jerryjerry

For the last several years I've given all my business, meaning 3 or 4 trips a year between New York and Brasil, and enjoyed the benefits of being (just a) Silver Elite.

This coming year, due to family illness, I probably won't even make Silver, meaning no priority boarding, easier access to award seats, and Elite bonus.

This is the time for me to evaluate who I want to fly with in the future. It probably won't be Continental, but rather a combination of United and TAM, which is bringing back non-stop flights between New York and Rio, just like Continental used to have.

Up till now I considered Continental better than its competitors, but the first bag fee, lower Elite miles, and small things like the inability to provide my wife's special meal, even with it on her record and with reminders on the phone whenever we make reservations. Her veggie meal is remembered less than one third of the time.

What would it take to win me back? Non stops on my traveled route would help, but that's not relevant to this thread. Rescinding the changes, especially the Elite bonus mile reduction, would help a lot. I'll still fly with CO when it's the cheapest, but no longer would spend more to fly with them when the fare is higher--as it usually is. I'm not going to spend more money to get fewer ff miles.