Long standing loyalty taken for granted
#46
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: DTW/FNT
Programs: Delta (nee NW), Hilton Diamond. IHG (PT)
Posts: 4,823
What the OP hasn't said is how many miles he wound up with and how many he was able to carry over?
and yes I used to fly FNT-DTW a lot going back to when they flew airbuses on the route and filled them up and Mrs Bob H and I used to do things like FNT-DTW-MEM--xxx and then stay in xxx a day or two to play tourist.
Also, I wonder why he started his SR so late in the day.
Bob H
and yes I used to fly FNT-DTW a lot going back to when they flew airbuses on the route and filled them up and Mrs Bob H and I used to do things like FNT-DTW-MEM--xxx and then stay in xxx a day or two to play tourist.
Also, I wonder why he started his SR so late in the day.
Bob H
#49
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: ORD
Programs: AA EXP,2MM, DL Gold,Starwood PLT
Posts: 3,876
FF programs are not really "loyalty" programs anymore. They are programs that reward those that spend a lot of money on the airline. They may just eliminate segment qualification all together in the future. It's not really about how many times you have boarded one of their planes, its about how much cash you've given them.
#50
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 22,927
Part of the issue is perhaps that DL has generally not done bump-up's since the advent of rollover MQM's. The issue is what happens to the rollover MQM's. Should you get to keep them as well if they bump you up? If someone meets the 60 segment Gold requirement and flies 40K miles they will get zero rollover MQM's. Why should someone didn't meet the segment requirement and flew the same 40K miles get both bumped to Gold and 15K rollover MQM's to boot? Maybe they are willing to make that trade-off, but I bet a lot won't consider that fact and would get mad if DL took their rollover away after bumping them.
#51
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 361
Hello All:
Sorry I'm here to rant about Delta not caring about it's long term medallion members.
Last year I ended up with 57 segments, of course three shy of gold elite. I actually did try a segment run back on 12/16/14. LAN-DTW-IAD and back on same day (depart LAN 3:09pm, return to LAN 10:25pm). However, the initial outbound flight was delayed, delayed, and finally delayed (due to mechanical issue) enough that I couldn't make my connection and would be stuck in IAD overnight.
The very nice Medallion desk agent searched high and low to find something for me to earn at least three segments, but couldn't. So she voided my ticket and returned the fare to my credit card.
By that late in the year I had no other business travel requirements and couldn't find anything reasonable to do the segment run. I figured that my membership in their skymiles (Northwest WorldPerks) since 1991, being gold or platinum for 15 years straight, having their credit card, and being a member of their skyclub might get them to consider gifting me three segments and allowing me to remain Gold for 2015.
I was mistaken!
I tried three different times pleading for their mercy. They claim that the do not take my long-standing loyalty for granted, but they do.
They've been making it more and more challenging to be loyal, at the beginning of 2014 they cancelled the FNT-DTW / DTW-FNT route that I was quite often on. I went out of my to travel from LAN, MBS, and sometimes DTW to keep flying Delta. That is what ultimately cost me, the flights out of DTW cost me two segments for most trips.
United (recently starting flying out of FNT) has offered to match my status with their challenge program. I've already flown or have scheduled 13 of 15 required segments in 90 days to make it. I just need to squeeze in one more trip between now and April.
Looks like Delta took my loyalty for granted one too many times!
Sorry I'm here to rant about Delta not caring about it's long term medallion members.
Last year I ended up with 57 segments, of course three shy of gold elite. I actually did try a segment run back on 12/16/14. LAN-DTW-IAD and back on same day (depart LAN 3:09pm, return to LAN 10:25pm). However, the initial outbound flight was delayed, delayed, and finally delayed (due to mechanical issue) enough that I couldn't make my connection and would be stuck in IAD overnight.
The very nice Medallion desk agent searched high and low to find something for me to earn at least three segments, but couldn't. So she voided my ticket and returned the fare to my credit card.
