Darren -

Well said!

I am SURE that the EXPs will be cut back again next year as part of AA's overall cost cutting and trying to "manage how they reward the total elite population."

The bottom line seems that this promotion simply aims to move flyers from other airlines to AA by luring them with gold status. In the long run this is good for AA. The stronger the airline is during this time of lower yields the better it will be for all AA frequent flyers whatever status they hold now or in the future. An airline cutting costs is not beneficial to any traveler.
The hope is AA will not cut back on schedules, staff and services if they can ride out the next year or so. Anything within reason AA marketing can do to lure business travelers to their airline to help the bottom line will probably be attempted.

WHY2K, you make a good point. But don't forget that before luring new business travellers to the airline during uncertain economic times, AA needs to make sure it retains its current ones. Doing things like this that tick them off is not a good way to go about doing that.

If I were "only" Gold on AA (and earned it the hard way), knew that I had no chance at PLT this year, and then saw AA giving my elite level away like this, I'd be on UA or CO in a heartbeat.

[This message has been edited by SuperSlug (edited 08-04-2001).]

Just to be clear, I have no issue with the folks who giving or getting the promo; they're just accessing what's available to them. My annoyance is with the company.

I earned my original gold status a few years ago the hard way - on discount economy trips (out of a Canadian non-AA city I might add) for personal travel. That said, I respect people's right to take advantage of whatever promos a company offers, I really do.

However, this forum seems to have denigrated to a SPAM free-for-all. While I'm sure some who frequent the SPAM forum might see it as an intrusion, is it not a better place for "Give me Gold"?

I too disagree with 2 few miles. I will bore you with personal details to make my point. I started flying transatlantic with AA Jan 98 when I joined a company who use AA as a preferred vendor.

In 98 I flew transatlantic twice total 19,000 miles

in 99 I flew once total 9,500 miles

in 00 I flew transatlantic twice, total 18,000

In 01 I have flown transatlantic seven times total 66,000 miles

Thus I only got Gold in March 01. Under the new Gold as Candy policy I would have been Gold on my second 98 flight, my 99 flight, my second 00 flight and my first, second and third 01 flight. As the policy becomes better known there will be many thousands like me, all teh people who average between 10,000 and 20,000 miles a year. That's a lot of people to get in the way of real FFs.

As it happens I don't count myself as a frequent flyer and so don't think this policy really affects me. But if I was a FF I would be seriously annoyed. I also don't believe it makes economic sense to annoy elite customers in the pursuit of new customers who don't have the loyalty of the elites. As I have said before, it's a great marketing idea unless real elites do something about it.

Gee, I wonder how a million miler on the AA program feels about this?

Not at 1MM (yet), but I don't think the comparison works. 1MM gives you lifetime gold status.

The giveaway is only for 1 year. Not that that makes it any more justifiable, though.

Well, as a PLT Million Miler (now at 1.3MM and pedaling quickly), I would not have a problem with this so much as I do if I felt AA was giving me, a very loyal customer, an opportunity to get EXP on SEGMENTS (i.e. 100) like all its other competitors offer.

Honestly, they might as well hand out Gold cards at the boarding gate to all.

I'll tell you how 2 million milers feel about this, it stinks! My husband & I both are each "lifetime gold", it's taken us since 1986 to get there by EARNING the status.

I finally made gold, and it expires this coming February. It also appears that I will not re-qualify this year, so I'll be back to regular membership.

Now I hear that AA is giving away gold, but not to current elites who (like me) look like they will be about 8K too short.

Too bad I don't really like doing mileage runs.

As a Plat. w/1.8mill. miles,I agree that this is very upsetting. I worked so hard to get to gold & then Plt. & then to maintain. I inconvenienced myself many times to get the miles needed to qualify. The sneaky thing about this is that they bribed us to refer people to Gold, so as much as I think this sucks, I'm a junkie & not about to turn down 10,000 bonus miles!!I feel guilty because as much disgust as I have for this "Gold Giveaway", I am participating in it!!! I am going to complain to AA anyway. Anyone heard back from them regarding a complaint?

I'll add my 2 cents worth on this one. I am also annoyed with AA for this promo of which they get possible more customers who have not 'earned' the status.
It was stated by another posting that Hilton also gave away Gold status BUT you did have to stay 4 times with them within 90 days (sure its far short of the 'true' gold status earning) if not they don't keep it.
Maybe AA should have made some requirement for a number of flights and miles, this way a LAX/SAN or DFW/AUS flight would not count.
As one that has earned both Gold status, AA and Hilton, I was annoyed and disgusted with them for these promos. I too have written to Hilton and AA is one on the way, my loyalty to them is somewhat taken back. But then, do I want to loose those bonus miles/points by switching companies? Guess they know what they are doing. Should I then ask for the next level as my "free" level upgrade to make up for the new "gold" upgrades?

Here is the "form letter"m I got back from AA on the free gold promo:

Dear xxxxx,

Thank you for visiting the American Airlines Web site and for your
recent e-mail to AAdvantage Customer Service. I appreciate the
opportunity to assist you.

I can see from your account that you are definitely one of our most
frequent travelers. I'm told that the bonus was sent out semi-randomly
to only a small percentage of our best customers. I can understand how
somebody who works hard to earn a higher status could be unhappy about
an exception as big as this one, even if it is at our lowest elite
level. We will never have an offer remotely like it for the Executive
Platinum level. Your business is appreciated and you may be sure that
your comments have been taken seriously.

Again, thank you for giving me the opportunity to respond. I look
forward to assisting you again in the future.

Regards,

AAdvantage Customer Service
American Airlines

Thanks for posting this. You know, as I (as a Gold) read this, it only makes me madder.

What they seem to be confirming is that Exec Plat would never be devalued, but by inference, Gold is a throwaway.