GodErnst

I have been a 1K for the past 7 years residing in Singapore but I permanently moved back to the US this month.

I updated my MP Account mailing address to a US-based address last week and today was unpleasantly surprised when UA Mobile listed me as a Premier Gold.

I did not get any notification of my status downgrade.

In calendar year 2014 I earned 143k PQM. I didn't reach the PQD threshold for 1K, BUT as a non-US resident I was exempt from the PQD minimum spend.

I spoke with the MP Help Desk and my situation was "escalated for review" so I'm stuck in Premier Gold limbo for ~7 business days during which I will have several flights for work.

Very disappointed by how this was handled and how the phone agent and the supervisor couldn't promise me anything more than "We're looking into it".

Any ideas on how I can get my 1K status reactivated quicker? I'm on a flight EWR-ORD tomorrow and ORD-EWR on Tuesday and am hoping to be 1K from an upgrade/boarding/flight change perspective.

Mike Jacoubowsky

This is interesting; you earned 1K for 2015 based on having an out-of-country legit address in 2014. Does the program say you lose the benefits from 1K PQD waiver, the second you change address to the US? Retroactive consequences sort of? I haven't paid enough attention to such details to know (not terribly relevant to me).

That would be an interesting way to do business.

bmwe92fan

Wow - this is really pushing it UA... Assuming changing your address back to SIN will take too long - I'd say you are stuck at Gold for the short term - really surprised what they did to you considering you qualified for the full year last year...

olouie

This sounds like SOP for United these days. Make systems and policies that hurt loyal customers as much as possible. Another reason I have moved most of my business away from UA this year.

But, going from 1K to Gold a few years back I saw very little difference really if you fly from their hubs. Upgrades almost never clear either as 1K or Gold on popular routes and the GPUs/RPUs have become practically useless.

Bring your 1K card with you and see if the Gate Agents can do anything for you.

exerda

I don't believe I'd settle for a "7 day" review & escalation. I'd be demanding a supervisor, or someone else empowered, while on the phone with them. They have the record of your 2014 address and your PQM available; that should be the only "review" necessary.

amartin1979

Did they claw back your GPU and RPU and any bonus miles earned this year?

flyingnosh

Is it perhaps possible that you used a US address for the first 6+ years of being 1K?

Silver Fox

If that is the case, then good grief, I didn't think that they would stoop to that level. It is petty and childish to do that and yet another example that they have lost the plot when it comes to looking after their loyal flyers.

GodErnst

Not possible. My 1K membership packet was mailed to me in Singapore annually.

docbert

I suspect Hanlon's Razor applies rather than "childish" behavior - "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity"

1kBill

However wrong UA's tactic might be, I predict that OP will receive a "one-time exception."

kkg

This is ridiculous. What UA management has been doing in the last couple of years is nothing but to make their frequent travelers unhappy in every possible way...

docbert

Do you seriously believe that even a single UA management person would have expect this, let along actually asked for it to work this way?

Dollars to donuts a sweep ran that re-calculated 2015 status in order to pick up situations like missing miles being credited late. It saw the OP's PQM, PQD, and his US address and decided he should be Gold (correctly, based on the information it had at hand - but obviously incorrectly in any sane reasoning).

UA management deserves blame for a lot of what gets discussed on FT, but putting this on them is just asinine.

WineCountryUA

Agree the OP is likely to get this reversed but the issue is how to get this done quickly. I probably would have pushed hard with the MP folks and especially up the chain -- may need to wait for a "business" day to get this address.

Tchiowa

I thought once you got your status you had it for the rest of the year. I understand you don't qualify with your new address but you did before. I'm sure you're going to get a lot more "I'm looking into it" but you're best bet is to just keep calling. Escalate to a supervisor.