joel67

Actually I also received the survey (and said so in an earlier post). IIRC I did rate the spousal benefit pretty high and will certainly appreciate having it. At the time (early in the year), the two annual CR1s didn't seem so important because I had far more than I needed and was doing just fine with UDUs. Of course, that was before they announced that instruments will have higher priority, but I'd personally still choose the spousal benefit instead.

That said, there was no indication in the survey that existing MMs would lose previously promised benefits, nor that all other levels (as well as PMCO members) would have benefits grandfathered, but not MMs. Both of these strike me as improper and unfair even though I may personally have come out ahead.

DGellman

There is some ambiguity in the language of UA's original award of 1MM benefits. Each person who achieved MM status received the following communication from UA:

With your new Million Mile status comes some well-earned perks.
You'll be receiving with our compliments:
• Three (3) systemwide upgrades immediately
• Two (2) confirmed regional upgrades at the end of every year
• Lifetime Premier Executive® status in our Mileage Plus program

Note the difference between "at the end of every year" and "Lifetime". Arguably, this could be construed to mean that the one benefit could be changed by UA over time, in accordance with its published TOCs, while the other was truly a lifetime benefit in every sense of the word. However, if there was any ambiguity, it certainly was removed by UA's prominent explanation, published for months on its web site, stating:

"As a Million Miler, will I continue to receive 2 Regional Upgrades for life?

Yes. We are committed to providing Million Mile Flyers, our most loyal members, with lifetime benefits in recognition of their travels on United. Among those benefits are two Regional Upgrades, awarded annually to the member."

Dave

MrJBoy

As they call it "Lifetime Benefit/Program" it's normal to assume "at the end of every year" means "Lifetime", no?

dgcpaphd

Hi Dave,

Thanks for pointing out the ambiguity and the fact that the "frequently asked questions and answers" (concerning the merger) found at united.com (until recently removed by United's management) made it perfectly clear that the regional upgrades would be for life, despite what United's management is now claiming.

In response to several of us who wrote United a couple of weeks ago complaining about the regional upgrades being discontinued (and citing what you just posted), United's management removed the announcement from united.com that had been there since last year. Was this ethical?

In my earlier post I noted that the manager of Mileage Plus falsely claimed the announcement of the regional upgrades for life related to the 2009 announcement concerning unlimited regional upgrades.

In spite of the currently dated screen shot I provided, I did not receive any more response from United Plus about the contradictory wording.

Maybe the silence means United, in view of what was posted so long on united.com, is considering to "grandfather" those who made million-mile status before the two programs merge. It would save a lot of headaches down the road.
-

BDLORD

I receive surveys from them all the time, it didn't relate to MMer status but the MP program

xFF

You're damned right it should. It means that for whatever reason, you've given around a year of your life to airlines. To give all of that to one is loyalty that only a fool would not reward and work to retain and preserve in the future.

That's why I don't consider the issues raised here to be gratuitous whining in any sense.

mre5765

While UA promised you two CR-1s for life, if it changed the definition of a CR-1, and what region 1 was, they would be within their rights to drop this benefit. I'd say both of the former happen in 2012.

Dub

Well said.

Craig6z

A bit OT

While I agree with your statement, it got me thinking. How much time have I spent of my life related to United....

UA shows I have 1,450,000 lifetime miles. I'll discount this by 10% to take in consideration minimum flight miles on short hops and other misc. throw-ins. A while back I calculated the average flight I had taken was roughly 1,100 miles so I've been on 1,186 flights. Using in air flight time of 2.5 hours for 1,100 miles and putting an additional two hours around that time for getting to the airport, connections, or arrivals, I've devoted at least 5,337 hours to UA. That's 222 days of my life.

However I've been a member of Mileage Plus for now 28 years. So that 222 days is actually 2.17% of my life over that period.

_____________________

Will I miss the two annual regionals, yes. Is it something to get my blood pressure boiling, no. In my case the upgrading of my wife to Gold status has more longterm value. Yet I agree with the theory that those without a permanent partner should be given the one-time opportunity for an alternative perk.

ozstamps

Better still here is the actual wording on the UA website as of 2 weeks ago that I captured. (Thank Goodness!)

I think all Million Milers should email United 1K voice and Smisek reminding them the following is a clear written guarantee that all existing benefits will continue, i.e. 2 x CR1 per year.

All the new MM created from 2012 onwards get the "New Deal" which has no CR1. too bad for them - it has been clear for 18 months the goal posts were about to move.

All existing MM were clearly guaranteed in writing nothing would change.

The links are below.

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s...202/1-1548.jpg

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s...tober72011.jpg

dgcpaphd

Hi ozstamps,

Thanks for the input and support.

However, I and several others have written to Smisek and other managers all without success.

I also wrote to the new president of Mileage Plus about the same issues you presented.

In response to my complaint about the promised wording of lifetime benefits, my letter was given to the "Elite Qualifications Manager" of mileage plus to answer.

Incredibly, the response contained a false statement that claimed the promised two regional upgrades (that had been announced on united.com until earlier this month) were a 2009 announcement of unlimited upgrades.

After I responded with a screen shot showing the the manager was not correct and that the data I presented was current and NOT related to 2009, I never got another response. What happened to this manager's credibility?

One has to wonder about the overall credibility of the new United management since the new management is aware of the announcements on united.com but chooses to ignore the announcements.

It looks like the new United is cruising for a class action over some of the changes in the program.

See my post # 914 above.

Here is a portion of my letter to the new president of Mileage Plus:

"Most recently I was pleased to read on United.com the following 2 direct references to the benefits I had been anticipating:

What will happen to my Million Miler Program lifetime status and Continental Infinite Elite status benefits? Will I continue to receive them in the future?*
You will continue to receive your benefits as you always have. Lifetime elite benefits will continue in the single, combined program, which will be announced by the end of 2011.

and of specific interest to me:

As a Million Miler, will I continue to receive 2 Regional Upgrades for life?

Yes. We are committed to providing Million Mile Flyers, our most loyal members, with lifetime benefits in recognition of their travels on United. Among those benefits are two Regional Upgrades, awarded annually to the member."

Here is a portion of the e-mail response I received from the manager of Mileage Plus - incredible and incorrect -

"Additionally, I’d like to clarify that the FAQ you had referenced in your email was from 2009, in connection with the introduction of the Unlimited Domestic Upgrade product and has no bearing to the 2012 program announcement.

We certainly appreciate the loyalty you have demonstrated to United and look forward to having you on board for years to come.


Best Regards,


XXXXXXXX XXX
United Airlines
Elite Qualification Manager"

-

SF1K

I can't even belive that UA is not going to make good on the 2 Regional Upgrades to existing MMs. The arrogance of that is unbelievable. The last company I worked for had a president that was arrogant like that - I remember having a file of quotes that were sent to customers offering x number of free items when y number was purchased, he then changed his mind and said we weren't going to honor any of those written quotes which were signed by an officer of the company. That company is on the verge of going out of business, luckily I no longer work there.

How many MM on United can there really be. Giving us 2 Regionals per year is really that big of a deal. Just crazy.

I still have hope that somebody will realize the mistake they are making and honor their promise.

xFF

Bold italics are my comments or highlighting, embedded in excerpt from the original quoted.

dgcpaphd

The merger took place on September 17, 2010 -
-

WineCountryUA

The merger "closed" occurred Oct 1, 2010
The intent to merge was announced May 3, 2010
Stockholders approved merger September 17, 2010