement), but as a customer service gesture, recognizing his long-term loyalty to United, they'd make a one-time exception, and move him up to their exclusive Gold Elite level this time.
He now understands the importance of only booking flights with a UA code, no matter who the operating carrier is
Enjoy those Friendly Skies!
He now understands the importance of only booking flights with a UA code, no matter who the operating carrier is
Enjoy those Friendly Skies!
Feb 28, 2015, 3:55 pm
#38
Join Date: Jul 2014
Programs: AA Gold, Delta DM Hilton Diamond SPG Gold, and Foodland premium.
Posts: 824
So a work colleague of mine has consistently been UA GS. Last year, he had over $48K of spend on * and was way over the miles requirement on UA metal for renewal of GS. At the end of the year, he was shocked to find that United welcomed him to another year of Silver Elite status as a valued member in their Mileage Plus program. He called and said ...O. United pointed out that he didn't meet the spend on United, (he was somewhat short of the Gold spend requirement), but as a customer service gesture, recognizing his long-term loyalty to United, they'd make a one-time exception, and move him up to their exclusive Gold Elite level this time.
He now understands the importance of only booking flights with a UA code, no matter who the operating carrier is
Enjoy those Friendly Skies!
He now understands the importance of only booking flights with a UA code, no matter who the operating carrier is
Enjoy those Friendly Skies!
Feb 28, 2015, 4:40 pm
#39
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Atlanta, GA, USA
Programs: Frontier Gold, DL estranged 1MMer, Spirit VIP, CO/NW/UA/AA once gold/plat/comped gold now dust.
Posts: 38,151
I should point out that I was comped the previous year's elite level (gold, I think) for 2002 even though I only made silver on qualifications. The reason, of course, was the disruptive effect of 9/11. Delta didn't want people to get busted down in rank and thinking of changing carriers because of that. Am sure quite a few others were affected.
I gave 'em credit for that, but in looking at the 2015 round of changes, one of their biggest vulnerabilities is the black swan event, whether a terror attack, disease outbreak or something else. With only high-rev people being catered to and low-rev ones drifting away, they've lost a major tool to rebuild business.
Suppose some event happened and they lose 33% of pax because people become afraid to fly. Would comping people status (as in NYC and SEA) help that much? Maybe you earn 7 or 8 miles per dollar instead of 5, meaning a $200 ticket gets 1,600 miles instead of 1,000. Hardly seems like it'd make a splash.
Am reminded of when rental car companies went from deals like 500-1,500 miles a rental (though you had to show a ticket) to 50 miles a day. Then they tried to get people excited about "double miles" on the 50/day
. Every once in a while maybe Avis or Budget or someone will have 3K for as low as 3 days, but most of the time the miles won't sway a purchase decision for me now. Delta's in that kind of position for low-revs.
And the overarching reason why is because there's less competition among legacies. U.S. flyers are getting treated more and more like European ones with a single dominant national carrier have been treated all along.
I gave 'em credit for that, but in looking at the 2015 round of changes, one of their biggest vulnerabilities is the black swan event, whether a terror attack, disease outbreak or something else. With only high-rev people being catered to and low-rev ones drifting away, they've lost a major tool to rebuild business.
Suppose some event happened and they lose 33% of pax because people become afraid to fly. Would comping people status (as in NYC and SEA) help that much? Maybe you earn 7 or 8 miles per dollar instead of 5, meaning a $200 ticket gets 1,600 miles instead of 1,000. Hardly seems like it'd make a splash.
Am reminded of when rental car companies went from deals like 500-1,500 miles a rental (though you had to show a ticket) to 50 miles a day. Then they tried to get people excited about "double miles" on the 50/day
. Every once in a while maybe Avis or Budget or someone will have 3K for as low as 3 days, but most of the time the miles won't sway a purchase decision for me now. Delta's in that kind of position for low-revs.And the overarching reason why is because there's less competition among legacies. U.S. flyers are getting treated more and more like European ones with a single dominant national carrier have been treated all along.
