Cam, the idea of lifetime membership for the 1,000,000 mile members sounds like a great idea, and something to strive for - more $$ for AC.

I can see AC's concern though. They give one lifetime, then one may have less loyalty to AC, earn status with another carrier. I am not saying you would do this, but it is perception AC may have.

True, a life time member doesn't have to fly on AC, but it wouldn't cost AC a penny if they didn't either. The cost is only incurred wen you use the product. SO if a million mile AC'er jumps to HMY for reason (and gives up his upgrades, lounge, ect..)it really is only the life time member getting screwed , not AC.

AC would lose the revenue. The "cost" is nothing to award a lifetime membership, but the potential revenue loss is real.
As you say though, I doube a lifer would give up the perks to fly on a LCC, especially domestically.
However if you were an AC lifer, wanting to fly say YVR-LHR, you may try BA for a change, because you are no longer concerned with earning status miles on AC.

The title of this thread says it all:
" Why go for SE...just make E...and dump elsewhere"

Just change the wording to:
"Why go for Prestige even...if I already have lifetime Elite".

Re: Parnel's comment that 85k is the requalification for 2004, not 2005. Hold the press! I have misunderstood this and I am reconsidering more than ever my future with AC.

I was under the mis-impression that to requalify for 2005 the level was now 85k for SE. Then Rupert says it will be the same for 2005--what does this mean? Same as 2004 or more back to 100k for 2005.

Would someone please clarify this! 100k or 85k for 2005.

I am well over the 100k line for 2004. Now my attention focuses on 2005 levels.
I am steadly losing confidence in the new rules esp as AP has not sent me a darn thing nor is my profile been updated whereas others have been. As a very loyal customer I expect much MUCH better service.

It's 100K for 2005. They lowered it to 85K for those trying to qualify for 2004 status.

Actually, it has to be for those who weren't trying for SE status. The non-FT folks I know who are at 85K in mid-Deecmber were not planning on a MR to get SE. For those people this is a windfall. What I don't understand is what the business rationale is for doing this. It makes a group of flyers happy, but how does it benefit AC? From reading this and other threads, all it does is piss off those who have made status the hard way.

What happened to RD's statement that the same rules would apply to next year? Where do you see SE will return to 100k for next year?

If it is 100K for SE next year, I withdraw my statement that is the major benefit for SEs and now I see no net gain for AC's most loyal FFs.

As someone who did extra flights to hit the 100k target this year (my 6th or 7th straing year), I am not impressed with this news. I could have saved myself a lot of aggravation by being a more passive customer.

In order to qualify for SE status for 2005, members will have to earn the following between 01Jan04 and 31Dec04:
-100000 status miles on the *A airlines -or-
-150 status flights on the *A airlines
The 2005 benefit year wil run from 01Mar05 - 28Feb06.

In order to qualify for E status for 2005, members will have to earn the following between 01Jan04 and 31Dec04:
-35000 status miles on the *A airlines -or-
-60 status flights on the *A airlines
The 2005 benefit year wil run from 01Mar05 - 28Feb06.

In order to qualify for P status for 2005, members will have to earn the following between 01Jan04 and 31Dec04:
-18000 status miles on the *A airlines -or-
-30 status flights on the *A airlines
The 2005 benefit year wil run from 01Mar05 - 28Feb06.

"Why go for SE...just make E...and dump elsewhere"

Huh???? Are people here saying that SE has no more value than E?

The biggest reason that SE remains far, far, far more valuable than E: Instant KK means that SE members can actually REDEEM POINTS FOR A REWARD SEAT. That is, after all, the main goal of the program - and is something that lowly Elites cannot do unless they book months and months in advance or succumb to the ridculous "pay double points" benefit.

The other big reason: Concierge service

It's a bit ridiculous to say that SE and E are now virtually identical when Elite members' only real benefits under the program remain (1) MLL access and (2) two 'any fare' upgrade certs, plus a whole bunch of 'pay almost full Y fare and take your chances' upgrade certs.

Ok...look at it like this...

you fly 35k and your gold, the package for gold is almost the same as that for SE's...

those special certs (Upgrade from low fares 4 days out)...come on...the way AC have frigged with the C inventory is going to make these very hard indeeed to redeem, more so now that anyone can upgrade from Full Y, most business will allow employees to buy full Y...

You want see many Upgrades,,,,trust me.!!!.

SO.....

I have SE's status till March 1st 2005....so why don't i use points for all travel on AC stuff within Canada or when I have no other option.....and the acculamate status in another airline....

Then next year when RD lowers the threshold again to 85k, I just whack off a couple of weekend runs, and qualify at the lowest level and redeem points for 2005/6 and so on...

The biggest incentive here is not to put all your eggs in one basket...in other words, this is not a loyality program anymore....


I agree the only plus to being SE in the instant KK...when that goes I don't want to be sat with a large account of miles....

AC have not rewarded its real top flyers this year...we got zip!...

And RD will come on the chat and answer screened questions cause he has no balls to take the real deal on the chin...have you Rupert?...

Just another Spineless CEO!...

I wonder if we could get the message out to enough SE's to burn all their miles this year. If the possibility of losing instant KK is real, or some new system of sharing with a lot more people is coming then it makes sense to spend them this year. Vote your dissatisfaction by flying up front for free this year! Maybe, just maybe AC will notice.

Come on....when has AC EVER listened to its customers.??

Its run by morons at the top....who else could loose $10 billion and still keep his job...

maybe he is more clever than we thought, or we more stupid..?

[This message has been edited by Ferrari (edited Dec 15, 2003).]

Keep his job? Are you kidding? He's getting a $20 million bonus.

Morons? I think not.

CP: I said no net gain for SEs. The 2 benefits you state, instant KK and conceirge service, are existing benefits, nothing new.

Valuable, yes, when they work. Conceirges are becoming a rare sight as well but can be helpful. Yesterday one in YYZ tried to help me check in for an earlier flight but the check in agent refused to call him as he suggested to me on the phone. So my baggage got yellow tags---he did get me on the flight but my bags did not. If the agent had first called him he would have cleared me and my bags would have been checked in on the new flight.