<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Plato90s:
Why are you blaming AA? The mileage accrual on specific fare classes are not set by AA, but rather by BA.
BA decides how many miles its own members can earn in the BAEC program, and how many miles other oneWorld airline members can earn.
So if you need to vent, aim it in the right direction.</font>
You're kidding yourself if you don't think that AA has some say in this. They had to allow this to effect their program mid-year. Even if they just rolled over for BA, AA still has complicity in it.
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Plato90s:
What can everyone not realize that the airlines do NOT WANT top tier fliers who get there on ridiculously discounted tickets - those people will travel if the price is right and will not if it is not - the service for the top tier should be reserved for those who actually meaningfully contribute to the airline's financial results.</font>
I understand that airliners are not in business to give away freebies, and that's not what I'm complaining about. If AA had announced this policy effective Jan 1, 2004 I would have been sad but understood the decision. Doing this mid-stream, however, is no better than Starwood's recent changes to their elite qualification criteria.
As far as making meaningful contributions to airlines' profits, while I'm not flying Y/J/F, my M/V/L/N/Q do contribute to the bottom line. Unless I'm bumped off a flight (all too rare) AA is earning revenue from me in a seat that would have otherwise gone empty.