Originally Posted by
UA_Flyer
I fully understand your response and need for assurance and certainty. Unfortunately, in this current environment, certainty is far from assured.
I would not jump to OAL unless OAL provide better scheduling, services and connections etc. If you are going out of your way to make GS instead of flying airlines that are in better position to meet your travel needs, then I agree you jump.
Unless you are certain your travels post Covid-19 can get you DL 360 or AA GC, chances are you will be a 1K based on reduced qualification and soft landing to 1K until Jan 31, 2022. You will still have GS benefits until 1/31/2021 and 1K benefits until 1/31/2022.
Why start at the bottom at another airlines and giving up the benefits between now and 1/31/2022? You may still requalify for GS if UA lower the threshold for requalification, which is quite likely at the moment.
This is the same advice I give to my GS colleagues, because their initial reaction is to jump, but most of them calm down and realize the alternatives are not much better. There is more certainty they may still requalify for GS than deal with the uncertainty with other two programs.
The part that hurts me the most is that UA has committed to "provide certainty" for everyone else except GS, with us being the best customers. Is that the way to treat the best customers giving certainty in this completely uncertain world to the other folks? That is the question that i am having a tough time answering myself. The situation is completely different if there is no announcement made prior to yesterday, which is why i kept my cool.
I travel a lot internationally and i usually go out of my way to get on UA even though fares are higher than getting on EVA, ANA or sometimes even SQ.
My whole notion of jumping is really just because i cannot see eye to eye with the current leadership anymore especially with all the changes affecting my friends and family in the last year with Mileage Plus. I just feel that perhaps this is the sign to move on.