Originally Posted by
hans
Makes a lot of sense. I just don't want to get the following email: "We made a mistake. You've spoken and we've listened. The requirements for our 1K elite fliers will now be 120 EQS or 120,000 EQM. Thanks for flying United."
The bolding is obviously mine.
Wanna be melodramatic? Let's be...
UA AND CO have been presented with a golden opportunity to create a truly great airline, and it seems they just might squander it by forgetting that it is the customer that made them successful and it is the customer, ultimately, that will determine whether they succeed or fail. CO was a "quality brand" on paper, while UA was showing that it could restructure and become a profitable airline. Having routes that complement each other almost seamlessly, the combined airline can be truly revolutionary in how it moves its passengers - the bottom line of its business - effortlessly across the globe. However, as happens too often, the CEOs won't be satisfied to have a good product. They will get greedy and believe that they can do better, and will start "experimenting" with new "enhancements" that will generate even more "revenue". This usually means that things that have worked in the past are going to be tinkered with for no reason other than there now is an opportunity to tinker. Jeff and CO (no pun intended) have a new canvas and lots of paint and brushes; they are going to do their best artistic impression and expression.
To make a long story short, here are indications that the merged company is going to fail: drastic changes in the FF program that ignore the members wishes (the 120 EQS requirement is such a change; and resolving this unpopular change by bumping the EQM requirement to 120K would be a shameless thumbing of their nose at you!). The next changes to watch for would be "enhancement and experimentation" with tried and true money makers or popular features... "to generate more revenue". Yes, you guessed it: If the merged UA can be deaf to the complaints about the increase in 1K EQS requirement, you'd better believe that the "experimentation with and enhancement" of E+ cannot be too far behind. When that happens, you'd better sign that petition to bring Tilton back because this ain't gonna be anywhere close to the UA that you have come to know and cherish.
UNITED PR, are you reading this?