Originally Posted by
azzurro
This make a lot of sense with one underlying assumption - that the business owner actually cares about the customer. In this case the business owner has reduced the value proposition consistently and gone backward on so many prior covenants that the customer doesn't trust their next move...the relationship has been damaged. Thus it has devolved into a series of single financial transactions as opposed to being driven long-term mutual benefit. (Sounds eerily as customer is reacting to business being heavily quarterly earnings driven to me.)
Perhaps had UA asked more of these questions years ago to more of their elites and then shown some concern for how to balance the desires of their best customers along with their need for a successful bottom line, such calls would still be welcome.
Keep in mind the value proposition isn't isolated; the devaluation of elite status is pretty much across-the-board (although I admit that AA seems to be serving better Kool-Aid to their elites than either DL or UA, from the posts on FT). Few elites anywhere are happy with the changes, as airlines move from non-profit status to making money.
It's very tough to disconnect people from the old ways to the new without a lot of angst. Eventually we'll think about the good old days the same way we think about DC-8s with 4-across seating and 50+ inches of legroom, in coach. In other words, we won't. It will be a distant memory that people comes up nostalgically but not relevant to then-current situations.