Apr 9, 2014, 11:05 am
Last edit by: JDiver
Angry about AAdvantage devaluation / vent / what can I do? (April 2014, consolidated)
Thread referred to: Devaluation, new tiers, oneworld Explorer award gone, etc. 8 April 2014
Without any prior notification, American Airlines announced on 8 April 2014 some significant AAdvantage program rescissions and devaluations, effective immediately:
- oneworld Explorer awards can no longer be claimed; (pre-existing awards will be honored)
- Stopovers at North American gateways for international partner award tickets were eliminated
- AAnytime awards now reflect variable, demand-based pricing
- US Dividend Miles North Asia premium awards have repriced
Important Information
AAnytime Awards: Effective April 8, 2014, for tickets issued for travel starting June 1, 2014, we have updated award levels. We will continue to honor any award tickets issued on / before April 7, 2014. For award bookings after April 8 for travel between April 8 and June 1, 2014, these award mileage levels will apply.
oneworld Explorer Awards are no longer available for award booking. We will continue to honor any award tickets issued on / before April 7, 2014.
AAnytime Awards: Effective April 8, 2014, for tickets issued for travel starting June 1, 2014, we have updated award levels. We will continue to honor any award tickets issued on / before April 7, 2014. For award bookings after April 8 for travel between April 8 and June 1, 2014, these award mileage levels will apply.
oneworld Explorer Awards are no longer available for award booking. We will continue to honor any award tickets issued on / before April 7, 2014.
Possibilities for action / communication:
Here's what you can do, as stated by the U.S. Supreme Court in its recent case (Source: http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions...2-462_p8k0.pdf page 13)
It is your duty to enter a complaint with the DOT at http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/CP_AirlineService.htm. You can even quote this passage from the U.S. Supreme Court.
Congress has given the Department of Transportation (DOT) the general authority to prohibit and punish unfair and deceptive practices in air transportation and in the sale of air transportation, 49 U.S.C. §41712(a) , and Congress has specifically authorized the DOT to investigate complaints relating to frequent flyer programs. See FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, §408(6), 126 Stat. 87. Pursuant to these provisions, the DOT regularly entertains and acts on such complaints.
Originally Posted by ooshawn
Just wrote an unhappy letter to AA/USAir execs (all email addresses I could find), if you want to feel free to use/build off of the following:
douglas.parker<at>usairways.com,
sean.bentel<at>aa.com,
tom.horton<at>aa.com ?
Customer.Relations<at>aa.com,
ken.fischer<at>usairways.com,
robert.isom<at>usairways.com,
suzanne.rubin<at>aa.com
douglas.parker<at>usairways.com,
sean.bentel<at>aa.com,
tom.horton<at>aa.com ?
Customer.Relations<at>aa.com,
ken.fischer<at>usairways.com,
robert.isom<at>usairways.com,
suzanne.rubin<at>aa.com
Originally Posted by MyTravels
USPS:
<Executive Name>
P.O. Box 619616
DFW Airport, TX 75261-9616
<Executive Name>
P.O. Box 619616
DFW Airport, TX 75261-9616
Angry about AAdvantage devaluation / vent / what can I do? (April 2014, consolidated)
Apr 9, 2014, 11:59 am
#106
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Tucson, AZ, USA. UA 1K, reluctant but * best in class * DL FO/MM. Former BA jumpseat rider and scourge of Dilbertian management and apologists. As LX might - and do - say: "....an experienced frequent flyer of international airlines"
Posts: 3,386
Not the devaluations...the NO-NOTICE strategy
The lack of notice is heinous. By undermining confidence in the stability of value - even in the very short term - this undermines consumer confidence in everything AA does.
It contradicts what I had previously understood about AA program handling and MO.
I didn't think AAdvantage could plumb the depths of these other programs but now...
This is actually WORSE than Jeff Robbo...he even gave several hours of notice of recent DL SM deval, or for the award chart change, several months of notice.
The lack of notice can only be described one way.
Suzy and co. IT IS:
:-: MEJOR EN SU CLASE :-:
It contradicts what I had previously understood about AA program handling and MO.
I didn't think AAdvantage could plumb the depths of these other programs but now...
This is actually WORSE than Jeff Robbo...he even gave several hours of notice of recent DL SM deval, or for the award chart change, several months of notice.
The lack of notice can only be described one way.
Suzy and co. IT IS:
:-: MEJOR EN SU CLASE :-:
Apr 9, 2014, 11:59 am
#107
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
I'm not too upset about the changes tbh. They were obviously coming (yes, the no notice things sucks) and AA still, generally, has a better program than its main competitors. I think the DOT complains are a waste of time--AA can do pretty much whatever it wants with its program.
The changes are basically coming: the justification of current AA and US FFPs and creation of unitary policies prior to the full FFP et al merger apparently will be incremental instead of coming at us in one mass. But come they will; it's inevitable.
Some will actually like some of the changes (because some are likely to reward their particular kind of flying, meaning high revenue / high value, most likely), others will hate them, and most of us will generally repudiate change that feels imposed on with no participation or ownership - that's nothing new.
