Originally Posted by
colpuck
Some people think faster than they can type. So, the words occasionally tumble out onto the screen in a slightly underdeveloped style.
Wait until you get to my age.
No, lifetime has a meaning. If UA killed the MM program and all lifetime benefits there would be a cause of action, I think. But, as to what it means specifically, I have no idea. The plaintiff in the hypothetical lawsuit would have to show that the benefits as provided on a whole are unreasonable in light of past benefits. It does not seem possible. It has to be shown that the spousal benefit is unreasonable compared to the certs. that's difficult if not impossible. Remember that's unreasonable on the whole, not just to you.
UA could easily remedy this problem by stating a person can elect on a yearly basis either to take the certs available at their MM level in addition to what they earn throughout the year or the spousal benefit.
Thanks. I think I understand your point. ^ Yes, IMHO that would be an easy remedy for them and probably something I could at least grudgingly accept. I still think that UA simply blundered into this situation to some extent, although there's no question IMO that part of their overall intent is to reduce the number of UG instruments for
everybody.
Along the same lines, I think some of the employees (as well as the customers) coming from the CO side were used to that spousal benefit and assumed...
I don't want to get a reputation of either a 'parser' or an 'apologist' (although I might consider 'shill' if the money were good enough
), but I think the SO benefit can reasonably be deemed lifetime as well.
Your link states
Annual Companion Premier status
As a Million Miler you may invite your spouse or significant other to share your current Premier status. This membership is non-transferable and will
automatically renew each year unless you let us know otherwise.
If you couple that with the granting of "lifetime Premier status to all qualifying members," isn't it reasonable to read the "Annual" nature of the companion benefit as meaning only that it is changeable between beneficiaries annually at your option, while persisting in its tenor for your lifetime?
Speaking as one of those notorious high school English teachers (one part of my checkered past), I invite you to parse away.
IMO the emphasis seems to be on
annual rather than
lifetime, but maybe I'm overly suspicious.
I wonder why that would be.