What about next year is a very tough question! (Please excuse spelling in this post, not on a PC with English spell check.)
I have been working on what to do in 2001 since notice of the SWU removal.
I am annoyed about the way DL is handling the FF program, and the FF program is the main reason I fly/flew DL. (quid pro quo for putting up with ASA/TSE) If the changes were not announced, I would have flown 30 or more transatlantic segments, over 125 dmoestic segments and more then 175K miles in 2000. I made PM for 2001 in July, and with this in mind, I started flying on other airlines trying to determine who will be my main carrier starting some time in 2001.
The date to make the change and the airlines to pick is not a simple decision by any means.
The Date: If I join another airline program Jan 1, and even if they make me top level, this will result in my wasting PM level for the year as little travel would be on DL.
If the new airlines does not give me top level, but gold, then I have to live at lower standards at least until I earn top-level.
To complicate things, an airlines that offered to comp me top level would certainly be favored for my final pick.
So, do I jump Jan 1 or March or April?
Carrier of Choice: Within 2 months of when DL gave the orginal plan modification notice, I started flying on other airlines. My main carrier, already selected for 2001 domestic, is Southwest. For the price I am paying, I am pleased with everything. Their FF program is okay, better for those who do short trips, and about 2/3rds of my travel on them is CA./BWI. Would be nice if they figured how to count in segments instead of entire trips.
So, domestic is taken care. My changng to Southwest has already happened. Should have my first free ticket in a week or so and am hoping to earn the free buddy pass for a year.
This leaves the international carrier decision, and also what date to make the international change.
Just called TA to start working on a reservation, AMS/SNA/AMS or 2nd choicee of AMS/LAX/AMS. Changing planes once would be prefered.
Can be done on DL, not on UA. On UA however, I can get a through flight number but it is KLM to UK and then UA to Chicago onwards to SNA. Probably a good chance of a missconnect on the AMS/UK so needs lots of layover time, which means a very early morning.
Who has the best oeverall system map to meet my needs? Can I find an alliance that has an interline agreement with WN? Will it be possible to find hub cities with UA service and WN?
Not sure of these answers. Checking on the interline between WN and UA now, will know tomorrow. Maybe someone knows how well WN and UA overlap each other. WN seems to do a good job of staying out of large hubs, hence they are on time most of the time.
If I can not make this work with UA, will BA join Sky Team? Does this do me any good? Should I wait a few months and see? Could the FF program get better or worse if BA joins? If BA joins, this "MAY" cause DL to downgrade the program again to meet BA's level, sort of like what may have resulted when AF joined and our SWU's go away. At the same time, if a large number of us bolt, then DL may see the errors of their ways and come up with a solution and bonuses to come back to the fold.
Any comments, suggestions? I am looking for all the insight I can get as to who should be my Domestic and International carriers of choice.
Cities I often fly to:
BWI/MHT/BOS/JFK/GNV/FLL/WPB/SNA/LAX/SAN/BNA
DUB/AMS/KLU(Austria)/LJU(Slovenia)/London
...soon Italy, maybe Germany and HNL.
[This message has been edited by JRF (edited 11-21-2000).]