FWIW, I interpreted Michelle's "eight great uncles" remark as an attempt at humor and I found it to be amusing at the time.

Re: no change on the outbound, I'm guessing that's their way of preventing people from changing the outbound to >72 and then canceling and redepositing anyway.

I've never cancelled (or changed) an award ticket, but knowing I could (once I hit PM) made me feel valued and like DL had my back. The sudden announcement of the highly punitive, retroactive rule, and events that followed since then have really left me wondering a) what the heck they're thinking, and b) if this is their normal decision making and rule implementing process.

It's no way to run a business (or an Air Line).

I have no illusions about my value to DL, it isn't much. But it's changed my perception of them as a company, and not in a good way. Now when the SkyClub folks or FAs greet me and thank me for my business, I want to roll my eyes. I am still pleasant and kind to them. They actually work for DL and I wonder how much other nonsense like this they put up with internally that we never see. I've worked with a lot of organizations that look great from the outside, and internally they're a train wreck. Once the evidence of the train wrecks spill out to where they're visible to the customers... well, then y'all got a problem.

I've only been flying DL for a couple years so I was unfamiliar with prior policy changes. It seems like this is a pattern with DL. And that their "Action/Reaction" marketing campaign is actually their whole business strategy. "Let's see how much we can get away with before we have to pull it back some. How far can we push them?"

Do they factor in the bad will they generate, the number of people they p*ss off, and the damage to their corporate image as part of that clumsy "Action/Reaction" management and policy implementation style?

Maybe they do and it's still worth it to them... but it leaves a bad taste in my mouth and it's... well... amateurish.

It's like they beta test things live. "Roll it out and see what happens and we'll put out the fires after the fact."

I'd hate to be a DL phone CSR trying to keep up with the Policy Du Jour.