Originally Posted by
aztimm
Mark, I agree with you 98% of the time, but this is one case where I do not. In today's day and age, if someone actively uses Flyertalk and wants to get status, they should be able to figure out how to get and keep it. There are so many ways to do so....and if someone can figure out how to get on the Flyertalk US forum to post, they should be able to find other forums, such as the mileage run forum to see many cheap fares, which recently had a $300 West coast to Europe deal.
As a bis gold, the last thing I'd want is someone who was a CP 2 years ago, but last year flew 0 miles and a current Plat to keep me from getting upgraded.
Now if you want to argue about the revenue a pax provides to US, and basing status from that, there's a different story.
I agree with you in what you're saying - it would be frustrating to have that happen. But, from the airline's perspective, the best way to get loyalty is to keep people in the fold.
Someone who was CP and for whatever reason didn't have to fly or fly much last year, will have no reason to be loyal to US if they're just dumped. They'll take the old status and get comped somewhere else anyway - why not let them keep US status too? Just like the poster who said he didn't have to fly, but his old CP card could get him Delta Gold. Why wouldn't US want him to be at least US Gold? The way US might be able to keep them or get them back would be to let them keep some status. Perhaps the solution is a soft landing to Gold for Plats and CPs and to Silver for Gold and limit it for one year. Give the former elite a chance to come back.