knope2001

Midwest Miles Executive status has been enhanced with the following added benefits:


--MME-only ticket counter lane at MKE and DEN, with other larger airports to follow. Reported to be the #1 requested enchancement from MME members.

--Free DIRECTV.

--More airports with priority security lane access coming.

--Free same-day confirmed flight changes and seat assignment at the airport. (No more coupons!) If the desired flight is full, no-charge standby.

--Cross-benefits for YX elite on F9 and F9 elite on YX.

--Free beer, wine, cocktails and energy drinks.

BlueHorseShoe2000

Very nice enhancements.

The only thing missing is complimentary space-available up-grades to the better seats on both Midwest and Frontier flights.

knope2001

I wondered about this as well, however at the moment there are very few flights with the better-seat section to upgrade to. Once they roll out the premium seating to more aircraft in the F9 + YX fleet, perhaps we'll see this addressed.

The whole plan for the premium section and how it will be handled interests me. Although the first two E190's had a 1x2 premium section, word was that subsequent ones would be all 2x2 and the original two would be reconfigured. My thought that this was movement away from a premium section, more like Frontier has.

But now, a couple months later...

--Word comes that the dual-seating will be expanded through the Frontier fleet.

--The E190's coming from the USAirways purchase are 1x2 in the front, and at least at this point appear to be staying that way from what I've heard.

So it appears dual seating is here to stay in one form or another. I'm curious exactly how this will end up. Will the Airbus premium section be 3x3, 2x3 or 2x2? Will the E190 premium section be standardized as 1x2? Will E170 or even the Q400 ultimately have any sort of premium section, either 2x2 or 1x2? Will upgrade fees be standarized? Will there be complementary upgrades?

Regarding the complementary upgrades, I'd be very curious to know what portion of paid upgrades (not complementary upgrades due to fare class or a full standard-seating section) come from people who are also MME. Anecdotally it seems that the western routes (PHX, SFO, LAS, SEA) have seen a higher buy rate on the premium seating for Midwest than the classic east coast business routes. I think of the east coast business routes as heavier for MME's but that might be incorrect.

If MME's are a large chunk of the paid upgrades, then I guess that complementary upgrades might cost them more revenue than the soft gains of potential improved brand preference. The current upgrade fee schedule is less expensive than all competitors, but when competitors sometimes give it free to their best customers, then even nominal cost is more expensive.

MostlyAir

You can find the list below, you can probably notice the changes. Example, priority baggage.

http://www.midwestairlines.com/Midwe...Executive.aspx

BlueHorseShoe2000

It will be interesting to watch how well Midwest does in managing priority baggage.

Other airlines have struggled in this area. I can't tell you how many times my bags were delivered last when flying United even though they were affixed with orange "priority" tags attached. Priority baggage is a joke among United elite members.

knope2001

Thanks for posting the list...I'd forgotten about some of the benefits.

One thing that I'd like to see YX / F9 add is the ability to purchase credits toward MME status. Say you only flew 22 segments -- you could essentially "buy" three more segments for a fee...perhaps $50 each...for MME status. If you do something like this....

(a) Maybe it's only for renewals? Or not??

(b) If someone starts with 0 credits and "buys" all 25 to get or keep MME status @ $50, that's $1,250. Is that too much? Too little?

(c) Maybe there's a limit to the number you can purchase, so that just anyone can't buy MME for $1,250 (or whatever 25 credits would cost)?

You don't want to overly dilute the benefits afforded to the best customers by just giving MME away. But the benefits / loyalty thing is something of a two way street. You want to reward and encourage loyalty, of course. But a program like this allows people to pay to join the group, which will encourage future and ongoing loyalty.

Doing mileage runs to obtain or maintain status is hardly unheard of. But mileage runs take time and effort on the part of the traveler, and for the airline they fill seats which might otherwise go to "real" customers. Although mileage runs are fun (for some people...perhaps not all) given customers the option of just paying for credit seems like a win-win.

blucys

Is this in effect now? So I will get free TV and adult beverages on my A319 flight on this Thursday night?

MostlyAir

Yes if you are on a Midwest flight operated by Frontier and one of our MMEs you will get the unlimited adult beverages and free TV. Please don't try to get too drunk watching Seinfeld. Have Fun!

blucys

First off, I really like the A319's, especially if you get into a row that doesnt have the middle seat occupied.

It was interesting at the end of our flight that the flight attendant said "Welcome to Milwaukee...We really appreciate you flying with us today and wish you a pleasant evening"...No mention of who we were flying, it was just "us"...The only way you knew it was a primary Midwest flight was that the pilot at the beginning of the flight said welcome to Midwest Flight 739.

For MME it was a fairly easy process for getting all of the new amenities that are now available. The flight attendants are given a list of where all the MME's are seated in the plane and about 10 mins after take-off they come through with a card and ask all of the MME's if they would like to watch DirecTV, you then swipe the card and you are all set.

It was that easy for the adult beverages as well...You just ask what you want and they give it to you...There was no confusion at all in who was an MME and who wasnt, which was great.

I have to say that the planes are great!!!! They have more legroom than the E170 and since there are 3 flight attendants on the flight the service seems to move faster with 2 doing drinks and 1 doing food...I can only imagine what the new signature seats will be like when they reconfigure the A319's in the coming months.

With the changes to the MME program it really puts Midwest on par with AirTran, if you are on a A319...It will be interesting whether Republic sinks the money into the E-Jets to get them WiFi or put DirecTV on them.

blucys

Extra note...I just opened a letter from Midwest to their MME members and at the end of the letter they say this: "Please note that we are working on technology that will display your MME status on your boarding pass when you fly on Frontier. In the meantime, you can show your MME membership card to access any of the benefits mentioned above."

So, it looks like you will need proof of membership if you get a Frontier ticket.