<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by robb:
Here's the math as I see it, pretending that there are 100 people with top status:
[list][*]Let's say that 20% of the new elites would have failed to qualify for the same status this year, so 20 people have status who wouldn't have.[*]An equal number of people (who would have replaced the departing) will make status the first time this year, which means that the ranks don't stay steady, but rise to 120.</font>
This is a huge assumption that I'm not sure you can make, especially now. Planes are going out half full, which means that a hell of a lot of people aren't flying, regardless of what status they have.
The economic downturn was already going to drop the miles a lot of people flew. Now add the September 11 aftermath, and even more people will not be flying as much.
Airline loads are not not predicted to increase until the early third quarter of next year at the earliest.
So, I ask you again. Will your higher status affect people's decisions to fly or not? If they don't have to make the trip, are they going to make it just because they have a higher status?
If you think the answer to this question is no, then you don't have to worry about it. Why? Because the planes will not have a lot of passengers, thus, the demand for upgrades will be a lot lower.
Hell, I'd much rather have an entirely empty row than a first class seat with someone next to me.