I've gotten sufficiently paranoid that I called about my trip starting today (LAX-ATL today, ATL-DUB tomorrow).
I told the DM line agent that I had heard that some tickets bought on delta.com would not earn full SkyMiles and MQMs. That statement didn't phase her (I sort of expected "of course they do" as an answer) She commented that I got a really good fare and that I probably would earn MQMs and regular SkyMiles but because it was such a good fare I would earn no bonus miles.
I replied that that was not my understanding, that all tickets purchased on delta.com would earn full MQMs and bonuses, and would she please confirm.
After about 10 minutes she came back and said she found on delta.com where it said T fares earned no bonuses. She couldn't give me the URL but directed me to where it was (click here, click there, etc.)
What it was, was the standard Delta earnings chart and the second or third column had 0% next to L,U,T,E "Deeply discounted economy fares." But the heading for that column was "Class of Service Bonus" -- on the far right it did say 100% MQM.
So in once sense this was a false alarm, but it is worrisome that:
a) the DM line agent fully expected that some fares will earn less than 100%.
b) the DM line agent did not understand what a class of service bonus was.
I think that this is evidence that something is coming down the pike in the near to mid term future. I had thought that it would come after MQDs where implemented -- especially if it didn't have the desired effect on "thinning the herd" but now it wouldn't surprise me if it came soon. I will be really pissed if it comes mid program year.
Added: Then there is this thread:
K/Q-UP fares to A not earning 50%. If it is not a sign of changes, it certainly is a sign that something is seriously broken.