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Is AQD requirement helping or hurting AC?

Is AQD requirement helping or hurting AC?

Old May 26, 2017, 11:50 pm
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: AC MM E50 , Former SPG, now Marriott LT Plat
Posts: 6,246
Is AQD requirement helping or hurting AC?

I was just updating my signature below for today's flight (and I still have a
JL flight and DL flight tomorrow), when it struck me that from 1990 or so until
2015 I would not have more than a handful of non-Star Alliance flights a year.
The usual exceptions were things like the AZ fare mistake, or flights within
China where *A was not available.

Last year my non-AC/*A flights increased, and this year they are increasing
even more.

I am still flying my 100K+ miles annually, but since *A flights will no longer get
me to SE, I am now looking for the best prices.

So AC is saving the cost of me being SE, but they and *A are losing a lot
of my overall business ( which is overwhelmingly paid F/J international travel).

Is this really a long-term winning strategy for AC?
IluvSQ is offline  
Old May 26, 2017, 11:52 pm
  #2  
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: MLL / AC Cafe
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Originally Posted by IluvSQ

Is this really a long-term winning strategy for AC?
No. But that's not what this is about.

Right now LF is high, very high, and they need to extract every dollar that they can. When the LF drops, they will ease up the program rules etc.
Sean Peever is offline  
Old May 27, 2017, 12:23 am
  #3  
 
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 2,494
Originally Posted by Sean Peever
No. But that's not what this is about.

Right now LF is high, very high, and they need to extract every dollar that they can. When the LF drops, they will ease up the program rules etc.
what is LF? I'd check the glossary but it just serves up a blank page on mobile.
quantumofforce is offline  
Old May 27, 2017, 12:25 am
  #4  
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: YUL
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Originally Posted by quantumofforce
what is LF? I'd check the glossary but it just serves up a blank page on mobile.
Load Factor.
gabdusch is offline  
Old May 27, 2017, 12:26 am
  #5  
 
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Edit: Load factor.
SparseFlyer is offline  
Old May 27, 2017, 12:28 am
  #6  
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: MLL / AC Cafe
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Posts: 5,702
Originally Posted by quantumofforce
what is LF? I'd check the glossary but it just serves up a blank page on mobile.
Load Factor.
Sean Peever is offline  
Old May 27, 2017, 2:17 am
  #7  
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it's Load Factor.
yyznomad is offline  
Old May 27, 2017, 2:46 am
  #8  
 
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 2,494
Thanks all!
quantumofforce is offline  
Old May 27, 2017, 7:01 am
  #9  
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: YYZ most of the time
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Originally Posted by quantumofforce
what is LF? I'd check the glossary but it just serves up a blank page on mobile.
To me LF is Life Flight (aka ORNGE rotary wing Medevac A139) but to those on here it's Load Factor
yyz_atc_qq is offline  
Old May 27, 2017, 7:05 am
  #10  
 
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Load factor
cooleddie is offline  
Old May 27, 2017, 10:15 am
  #11  
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Originally Posted by IluvSQ
I was just updating my signature below for today's flight (and I still have a
JL flight and DL flight tomorrow), when it struck me that from 1990 or so until
2015 I would not have more than a handful of non-Star Alliance flights a year.
The usual exceptions were things like the AZ fare mistake, or flights within
China where *A was not available.

Last year my non-AC/*A flights increased, and this year they are increasing
even more.

I am still flying my 100K+ miles annually, but since *A flights will no longer get
me to SE, I am now looking for the best prices.

So AC is saving the cost of me being SE, but they and *A are losing a lot
of my overall business ( which is overwhelmingly paid F/J international travel).

Is this really a long-term winning strategy for AC?
Currently maybe not, but with US airlines taking away FF benefits on their cheapest fare groupings, it may turn into a benefit or a push.
Wpgjetse is offline  
Old May 27, 2017, 12:01 pm
  #12  
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Remember Star Alliance flights can get you to SE again, provided they are ticketed by Air Canada on 014 stock (don't have to be AC codeshares).

AQD Enhancement for 2017
"You will earn Altitude Qualifying Dollars (AQD) for the base fare and carrier-imposed surcharges (Y, YQ and YR) on eligible flights flown, including:

Flights operated by Air Canada, Air Canada Express and Air Canada RougeTM.
Flights operated by Star AllianceTM member airlines ticketed on Air Canada ticket stock (ticket numbers beginning with “014”)."
BlondeBomber is offline  
Old May 27, 2017, 12:58 pm
  #13  
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: YOW
Programs: AC 75K
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Originally Posted by BlondeBomber
Remember Star Alliance flights can get you to SE again, provided they are ticketed by Air Canada on 014 stock (don't have to be AC codeshares).

AQD Enhancement for 2017
"You will earn Altitude Qualifying Dollars (AQD) for the base fare and carrier-imposed surcharges (Y, YQ and YR) on eligible flights flown, including:

Flights operated by Air Canada, Air Canada Express and Air Canada RougeTM.
Flights operated by Star AllianceTM member airlines ticketed on Air Canada ticket stock (ticket numbers beginning with 014)."

Jumping in on this.. is there somewhere on the fare rules (of UA, for example) that specifies the cost of changing the ticket stock from 016 to 014? Or is the only way to find out to call in and speak to an agent?

Thanks^
WesternCDN is offline  
Old May 27, 2017, 3:25 pm
  #14  
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: YYC, Canada
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Sometimes you can find UA flights for the same price on AC.com, and then it's ticketed 014. But then you have the hassle of code share - and if you want a United P fare, forget it, AC.com will charge you double or triple.
YXUFlyboy is offline  
Old May 27, 2017, 3:41 pm
  #15  
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SEMM
Posts: 2,072
There are ways to book UA flights on AC.com
Argonaut1000 is offline  

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