Originally Posted by
Radiation Station
It’s not complicated, it just requires framing the issue in a different manner. The airlines in OneWorld are predominantly concerned with rewarding/incentivising loyalty. So the perks are oriented towards people who actually fly OneWorld a reasonable to silly amount. And the lower, unbundled fares can reduce the expenditure of the loyal status customers to a degree, whilst also admittedly cutting the airlines’ costs.
Oh don't get me wrong, as someone that is (barely) in the status tent, the idea of a cheap business lite AY fare is quite appealing. But this degree of product unbundling looks more like a stick than a carrot approach to those without status. Whereas before it might have been a case of having extras with status, it now feels more like things being taken away if you don't.
Semantics - well perhaps, but if it was me, I'd be less inclined to try and gain status with an airline that is stripping out basics before my eyes.
(Sticking with an airline that I have status with, when it's doing the same.... well that's obviously different
)