I posted this in the other thread, but I firmly believe that regardless of what they end up changing for the time being, have no doubt that what they announced previously is the end goal. They may just roll it out slowly over a few years.
I have to say, though, this is probably the most drama I’ve seen in the travel loyalty space since… the last time DL tried to pull something like this (and it got reversed) ;-)
Agree, and it’s been predictable at that too.
Given DL has long had in its corporate DNA to be the leader in devaluing frequent flyer programs for its flying customers, I will operate on the basis that DL will be DL and won’t give up pursuing the same customer-unfriendly objectives as set out by the September 2023 announced changes and DL will merely modify its timeline and course while seeking to get to the same destination.
DL’s still not committed to having a frequent flyer program as much as a frequent/big spender program — and DL is no less committed now than before in being an industry leader in this migration even with any “return” of pyrite to customers. Industry consolidation and the move toward rewarding frequent big spenders rather than very frequent flyers has given Delta what Delta wanted and deserved: a very large pool of FFP elites for exploitation. So when DL and DL elites cry tears over there being too many DL elites, forgive me for thinking of crocodiles. We all got the airline FFP we deserved from a DL that has long been of this customer-unfriendly disposition when it comes to the FFP, and we will get more of it from DL because a bunch of people jumping off the elite status hamster wheel is not enough to alter DL’s DNA in this environment.