Feb 28, 2015, 5:09 pm
#40
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Charlotte
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum Elite, AA Platinum Pro, Hertz Presidents
Posts: 1,214
OP had an easy solution, by wanted both his money back and credit for the flights. He could have had ORC for the asking, but chose the refund. Would have been a win-win. People ask all the time why they have to actually fly the tickets they purchase in order to earn credit and are told they can't. Here is an example of not having to fly the MR, but getting credit.
OP still ought to request ORC for the cancelled segments. It would be against what amounts to DL's seeming policy, but stranger things have happened. Just make the ORC request. Forget about the entire morose loyalty thing. "I purchased tickets on DL, the flights were cancelled, I want ORC.
OP still ought to request ORC for the cancelled segments. It would be against what amounts to DL's seeming policy, but stranger things have happened. Just make the ORC request. Forget about the entire morose loyalty thing. "I purchased tickets on DL, the flights were cancelled, I want ORC.
OP in amazingly precise prose stated he wasn't aware of ORC. Furthermor he amazingly precisely stated that had he known he would have asked for it.
Your deliberate prevarications really need to stop!
I'm moderately surprised you didn't advise OP that he should have purchased travel insurance...
Feb 28, 2015, 7:57 pm
#41
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MHT, CHS
Programs: DL DM, Hilton Dia, Avis Pres Club
Posts: 1,248
OP, I was a Marriott guy for 15 years, and I will never step foot In one again. In that time I was assigned smoking rooms when I reserved non smoking. I often were assigned rooms by the ice maker. I was walked 3 times. All of this while a platinum member. In all of my complaints over the years about little things and not taking care of platinums only one hotel manager 'got it. The reason I left, they charged my card $3,000.00 for another guests bill and no one from the property would return my call after 2 days I called corporate and they had the manager finally call me. But it took 2 weeks. While Delta is far from perfect I don t think any program is much better or worse if you have a large sample group. We all have our stories good and bad. But after 30 years of 100% travel, I have learned the grass is not greener on the other program for long
Feb 28, 2015, 10:14 pm
#43
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Orlando
Programs: AA Exec Plat, HH Lifetime Diamond, Hyatt Diamond, Marrriott Silver, SPG, National Exec Elite
Posts: 187
I have to disagree with a lot of responders here - enforcing requirements is one thing but when OP tried to satisfy them and through no fault of his own couldn't, I don't think he should be penalized for it. Certainly, it's times like these that past history should be taken into account especially if flier has a 20+ year history and qualifies on segments, which is a lot harder than any other way.
Mar 1, 2015, 6:43 am
#44
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: MCO
Programs: DL DM/MM, Marriott Plat Premier, HH Diamond, Hyatt Plat, Hertz PC
Posts: 4,081
And ‘eventually’ people will vote with their wallets? Where have you been, that exactly what most pax do now. It is only the elites suffering over losing bennies that are complaining.
And what makes you think DL is different than the other airlines cutting benefits? DL is being tight fisted by the others aren’t? As said over and over, this is an industry issue, not a DL issue.
Once again way too many elites take this personally. It’s a biz thing. Period. If you have a problem with DL’s loyalty program, fly another airline but I can’t imagine where you think you can avoid this.
Mar 1, 2015, 7:48 am
#45
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: CT
Programs: DL DM 2MM, MR LTT, Hilton D, Hertz PC. National Emerald Exec, UA Silver(thanks to Marriott)
Posts: 2,026
OP, I was a Marriott guy for 15 years, and I will never step foot In one again. In that time I was assigned smoking rooms when I reserved non smoking. I often were assigned rooms by the ice maker. I was walked 3 times. All of this while a platinum member. In all of my complaints over the years about little things and not taking care of platinums only one hotel manager 'got it. The reason I left, they charged my card $3,000.00 for another guests bill and no one from the property would return my call after 2 days I called corporate and they had the manager finally call me. But it took 2 weeks. While Delta is far from perfect I don t think any program is much better or worse if you have a large sample group. We all have our stories good and bad. But after 30 years of 100% travel, I have learned the grass is not greener on the other program for long
So you hijack the thread to tell your hate for Marriott
I have some Hilton and Avis stories. FFP worked for airlines 10 yrs ago but don't any more. They can't just get rid of them so they are treating them like road kill, having us watch them get gradually smaller and smaller until one day they just disappear.