Why does delta board fo and Amex in the same zone?
I would guess most silvers hold a skymiles Amex. Why does delta permit them to board at the same time? Seems to decrease the incentive for cardholders to want to get silver status.
That doesn't make much sense. There are some silvers who fly on cheap intl or transcontinental fares easily clinching. Others generate much higher revenue but are segment flyers. I'm an example of that. In the last year and a half I've started diversifying my flying on multiple carriers due to the missing value proposition as a silver. I hope they have big changes for 2013 because as a platinum cardholder I don't sense ANY extra value. Usairways has been great lately for me as I have no status but can upgrade to first for a nominal fee. The boarding at delta is a nightmare now
Programs: Marriott Gold Elite, Delta Kryptonium Medallion, National Emerald Club
Posts: 1,467
Quote:
Originally Posted by micstatic
Usairways has been great lately for me as I have no status but can upgrade to first for a nominal fee. The boarding at delta is a nightmare now
As long as you can tolerate connecting through CLT for nearly every flight out of ATL, knock yourself out. For me, the convenience of non-stop service trumps the other legacies.
The point I'm making remains the same. Why don't they increase silver value to be more than cardholder so people increase spending. I remember a couple of years ago voluntarily paying hundreds more per flight because I either wanted an upgrade or wanted to reclinch silver. That doesn't exist anymore. Usairways is just one example. Let us not forget the gorilla called southwest who is developing atl.
Because Amex is a big contributor to the bottom line of Delta, with all the airmiles Delta is selling to Amex. So Amex wants more incentives for people to get the DL AMEX cards. So that is why they offer a free bag and priority boarding.
Having FO status still gives you more benefits than having a DL Amex: more luggage, priority seating, priority check in and the slim chance for a complimentary upgrade.
I have both FO status and a DL Amex plat card and are generally happy with both, as the Amex card helps me maintain FO status year after year. As far as priority boarding goes, in general when I board there is still plenty of room in overhead bins. And the grass is not really greener at AA, US or UA: with DL at least all my benefits are also valid at other Skyteam airlines (try that with Star or OneWorld as a silver...).
Programs: Delta SkyMiles PM, United Mileage Plus, AsiaMiles
Posts: 4,235
Quote:
Originally Posted by micstatic
That doesn't make much sense. There are some silvers who fly on cheap intl or transcontinental fares easily clinching. Others generate much higher revenue but are segment flyers. I'm an example of that. In the last year and a half I've started diversifying my flying on multiple carriers due to the missing value proposition as a silver. I hope they have big changes for 2013 because as a platinum cardholder I don't sense ANY extra value. Usairways has been great lately for me as I have no status but can upgrade to first for a nominal fee. The boarding at delta is a nightmare now
You've contradicted yourself there. Either you generate high revenue by flying expensive segment routes, or you buy cheap UGs to F. Not both.
DL makes huge money from Amex on minimal cost of sales (they don't have to fly people around) so it makes sense for them to offer some benefits to encourage more people to hold their Amex. FOs are valuable to DL, but not valuable enough for DL to bend over backward to make them feel special. The real benefits start accruing at PM.
If you think USAirways is a better value and better experience for you, fly them. Easy game.
You guys only seem to be capable of thinking one way. All or nothing. I never once said or suggested I was going to move my elite status to another airline. My point was simply questioning why they don't preserve the status to prevent people from spreading their flying amongst multiple carriers. They could still permit silvers to board before Amex holders, yet still have the same commercials on tv advertising priority boarding for cardholders. Further I think with the gate lice problem other medallion levels are Also negatively affected. More luggage is not a benefit to many including myself. Not to mention multiple bags cost the airline more. Priority checkin? Who cares. Most people do it online now.
Programs: Delta SkyMiles PM, United Mileage Plus, AsiaMiles
Posts: 4,235
Quote:
Originally Posted by micstatic
You guys only seem to be capable of thinking one way. All or nothing. I never once said or suggested I was going to move my elite status to another airline. My point was simply questioning why they don't preserve the status to prevent people from spreading their flying amongst multiple carriers. They could still permit silvers to board before Amex holders, yet still have the same commercials on tv advertising priority boarding for cardholders. Further I think with the gate lice problem other medallion levels are Also negatively affected. More luggage is not a benefit to many including myself. Not to mention multiple bags cost the airline more. Priority checkin? Who cares. Most people do it online now.
Being only an Amex cardholder and not an FO means you get no shot at a free UG. It means you can't select priority seats ahead of time. It means you get no discount on EC. It means you don't get various other discounts.
If boarding priority is a very important feature for you then yes the Amex and FO are the same. Looking at the overall benefit package, they are very different. But you said you don't see the value in FO. Ok, so either earn more MQMs or fly an airline you think offers you better value.
Segment fliers get screwed for a reason. It costs a lot of money to take off and land, so all those short hops might generate revenue, but not much in the way of earnings.
DL has made it very clear they do not value the segment qualifiers that much. That is life.
Again you are straying off point. This thread is about boarding. I'll address your points though. Economy comfort is decent, but the whole boarding process disaster for silvers makes Econ comfort undesirable. Ie, all the space in the bin will be gone when I board.
Upgrades? Yeah you must be kidding. Maybe on Saturday night out of east bumble.
I'm not sure segment flyers cost the airline more. Connecting flyers I'm sure do cost more
Programs: DL DM, IHG Plat, Silver/Gold at all other hotels.
Posts: 487
Have you heard UA's boarding announcements? It is friggin hilarious!
Way too many buckets. No way the agents can get it right, so they just read it from the sheet.
The last time I few UA I was the only one in the last group on an RJ! Classic.
Of course in my home airport when they board an RJ SP is 35 of 50 people. There is one Gold dude who always wants to be first, it just cracks me up. The airplane is not even here yet, get out of the way and let the people get off first!
Again you are straying off point. This thread is about boarding. I'll address your points though. Economy comfort is decent, but the whole boarding process disaster for silvers makes Econ comfort undesirable. Ie, all the space in the bin will be gone when I board.
Upgrades? Yeah you must be kidding. Maybe on Saturday night out of east bumble.
I'm not sure segment flyers cost the airline more. Connecting flyers I'm sure do cost more
DL does not let YOU board ahead of the Amex card holder because they do not value your business anymore than the card holders' business.
YOU want to decide that YOUR business with DL is worth more, but DL thinks otherwise. They barely consider FO a medallion level.
Exwannabe: somehow I don't think you are in the know when it comes to how delta values my business. You have no idea what kind of margin they make or lose off me. With your logic they would have eliminated silver
My point is that a cardholder+silver is probably worth more than a cardholder alone. I'm group one
