United Increases Award Ticket Changes for Non-Premier Members as of 19-Jun-2013
Jun 19, 2013, 10:09 pm
#91
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,014
I agree. The booking of "options" reduces inventory. The change will entice people to book awards that they are more likely to use. Also agree re elite qualification change -should provide more benefits for remaining 1Ks, giving more benefits to those (in general) who fly/spend more. Now, if they'll only put Plats in boarding group 2....
Jun 19, 2013, 11:06 pm
#92
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,446
Points Guy did a piece on the new charges, comparing to other US carriers. Guess what? UA used to be by far the most lenient on these fees; with the changes, it's now middle of the pack - higher on some (redeposit), lower on others (certain itinerary changes).
http://thepointsguy.com/2013/06/unit...rlines-follow/
http://thepointsguy.com/2013/06/unit...rlines-follow/
Jun 19, 2013, 11:38 pm
#93
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 125
Thankfully I just redeemed half a million miles for the family 3 days ago before the increase (as a non-elite)
Time to blow the other half million, cancel my UA club card and continue earning /spending elsewhere.
Very Sneaky...very very sneaky. Well done UA!
Time to blow the other half million, cancel my UA club card and continue earning /spending elsewhere.
Very Sneaky...very very sneaky. Well done UA!
Jun 20, 2013, 4:19 am
#94
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Dubai / NYC
Programs: EK-IO, UA-1K2MM, ETIHAD-GOLD, SPG-PLAT LIFETIME, JUMEIRAH SERIUS GOLD
Posts: 5,220
sorry to disagree with so many but both this and the PDQ changes can only make MP better nd our mileage worth more. UA needs to make money as well and it was only a matter of time before they realized o many people were just holding space on UA hoping for something better to come up. Im all for that, I do it all the time but if thats the case we either should be willing to pay for it or be Plat/1K. (better if they just make it 1K)
Will be interesting to see if things get better for us 1K's once the PDQ takes effect and these fees start hitting people in the wallet
^^UA for MOST of these changes
BUT
for the 016 restriction
Will be interesting to see if things get better for us 1K's once the PDQ takes effect and these fees start hitting people in the wallet
^^UA for MOST of these changes
BUT
for the 016 restriction
Jun 20, 2013, 5:13 am
#95
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: if it's Thursday, this must be Belgium
Programs: UA 1K MM
Posts: 6,484
The one question I have is whether people are warned about these change fees on booking, as a new / different policy from what they knew before? If not, then that aspect would be non-transparent / sneaky.
Jun 20, 2013, 6:27 am
#96
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: UA GS>1K>Nothing; DL DM 2MM; AS 75K>Nothing>MVP
Posts: 9,341
The changes are good for HVFs.
1) Fewer 1K, Plat and Gold so fewer award miles issued and better chances for CPU and GPU.
2) Fewer people bookings award trips as options.....more availability earlier.
3) If I was UA, I'd do all the bad stuff at once, so maybe 1k are spared. Who knows, might even be some actual enhancements announced. JSMI is keenly aware of the defection of HVF flyers (it's not just us moaning on FT). He's been pretty open with the investor community about this.
Hope I'm right.
1) Fewer 1K, Plat and Gold so fewer award miles issued and better chances for CPU and GPU.
2) Fewer people bookings award trips as options.....more availability earlier.
3) If I was UA, I'd do all the bad stuff at once, so maybe 1k are spared. Who knows, might even be some actual enhancements announced. JSMI is keenly aware of the defection of HVF flyers (it's not just us moaning on FT). He's been pretty open with the investor community about this.
Hope I'm right.
Jun 20, 2013, 12:01 pm
#99
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: CA
Posts: 1,302
Jun 20, 2013, 6:58 pm
#101
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: body: A stone's throw from SFO, mind: SE Asia
Programs: Some of this 'n some of that
Posts: 17,263
sorry to disagree with so many but both this and the PDQ changes can only make MP better nd our mileage worth more. UA needs to make money as well and it was only a matter of time before they realized o many people were just holding space on UA hoping for something better to come up. Im all for that, I do it all the time but if thats the case we either should be willing to pay for it or be Plat/1K. (better if they just make it 1K)
Will be interesting to see if things get better for us 1K's once the PDQ takes effect and these fees start hitting people in the wallet
^^UA for MOST of these changes
BUT
for the 016 restriction
Will be interesting to see if things get better for us 1K's once the PDQ takes effect and these fees start hitting people in the wallet
^^UA for MOST of these changes
BUT
for the 016 restrictionThe changes are good for HVFs.
