MSP Star Tribune: Delta to allow medallion qualification on segments

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http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle...D3aPc:_Yyc:aUU

Quote:
Delta is expected to add a flight-segment qualifier to its elite status program that would take effect Jan. 1 of next year.
Quote: http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle...D3aPc:_Yyc:aUU
It's about effing time!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Except, I am not flying any more
Oh please let this be true! I am a short-hauler and it is tough to earn status 500 miles at a time!
Thank god.. I made FO this year on 500 miles trips. It sucked.
I see myself as a short haul flyer but a quick count showed that I averaged just a bit less than 1000 miles per segment this year (91000 earned MQMs on 101 flights). That means that this change, which I have always in the past advocated (that was I guess before I became conversant with "A" fares), now seems to me to be just another status dilution.
I'm the ultimate long haul person. This won't make a difference for me but it might help me get my wife and kids to Silver next year. Nice add on I guess.
What I hope DL DOES NOT do... get rid of 500 mile minimums and going to actual miles flown. Many of the other airlines (UA, US, CO) have gone that route.
Quote: What I hope DL DOES NOT do... get rid of 500 mile minimums and going to actual miles flown. Many of the other airlines (UA, US, CO) have gone that route.
Let's hope so. Although most of them kept 500 min for elite flyers.
Playing Devil's advocate here....

If this goes into place (and for the record I am not opposed to it)-- will it not create more medallion flyers? Isn't that the loudest uproar of late? That there are so many new medallion flyers with the merger?

Just pointing out the other side of the coin...
Quote: What I hope DL DOES NOT do... get rid of 500 mile minimums and going to actual miles flown. Many of the other airlines (UA, US, CO) have gone that route.
CO, UA, and US rescinded the removal of the 500-mile minimum for their elites this month!
Quote: It's about effing time!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Except, I am not flying any more
Doesn't matter for you; once your DL and NW miles are combined you'll be lifetime PM.

But still, when I saw the thread title my first thought was of mikey1003
As someone who did either < 500 mile segments or transcons I am a bit torn.

On one hand, 500 mile segment after 500 mile segment really gets OLD, fast. I pitty the guys who qualify for any status that way. It's tougher doing a 500-mile segment round trip MLB-ATL-MSY versus MLB-ATL-SEA.
Quote: As someone who did either < 500 mile segments or transcons I am a bit torn.

On one hand, 500 mile segment after 500 mile segment really gets OLD, fast. I pitty the guys who qualify for any status that way. It's tougher doing a 500-mile segment round trip MLB-ATL-MSY versus MLB-ATL-SEA.
I am not torn. As i posted above, it is a dilution by the addition of new Medallions when there are already too many of them.

However I can understand the problems of the MLB flyer on his trips to ATL. It is spelled ASA, a company that disgraces Delta nearly every time it comes in contact with a customer.
It's not like this is brand new, they used to do it, they took it away, and now they are bringing it back again. I hit the silver and gold levels a few times years ago, and it was always on segments.
For the same status level...I would much, much, much, much rather fly 50,000 miles in coach on 757/737/MDs than have to do 25,000 in coach on Comair/ASA RJs. They are horrendous in so many ways. The exit rows have the same abysmal leg room as any other seat, seats have NO padding, loud, bumpy, no bev service, no carry ons (except duffels), no jetbridge service, freezing cold.. hmm need I continue?

Especially considering many short haul flights cost more than transcons, I think it's only right to reward segment based elite status.. I'm definitely more loyal (and bring in more revenue) than someone who takes 1 transcon every other month to make FO.