I have heard nothing but constant .....ing and whining and complaining --- and yes mostly from NW elites --- since this merger. It's got to be hard to Delta to see through any of the comments to find out what really matters. They are painting the planes, get over it. They are going to move planes, get over it. The NW brand is going away, get over it. ATL is an airport, it gets people around, get over it. Surely, I have missed a few other complaints but I think you get my point.
Yep, I am biased and opinionated but honestly I have the confidence to say that I know what is really important to the common Medallion and what does matter. So here goes:
Redeposit and rapid redemption fees. Honestly, I don't care that much. But, it's apparent that there are a lot that do. How many customers can you afford to lose for these extra dollars? How about just slightly less loyal? That one is a harder one to figure. What is the rapid redemption thing 21 days? How about 7? I absolutely understand that some people use these things from short notice business travel to avoid the huge Y fare. But most of those would be inside 7 days. Are there other options like charging a fee only if the fare would be M class or higher? I just bought a U on two days notice last month. Redeposit fees I have less heartburn over. The one time I that I had to redeposit miles, I would have gladly paid.
Upgrading LUT faresWhile posted a while ago not too many noticed then. Then someone brought it recently and it's gaining traction. I don't believe for a minute that you are going to eliminate upgrading LUT fares. It's time for communication,to put this rumor to bed right now. Now, let's assume that you are considering it. First you better stop. I am as loyal to anyone but I would probably have to leave over this one. I thought eliminating the K+ upgrade thing was the worst thing that Delta ever did. I had my company trained to buy K+ fares for me and we (me and the company) felt we got extra value for that fare especially since it could be upgraded at the time of booking. You will never get it back. Not from me. Not from thousands of others. Oh sure, there will be people that have to buy K+ because it is the only ones available and others with money to burn that don't give a damn but largely it won't work.
The Award CalendarFix the Son of a ..... Gun. Personally, I think you get a raw deal on award availability. I redeemed 4 tickets in 2008 for exactly the dates, times, and locations that I wanted. And all of the surveys that I have read come out pretty good for Delta. So, a few weeks ago, I came up with an idea "The Great Delta FlyerTalk Award Search". No one else knows it yet, but we are going to do our own survey. But I can't tell everyone to do it because the freaking calendar is so messed up. I mean fix and fix it now. I mean I am talking like by next Friday. If whoever can't get it done by then, fire them and give it to someone else until the next Friday, then fire them. Otherwise, turn the calendar off and go back to what it was before. Leo Mullin actually built some of the best technology stuff that money could buy not all that long ago. How did Delta fall behind? I don't think it is as terrible as some indicate here but there are issues even outside the award calendar.
"Best of" program I think that is what Oscar called it in the World Traveler and Sky Magazine. Where? Seriously, I was OK with the status quo for benefits but you insisted that we are were going to see the best of and make the best FF program out there. Honestly, I think NW members are a little full of themselves on how great everything was. But they do get 125% bonus miles...that sounds like a "best" to me. Of course, I think it is ironic that NW people complaint about Delta members getting all of these extra miles when they get them on every flight. I would love to see what "best" is. Right now, it doesn't look like you are going to hold onto the customers that you have...and yes, especially NW ones. If it was really the best, then maybe, you get some come over from other airlines....after all you have the biggest baddest route network going.
Fourth TierSince I can make 100,000 miles, I am all for moving PM back to that level. It doesn't appear that I can do anything to get myself up to the White Envelope status. Sorry, I am not going to get a AMEX card for SkyMiles. I have two million in the bank, I don't need more. I think some think that some of the PM benefits are being taken away so they can be given back to the 100,000 mile level but you had better communicate things like this quicker before you lose customers which leads to the last point.
Communication I know FlyerTalk causes you some unique issues. You have things that aren't ready for dissemination but we find out about them anyway. I guess I just suggest that you move faster on some of this stuff. I am sure that some of these decisions have to made on not that much notice. Directly to Jeff (my cell phone number is in your Private Message Box if you want to talk), I don't have any problem with you. And I know your hands are tied by the economy and decisions that are made by people that are higher than you. And yes, the breath of FlyerTalk is limited but they do sit beside people all day all every day on your planes. Guess what, they are most likely sitting beside another elite member. Guess what that they are likely to talk about these days? And Jeff, I think you have got a bad rap among people here but I will criticize a little bit. Apparently you aren't conveying the message you need to in just the right words. We see you have hired an External Communications person. I think a lot of people here at FlyerTalk think that means Director of FlyerTalk relations when we know that it doesn't. I do believe that you need someone here on most days or at least once a week. It doesn't have to be you. This whole board is well enough know in your industry (via mostly Randy) that I think it would be appropriate for Richard Anderson to make a statement here. I hope he doesn't think it is beneath him to make a statement on an internet board. It would show that he is in touch with his customers.
I will get off my soapbox for now. Heaven knows what the response from the FlyerTalk community will be to these threads. I know I am tired of hearing the same old rhetoric. I have slammed NW elites a few times in here, so I am sure that won't go over too well. It's just MHO...or maybe not so humble in this case.
The link to the good thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...me-saving.html