1) Fewer 1K, Plat and Gold so fewer award miles issued and better chances for CPU and GPU.
2) Fewer people bookings award trips as options.....more availability earlier.
3) If I was UA, I'd do all the bad stuff at once, so maybe 1k are spared. Who knows, might even be some actual enhancements announced. JSMI is keenly aware of the defection of HVF flyers (it's not just us moaning on FT). He's been pretty open with the investor community about this.
Hope I'm right.
1) Fewer 1K, Plat and Gold so fewer award miles issued and better chances for CPU and GPU.
2) Fewer people bookings award trips as options.....more availability earlier.
3) If I was UA, I'd do all the bad stuff at once, so maybe 1k are spared. Who knows, might even be some actual enhancements announced. JSMI is keenly aware of the defection of HVF flyers (it's not just us moaning on FT). He's been pretty open with the investor community about this.
Hope I'm right.
The reason status means less now has less to do with the number of elites (though they do have an impact) and more to do with how this airline is being run. With these recent moves $MI/J has effectively created a wedge issue where the pax throw stones at each other rather than the proper target, $MI/J and the BoD.
Do you really think upgrades are going to come easier now? Do you really think award availability will open? Sorry, you're fooling yourselves if you believe UA's actions over the past 2 years will somehow change because of a small winnowing of elites.
Jun 21, 2013, 6:51 am
#102
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Dubai / NYC
Programs: EK-IO, UA-1K2MM, ETIHAD-GOLD, SPG-PLAT LIFETIME, JUMEIRAH SERIUS GOLD
Posts: 5,220
The problem with these changes is you have those able to spend their way to status happy about this while those who can't fade away. What happens when your 1K benefits cut get next? And they will get 'enhanced'.
The reason status means less now has less to do with the number of elites (though they do have an impact) and more to do with how this airline is being run. With these recent moves $MI/J has effectively created a wedge issue where the pax throw stones at each other rather than the proper target, $MI/J and the BoD.
Do you really think upgrades are going to come easier now? Do you really think award availability will open? Sorry, you're fooling yourselves if you believe UA's actions over the past 2 years will somehow change because of a small winnowing of elites.
The reason status means less now has less to do with the number of elites (though they do have an impact) and more to do with how this airline is being run. With these recent moves $MI/J has effectively created a wedge issue where the pax throw stones at each other rather than the proper target, $MI/J and the BoD.
Do you really think upgrades are going to come easier now? Do you really think award availability will open? Sorry, you're fooling yourselves if you believe UA's actions over the past 2 years will somehow change because of a small winnowing of elites.
Jun 21, 2013, 6:56 am
#103
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: body: A stone's throw from SFO, mind: SE Asia
Programs: Some of this 'n some of that
Posts: 17,263
Hard to argue with your logic but we can always hope for the best (at least until we see the worst) At the very least, the new fees should open more award space simply because those that were holding awards and waiting for something better may find that to expensive to do anymore. On the other hand I imagine that 90% of the people that do that are Plat/1K already anyway and we still have no fees so at best, more award space and at worst, no impact
And you're absolutely correct that the people who 'hold' awards (if that's even a problem) are the ones with miles to burn... and that isn't the GM with a pittance of miles.
None of the new moves will help elites but each of them is designed (or hoped) to cause intra-pax squables which take the heat of the real culprits: $MI/J and the BoD.
In the end this will not benefit elites in the least. Sad to say and I truly hope my pessimism is incorrect.
Jun 21, 2013, 7:47 am
#104
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOS/ORH
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 18,323
Jun 21, 2013, 8:21 am
#105
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: London
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 2,438
This seems a bit silly. Where are these intra-pax squabbles happening except on Flyertalk? You really think they're sitting in a smoke-filled room thinking "Hmm, our profitability is really bad right now. I know how we can cover it up - let's make our customers fight against each other instead of us!"