gpmolloy

Very well stated. Thank you, from a LT Gold nearing retirement. (I probably would have made LT PLT before retirement, if they hadn't changed the "Million Miler" program )

brp

From the perspective of the airline, it makes sense to reward people who are providing input to you now over those who have earned a lifetime status and are not providing as much now. This has nothing to do with anyone screwing anyone else. It just makes sense from a business standpoint. That's not short-sighted at all. Expecting something for what you've done in the past, and thinking that the business should provide it is, however.

As for me, yes, I will retire. Ans, as all my travel for attaining status is on my own dime now, that will not change.

By the way, it takes only 25,000 miles to obtain gold status, not 100,000.


I can certainly understand your wanting it. That doesn't mean that it makes sense from the business' standpoint, or that arguments against don't make sense.

Cheers.

jlin011

Maybe AA could offer Golds a choice of benefits (of the FF's own choosing)...

no1cub17

That would be an interesting compromise - I wonder what the options would look like. That would be much preferred to feeling like I was on Delta...

pitflyer

As a lifetime Gold, I think its fair that Gold is Gold every year. Now the fact that Gold also devalues every year (like every level status and frequent flier programs overall) is also a given. When MCE was announced I saw that the gold access only lasts till 12/2013. I may be in the minority but that's fair. I do wish exit row seats would stay 'preferred' rather than MCE, however.

I used to assume free bags on every airline (my travel is almost all domestic US). New world, having free bags on AA is actually a noticeable perk as it does add up on the other airlines.

swag

I'd disagree that GLD is devaluing.

As someone who has been Gold for almost 20 years now (except for a few when I made PLT), I'm actually of the opinion that GLD is getting more valuable. It seems like for the past decade, every time AA adds a new elite benefit, GLD is right there with PLT.
- Free bags for elites? GLD gets 2, same as PLT.
- Expedite award fees waived for elites? GLD included.
- Preferred seats? GLD included.
- Priority security & boarding? GLD included.
- Free standby? GLD included.

In fact, the only new PLT benefit (last 10 years) not extended to GLD that I can think of is free pre-check based on status, and since other airlines also have that as a mid-tier benefit, I'd guess that cutoff came not from AA execs but from TSA.

So that's why having MCE in 2014+ only for PLT is especially disappointing, and when announced, I really hoped it would not start a trend.

I probably get an exit row in 95% of my non-upgraded flights. If those are designated MCE, then this becomes a case not of a new benefit that we don't get, but of an existing benefit taken away. That would be very unfortunate.

imapilotaz

Its pretty easy as BRP stated this is about what is best for AA. I actually believe that your opinion is what is putting America in a potential lousy position. The attitude that we are entitled is ridiculous. I have zero expectations that after thirty years of flying with an airline that i deserve anything.

If i shop at store so often that i end up spending $30,000 per year for the next 33 years and spend a million dollars there, should i have a reserved parking spot after i retire when i shop there and spend only $500 a year? Hell no i shouldnt. I spend $20k a year with AA, but i expect nothing in exhange past this next year. If i stop flying tomorrow i dont expect anything. i will end up somewhere in the 3m-4M BIS when i retire. Do i expect anything? no.

Why do you feel that AA owes you anything? Does Toyota owe you free maintenance for life after you buy 30 vehicles? Does walmart reserve a parking spot for you after you shop there for 30 years? Does Verizon comp you free HBO after being a customer for 20 years? Funny almost every other industry is profitable and they offer no such perks. Airlines are not a public utility or a non-profit.

My 2 cents.

Hagbard Viking

Along the same lines, it would also make sense to give the biggest reward to those who provide the most input, right? So, status qualification should be by EQP only, perhaps with more differentiation between fares than currently (with LH, for example, you earn 50% (or less) of flown miles in cheap coach, 300% of flown miles in F)?

Back to the (off) topic though... The existence of lifetime status provides an incentive to focus on a program even after passing the last elite threshold for the year, so whereas many who currently enjoy lifetime status likely do not contribute as much input now as those who qualify by the annual rules they may well have contributed more input in total over the years than they would have without the existence of lifetime status.

Hagbard Viking

Are you seriously saying that you do not expect them to honor the published benefit of Lifetime Platinum Status?

Fitch7600

Airlines are not offering lifetime elite status as a form of gold watch. They are offering it to keep you flying them NOW. What does it actually cost American to maintain a lifetime gold or platinum flyer? Almost nothing. If they don't fly, it's a non-issue. If they do fly, they get free checked bags and some level of preferred seating in exchange for staying with American. They also get the chance to upgrade, but that's not free either. At their reduced volume, they are probably buying rather than earning stickers. We Executive Platinum's may be expensive to maintain. Gold and Platinum members are not.

imapilotaz

Do i fly AA beyond 100k miles a year to achieve lifetime status? Ummm no. I fly AA beyond 100k to enjoy my benefits.

Am i counting on lifetime status? No.
Will i give it back if awarded? Nope.
But if they take it away or dilute it i wont be one of the ten thousand on here whining about it.

austin_modern

Exactly. While I am a long way from retirement, I do consider lifetime benefits to be an important part of traveling and was a part of my initial picking of what hotel and airlines to concentrate my business on. I believe the cost is relatively low long term.

I do have one other point - I dont believe that executive platinum members are expensive to maintain.... you're given FREE unsold inventory (upgrades and free tickets with miles) and some occasional beer/wine/food when traveling with the plebs in coach. Unless Im missing something....

teemuflyer

Well, theoretically they would then mismanaging their inventory if they always have unsold seats in F, for example. Instead of having 16 F seats in a mad-dog, perhaps the right amount for AA is 6 on most routes.

As it goes, IMHO, there is an intentional effort to have inventory for elite upgrades to award loyalty, and this is a cost/benefit analysis done by AA (and the other legacy carriers) that it makes them more $, than it cost them to offer this perk. Same with the uber premium F lounges an EXP/Emerald can access when travelling outside their home country.

Sprezzatura

I'm not thrilled with the loss of free MCE either but it seems inevitable -- the clear trend in US carriers is to charge more for seats in the front part of Y. United, Virgin America, JetBlue all do so and I'd expect the rest to start doing so as well soon enough.

Once we know what MCE will cost for GLDs I will run the numbers to see whether buying up to MCE or MR-ing to PLT is the more cost efficient option.

It would be nice if GLDs had at least discounted access to MCE, but I suppose that's asking for too much.

pindento

Agreed, loyalty takes a hit when it's demonstrated that benefits to loyalty don't factor into an airline's strategy. Reduce the F seats and why bother remaining with an airline rather than whatever the cheapest itinerary might be.

Experienced this at Continental a few years back ... they reduced seats in F and I moved all mine and my family's business to AA. If AA were to take the same strategy, I guess I'd be flying Southwest, Turkish, whatever saved money at the moment.