Originally Posted by
avidflyer
I think the real answer as to why people so passionate in defending this can be found in this thread. For a small minority of Biz travelers, who do NOT pay the tab, they are working for companies who don't care what they spend or are not sophisticated enough to realize they are being ripped off by employees "flying coach" yet paying J prices. The FACT is: you CAN (and I do) fly J for 1/3-1/4 the price of a DL M fare every time. The key is the repeated "but you dont get bonus miles if you fly UA W for $1700 and use a FREE SWU to upgrade". As an employer I frankly do not care if you get your 150% MQMs.. If I am good enough to let you book an upgradeable W fare on UA (typically $200-300 more than lowest)you darn well better not bit&h about not getting your bonus as well.
I feel sorry for the companies who have people with so little regard for the shareholders $$. That seems to me to be the driver here. Direct aisle access? Really? If I am paying the bill I am NOT paying $3500 so my employee can not be bothered to shift to the right and let the person on the window out.
I hope you're not referring to me here
And I think you're forgetting about people who fly J as per company policy. Thankfully, my company allows international travel on J for us executives. I do agree with you that if paying for a Y ticket, I couldn't care less about upgradeability, that's the employees problem, whereas mine indeed is watching out for the shareholders best interest.
DL J isn't priced much differently than UA J. Some people prefer one product over the other. I try to stick with DL as long as the price difference is minimal.