Since I'm asking for disclosure from the FFPs, I suppose I need to come clean as well, so that my comments are not construed as having a hidden agenda.

I'm a Million Miler with UA, so its lifetime PremEx status, no more mileage treadmill. And after being 1K for 5 years straight, I find that PremEx status works just fine. When I need 1K stuff like SWUs, they're 'available'!

So, UA's offer of double mileage and withholding of rollover elite status for '02 don't effect me at all.

That having been said.....

I find UA's decision (at least so far!) not to rollover elite status for '02 BOLD.

I gave AA early credit for showing RESPECT to their members by disclosing early their '02 elite status rollover. But respect and INTEGRITY are two different things. UA is demonstrating that status is truly worth something.

Its tough looking long run right now, but I believe that AA will win gthe battle (get alot of disgruntled UA elites) but UA wlll win the war (because it will be able to deliver on its benefit promises in '02 because of an undiluted elite status pool whereas AA is going to be overinundated and will end up with a very disgruntled membership). So, for '03, many AA 'converts' will migrate back to UA, knowing that UA has a high but attainable elite status standard.