To follow up on my own post, this same member that I referred to above was about 1000 miles shy of requalifying for Silver Elite during calendar year 2000. He didn't get the "buy back to your previous status" offer that most other fallen Elites get. My speculation is that this is a result of his original Silver Elite status being granted based on a response to the soliciation mentioned above, rather than actual flight miles.

Are there any Elite members out there that failed to reqaulify for their same elite status the next year, and had earned their former status through actual flight miles, but were not offered an opportunity to "buy back" to their previous Elite level?