Note to Flyertalkers:

Relax and take a few breaths here. Keep in mind how airlines talk with one another. One airline floats a fare increase. If all of the majors go along, the increase sticks. If they do not go along, the proposing airline withdrawals the increase. Rather than picking up the phone executive to executive and saying "raise your fares, I'll raise mine"... they just float the idea in the fare system. The others get the message and either agree or disagree.

The same is true with these frequent flyer programs. USAir proved this earlier this year. Delta is "floating" an idea. They obviously are complementing elements of the AA/UA programs. They are, however, trying to take it a step further to reduce the costs and benefits to flyers. If UA/AA and others do not significantly make their programs less lucrative, and DL realizes that it is going to make their revenue projections turn negative, they will just ease up. (i.e. retroactively recalculate elite qualifications under a different formula, and/or change the rules enough become more generous with complementary upgrades.

They have provided a basic frequent flyer methodology, but will adjust the specifics based on their competitors' feedback -- not the feedback from us "flyertalkers". Our feedback can only be given with our spending patterns...which will be determined by the competitors' responses.

Don't get your feathers ruffled to much over this. These changes are the beginning of a dialogue going on between the airlines.... there will be many more conversations to come over time.

Our frequent flyer strategies and loyalties are multi-year strategies. (Switching, earning, or maintaining status is often an annual commitment involving short-term sacrifices). -- Who said loyalty wasn't easy? So, be careful about making rash moves that could turn into "cutting off your nose to spite your face." It does make sense to perhaps shoot for gold or second-tier status in two programs instead of platinum in one to hedge your bets.

I will probably be forced to use DL on short east coast flights. But I will probably use AA with my newly comped Platinum for West-of-Mississippi flights. I'll probably end up seond-tier on both... knowing that DL will at least comp me to Gold next year. I can then make a new commitment and decision for 2004.

However, my gut tells me that during the next 60 days, we will have further changing dynamics. The long-term trends, however, will never be encouraging.