oenophilist

I only repeated the comments because I felt it was clear from your question that you did not understand my position regarding legal action.

You're right that I have no idea what is planned, all I've seen is a lot of talk about things happening behind the scenes. But frankly, planning and filing are two entirely different things. You can plan all you want, but until something actually happens, the threats of legal action are worth about as much as the conjecture.

I would concentrate efforts on bringing the MM'ers together en masse and staging a significant social media campaign. In order to do that, you need to have extremely clear messaging and extremely clear and reasonable demands. The website is a start, but has some challenges (specifically around the clarity of the messaging/demands).

To do this, I would identify some key stakeholders and form some type of task force. Then I would take the task force offline for awhile and have that team come up with a consensus for how to approach this. By consensus, I mean that the most vocal must be willing to listen to the other stakeholders and mutually agree. I would keep the fire alive in the public forum but tone down the rhetoric until the task force has figured out the approach and the messaging. Then I would have the task force come back here and outline the strategy to the larger community.

That would be my approach. YMMV.

jim77345

Scott: As one of the 'limited few' Infinite Elites in CO One Pass, I'm bummed that GPUs are not part of the new program. I used to get upgraded all the time on NW flights pre DL merger, including international flights. All those years as a CO Infinite Elite and now have restrictions put on GPUs is a slap in the face for loyalty to CO through the good, the bad, and the ugly days of the late 80's and early 90's.

UA-NYC

Welcome to FT - but you gotta be kidding me...

oenophilist

One other idea that I would have: declare a protest for April, and have each MM member take the purchase of at least one flight that would normally go to United and divert it to another carrier. Then have each member record what they spent on the alternate carrier, and upload it to the website. Also post a review of the experience on the other flight. This shows an immediate financial impact to UA, and makes it clear that the MM have a choice and are willing to use that choice.

dan1431

I do understand the displeasure, it is rational and it does make sense, but here is my point, we can debate this till the cows come home, but nothing is going to change, unless UNITED wants to make a change.

UNITED has made their decision, determined what they perceive to be best for the company and are going forward with that plan.

I am not thrilled with many of the changes (read downgrades) but without sitting in on the meetings at UA HQ where this stuff is discussed and without knowing how each decision is affecting their bottom line (posting here that "my friends are leaving UA and taking our $$$$$ with us, does give us [FTers] an idea of your displeasure but not the entire UA pax base) we cannot understand the whys and wherewithal for their decisions and their choice to either stand their ground or backtrack.

IMHO, it is as simple as that, to be clear, I am not excusing their decisions, I am just being as rational as I can be.

Dan

Ukalien

And to that point:

After 100% travel on UA (approx. 20K miles) in Jan/Feb, for March $2,900 spent on AA that would have gone to UA, and $1,600 for my wife on LAN that would have gone to UA.

Customer satisfaction means nothing. Customer LOYALTY means EVERYTHING!

http://www.millionmilersunited.com/

UrbaneGent

You are being very rational, Dan, and I think most of us here have been as well. I personally feel the new United should follow through with their word - especially when Monsieur Smisek mentions how important someone's word is on the intro video before takeoff.

The key is to keep it moving along and making sure we speak with our words and our actions. Most of $70k worth of travel for 2012 has been moved to British Airways, American (for the first time since 1988!), LAN, Emirates, and SQ. Add me to the pot of others and it adds up very quickly. Now whether it matters to corporate is another thing.

I just wonder if United even cares anymore. It's like we are dealing with Olympic Airways or Alitalia (laughing)....

UG

I don't think they are listening to anyone right now, including their customers. It's the new business model - cash is king.

blueman2

My spouse was given GS as part of the 1MM match. But no card yet. Anyone else gotten their spouse cards?

dgcpaphd

Cash might be "king" but the cash has to continue to flow into the company. If many former loyal customers continue to leave UA, the "king" (cash) might lose its royal status and be demoted just like the customers were.

I am eagerly waiting to review the first quarter "cash flow statement" of United Continental Holding, Inc. which will be released in a couple of weeks. The cash flow statement will tell us more than the first quarter income statement will reveal.

The income statement will show matching of flying, (income recognition) and related costs, while the cash flow statement will disclose whether there actually is a huge dip in cash, indicating there is a lessening of those making new reservations with UA.

