ElmhurstNick

On the day that I cross 1MM, I've decided that EXP just isn't worth the stress for me under today's airline climate. It's not all American's fault - work is contributing less miles than it used to. But American has made the program less attractive on the margin than a combination of Platinum, elite status on a second carrier, and flying less.

To wit:
- Standby fees make knowing I'm going to be #1 on the list kind of moot
- Gutting my work route structure over the last three years... the high-yield ORD-LAN and ORD-SPI are gone and ORD-ALB is now Eagle with a 50% increase in 14-day fares.
- Full nonrefundability isn't a key issue, but it's an annoyance. If they had waived this for EXPs, that alone might have been enough to get me to keep flying.
- I still have this bad feeling that the next batch of VIPOWs will not be eligible for L/N overseas flights.

So, what am I going to do?
- Whichever major still standing that flies mainline into ALB and lets me upgrade, get an exit row on reservation, and get status on L fares gets a RT every three weeks for the next 17-24 months. As all I'm flying them for is that trip, I don't care beyond either 25k miles or 30 segments.
- I'll still manage to fly AA enough to be Platinum, and slowly work my way to 2MM and lifetime plat.

This plan has me flying 70-80k/year instead of 100k, which is much more manageable.

By my calculation, AA will lose about 20 trips a year from me. Granted, I never ever fly Y/B, but I'm the person that fills up the MD80 so that American can offer ten frequencies ORD-BOS instead of ATA's three.

It's been a fun ride on the EXP bandwagon, and I want to give special thanks to Island and RDURES1 for encouraging me to go for it in the first place, right around this point two years ago. I had 50,000 YTD status miles (today I have 48,500) and was excited about requalifying for PLT so early. They convinced me that it was worth it, and while the end of 2000 was hellacious to jam it all in, they were right.

I'm hoping that with a few months off, seeing the 2003 program rules on paper, and finding a couple of great deals on FT, I'll get reenergized in February and go for EXP again. But right now, I need a break.

nyc6035

ElmhurstNick,

FWIW for perspective, I'm an EXP (extended) and LP member who went from 125-200K a year down recently to about 20-30K a year. This was primarily due to a job change and moving from TWA (where all upgrades were free) over to AA.

With all that has happenned over the last 19 months or so (starting with the annoucement of the TWA acquisition through to last fall) flying certainly became less pleasurable.

That said, on the other side (outside the terminal), there are family and friends and other interests (you can develop) outside of flying. It's a much nicer place here on the otherside (post-'mileagism'). I hope you too come to find your slower travel pace enjoyable. It may take a few months (maybe even a year) to not feel that itch to get one a airplane every week but the adjustment will come.



[This message has been edited by nyc6035 (edited 09-06-2002).]

freeupgrade

Elm, I can understand that. Today I finally hit Lifetime PLT - and what do I read within 1 hour of my final flight posting:

"757 F Class to be reduced to 12 seats - more seats to be added in back".

Granted it is a "rumor", however, sadly, most of the "rumors" have been implemented.

Congrats. on Life Gold - that is a significant accomplishment.

landspeed

Congrats on 1MM and the lifetime status!

About the rest- I know what you mean.

I gave up a while ago on EXP for this year. I'm at 40K for the year-had to bail on the SIN trip this weekend (which would have been 20K) and still have a ticket to Rome next month (10K via ORD.). While I've really enjoyed EXP, I can't bring myself to fly another 60,000 miles this year.

Yeah, my work situation contributed to a lot of it (parent company in LHR went out of business- no more transatlantic flights paid for, not to mention the resultant lack of job security for me back in NYC), but the recent changes make me less likely to fly for leisure. I could handle the post 9/11 security hassles/no food throughout coach/etc., but the airlines' recent "screw the customer"/"make them pay for things that used to be free" moves are enough for me to back off for a while and let the industry shake itself out without me being complicit in it.

So, I'm now sitting on over 1/2 million miles on AA and 1/2 million on QF and a random assortment in other programs. Having just taken a BA F/Concorde trip, I've decided to take an occassional trip in style, and spend more time in NYC, a city to which I moved < three years ago and haven't taken full advantage of because of my frequent travel.

Good luck with your situation!


[This message has been edited by landspeed (edited 09-06-2002).]

benoit

I see you put the new $100 same day standby fees at the top of your list. For me also, no change at AA has done more to drive me to the competition, or simply fly less.

fly co to see the yanks

ditto. that's a great point. being at the top of the standby list was super important to me. with the $100 fee, it kind of makes status less meaningful.

