Welcome to FT !!!

Long time does not really mean loyal...so therefore AA does not really have to cater to you.

I have been flying AA since I came to the USA from India which was in 1986. I opened my FF acount in 1997. Before that I did not know anything miles or much about the Internet (if I did, I would have found FT!!)

Only recently I have become loyal to AA and thereby attaining a status level.

Having an AA Mastercard does not mean anything. Citibank buys those miles from AA and then gives them as a rewards to CITIBANK customers.

Also, the $200 (actually $250) charge has been there for years. The only way to avoid this fee is with EVIPS.

Stick around and look in the AA forums and ....read all the FAQ's before asking !!!! Most people will answer you readily and some won't.