Originally Posted by Efrem
I came to AA from Delta because I hated the idea of having to pay extra to get an upgradeable fare - and then, having paid the extra $$, not getting the upgrade (usually as Gold Medallion) anyhow but not able to get a refund either. To make it worse, the letter they wrote me when I dared mention this to them was a total blow-off. I wish I had saved it - I could use it in my MBA classes (I'm the prof) as a classic example of how not to treat a good customer.
Granted, they've backed off on a few of the most outrageous policies since then, but not on all of them. And from what I saw of both carriers' F at the time and more recently, there isn't a heck of a lot to choose between them. To paraphrase the OP, you have little option in the Atlanta or Cincinnati markets, but why does anyone applaud this lousy service from a 2 bit airline that seems to do all it can to p¡ss off its best customers and drive itself into bankruptcy? (I haven't seen anyone start a "Save AAdvantage" movement yet. I don't think I will.)
Bingo!! I too am a Delta refugee. I was Silver Medallion (BFD). I NEVER got upgraded because if you were on a cheapo fare, you weren't entitled to diddly squat, other than priority boarding/checkin and other meaningless crap which cost DL nothing. They then changed to half credit towards elite status on cheap fares and touted this as an "enhancement". Every degradation to their FF program was an "enhancement". This, along with the almost total lack of Skysaver award availability was the straw that broke the camel's back for me. Bah-bye DL, hello AA. Let those who remained loyal to DL help fund the DL pilot's sky-high salaries. My future airfare bucks would go (and still go) to AA.
At least DL will save thousands of dollars in costs by not having to provide folks like me with a crack at exit row seats and the chance to board a few minutes earlier than others.
Unlike you, I never wrote to Delta regarding how I felt about their program changes. Any company who can screw you over and then tell you that getting it up the behind is actually an enhancement and something you should welcome, is too delusional to reason with or complain to. YMMV