Fly63

Well said. Although you may dwell on your decision, I believe you have spoken for many of us. As marketing folks say, for every one customer who takes the time to express sentiment, there are 20 to 25 more who feel the same way. I'm sorry that AA (and all the others) are suffering, but they need to make up their minds about the value equation.

I'm loyal to AA, but I'm also glad I bought stock in WN.

sllevin

You've certainly touched on the key points of uncertainty. This was the first year where I could have possibly gotten EXP (would have required a mileage run or two, but with the cheap and convienent SJC-NRT fares it was possible). But right now it's not clear what the advantages would be, other than the longer upgrade window. So unless things change, I'm not going to so the SJC-NRT mileage run late in the year, which I had thought of doing.

Steve

DrHowser

I also agree...AA is no longer making it "fun" to fly. I still have all my VIPOWs for this year and have no clue what I am going to do with them. I haven't kept up recently, but I doubt they are worth more than the paper they are printed on (is there any chance of trading them for miles???).

Right now I do my simple DFW/ATL/ELP/DFW every week. I plant myself in 9 or 10 B and get some work done...haven't upgraded in ages. $35 for a drink is just to much.

Once AA recognizes that screwing around and the trying to nickle and dime us stops will I start putting some real money back into my airline...

Scion

I will make EXP again this year, fourth or fifth consecutive year. I will do so with the most miles I've ever flown in a year (200,000+). All of that done on full-Y fare tickets.

Except for the TSA muggings at the gate, I still enjoy my flights on American. Customer Service at all levels has improved. The EXP desk is as attentive as always. Next year I will be taking 7 friends to the UK for a vacation. Thanks to the EXP desk, we will be on the same flight in first class.

Of the 200,000, I've flown on American, none has been discretionary. In fact, I've never needed to make a mileage run to make EXP. I think that is the way it should be. The more EXP's there are who make EXP on discounted fares the greater the chance there is that benefits will have to be diluted. If there are more people like you who say they are not going to go the extra mile to make EXP, chances are that no restrictions will be added to the VIPOW's next year. I am not being prejudicial; I am just stating the facts.

I concede that AA is changing with the times and some of those changes have legitimately caused you to reconsider your loyalty. But not all of us see these changes as bad. Those of us who pay for the flexibility of changing routes and flights times won't have to compete anymore with those who don't. Those of us who travel on AA's core and profitable routes will continue to see the frequencies we expect. I've also seen signs that service in FC and for EXP's might get better if the people who remain at these levels are the ones who pay a premium for AA's service.

landspeed

Quote:

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">If there are more people like you who say they are not going to go the extra mile to make EXP, chances are that no restrictions will be added to the VIPOW's next year. I am not being prejudicial; I am just stating the facts.

I would say that your conclusion is a fact- fewer EXPs (traveling at higher fares)= more benefits for EXPs, or less dilution, anyhow (as I read it).

But when you say "I think that is the way it should be," that's your opinion, not fact, and you're entitled to it.

If AA can find enough Pax who fly 200,000 miles in Full P,F,J and Y more power to them.

AA made the decision to open up EXP for qualification on miles. They could change it, but, for now at least, Mike Gunn's opinion on the subject is more important to me than yours or mine

Also- by flying on full Y, you already get the benefits that you're paying for inherent in the fare (flexibility, refudability, etc) plus "special" EXP benefits ("free" electronic upgrades, guaranteed seat availability).

martin33

You're living in a fantasy world. If you think squeezing out all the EXP and PLT travelers who don't pay Y fares is going to make life better for you.

Each one of those squeezed out is spending $10-$50k each per year on fares. Replacing that revenue with marginal discount travelers to fill the back of the plane is not going to be easy-- especially since there will be NOTHING to lure them from the competition EXCEPT price. For each lost PLT or EXP, they would need to lure maybe 20-200 new customers on low fares alone. odds of this happening? nil. upshot for the rest of you high-fare flyers in piano-bar class? AA won't be able to afford to pamper you either. Eventually they won't have frequent enough schedules for you, and you'll go too.

It's a death-spiral scenario, plain and simple.

of course, in the meantime, you'll have a few months to lounge about the skies in half-empty planes, just like the "old days"...

LLZ

Do you work for yourself and pay for all of these, or a large company that receives near 50% discount on all tickets?

[This message has been edited by LLZ (edited 09-07-2002).]

Mad4Miles

If AA wants EXPs to only be high revenue customers, then they should eliminate the mileage qualification. Points are a better measure of revenue. Hard to get 100K point flying on deeply discounted economy tickets.

LLZ

In aviation speak its a stall which leads into a non-recoverable spin....still not good.