Originally Posted by
yellow77
The majority of CO Silvers and Golds couldn't really care less about the EUA system any more, I think. Why do I care whether the upgrade I didn't get went to a Plat via EUA or to someone prepared to buy up to first? Either way, it wasn't to me... I maintain CO Silver status these days to avoid the fees; beyond that, why bother?
Well... exactly. Go back ten years and upgrades were a clear and present benefit. (In pre-EUA days any elite, any tier, could ring in starting 72 hours before departure and confirm an upgrade if a seat was available. Man, that was great.) Now, unless you're Plat, it's snark-hunting.
So... if all sub-Plats can expect is early boarding, first crack at bin space, and a little better shot at exit row or forward/aisle seating, and you know you're not going to make 75k BIS, where's the incentive to fly more than 25k? As it recedes, the program delivers less value for the airline because there's much less incentive for the "vast middle" of elites to book loyally.
CO has to weigh that potential lost revenue against the few bucks they're getting from offering $39 upgrades to any old customer at OLCI.
I think BA has recently demonstrated how wrong it is to build an entire airline value proposition around the very tippy-top elitest elites, and treat all others with indifference.