[CONFIRMED] 1/6/09 NW E-mail: Plats to Pay $100 for Award Ticket Redeposits Beg 3/1

[Jaimito Cartero]

I just looked in my in-box, and noted one in many of emails I seem to get from NW every week. I did notice a very unwelcome note in the middle that says:

An increase in both the award ticket redeposit and reissue fees (formerly called change fees) from $50 to $100. Platinum Elite members will be exempt from this fee until March 1, 2009.

I really hope this is a mistake of some sort. If Plats are charged these fees, then this WILL be the straw that breaks the camel's back for me.

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Moderators Note:

This new fee has been confirmed by NW Scoop and can be see in Post 175

[GUWonder]

Originally Posted by Jaimito Cartero

I just looked in my in-box, and noted one in many of emails I seem to get from NW every week. I did notice a very unwelcome note in the middle that says:

An increase in both the award ticket redeposit and reissue fees (formerly called change fees) from $50 to $100. Platinum Elite members will be exempt from this fee until March 1, 2009.

I really hope this is a mistake of some sort. If Plats are charged these fees, then this WILL be the straw that breaks the camel's back for me.

I don't recall anything about DL informing DL Platinums that this award ticket fee exemption benefit was being eliminated.

I will ask on the DL forum to see if anyone has yet received anything or read anything about the same happening to DL Platinums as well.

Clearly, DL wants to "harmonize" both programs (and the award pricing and fees) to eliminate arbitrage opportunities that would actually give DL-NW Platinums the best of both programs -- but of course DL management seems to have a lot to gain in the short term by instead delivering the worst of both programs, which is exactly what DL management is on course to deliver to DL and NW customers regardless of elite status.

[Stripe]

Originally Posted by Jaimito Cartero

I just looked in my in-box, and noted one in many of emails I seem to get from NW every week. I did notice a very unwelcome note in the middle that says:

An increase in both the award ticket redeposit and reissue fees (formerly called change fees) from $50 to $100. Platinum Elite members will be exempt from this fee until March 1, 2009.

I really hope this is a mistake of some sort. If Plats are charged these fees, then this WILL be the straw that breaks the camel's back for me.

I just got the same email. That also would be the straw that breaks my back. It's outrageous and sets NW well behind its competition.

[Gargoyle]

Perhaps that's a target date for merging the NW and DL programs at which point all NW miles will become DL miles. If NW miles don't exist after that date they can't get redeemed any more?

They could just be setting up the option to change the rules as they get closer to the program merger. I'd guess the date will slide as deadlines get missed.

[GUWonder]

Originally Posted by Gargoyle

Perhaps that's a target date for merging the NW and DL programs at which point all NW miles will become DL miles. If NW miles don't exist after that date they can't get redeemed any more?

They could just be setting up the option to change the rules as they get closer to the program merger. I'd guess the date will slide as deadlines get missed.

A way -- and a time -- to drive NW Platinums to redeem as DL SkyMiles instead of as NW WorldPerks?

If that is what DL is intending to do it is an interesting approach, but then I also would hope DL's business practice here is one which invites US Bank to unleash the legal dogs upon DL for biasing the game against US Bancorp despite the still running contractual obligations that exist.

[slippahs]

Splitting this discussion off into its own thread before it gets lost.

slippahs
nwa forum co-moderator

[GUWonder]

This does deserve its own thread highlighting what appears to be yet another DL management-led devaluation in benefits for "loyalty" program members.

Originally Posted by Stripe

I just got the same email. That also would be the straw that breaks my back. It's outrageous and sets NW well behind its competition.

Given that DL has gotten away with quite a lot of customer-unfriendly moves without creating such a massive exodus of customers as to worry it enough to really ovehaul its thinking, it doesn't shock me that DL management thinks this kind of "customer giveback" could be tried too .... even if it goes directly after Platinum customers whose business is supposedly so highly valued by DL-NW.

[MikeMpls]

That's been one of the biggest bennies of being a NW Plat. DL/NW just keeps continuing to tell us we're making the right decisions by not sticking around. This is getting so bad I really have to wonder what they're smoking in Atlanta. The news just keeps getting worse.