Apr 9, 2014, 12:06 pm
#108
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 1999
Posts: 12,097
For perspective, when I joined AAdvantage in 1984, I was promised that
for 35,000 accumulated miles (that would never expire) and no cash (“award”, in english, means “free”) I would:
for 35,000 accumulated miles (that would never expire) and no cash (“award”, in english, means “free”) I would:
- fly roundrip to any US/CA destination, one stopover included, as long as a single economy-class seat was available for free (they picked up all taxes/fees);
- flights included free meals, alcohol, and two checked bags
- no black outs
- sleep one night for free at a Marriott or similar;
- and drive a midsize car for free for 2 weekend days (IIRC).
Apr 9, 2014, 12:58 pm
#111
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 385
That was my plan too as I was previously living in SEA and will hopefully move back. But don´t you think that Alaska will soon be gone if DL has their way?
Apr 9, 2014, 1:02 pm
#112
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 142
"First they came for the economy passengers but I did not speak up because I was not an economy passenger.
Then they came for the F passengers but I did not speak up because I was not an F passenger.
Then they came for the Emerald status members but I did not speak up because I was not an Emerald status member.
Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak up for me."
Pardon the paraphrasing as it's obviously not on the same level but if you don't act now then your precious saver awards will be the next to be axed.
Then they came for the F passengers but I did not speak up because I was not an F passenger.
Then they came for the Emerald status members but I did not speak up because I was not an Emerald status member.
Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak up for me."
Pardon the paraphrasing as it's obviously not on the same level but if you don't act now then your precious saver awards will be the next to be axed.
If sAAver awards go way up, I may reevaluate. If people want to take to twitter, FB etc. and write formal complaints I say go for it. I hope the action prompts AA to take better care of their FFs, but I don't hold out hope that it will actually go that way.
Apr 9, 2014, 1:07 pm
#113
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 142
For perspective, when I joined AAdvantage in 1984, I was promised that
for 35,000 accumulated miles (that would never expire) and no cash (“award”, in english, means “free”) I would:
for 35,000 accumulated miles (that would never expire) and no cash (“award”, in english, means “free”) I would:
- fly roundrip to any US/CA destination, one stopover included, as long as a single economy-class seat was available for free (they picked up all taxes/fees);
- flights included free meals, alcohol, and two checked bags
- no black outs
- sleep one night for free at a Marriott or similar;
- and drive a midsize car for free for 2 weekend days (IIRC).
Apr 9, 2014, 1:09 pm
#114
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: DFW
Programs: AA 1M
Posts: 31,475
For perspective, when I joined AAdvantage in 1984, I was promised that
for 35,000 accumulated miles (that would never expire) and no cash (“award”, in english, means “free”) I would:
for 35,000 accumulated miles (that would never expire) and no cash (“award”, in english, means “free”) I would:
- fly roundrip to any US/CA destination, one stopover included, as long as a single economy-class seat was available for free (they picked up all taxes/fees);
- flights included free meals, alcohol, and two checked bags
- no black outs
- sleep one night for free at a Marriott or similar;
- and drive a midsize car for free for 2 weekend days (IIRC).
Apr 9, 2014, 1:13 pm
#115
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
Yes, breaking up monopolies, oligopolies and cartels is possible, just highly improbable to be pursued by DOJ when it comes to this industry's players here.
Apr 9, 2014, 1:16 pm
#116
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
Apr 9, 2014, 1:18 pm
#117
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: DCA
Posts: 7,769
Has anyone actually tried to SEARCH for SAAver awards lately? I was trying to console myself and convince myself that this devaluation wouldn't affect me because I was like the poster I've quoted above, and am flexible on travel dates and locations. So I started searching weeks and months. The main thing is this - there is a lot of ECONOMY SAAver space. It's all over the place. But J/F? Forget about it. Domestic? Forget it. South America or Europe? No way. Month ending in -er? Not happening. Using these miles is going to be harder than I'd hoped unless I want to do a lot of Y class travel.
Apr 9, 2014, 1:26 pm
#118
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 7,710
. Justifying taking away the AA program's superior mileage redemption options with specious comparisons to DL and UA without addressing the more generous elite benefits the other programs offer...
Apr 9, 2014, 1:29 pm
#119
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Los Gatos, CA
Programs: Hyatt Diamond, Marriott PLT, SPG PLT, AA EXP, Virgin Elevate
Posts: 293
I just booked a business saver award for winter break DEC - JAN to Miami... The only flights that showed up were US.:td
:tdHas anyone actually tried to SEARCH for SAAver awards lately? I was trying to console myself and convince myself that this devaluation wouldn't affect me because I was like the poster I've quoted above, and am flexible on travel dates and locations. So I started searching weeks and months. The main thing is this - there is a lot of ECONOMY SAAver space. It's all over the place. But J/F? Forget about it. Domestic? Forget it. South America or Europe? No way. Month ending in -er? Not happening. Using these miles is going to be harder than I'd hoped unless I want to do a lot of Y class travel.
Apr 9, 2014, 1:30 pm
#120
Join Date: Jul 2004
Programs: AA lt gold, HH Diamond, marriott pl
Posts: 329
Would be nice if they decided that apologies should be followed by a "kiss and make-up" giving the notice back, even 30 days worth...the immediate taking away of the Explorer seems to be a major issue as it was an award people saved for , some for years!
This would go a long way for me.
This would go a long way for me.