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'
#91
Join Date: Oct 2011
Programs: UsAir,Priority Club, Bing, Southwest
Posts: 124
I have three *A first class tickets booked to Italy this summer. I assume those reservations are not in any type of jepordy as they are ticketed?
As for now I guess I will just calm down and wait and see what happens. We have two dividend miles credit cards. I assume they would start to accrue under American's one world now? I was so hoping they would stick with *A but what is done is done. I just paid my annual fee on one card, the other comes up this June maybe I should get a different card and close that one before paying another fee. We do quite well accumulating miles with the cards but if they can't get me to Italy in Envoy/first each year than they are useless to me.
As for now I guess I will just calm down and wait and see what happens. We have two dividend miles credit cards. I assume they would start to accrue under American's one world now? I was so hoping they would stick with *A but what is done is done. I just paid my annual fee on one card, the other comes up this June maybe I should get a different card and close that one before paying another fee. We do quite well accumulating miles with the cards but if they can't get me to Italy in Envoy/first each year than they are useless to me.
#92
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BWI
Programs: AA Gold, HH Diamond, National Emerald Executive, TSA Disparager Gold
Posts: 15,180
No worries.
The situation just sucks as if I want to fly my preferred carrier to Korea (OZ), it may mean switching back to UA so the question will be should I count my current miles on US as a loss and jump back, or take my chances? It's not clear cut and will affect the rest of my year.
I just wish US would clarify when they expect to move to OW one way or another.
The situation just sucks as if I want to fly my preferred carrier to Korea (OZ), it may mean switching back to UA so the question will be should I count my current miles on US as a loss and jump back, or take my chances? It's not clear cut and will affect the rest of my year.
I just wish US would clarify when they expect to move to OW one way or another.
#93
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BWI
Programs: AA Gold, HH Diamond, National Emerald Executive, TSA Disparager Gold
Posts: 15,180
I have three *A first class tickets booked to Italy this summer. I assume those reservations are not in any type of jepordy as they are ticketed?
As for now I guess I will just calm down and wait and see what happens. We have two dividend miles credit cards. I assume they would start to accrue under American's one world now? I was so hoping they would stick with *A but what is done is done. I just paid my annual fee on one card, the other comes up this June maybe I should get a different card and close that one before paying another fee. We do quite well accumulating miles with the cards but if they can't get me to Italy in Envoy/first each year than they are useless to me.
As for now I guess I will just calm down and wait and see what happens. We have two dividend miles credit cards. I assume they would start to accrue under American's one world now? I was so hoping they would stick with *A but what is done is done. I just paid my annual fee on one card, the other comes up this June maybe I should get a different card and close that one before paying another fee. We do quite well accumulating miles with the cards but if they can't get me to Italy in Envoy/first each year than they are useless to me.
The million dollar question is, if they're not award tickets, is will US still be in *A at the time you fly so you can get PQMs for them? Can't really answer that at this moment.
#94
Join Date: May 2003
Location: N/A
Posts: 403
I should cancel my card before annual fee comes up.
Thanks!
#95
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,103
US will still be in Star Alliance this summer.
It's AA that charges the high fees on award tickets with BA flights, and AA likes it as is because it increases the revenue AA gets.
The luxury tax is only charged on flights originating in the UK, so you only pay it on the return flight, and only if you are originating at LHR that day.
IMHO, its not the APD that is problematic, but the fact that BA charges ridiculously high fees on award tickets. I simply will not book a BA TATL flight with miles (their intra-european flights have a low fee). It is only slightly more expensive to book a paid BA flight in WT+ and MFU with Avios transferred in from AMEX.
IMHO, its not the APD that is problematic, but the fact that BA charges ridiculously high fees on award tickets. I simply will not book a BA TATL flight with miles (their intra-european flights have a low fee). It is only slightly more expensive to book a paid BA flight in WT+ and MFU with Avios transferred in from AMEX.
