mherdeg

It looks like some of the more generous 150% EQM for Y/B fares on partners that UA inherited from sCO after 3/3 have been reverted to the more stingy 100%.

If you're counting your EQM in 2013, you may want to check your itineraries on partner carriers in Y/B and rebook if needed. See discussion at http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/19961514-post16.html :

I'm pretty sure that TK Y/B earned 150% a few months ago and are now 100% EQM. I now need to rebook a FRA-IST segment onto LH (which still credits 150% to UA). (Edit: I'm wrong -- TK Y/B was always 100% in 2012. I was confused because UA shouldn't have booked FRA-IST onto a LH flight number operated by TK in the first place.)

Same story with SQ -- used to be 150%, now 100%.

As a reminder, if you're curious how many MileagePlus miles will be earned for travel on an airline partner and don't know where to look, go to united.com -> MileagePlus->Earn Award Miles -> Learn more about airline partners, then click on a partner airline's logo. Here's TK, for example: http://www.united.com/CMS/en-US/mark...spx?ItemId=306

N515CR

PMUA was very stingy in this regard...it was only the JV airlines and US that gave a 150% CoS bonus.

It's odd that this seemed to change for just a few months only to revert back. Looks like they exercised the "United Airlines® and Singapore Airlines reserve the right to change the eligible fare classes at any time without notice" clause...

IADOrange

Huge change for South African earnings. I got 150% RDM/PQM and 1.5 PQS on a Q fare a few months ago, now it's down to 100% and 1 segment. The low fare buckets remain at 50%, but have dropped to 0 segments. It's a shame, as there is a huge price difference between fares in the two buckets.

Robert

I am booked in R (Suites) class on SQ 2 in several weeks and now I'll be earning 100% PQM versus 150% Not happy about this change!

gradsflyer

As a PMUA flyer this was a change Jeff was right about my liking last year, but not now! I definitely made use of this flying TPAC Y and B fairs on CA's new international 773ER service from LAX to PEK and appreciated the PQM bonuses for sure.

Update: I mispoke in this post. I had a wacky mixed metal/codeshare trip back in the spring with UA and CA and did indeed have several Y and B fares in the intinerary, but I went back and checked my statement and did not earn bonus PQMs for these on CA metal, only on the UA sectors. I stand corrected on this. Since it isn't one of the carriers in the list of changes, I think CA was always just at 100% PQM for Y and B.

N515CR

Looks like F/C cabin fares have also been affected. I was really excited about the NZ CoS bonus for LAX-LHR flights...major deflation

I'm in the same boat...on SQ38 SIN-LAX in March (along with some TG flights) and was expecting to bank a serious chunk of PQMs, then they went and changed things.

gradsflyer

Maybe Shannon will be able to chime in with this thread about the changes and at least provide some sort of explanation.

hobo13

Do you expect her to be able to put a positive spin on this?

Face it, when airlines merge, customers get the worst of both worlds.....

wdrg

Does it matter that the rate was 150% at date of booking? Seems not quite fair to apply change to flights already booked.

WineCountryUA

Fair seems to be an odd word to use concerning an airline.
Always has been the rules at time of flight prevail.

The real question is did UA change the benefit or was it the partners (probably in response to fees charged by UA). It has always been may understanding is the partners have the final decision of flight mileage although UA can influence it strongly per the deals they make with the partners.

wdrg

Well, you've got me there! I know better than that.

FlyWorld

Check back at 7pm on Friday.

This does seem to be a general trend across many airlines and broadly speaking, I think UA has been on the generous side compared with some others I've looked at, so it only makes sense they'd pull back to solidify their position as being worst across all measures.

syzygy

Looks like Turkish Airlines G code is still listed at 100% PQM/Miles despite difficulties getting Turkish Airlines to grant miles for this fare code.

gradsflyer

Not necessarily a positive spin, but at least an explanation. It's when they make unannounced changes to MP that I tend to get frustrated. Of course the whole 2012 program came without as much advanced notice as it could have.

Nevsky

Not very happy at all. Some advance notice would have been reasonable and fair. I have TG (Thai) flights scheduled this month in Business and was counting on 150% PQM. Too late to change my plans.