I wanted to give a perspective of a CO flyer who was comped(I know,BOO! HISS!) to Platinum status because of a United 1K (Million Mile)status. I have been watching these boards for a long time and have learned invaluable info. I will have flown over 62,000 actual flight miles on CO by end of April 2004. I have been watching over the last couple of years how a lot of posters on this CO forum have had bad experiences with CO. However I have to say that I have been upgraded EVERY ELIGIBLE FLIGHT this year. Now that I think about it,I have been in First Class every flight(except one Delta connection CRJ)I am lucky that my routes this year have not involved CRJs. I mostly buy low fares which because I book them on CO.com I get 100% EQMs. I have flown one International flight to LGW and have been in Business First(had to pay miles and $ to do it). I have been on 6 Transcons(LAX or SNA to EWR and back). I am about 50% EUA and the rest either 2 or 3 days ahead or the day of departure. I have had to involve CO Customer Service Center in Houston twice this year and they have responded both times quickly and correctly. I do not work for CO. I am in the Plumbing business. I personally think Co Business First is the best in the skies. I DO NOT LIKE COs International upgrade policy! It needs to be changed NOW! The reason for this post is to let other flyers know that CO,is either getting much better,or I am just blessed. I also agree that standard reward availabilty is poor. However since I get 125% mileage bonus,I feel a little better. God Bless

I don't think you are seeing things any differently than others. The problem is not onboard, it is a problem with management and its attitude toward the customer. The convoluted rules, the EQM nonsense, and the difficulty that some have redeeming standard awards are the problems.

Why of course, if you're the only CO elite on their jets, you would get upgraded 100% of the time...

<<duck>>

aloha

I thank you for posting the above! CO is simply the best today. I'm always baffled how most people want free unlimited upgrades, 100% equity miles, SWU's, elite baggage service, elite lines, IFE, and 3 course meals for a $200 Rt ticket. Something has to give. At CO I have consistently found all of the above AND new clean planes! How can you beat that?

Don't blame the customer for expecting to receive what the airline is advertising and selling. Nowhere does CO or any other airline claim that service to a $2000 Y class passenger will be any different than service to a $200 Y class passenger.

Not blaming the passenger for anything. CO is a business and they aren't going to make any money, buy any new planes, or serve any food by flying the $200 passenger up front, giving SWU's (which they dont), serving meals at meal times, and giving 100% mileage credit! Again, something has to give.

You have just pretty much described AA EXP.

Since when did CO start giving SWUs?

Systemwide Unicorns?

International upgrades are just as imaginary in this program . . .

coplatua1k, Good post. My exact feelings. CO is great.

The ads say Free Unlimited Upgrades. As an international flyer, I do not see them. Unless free means miles plus $800 and even then you might not get the upgrade when you get to the gate as happened to me recently. I do not pay $200 per ticket. I do not think I ever spent less than $200 on a CO ticket (and that was to DCA from EWR). I usually spend $300 to $400 for a domestic ticket and $400 - $1200 internationally.

As to food, I starved in the back of a plane after not getting an expected upgrade and when I was offered a roll with a little meat and a sauce I was unable to eat on a flight to HNL from EWR. That was not a �meal� at mealtime.

But the flight attendants are generally great. As said earlier, it is a management problem.

The rules are incomprehensible, even to CO employees. If a mistake is made (even a clear mistake by CO), it can take a lot of time to get it rectified, as shown in numerous examples here.

I am close to the tipping point after being a very loyal CO customer for over a decade. Some moderate tweaking could make OnePass a great program once again, but management is not inclined to go in that direction. There seems to be a feeling that a win for the customer is a loss for CO. Until management realizes that you can have win-win situations, the customer will suffer and I believe will lose many otherwise loyal customers.

what is a SWU?

I like CO and will continue to fly them 100% of the time, until they announce that low fares will no longer get full segment points or 100% EQM.

I dont expect somehting for nothing, yet i feel i deserve the occasional FC seat in reward for my leisure travel loyalty. im gold with nearly 95% leisure travel.

those of you who fly on the high fares should get 200% credits rather than cutting the low fare credit in half.

dlen111

They have already announced that low fares wont get full EQMs. It ended last year but was "extended" (or was that ENHANCED) if you purchase on continental.com

I'd be happy to see this change become permanent but who knows.....

100 % EQM on low fares ends at the end of this year. It was not supposed to be in effect this year, but CO caved and allowed it for one more year if you book at CO.com.

I think a lot of people are going to be bailing unless CO really does do an :-:enhancement:-: and keeps the 100% EQM, but as cigarman pointed out several times in his my conversations with the president thread, as far as CO and 50% EQM (and 0 segment points) on low fares starting next year, it's a done deal.



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