Sep 18, 2015, 10:16 am
Last edit by: JDiver
Speculation: Future changes to AAdvantage program? (Consolidated thread)
Please update as any concrete information becomes available.
Please update as any concrete information becomes available.
This situation changed with JonNYC's revelations here and on travelingbetter.com on November 5, 2015. Please see the current thread, 2016 AAdvantage Program Changes for further discussion. This speculation thread has now been archived.
Q. What do we know at this point?
Nothing.
Q. When would a change occur?
We don't know.
Q. Will there be changes?
We don't know.
Q. Are there clues?
Mr. Parker stated there would be no changes for 2015.
Mr. Parker said he'd not be averse to using others' ideas if they worked.
28 Sep 2015: AA spokesperson Laura Nedbal to Gary Leff:
"If we were to issue changes like this we would be certain to give plenty of advanced notice."
Mr. Parker said he'd not be averse to using others' ideas if they worked.
28 Sep 2015: AA spokesperson Laura Nedbal to Gary Leff:
"If we were to issue changes like this we would be certain to give plenty of advanced notice."
ARCHIVE: Speculation: Future changes to AAdvantage program? (Consolidated)
Nov 1, 2015, 6:50 am
#376
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: DCA/IAD/WAS
Programs: MAR AMB, WOH Explorist, AA EXP, UA 2P
Posts: 2,138
At least they were quick to admit their mistakes and recognise backlash unlike another airline which took a corruption case before it was officially announced they screwed up? Look, the meal downgrade was awful not just because of the massive complaints but also bad PR. (Cremini mushroom ravioli aka dog barf?) However, considering the meal downgrade has been the worst thing to happen during the merger process compared to a litany of other, significantly more impactful disasters in previous mergers, management deserves credit. There was no March 3, 2012 or US/HP mess. And the initial merger of the FFP programme was a great success with very little hiccups. More importantly, there was very little change with the initial roll out. Only the few US Platinums got screwed. I don't think Parker's management is anywhere near as arrogant and self-serving as you are making it out to be. Unlike a former CEO who might end up in the clink, he seems to know how to run an effective airline with historically better operations than AA before the merger.
Nov 1, 2015, 6:53 am
#377
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: DCA/IAD/WAS
Programs: MAR AMB, WOH Explorist, AA EXP, UA 2P
Posts: 2,138
Nov 1, 2015, 9:58 am
#378
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: YYF/YLW
Programs: AA, DL, AS, VA, WS Silver
Posts: 5,951
I agree that they should give a full year notice, but I'd be very surprised if they did. (I'd also be very surprised if changes in the frequent flyer program rules will be grounds for a fee waiver for affected already-purchased tickets.) I'm pretty sure UA and DL both changed their elite-qualifying earning rules midway through the year when they implemented their changes. I know DL took away benefits from Golds (complimentary main cabin extra seats on domestic flights announced in Nov 2014, effective March 2015, after most elite qualifying was done (and that is one reason I flew Delta not once this year instead of a handful of times). Some would be very (pleasantly) surprised if AA gave a full year notice. Once they've made the decision, I expect they will just implement it with some notice, but nowhere near a year. Again, I'd be very happy to be proved wrong in my guess.
Nov 1, 2015, 10:40 am
#379
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador, AA EXP
Posts: 2,704
I agree that they should give a full year notice, but I'd be very surprised if they did. (I'd also be very surprised if changes in the frequent flyer program rules will be grounds for a fee waiver for affected already-purchased tickets.) I'm pretty sure UA and DL both changed their elite-qualifying earning rules midway through the year when they implemented their changes. I know DL took away benefits from Golds (complimentary main cabin extra seats on domestic flights announced in Nov 2014, effective March 2015, after most elite qualifying was done (and that is one reason I flew Delta not once this year instead of a handful of times). Some would be very (pleasantly) surprised if AA gave a full year notice. Once they've made the decision, I expect they will just implement it with some notice, but nowhere near a year. Again, I'd be very happy to be proved wrong in my guess.
