Bruce B:

I am a "lowly" Silver Medallion but I would like to know why Delta apparently thinks we are not worthy of your company any longer. If you want to know why many of our upgrade points go unused, perhaps its because, at least in my situation, I primarily fly on airplanes that don't have a first clase - not by choice but Comair is all that is available to fly within Florida. Nonetheless, I always buy K fares but its pretty tough to get beyond Silver when you are only flying short legs and don't have 3 connecting flights. The tickets I buy are quite costly for the service I get, but I chose to fly Delta rather than drive or take Southwest when that airline is an option - at a much greater cost to my client. I also always chose Delta on leisure travel - regardless of the fare. I chose Delta for the Medallion benefits. The Medallion benefits that are important to me -- seperate checkin line, better choice of seats on the planes, and preboard when applicable, cost Delta NOTHING. Oh yes, and let me not forget that I find I am treated especially nice by the agents, etc, because of the amount of time I spend on your planes. Those are all extremely important to someone who spends alot of time on planes flying for business. However, because under your new rules, us high paying fare passengers that unfortunately don't fly long distances, will most likely be knocked out of even the most basic level of medallion status.

Without those perks, I personally will chose to drive rather than waist my valuable time standing in the checkin line or sitting in the middle seat at the back of the plane. When the situation requires me to fly, once my SM status expires, I will chose based on fare alone - or might even be inclined to pick a higher priced fare on another airline just to avoid Delta - and I've been hearing good things about AA coach class on this board.

Explain why my business is apparently no longer important to Delta. If the K fares I pay Delta to fly 20 mins is not profitable, then why do you have these flights?

Explain why it will cost me $8,000 to make silver [gold is out of the question as I could not possibly fly on average 52 r/t flights which would be necessary], whereas I randomly checked several cross county flights and figured out that someone could make silver by spending approximately $4,000, and gold by spending what it takes me to make silver -- because I fly short routes.

So Bruce B - explain to me how the greater amount of money I could potentially spend on your airline is somehow not so important to Delta that is can't provide me a couple of perks that don't cost anything?

I really enjoyed flying on Delta - however, I do not appreciate suddenly being told that my years of loyalty to Delta [at K fares] is no longer wanted. In fact, it came as somewhat of a shock.

Also, I am curious regarding the segment upgrades - one justification was that there is too much demand for upgrades, aonother reason was that people had leftover segment upgrades - if that is so, then how is that I, a lowly silver, bottom of the priority list for upgrades, was almost always able to ugrade - even through ATL? When I do fly outside of the state, I would always buy the upgradeable fare - and I almost always got upgraded - so I really don't understand why Delta felta the need to take that benefit away from PM, and to give out fewer upgrade segments to SM and GM. Also, who really complains about having leftover segment upgrade points? I was just happy to have them there on the occassions when I could use them.

I am looking forward to new relationship with Alamo car rental once my SM benefits expire - to get me around the state - but it will be good for my clients - alot cheaper than Delta.