View Poll Results: Is an American Airlines/US Airways merger good for the traveling public?
Yes
84
28.19%
No
214
71.81%
Voters: 298. You may not vote on this poll
Last edit by: aztimm
Note:
There is an existing thread in the AA forum that may be useful to US and AA Flyertalkers:
US-AA Merger: Just the Facts thread
As facts become posted, that should be the place to look.
Merger discussion, speculation, and other questions can be directed here, or the similar thread in the AA forum:
MERGER: US and AA 9 Dec 2013 and implications for AA flyers (new)
AA - US Merger Agreement / Announcement / DOJ Action Discussion (consolidated, and now closed to new posts)
There is an existing thread in the AA forum that may be useful to US and AA Flyertalkers:
US-AA Merger: Just the Facts thread
As facts become posted, that should be the place to look.
Merger discussion, speculation, and other questions can be directed here, or the similar thread in the AA forum:
MERGER: US and AA 9 Dec 2013 and implications for AA flyers (new)
AA - US Merger Agreement / Announcement / DOJ Action Discussion (consolidated, and now closed to new posts)
US/AA merger- MASTER DISCUSSION THREAD/incl 'when will US leave STAR'
#1036
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR/SPG LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus
Posts: 30,959
And the fact that you already have tickets/seats on multiple airlines and undoing that would be way more trouble than it's worth in the scheme of a multi-billion dollar merger integration effort.
Customer relations
etc.
Dealing with in-flight disruptions would pretty much be as it is today. Have a cancelled UA flight? UA looks to rebook you, with options on their metal, then their partners, then other airlines. US falls down the list of potential rebooking, but that's about it, IMHO.
I am curious though - if someone replied with "yes, you may have trouble" - what are you going to do?
#1037
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Usually in SAN or Central Europe.
Programs: AA:EXP/1MM. Accor/Radisson:Silver; HH:Gold; ICH:Plt Amb.
Posts: 22,307
As for this merger, I'm still waiting for the announcement regarding Main Cabin Extra. DP has been silent on this matter. UA and now DL both offer a Y+ product. Without it, AA/US would be at a competitive disadvantage.
#1038
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Usually in SAN or Central Europe.
Programs: AA:EXP/1MM. Accor/Radisson:Silver; HH:Gold; ICH:Plt Amb.
Posts: 22,307
Exactly. If the airline has a schedule change, and your connection time is no longer valid, you are US's problem to deal with since the ticket is issued on 037 stock. Foreign carriers tend to have less "after-the-fact" schedule changes. But carriers like UA are famous for it. Then there are external causes to a schedule change. Like the grounding of a 787 fleet. I would shy away from booking Star awards for travel in 2014. Unless you are sticking to one carrier on the itinerary in each direction.
#1039
Join Date: May 2009
Location: South Park, CO
Programs: Tegridy Elite
Posts: 5,678
If USdbaAA ditches the AA published fare rule, keeps AA's true one-way awards, and removes US's online award booking fee, that would help ease the pain of losing *A somewhat. But who knows, I'm not holding my breath for too many customer-friendly post-merger enhancements.
#1040
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 7,888
Ahahahahahahaha... oh you're serious.
So let's see... Air Tahiti Nui is a partner of AA and I see award space, what if I fly them from LAX to CDG then connect to BA on CDG-LHR? Oh wait, can't do that.
I know, I want to take advantage of Oneworld's tremendous route network and fly CX on their new route from LA to Hong Kong to Male... oh sorry, can't do that either.
Oh, well at least I can book a simple round trip from Beijing to Sydney via Tokyo Narita on JAL, right? Wrong again...
Yeah, I can definitely see how AA miles are so much easier to use.
So let's see... Air Tahiti Nui is a partner of AA and I see award space, what if I fly them from LAX to CDG then connect to BA on CDG-LHR? Oh wait, can't do that.
I know, I want to take advantage of Oneworld's tremendous route network and fly CX on their new route from LA to Hong Kong to Male... oh sorry, can't do that either.
Oh, well at least I can book a simple round trip from Beijing to Sydney via Tokyo Narita on JAL, right? Wrong again...
Yeah, I can definitely see how AA miles are so much easier to use.
p.s. If you don't like the all-partner award you can circumvent it with a distance-based explorer award with different rules.
#1041
Join Date: May 2009
Location: South Park, CO
Programs: Tegridy Elite
Posts: 5,678
#2 and #3 won't be allowed, as (with certain exceptions not applicable here) you aren't permitted to transit a 3rd region when traveling between two regions, and AA's region classifications mean those routings would violate that rule.
It's not as simple as just booking the same trip under the Explorer award. The Explorer award has its own set of rules - some better, some not, depending on what one wishes to accomplish. Just two basic examples - it can only be used with oneworld partners and you have to work in at least two carriers. Plus it normally is more expensive than the all-partner awards, if you're talking about fairly simple trip like those above.
#1042
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 7,888
I didn't mean to imply you could simply switch to an explorer award. I just meant in some cases it may help.
I do know the 3rd region transit rule is a problem, but typically the complaint is for something like US-SYD via Asia. That Male example is crazy, and it seems like AA should make some exception.
I do know the 3rd region transit rule is a problem, but typically the complaint is for something like US-SYD via Asia. That Male example is crazy, and it seems like AA should make some exception.
#1043
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: YXY
Posts: 3,504
If I book a flight with US now, before the closing, but the actual flight is after the closing (mid-November), can I still collect Miles&More miles when I fly?
#1044
Community Director
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Norwich, UK
Programs: A3*G, BA Gold, BD Gold (in memoriam), IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 8,449
Presumably, if US is in OneWorld by then, you will be able to credit to any of their schemes instead.
#1045
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 462
Along the same lines, and sorry if this has been previously covered, if I fly UA 9/30-10/3 should I still be able to get US miles? It sounds as if I should be safe but with no concrete information I'm not sure if I want to take the risk.
I can also fly American but can't fly US unfortunately, which I'd prefer to do during this transition period.
I can also fly American but can't fly US unfortunately, which I'd prefer to do during this transition period.
#1046
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: DFW
Programs: AA 1M
Posts: 31,437
It's not as simple as just booking the same trip under the Explorer award. The Explorer award has its own set of rules - some better, some not, depending on what one wishes to accomplish. Just two basic examples - it can only be used with oneworld partners and you have to work in at least two carriers. Plus it normally is more expensive than the all-partner awards, if you're talking about fairly simple trip like those above.
The loss of BA was HUGE especially for those who need to go to India. I'd rather have the old agreement back.
#1047
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: PHL
Programs: AA Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 480
During their earnings call, Kirby stated "we plan to be transitioned to oneworld by the beginning of next year"
#1048
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: EWR
Programs: AA Exec Plat, United MM Gold, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Platinum, Packer Owner
Posts: 262
Crediting UA flights to Dividend Miles
(I apologize if this was referenced elsewhere in this thread.)
Is there any sense as to when UA flights can no longer be credited to US Dividend Miles? Perhaps as of 1/1/14? Or is all this just speculation at this point?
Is there any sense as to when UA flights can no longer be credited to US Dividend Miles? Perhaps as of 1/1/14? Or is all this just speculation at this point?
#1050
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: AA-Gold 0.425MM), AS MVP Gold, National EE, Marriott Titanium (LT-G), UA Silver
Posts: 1,136
What about club memberships post-1/1/14?
I know there's no answer yet, but I'm curious if anyone has any educated guesses or speculation on what happens to paid club memberships after we leave? Do you'll think there will be AC access as well as UA/MLL? Thoughts?