colpuck

Over the past few months there have been a number of changes to the MileagePlus Program and the more specifically the Million Miler program. To date there have been various responses that have received no replies from the powers that be.

It’s time for some changes we like.

Who we are.: We are “United Flyers” This group encompasses all MileagePlus members

Purpose: to systematically reverse changes to the Mileage Plus program

How: a systematic issue based approach that is designed to force United to reverse changes.

Specific Steps:

Step 1: Identify changes we don’t like. Yes the list is long and we all have unique grievances. But a return to the past is not possible. The CO and MP programs were too different to allow for a complete return to either program

So I posit we create a list of changes we don’t like and work the list one item at a time. I feel that the biggest change to the program is the RDM bonus earnings for Plat down to silver. This change has the biggest long term effect on the majority of MP members.

So, I suggest that issue number 1 be the RDM earnings.

Step 2: Identify pressure points where UA can be pushed in order to reverse changes.

Item 1: DOT complaints. Airlines care about their DOT complaints and it directly effects the bonuses all employees receive. If we flood the DOT with complaints it makes UA look bad in public and directly takes money away from the people responsible.

Item 2: Customer care. We flood customer care and our respective voice lines with the same complaint. This puts all levels of customer service on notice that we, the United Flyers, are to be taken seriously.

Item 3: We buy 1 share of stock in United Airlines and attend the annual meeting. This will force Jeff and company to provide direct answers to complaints in person.

Item 4: An internet campaign. We take one complaint, post it to the internet and then flood Facebook, twitter, comment on any news article., and maybe even a website. We take one voice and flood the internet with it. It needs to be in every signature on FT, every communication, it needs to be everywhere.

Step 3: Flood. Enough complaints and we will be heard. There have been op-eds about this already. If we turn up the volume we will be heard.


However, with great power comes great responsibility. We will have to raise our standard of conduct.

Item 1: no personal attacks. That means no SMI/J, $misek, or COdbaUA ect,. We treat UA and its staff professionally. That goes for treating each other same way.

Item 2: the voice comes before all. We speak with one voice. Whatever the top priority is that’s what we speak for even if it is not our priority. We stay on message at all times. We speak for each other even if the issue being fought for is not our personal top priority.

Item 3: WE STAY ON MESSAGE.

Needs.

Need 1: A set of priorities one issue at a time.

Need 2: Draft correspondence to the DOT, Customer Care, Twitter, Facebook, and News Outlets.

Need 3: Bodies, we need to be United. The more people involved with this the better.

This my proposal. What do you all think?

wpr8e

This should be amusing.

colpuck

It's not a lost cause. It's only lost if we elect not to care. One issue, one voice. One success at a time.

I'm an United Flyer.

mlcrx2b

From http://www.united.com/web/en-US/cont...s/default.aspx

1.MileagePlus membership and benefits, including the Premier Program, are offered at the discretion of United Airlines and its affiliates, and United has the right to terminate the Program and/or the Premier Program or to change the Program Rules, regulations, benefits, conditions of participation or mileage levels, in whole or in part, at any time, with or without notice, even though changes may affect the value of the mileage or certificates already accumulated.
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We all agreed to the rule when we joined. I'm sure there was a similar rule at OnePass. If we don't like it we can simply take our business somewhere else, can't we?

wpr8e

Your approach is horribly flawed. You can't expect a collection of anonymous folks to agree on anything. You can't honestly expect a laundry list of action items to be generated here.

You need to pick one thing, get enough momentum and present it.

All your asking for is endless noise from the same 11 people who always complain about everything.

This is an exercise in futility.

I'm also a United Flyer and I can't see the big deal with all the complaining. I'm doing 135,000 miles a year all domestic and I am just not seeing the issues.

Quite frankly, I'm pretty satisfied with the merger and you don't speak for me.

colpuck

No, for 1Ks RDMs is not a huge issue. But 100,000 EQMs a year is hard. What happens if you have life changing event and you're no longer flying that amount?

Don't forget I am 1K and I have chosen this issue, the reduction in RDM earnings as the main issue. It doesn't impact me now, but I have elected to stand with the Silvers, golds, and plats. This is a bridge too far and it is past time we stand as United Flyers.

craz

Sorry OP COdbaUA couldnt care 1 bit what You or I think or will do. They Knowingly did everything that was done and want it that way.

UNITED is Dead & Gone except its name

Hey I want Starkist and the other tuna brands to bring back that 7 oz can @ $.99 instead of the 5 oz can, it aint gonna happen and neither will COdbaUA change anything that wont increase its bottom line = bring more bonus $$$ to the Execs

how about the 20 oz bottles of soda for $.99 instead of the new 16 oz, how about 64 oz for OJ instead of the 59 oz they lowered it to etc etc or the common $198 JFK-LAX-JFK instead of the $598 of today if youre lucky enough to find that

avidflyer

But doesn't this all have anything to do with the competitive landscape? It is for that reason I left DL to come to UA this year. On DL you have to fly 125K a year to get the 1K equivalent and the upgrade rate is half that of UA for the same level.
I am all for competition and customer focus (see my signature) but I also know UA has to make money and the benefits they offer cannot be out of line with the competition or they will lose. I think all of this must be tempered with what the rest of the marketplace is doing.

kb1992

Who are the same 11 people?

Am I one of them?

colpuck

I understand your frustration. I am frustrated too. If we stand together as United Flyers and spend a few minutes a day, writing a facebook post, filing a DOT complaint, writing Customer Care we can be the change.

Do nothing and we will still be at zero. But an intense measured campaign and we will make change happen.

Finally, please do not use COdbaUA. The informal way we address UA only encourages them to not take us seriously. This is a serious idea with serious purpose.

wpr8e

Then I'm not living up to my end of the bargain. Loyalty is a two way street. For all you who jumped shipped to AA, once you determine that AA is changing much like United did and move back, do you really expect UA to just through freebies your way when the rest of us have worked hard to keep status?

I totally disagree. I think it is disgraceful that AA allows DEQM and makes it easy to earn Elite status without actually traveling those miles. Why would I support this?

mecabq

The only thing that will work is to vote with your feet.

And what's with the "DOT complaint" angle? Complain to DOT that an airline made a business decision about its frequent flier program that you don't like? Sheesh, do Americans really need more government to solve every one of our frustrations in life?

bseller

I think that you are to be congratulated on a genuine attempt to effect change on a corporation. You've seemingly put real effort into it and I believe you deserve appreciation for that. ^

However, I think you've left out a step - a big one at that.

Step Four should be: VOTE WITH OUR $$s.

This - IMO - is the one and only thing that will have an impact on decisions made by CO execs. Each of their many decisions has been made with only one thing in mind and that is to increase profits. Good for them.

Only unless or until the profits decline will they have any interest whatsoever in changing their decisions.
I support your effort, but truly believe it goes nowhere.

Good luck nonetheless!

Dave

chinatraderjmr

The reason he does not speak for you is that I see your obviously a Proud MPCO flyer. That's fine and if that worked for you, great. But you and SOME other pmCO flyers have gained a lot while PMUA flyers have LOST a lot:
--YOU now have the opportunity to earn 6 SWUs (that is no change for us)
--YOU now can earn 4 Regional upgrades when you fly 100,000. THAT IS SIX LESS FOR US
You NEVER expected 100% Bonus @ 1MM for life (WE expect it because we were told too, NOT only by UA before the merger, but by NEW management after (THEN they changed there minds

It may not be a big deal to you. But at least see the other side of the argument

BillBauman

Huh?