[MikeMpls]

Also notice how it was buried in an email entitled "Mountains of Miles update, vacation packages, exclusive partner offers and more...".

And within said email, they pass it off as an attempt "to ensure a seamless and consistent customer experience during the WorldPerks and SkyMiles® integration process, Northwest will be introducing the following program changes effective January 15, 2009."

How damned stupid do they think we are? I guess "seamless and consistent customer experience" = turn the Plats upside down & shake more money out their pockets.

I'm totally disgusted at what the WorldPerks staff has morphed into.

[gottaluvNW]

Originally Posted by MikeMpls

Also notice how it was buried in an email entitled "Mountains of Miles update, vacation packages, exclusive partner offers and more...".

And within said email, they pass it off as an attempt "to ensure a seamless and consistent customer experience during the WorldPerks and SkyMiles® integration process, Northwest will be introducing the following program changes effective January 15, 2009."

How damned stupid do they think we are? I guess "seamless and consistent customer experience" = turn the Plats upside down & shake more money out their pockets.

I'm totally disgusted at what the WorldPerks staff has morphed into.

This absolutely stinks, the way the buried it in the Mountains of Miles email, as MikeMpls points out. I ignored the email and it was not until I came on FT that I even realized they had snuck this in.

I had over 25 changes to award reservations last year. (Its amazing how award availability changes/leans towards better routings just when you make that award res, doesnt it?

Either I need to be more careful or I make a switch sooner rather than later...

[MikeMpls]

Originally Posted by gottaluvNW

This absolutely stinks, the way the buried it in the Mountains of Miles email, as MikeMpls points out. I ignored the email and it was not until I came on FT that I even realized they had snuck this in.

Yup, same here! Thanks to Jaimito for calling our attention to it.

Originally Posted by gottaluvNW

Either I need to be more careful or I make a switch sooner rather than later...

My suggestion is to bite the bullet & make switch. Most of or all of the international competitors have such fees; domestically, WN has no such fees for anyone. More important, it's becoming pretty obvious that there are competitors with more moral & ethical integrity than NW/DL.

A while back another, another FT'er accused JeffBob of channeling Leo [Mullin, the disgraced ex-CEO of Delta]. She was right. In fact, I think they must be having some regular seances with the spirits of Leo & Rob in the corporate offices.

[fti]

Wow, I missed this in the EMail too. This was a huge benefit to me. Can platinums still be exempt from award ticket change fees? Or are they going the way of the dodo bird too?

[MikeMpls]

Originally Posted by fti

Wow, I missed this in the EMail too. This was a huge benefit to me. Can platinums still be exempt from award ticket change fees? Or are they going the way of the dodo bird too?

The email states specifically that Platinums will no longer be exempted from this fee as of March 1, 2009. Delta is screwing its elites once again.

[GUWonder]

Originally Posted by MikeMpls

The email states specifically that Platinums will no longer be exempted from this fee as of March 1, 2009. Delta is screwing its elites once again.

Exactly, but do the frequent flyer program members all acknowledge that DL is fleecing the customers and acting like they recognize DL management for what DL management is and is doing? So far DL has managed to push through one bad change after another without getting so alarmed by customers as to stop treating customers like the enemy or sheep to be fleeced to the bones.

While the email says this, the link in the email still markets the award ticket fee waiver benefit to Platinums and makes no mention of the upcoming change announced in the email. Very sneaky approach from the very sleazy DL management-led "loyalty" program(s).

This DL way of doing business just encourages customer disloyalty.

[sbagdon]

If this occurs, and stays, this stinks. I'm specifically booking (before Jan15) two big vacations for later this year, specifically with the expectation that if personal crisis cancelled these vacations (which happened once last year), the miles could be redeposited without fee. This is a huge Plat benefit, and one of the top 3 or 4 reasons for being a Plat.

At least say that only tickets booked after a date have fees applied, and tickets booked before that date have no redeposit fees. This is like buying a ticket a year out, and then having new fees assigned 6 months later.

To pay to have to cancel a K-fare revenue ticket is one thing... that's the cost of flying 30 RTs a year. To pay to have to cancel a D-fare award ticket is just insulting.