Bye Bye Delta! First, I would like to point out that these new rules do not necessarily reward the highest spenders with medallion status. I fly primarily in-state, commuter flights on Comair. THESE TIX ARE NOT CHEAP. Nonetheless, I will most likely never make even silver medallion status again. However, the person who purchases a ticket for less money per medallion miles awarded will make status. Yesterday, aghast at the new rules, I figured out that, on a flight I normally take in-state, I will get 1,000 miles for the $343 fare. If I buy the fully refundable fare [there are only 2 available fares] at $659, I will be awarded the generous amount of 1,500 miles for that flight under the new system. Because they took away the segment option, I would have to fly 25 or 17 round trip flights respectively to get 25k miles to qualify for silver. However, randomly selecting a flight from orlando to san fran in january, I can spend $579 to get 3,623 miles. Where is the equity in that situation. To gain silver status, a person flying cross county on that same flight makes SM in 7 flights, spending $4,056 whereas flying on the short comair flights it would cost me $8,575 buying the lower fares or $10,983. Again, how is the new system designed to reward the person who allegedly spends the most money on DL?? Unless my math is really bad [which is possible], it would cost me 34 [cheaper fare] or 44 [for the higher fare flight] cents per medallion mile i earn versus 16 cents per medallion mile earned on the much longer flight to san fran.

Traveling primarily on Comair, I do not get to take advantage of the free upgrades very often - however, they are nice when I travel outside of the state. Oddly, even flying thru ATL, I am generally able to get an upgrade and I am only a SM - so is DL just planning to let all these first class seats sit empty. I would further note that my flights out of ATL are always way overbooked - putting me, the loyal DL customer in first class - cost DL nothing while also freeing up a seat in coach that they could not have normally sold. So, I get it, as the plane leaves ATL with 5 first class seats sitting empty, and 5 medallion members now unhappy and sitting in coach, and 5 leisure travelers still sitting at the gate fuming because they can't get home - this is going to instill all sorts of customer loyalty. And maybe they even had to pay those 5 leisure travelers for bumping them off the flight!

So DL wants us to buy more expensive tickets. When I travel outside of the state on a real plane, I generally ALWAYS buy the upgradeable fare with the hopes of upgrading. The only time I don't is if I am traveling with someone without status. There have been a few times when I haven't been able to upgrade but its worth the chance to me. Additionally, if, as a SM I am generally able to upgrade out of ATL - then that means there are already not enough people buying first class seats, or there are not enough medallion buying upgradeable fares - so why is DL now punishing ME, and also reducing their revenue from ME by these silly changes?

Additionally, as primarily a commuter/in-state traveler on comair [where there is no possibility of upgrading] some of the most important elite perks to me are the ability to have a special check-in line, and the ability to board the plane before others do when i am flying on a real plane. The check-in features is invaluable to me as a frequent business traveler. I have neither the time nor the interest in standing in line an hour or two behind billy-bob and his 5 kids who fly once a century and take 45 mins at the counter to figure out what they are doing. In Orlando, the normal line is usually tremendously long whereas I can checkin in the medallion line in usually 5 mins. Rather than using that valuable time in the crown room working - I am stuck in line - makes alot of sense to me! The availability of better seats on the plane is also important to me. These two features are two of the primary reasons why I continue to fly Delta to keep my status, even when I could fly cheaper on another airline. As I see it, if I am forced to sit in the back-row middle coach seat with every one else, and I have to stand in the checkin line for 2 hours for the privilege of doing so, I may as well spend as little money as possible on another airline -- or drive.

After this earth shaking news yesterday, I realized there is little if any possibility I can fly enough to maintain my status at delta. Unfortunately, some of the cities I fly to, DL is the only option in terms of airlines. However, in calculating the extra time it will take me to check in, some of the places I may as well drive to - I can rent a car for $100 to avoid putting miles on my car, avoid spending on average the $350 cost of a tix, the $100 i spend on the rental car in the city I fly to, and get there and back in the same amount of time at less costs to my client.

So, for benefits that are important to me as a business traveler and yet COST NOTHING TO DELTA - they would prefer to lose me as a loyal customer. I am also a member of the crown room - another thing I can give up since I will standing in line to check in!

BYE BYE DELTA