Speculation: survey about upgrades 23 Jul 2018 -- changes on the way?
Jul 24, 2018, 6:25 pm
#46
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: STL/ORD/MCI/SAN
Programs: AA CK MM, AC SE100K, BA Gold, UA 1K, DL Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,989
Except AS, where F is generally priced so ridiculously high compared to Y that very few people seem to pay for it in comparison to AA/UA/DL, and it's often wide open for upgrades at the 75K (top tier elite) window.
Jul 24, 2018, 7:12 pm
#47
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AAdvantage PP
Posts: 13,913
There is no doubt in my mind that the Big 3 want to now monetize domestic upgrades likely with some type of co pay. It’s just a question of which airline does it first then they all can follow. The co pay like the cost of an AC membership may depend upon status.
Jul 24, 2018, 7:17 pm
#48
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 163
Got the survey, told them 95% business travel, typically 1 route every other week, week here week there, repeat. Company pays, so all the would you use your money to do anything is a complete non-starter. Would I pay $600 for first instead of $700, of course not. The domestic first is laughable how bad it is on the flights I take all the time, I don't even bother to put in for the upgrades on the >500 segments as MCE is effectively the same thing, with the chance that someone is sitting right next to me. Given the scenario presented, I'd just buy 2 Y seats, have the extra space between me and the other person potentially in the row, and call it good. I think they fundamentally don't understand the reality of business travel. I get reimbursed for the Y seat, that's it, and that's been the rule at every company I've been at for more than 20 years.
Agree with the others that the survey really needed a none of the above on a lot more of the questions. Given the options presented, the answer is, how's a skype call sound, I'm not flying for that meeting.
Agree with the others that the survey really needed a none of the above on a lot more of the questions. Given the options presented, the answer is, how's a skype call sound, I'm not flying for that meeting.
Jul 24, 2018, 7:40 pm
#49
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: STL/ORD/MCI/SAN
Programs: AA CK MM, AC SE100K, BA Gold, UA 1K, DL Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,989
They could do what VX used to do (and, frankly, I wouldn't be surprised to see some form of this in the future)... the "elite upgrade window" wasn't a complimentary upgrade window, it was a paid upgrade window. Golds got first crack at buying the upgrade at T-24h, Silvers were next at T-12h, and then non-status passengers could buy whatever was left. This method was certainly more elite-friendly than simply allowing anyone to buy a "TOD" upgrade.
Jul 24, 2018, 7:42 pm
#50
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: CLT
Posts: 89
Throw PE on domestic flights and I'd pay for it on domestic 3+ hours for leisure and lie flats for business. Not sure where you stick it on a 737 Max but, hey, Parker can fit in 30 inch pitch seats so figure it out. Maybe for the 797s if they actually show their faces?
Jul 24, 2018, 11:07 pm
#51
Join Date: May 2007
Location: London and Madrid
Programs: BA Gold, UA 2MM, Hyatt Globalist, Columbia Record & Tape Club Triple Diamond VIP
Posts: 580
Anybody else get the survey?
Got a survey about the AA mileage program thing. Asked if I'd rather have two system wide upgrades that I could actually use versus the six sitting in my account that I can never use.
Asked about out unlimited domestic upgrades (worthless to me) and whether & how much I'd pay for a crappy domestic upgrade (never/zero).
Anybody else?
Asked about out unlimited domestic upgrades (worthless to me) and whether & how much I'd pay for a crappy domestic upgrade (never/zero).
Anybody else?
Jul 24, 2018, 11:14 pm
#52
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 152
Got a survey about the AA mileage program thing. Asked if I'd rather have two system wide upgrades that I could actually use versus the six sitting in my account that I can never use.
Asked about out unlimited domestic upgrades (worthless to me) and whether & how much I'd pay for a crappy domestic upgrade (never/zero).
Anybody else?
Asked about out unlimited domestic upgrades (worthless to me) and whether & how much I'd pay for a crappy domestic upgrade (never/zero).
Anybody else?
Speculation: survey about upgrades 23 Jul 2018 -- changes on the way?
Jul 24, 2018, 11:24 pm
#53
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Live: IWI; Work: DCA/Everywhere; Play: LAS/SJU/MLE
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Ambassador/LTP, Nat'l Exec Elite, LEYE Gold
Posts: 6,670
Jul 25, 2018, 5:41 am
#55
Join Date: Jul 2005
Programs: DL-Plat
Posts: 142
I’m DFW based EXP and I didn’t get the survey. I’ll be curious to see how they roll this out, and what they’re going to package it with to call it an “enhancement” to the elite program. The timing will also be interesting. If they roll this out and make it effective for 2019, there will be a lot of angry elites who have requalified based on current benefits. If they make it effective for 2020, giving elites a year to vote with their feet, they’re effectively daring their customers to switch, which is a terrible idea. A lot of people will do it just to spite AA and show their anger over the changes, even if UA/DL don’t give them anything more.
Whatever used to work about upgrades on AA is now broken. I rarely clear upgrades anymore as an EXP, so it must now be impossible for Plats and Plat Pros to clear (at least out of DFW).
Whatever used to work about upgrades on AA is now broken. I rarely clear upgrades anymore as an EXP, so it must now be impossible for Plats and Plat Pros to clear (at least out of DFW).
Jul 25, 2018, 6:54 am
#56
Join Date: May 2007
Location: London and Madrid
Programs: BA Gold, UA 2MM, Hyatt Globalist, Columbia Record & Tape Club Triple Diamond VIP
Posts: 580
Why shouldn't I respond to the survey? How does saying that negatively impact anyone?
Jul 25, 2018, 6:59 am
#57
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 163
I fly through DFW every couple of weeks as PLT to or from AUS. Twice already this year, I've been upgraded. Once on a Sunday evening, once on a Saturday morning. I've been as low as 67th on the upgrade list as recent as last fall on this segment. So yes, something changed, I never expected to clear a single DFW AUS upgrade.
Jul 25, 2018, 8:22 am
#58
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
I don't get it. Domestic upgrades are worthless to me because they don't apply to the transcontinental routes I fly. SWUs that don't clear at booking are equally worthless to me. The SWUs I can use on transcontinental often have a negative value (because C costs more than F).
Why shouldn't I respond to the survey? How does saying that negatively impact anyone?
Why would upgrades not apply to transcons? Did I miss something? I now live in the DFW area. so no recent opportunities for transcon, but I don't remember them not being eligible for 500 miles "stickers"
Last edited by mvoight; Jul 25, 2018 at 9:14 am
Jul 25, 2018, 9:23 am
#59
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: MIA, VIE and DPS
Programs: DL Plat 1MM, AA EXP 3MM, SQ Krisflyer Gold, UA Silver, Marriott LTT, HH Gold
Posts: 1,132
Going against the grain here.......the number of upgrades handed out on AA reduces my ability as a paid Domestic F flyer to standby on earlier services and retaining my F seat. Therefore, if the number of upgrades handed out are reduced, I would actually be quite happy.
Fully expecting to get shot down in flames
Fully expecting to get shot down in flames