#96
Join Date: Oct 2011
Programs: UsAir,Priority Club, Bing, Southwest
Posts: 124
They are award tickets so I am not concerned about that part
#98
formerly plenTpak
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Washington DC
Programs: AA
Posts: 129
and then this happened...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=68xF-j9h6us
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=68xF-j9h6us
#99
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Sun Prairie, WI
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, HH Diamond, National Executive
Posts: 1,786
I'm also concerned with US Customer Service during this time. I remember UA/CO was all over the place and the response time took forever for a few months.
Now I find myself in the same situation as before... whether to book on *A or not?
I'm probably not looking to book for a couple more months so I suppose I can wait and see. I'm still not convinced that we will know anything that soon.
#100
Join Date: Mar 2008
Programs: AA Platinum, HHonors Gold, Alamo Insiders, Hertz #1 Gold
Posts: 191
I was just about to takeoff when we got the official news of the merger. I just completed 4 transcon segments and sat up front in all 4 as a SP (that won't happen again on the new AA). A lot of FC was talking about the merger and it seemed that the following came up (I have to say, it was unusual to have mult rows all talking about it together):
1) People in PHX and CLT are concerned about losing their hubs
2) Lower-level elites (SP/GP) may not get upgrades anymore and the system for getting them well likely change
3) Even CPs and Plats were concerned with the huge influx of all the AA higher tier elites, there will be a lot more segments sitting in the back
We on FT are all concerned about switch for *A to OW... surprisingly didn't come up much on any of my 4 flights.
Seems most concerning thing from all tier levels is that upgrades may be a thing of the past, esp for SP/GP.
1) People in PHX and CLT are concerned about losing their hubs
2) Lower-level elites (SP/GP) may not get upgrades anymore and the system for getting them well likely change
3) Even CPs and Plats were concerned with the huge influx of all the AA higher tier elites, there will be a lot more segments sitting in the back
We on FT are all concerned about switch for *A to OW... surprisingly didn't come up much on any of my 4 flights.
Seems most concerning thing from all tier levels is that upgrades may be a thing of the past, esp for SP/GP.
#101
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Sun Prairie, WI
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, HH Diamond, National Executive
Posts: 1,786
and then this happened...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=68xF-j9h6us
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=68xF-j9h6us
#102
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DCA ZWU
Programs: AGR WOH
Posts: 1,785
- Award travel on *A partners 2013-2014: book soon. Your tickets, once issued, will be honored, but changes to them will be difficult. If booking for 2014, I might shy away from US connections since those could be rearranged by then.
- Award travel on US: don't delay because award charts are always subject to change.
- Paid travel on *A 02/2013-07/2013: carry on as usual.
- Paid travel on *A 08/2013-12/2013: hold off for now pending further info, consider making an award booking; given the complexity of the situation (BK court approval, likely DOJ involvement, complete switchover to a new GDS platform) I personally doubt the 3Q timeline but you never know. BTW, why book so far ahead anyways? Discounted fares don't get loaded until a few months out, and if you're paying full fare you shouldn't worry.
- Paid travel on *A 2014: examine your OW options instead, or whether you'll jump ship to another *A program.
Last edited by paytonc; Feb 14, 2013 at 11:00 am
#103
Join Date: Mar 2008
Programs: AA Platinum, HHonors Gold, Alamo Insiders, Hertz #1 Gold
Posts: 191
In your situation, I actually posted a separate thread a few months back that likely pertains. Even though SAA is *A, US before this merger signed a codeshare agreement with them. I questioned why they were doing that in the middle of merger talks, but they may stay as Codeshare partners for all we know which means you get your PQMs.
#104
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BWI
Programs: AA Gold, HH Diamond, National Emerald Executive, TSA Disparager Gold
Posts: 15,180
#105
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: ORD
Programs: AA EXP,2MM, DL Gold,Starwood PLT
Posts: 3,876
In order to exit voluntarily from the Star Alliance, an airline should have a mininum 6 months ultimatum. So, it seems like US already has told Star Alliance that they are leaving this fall, or 3rd Qtr. I thought this will be long process to become one with several bumps on the way. government approval, bankrupcy court's approval, to name a few.
I still have approximately 300,000 miles to burn. Still enough time to do it.
I still have approximately 300,000 miles to burn. Still enough time to do it.