Several people have suggested writing letters to CO customer service. Why not write directly to Kellner? I've written him twice. Both times I received phone calls (once directly from his office, once from a senior-level CS in Houston). Both times, my problems were solved. I would not expect a bunch of phone calls from Larry on this one, but I bet he'll read some of the letters, and there will be a better chance he has a real pulse on the reaction of his best customers. Anyway, if you're going to write a letter, why not address it to him?...

I'm going to go out on a limb and agree with you. Looking at DL's positioning, say in the last year, they've made mostly positive moves:

- F meal improvements (restored glassware, lowered meal thresholds for F). Aside from transcon services, DL's meals are comparable, and in some cases better than CO's.

- DL offers a free drink in int'l Y.

- DL has revamped BE such that the amenities (kit, blanket/pillow) and food (both quality and presentation) in BE are better than that of BF.

- DL is way ahead of CO on the PTV rollout -- it's most every plane now.

- DL is trying to be more customer friendly -- the attitude there is very positive.

DL had a lot of issues during bankruptcy, but they're been on an upward trend since, not a downward trend. They also have lower change fees than others ($100 vs. $150), and as ClipperDelta has pointed out, they're trying to charge more for the second bag instead of the first, so I really think matching the first bag fee may not be happening there.

I just picked up on all of this.

$15 bucks for bag #1: Sux

100% vs 125%: Really Sux

500 minimums gone: Really, really Sux (for this short hauler).


The dilution of the Silver status kinda makes Million Mile status a little weaker also.

Ooh. Now here's an idea that really appeals to me! Especially since it'll pick up your current Elite status and transfer that over to your spouse, who can get the free first bag!

I guess none of these changes, however disappointing, are game-changing for me. I generally don't check bags, but if I did they'd be free because I'm Elite. Even if I weren't my company would pay the fee so I wouldn't be out of pocket. I don't travel *that* many 500 mile segments. Finally, the 125%->100% change is about $200 out of pocket at $0.01 per mile. Sad, but not game-changing.

Too true, I was hoping the same thing, that CO would raise United to their standards instead of sinking to UA's. In the end, the bean counter win out. LK himself rose from those ranks.

Yep, when I find garbage in my 1st class seat, then my loyalty means nothing...

-Hammer

On a day the oilprice brushed down to around 100 USD, this dumps in my mailbox while the doors were closing on a 600 USD CO flight that was 300 something miles....

Chopping benefits for their best customers is never the solution to anything. Making Gold and Platinum elite benefits equal is appalling. Copying the loosers of the industry shows lack of creativity and incompetence.

Here's what I will do: "From worst to first" is coming off my bookshelf and will be Fed-Ex'd to Larry Kellner.

He has forgotten one of the key elements to succeed that the guy who hired him and made his career in the aviation industry taught him.

On a different note, being the best to take care of his employees is also something that Larry and Gordon has always been good at. One of the benefits CO employees had was to give away buddy passes to family and friends. As of recently, CO has DOUBLED the fee for a buddy pass. It now costs USD200 dollars for friends and relatives to fly a domestic flight on stand by on CO.

Larry, this is a disgrace. I expect this from UA and US, but not from you.

You need to read Gordon's book again. You have forgotten what it takes for an airline to succeed.

As 70% of my flights are intra-TX, the elimination of the 500 mile minimum really leaves me no reason to continue to go out of my way to fly CO. I can earn free domestic flights faster using WN, and can get international tix using point transfers from hotel programs into the airline of my choice.

With new rules, it would take me way too many IAH-AUS segments at actual mileage and only 25% bonus to accumulate any meaningful mileage balance.

Who says that Golds and Plats are their best customers?

It is "losers", not "loosers". This must be the most common misspelling on FT.

Why? They operate in the same market. You should expect their strategies to converge over the near/long term.

So, why should I bust my butt to give CO more business?

Now there is no real advantage between Plat and Gold, especially living in SDF where we're stuck with CO Express with no FC cabin for upgrades.

Setting the Elite bonus the same for Gold and Plat makes no sense. What's the motivation to fly CO more? Better to hit 50k and jump ship to AA or UA.

I have no problems with baggage fees (basically a pay for use fee) or the <500 miles get actual. But treating Plats and Golds the same for Elite bonus miles is a dumb business decision.

Much as airlines try out fare increases and see if they stick, this may well be one. For TX based flyers, the new minimum level on CO does make AA more competitive, especially if free tickets are the primary reason for your frequent flyer affilliation. (Mine is upgrades, so it is a bit different.)

IME, CO has less availability right now than AA, at least on the lower level awards. This will make it harder to acquire the seats (and I'll believe more availability in the future when I see it.)

Look at how much time CO has given for this to be implemented. If AA does not follow suit, and if elites in TX and surrounding states cut back on post 12-31 bookings and go to WN or AA, portions of this change may end up where some attempted fare increased go ......... away.

I can't understand most of the analysis going on here. Is it not simple? CO is devaluing its FF program. Your loyalty does not mean that much to them. Nothing we say or write will mean anything to them. The only way they will think again is if they see a signficant drop in revenue directly attributable to these changes.

Why will Plat & Gold get the same bonus

Reductions should be accross the board

Very bad decision and certainly not fair

I hope you're right, but I don't think you are. Call me skeptical but my guess is that CO says "Sorry, we don't care" and goes forward with these changes.

It doesn't matter if they are the first or the last one to cross the finish line of the downward spiral race. The point is they are getting to the same terrible place.

Time to write a letter to Larry .....

Really? US farted in the face of their FFers and reversed nothing to original levels...last I saw, they were considering bringing back Elite bonuses for Elites that had the credit card.