Originally Posted by
SEA777GUY
I think that this is the way that UAL is going to go, at least for this year. Those that have made the PQM but not the PQD spend, will be offered a buy up. It may be offered sometime in late November but I am sure that they will hold out until late December. UAL would be foolish to pass up the ancillary cash cow this would be for them.
That's how I see it going as well, simply because I don't think even SMI/J is dumb enough to think that going to a $2,200 PQD spender and saying "sorry, you didn't spend $300 more, so no status for you" is going to work. Heck, the buy-up offer would be simplicity itself -- just offer them instant status for the remainder of their PQD requirement (obviously the crafty would then buy a quick MR ticket for as close to that as they could get and just get some extra BIS credit along the way).
But yeah in short I see this as more of a threat/cudgel than a truly iron-clad policy they hold fliers to the letter on.