I think it worked as much as AC was willing to reconsider. Elites, who lost any access to award seats from rev inventory, got this benefit back, albeit at a 100% premium versus the 50% premium of US carriers. The mileage accumulation, as noted, was retained at last year's level, though AC did raise from 50% to 75% for higher-priced discount fares within Canada and to the Caribbean.

Will a UA site work? I am not sure 1Ks are losing all that much which shouldn't be expected from an airline that may never see the light again. And where are 1Ks going to go? To AA? As great as AA benefits are, if too many UA types defect, access to upgrades and other AA elite benefits will become more difficult to get.

I think it is more critical for a US AIR site to be established, to get them to change their "no status credit" for nonrefundable tickets. If anything, I see this move as the most disastrous thing that could happen to FF programs than anything we have thus far seen.

Afterall, what are 1K rooms, and why are they essential services?