Originally Posted by
AeroWesty
A myopic viewpoint at best. What the DOT established in its ruling is that 1) it doesn't look at award charts when determining the validity of the "fare" involved in an award booking, 2) it only looks at what was displayed during the "booking process", and 3) the DOT will consider tickets purchased with miles the same as regular revenue fares when it comes to their jurisdiction over pricing issues. There's now no ambiguity where there was before.
Even though it's obviously easier for some bystanders to sit and point like they were on a school playground, a few important precedents were set in the DOT's answer to the complaints filed in this matter which shouldn't be overlooked.
Oh, yes.
I suggested before that United wanted this reviewed, and a ruling. There were other measures they could have taken, short of forcing the issue. This fairly new law has very little application, so far. For United, at worst, clarification. At best, any rollback. They got clarification, but not rollback. Quite the opposite.
Now that the ruling is in, it seems to me that the discussion here has narrowed again to two potential results: Fly us or deny us. Reminder: The DOT's authority was actually only to fine United or not. A fine, however token, would have been a result that the vast majority here would have thought acceptable, I think. OK, didn't happen. But the DOT did take a very conservative - limited - but substantive decision as described by
AeroWesty @3992 above. His point #3 is actually substantial, IMO.
And those with sympathy for the devil who are now smug might think again. No? I suggest that the decision has reverberated through the legal and loyalty program halls of all airlines doing business in the US, especially
AeroWesty's third point.