Nov 1, 2015, 10:45 am
#380
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2014
Programs: Top Tier with all 3 alliances
Posts: 11,666
I believe DL gave at least 9-10 months notice for their major ffp overhaul. If I recall correctly they announced it around March to take effect the following January.
Nov 1, 2015, 2:53 pm
#381
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador, AA EXP
Posts: 2,704
It looks like they gave an 11 month notice (based on this article's date stamp). So I am 99% certain that 2016 qualifying for 2017 will remain the same.
Nov 2, 2015, 10:59 pm
#382
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: AAdvantage, Hilton
Posts: 3,191
Expect leaks soon. Winter is definitely coming.
Nov 2, 2015, 11:11 pm
#383
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Nov 2, 2015, 11:40 pm
#384
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,528
Nov 2, 2015, 11:46 pm
#385
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: AAdvantage, Hilton
Posts: 3,191
Nov 3, 2015, 12:17 am
#386
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: SFO, CLT
Programs: AA Bonsai EXP (2.9 MM), AS MVPG
Posts: 1,394
Nov 3, 2015, 12:29 am
#387
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Benicia CA
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 75K, AA 3.8MM, UA 1.1MM, enjoying the retired life
Posts: 31,849
I've done some discount LH flights within Europe that don't accrue anything with UA, so having BA flights drop to 25-50% is not a surprise. As to trans-Atlantic, still see AA codeshares out there on BA that work.
Looks like Iberia flights in the lower economy classes (deep discount, discount) drop to 25 or 50%, too, on February 1, and if you're doing trans-Atlantic on an IB flight number you'll take a hit here, too, as those are included.
http://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/ea...nes/iberia.jsp
And Air Berlin shows 25% in deep discount economy (100% in other economy classes). Don't think that has changed.
http://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/ea.../airberlin.jsp
Looks like Iberia flights in the lower economy classes (deep discount, discount) drop to 25 or 50%, too, on February 1, and if you're doing trans-Atlantic on an IB flight number you'll take a hit here, too, as those are included.
http://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/ea...nes/iberia.jsp
And Air Berlin shows 25% in deep discount economy (100% in other economy classes). Don't think that has changed.
http://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/ea.../airberlin.jsp
Nov 3, 2015, 12:31 am
#388
Join Date: Jul 2001
Programs: AA EP
Posts: 2,203
Finally it is out.
But no one here should be surprised. We all expected this. And he had the accidental preview in September.
To those that said it is too late in 2015 to ale changes....well...it's never too late I guess.
Awaiting the other shoe to drop.... But probably after this does down a little.
But no one here should be surprised. We all expected this. And he had the accidental preview in September.
To those that said it is too late in 2015 to ale changes....well...it's never too late I guess.
Awaiting the other shoe to drop.... But probably after this does down a little.
Nov 3, 2015, 1:14 am
#389
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 774
Finally it is out.
But no one here should be surprised. We all expected this. And he had the accidental preview in September.
To those that said it is too late in 2015 to ale changes....well...it's never too late I guess.
Awaiting the other shoe to drop.... But probably after this does down a little.
But no one here should be surprised. We all expected this. And he had the accidental preview in September.
To those that said it is too late in 2015 to ale changes....well...it's never too late I guess.
Awaiting the other shoe to drop.... But probably after this does down a little.
It's likely to involve harder to earn status and reduced mileage on cheap fares. That can be done with one shoe - adjusting AA chart to say 25-75% for cheap fares. But that instead can be several shoes such as RDM based on fare, minimum spend per elite tier, etc (i.e. copy DL/UA). Adjusting the AA earn chart would be simpler, but if copying AA/DL, then the shoes don't need to be simultaneous.
On other notes, LATAM chart offers 100% for cheap fares on international flights - that also seems ripe for a change.
Nov 3, 2015, 6:20 am
#390
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BWI
Programs: AA Gold, HH Diamond, National Emerald Executive, TSA Disparager Gold
Posts: 15,180
So as it stands now, that's only flying on BA coded flights, correct? If we were to fly an AA coded BA operated flight, we'd still get miles/points according to AA's schedule, correct?