By that late in the year I had no other business travel requirements and couldn't find anything reasonable to do the segment run. I figured that my membership in their skymiles (Northwest WorldPerks) since 1991, being gold or platinum for 15 years straight, having their credit card, and being a member of their skyclub might get them to consider gifting me three segments and allowing me to remain Gold for 2015.
I was mistaken!
I tried three different times pleading for their mercy. They claim that the do not take my long-standing loyalty for granted, but they do.
They've been making it more and more challenging to be loyal, at the beginning of 2014 they cancelled the FNT-DTW / DTW-FNT route that I was quite often on. I went out of my to travel from LAN, MBS, and sometimes DTW to keep flying Delta. That is what ultimately cost me, the flights out of DTW cost me two segments for most trips.
United (recently starting flying out of FNT) has offered to match my status with their challenge program. I've already flown or have scheduled 13 of 15 required segments in 90 days to make it. I just need to squeeze in one more trip between now and April.
Looks like Delta took my loyalty for granted one too many times!
#52
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
FF programs are not really "loyalty" programs anymore. They are programs that reward those that spend a lot of money on the airline. They may just eliminate segment qualification all together in the future. It's not really about how many times you have boarded one of their planes, its about how much cash you've given them.
While it theoretically makes more sense to look at every trip and determine the best way to travel, people are hooked on simple and cost-free things such as priority boarding (what does DL care who boards first vs. last?).
#53
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: NYC
Programs: AA DULtArer
Posts: 5,547
Its amazing what educated (?) people will do for faux status on an airline. Spend their weekend going to IST in a metal tube, and then coming back.
They are sheep-shearing programs, not loyalty programs - relieving people of their hard-earned life for a plastic card.
They are sheep-shearing programs, not loyalty programs - relieving people of their hard-earned life for a plastic card.
#54
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: Delta Skymiles
Posts: 1,982
I personally have never done a mileage run, and don't think I will ever do one. The only exception would be if I knew for a fact I would be traveling at the new level of status in the new year or more. If my travel plans are slowing or uncertain I won't do it.
#55
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Its amazing what educated (?) people will do for faux status on an airline. Spend their weekend going to IST in a metal tube, and then coming back.
They are sheep-shearing programs, not loyalty programs - relieving people of their hard-earned life for a plastic card.
They are sheep-shearing programs, not loyalty programs - relieving people of their hard-earned life for a plastic card.
#56
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: Paid F
Posts: 238
I don't get it. You live in a city that's not served by Delta and you have to drive 80 miles each way to get to one that is. I would probably pursue status with an airline that at least flies to where I live.
#57
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: DTW/FNT
Programs: Delta (nee NW), Hilton Diamond. IHG (PT)
Posts: 4,823
FNT still has Delta service, but just to ATL and MSP and for some of us to that part of Michigan the time from our homes to the other side of security is the same regardless of whether we use FNT, LAN or DTW because of the ease of parking at the smaller airports.
I've used FNT with checked luggage and been on the expressway 15 minutes after the plane got to the gate (and yes my bags are in the trunk!).
What FNT no longer has is service to DTW and that route goes back to the days of the Blue Goose.
Bob H
#58
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: BTR
Programs: DL GM, UA Silver, Marriott Plat, National Exec
Posts: 1,810
If you had requested ORC instead of a refund on your itinerary, you would have made the cut. It may be too late now, however.
#59
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
#60
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Twin Cities
Programs: Delta DM MM, IHG Plat, Hilton DM, Marriott SE, Emerald EE, Oakdale Gun Club, NRA & GOA Life Member
Posts: 3,870
Its amazing what educated (?) people will do for faux status on an airline. Spend their weekend going to IST in a metal tube, and then coming back.
They are sheep-shearing programs, not loyalty programs - relieving people of their hard-earned life for a plastic card.
They are sheep-shearing programs, not loyalty programs - relieving people of their hard-earned life for a plastic card.