We will be reasonably assured whether the threats made by loyal customers to leave UA actually has occurred in large numbers of customers.

A possible major dip in cash flow is likely the only way, short of a class action route, that will get the new UA management to rescind those discriminatory and deceptive demotions related to "lifetime" promises made to million-mile flyers and intentionally breached by the new UA management.
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ozstamps

I think FT'ers are well ahead of the game at most times.

My feeling is the heavier fliers really only started experiencing glitches from March 3.

I really believe a ton of Million Milers STILL have no idea they get no CR1s a year "For Life" despite being assured in writing they would, and no 100% bonus going forward etc, etc.

So a large % of MM'ers right NOW have little idea of these changes.

And while they may well get annoyed later and curtail some or a lot of their flying,they have not done so YET.

So I'd be curious to see the Q2 and Q3 figures when they come out - not the Q1.

My wife and I both flew 35,000 EQM in very early Q1 for instance, but plan on none in Q2 unless the broken promises are honoured.

So Q2 for the both of us, will show 70,000 less miles right there.

But the rot is there and this thread getting over 200,000 views, just on one BB is a scary statistic for anyone in Management.

Kettles on once a year Priceline tickets of $68 are not to the way to long term profit, unless your livery reads SOUTHWEST.

They better start re-thinking the MM Bennies real fast, or in 12 months time many of them will have jumped ship, as in truth there are near ZERO bennies out there right now for most of that group, so why choose UA.


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dgcpaphd

Hi OZ-

Actually, the first quarter should be telling as far as cash coming into the company goes.

Even though you flew a lot early in the first quarter of this year, you most likely bought your ticket in 2011. The first quarter income statement would move your 2011 ticket purchase to the first quarter of 2012, the year and quarter you actually took your flights (when UA earned the money).

This is called "matching" income (flying) with the expense even though your ticket was purchased in an earlier year.

If you bought your tickets in 2012, you would not be part of the equation that reflects defection of prior loyal flyers.

The cash flow statement does not center around income, it centers around the changes in cash. Therefore, even though the second and third quarters will be interesting to see, I suspect, if loyal customers really did change their allegiance to other airlines (as many reported they did), we should see a marked reduction in cash based on the statement of cash flows.

I agree, most million-milers do not yet know what the new UA management did to them. Some will not know until next year when their two "lifetime" regional upgrades fail to arrive or when they take their first flight and earn only 50% bonus miles.
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Budley

Having had a better look at the 2MM benefits, I am quite happy with what I have got (or have been promised). This is based on the fact I no longer fly paid UA.

Premier Plat for life is better than what the old UA was offering (for me at least), with no charges for changing award bookings. As well, my wife will be the same status as me if UA ever gets around to doing what they have promised. And the lifetime United Club membership is nice too.

So what's not to like if you are a 2MM (as long as you don't actually fly UA)?

ozstamps

You have the same happy position as many of the lucky IE folks who may not have not spent a buck with CO/UA for 20 years, that are now magically "1K For Life".

They also seem rather pleased with life. And rather miffed anyone else minds.

I may be wrong here, as I sadly do not have a MBA, but Keeping folks happy who ARE actually spending serious money each year right now is plain good business sense.

Incenting folks to strive for a higher level than they now have, is also plain good sense.

Carrot and stick. That's how it was for many years. UA made promises and they KEPT them. What a novel concept.

Making the *NEXT* level something that you already had and lost, is just plain dumb.

Especially as with these weasels, they are likely to make change the bennies on that next level at any second anyway.
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IainC

I do not know whether you were 2MM before Jan 1, 2012, but for those like me who are 1MM PMUAers who were not, but are on the verge of reaching 2MM, the new 2MM is little better than PMUA 1MM. There is little incentive for a PMUA 1MM to achieve 2MM under the new CO. The only reason I will go for 2MM is that I am close and have no trust in the new CO maintaining the *G for 1MMers. Next year when I have my 2MM it will be my time to defect because as you know we are fortunate here in SYD to have many *A and other options and the new CO sucks big time.

Fredd

I received an e-mail from MP in mid-2011:

Can any PMUA Million Mile Flyer report receiving an e-mail notification of the changes?

I certainly didn't.