Leaving CO Due to 2009 Changes? Where to and Why?
 

Just curious to see who's leaving CO due to the changes, where you're planning on going and why (or what change particular) was a deciding factor.

For myself I plan on continuing my existing strategy of utilizing two airlines, one of whom will be CO and the other will probably be UA. I'm mulling over getting a comp to NW, which really equates to SkyMiles, but am still not sure on that front.

Anyway my reasons for this (beyond being IAH based) is that I've found CO to be quite effective at some things - but not everything - just like UA's got it's own unique factors (or AA, DLNW, US, WN, etc.) and the changes just don't honestly impact me that much.

For my schedule I've enjoyed cheap fares out of IAH/AUS/SAT with both an excellent upgrade and reliability factor from CO. My complaint with CO lies in that Plat's relatively weak compared to other offerings (we have to pay close in reward fees, same-day confirmed fees, etc.) as well as no real upgrade options for international flights beyond miles. SWUs-esq ideas have been discussed ad nausem here but one would like to think some incarnation of the idea for the post 75k flier could be identified and implemented.

Likewise I've enjoyed excellent routings, a very decent Y product (E+), good elite recognition and op-ups on United. On the flip side I've found UA to be far more variable than CO from operations to labor. UA's trend of both filtering *A awards and "award acceleration" seem a bit too close to cooking the golden goose and I hope they're able to maintain an otherwise excellent mileage program (at least for the top tier) despite an increase in both outstanding miles and cost savings pressure. UA has their issues but at the same time they've done a very decent job of giving their top elites more tangible benefits than CO (or at least in my case.)

Already took 60% of my spend to UA. This will cause me to take all but about 5% of my spend AWAY from CO!

Next year looks like this (I spend $65-90K yearly on mostly north amer. flights)
based upon total spend:

UA 70%
CO 5% (ABE-CLE)
WN 5% (PHL)
AA 10% (only been on AA a few times...but im going to try them)
Amtrak 10% (NWK-BOS)


The reason is because CO now takes the miles away, AND still does not give SWU's!

Well JE, I'm in almost an opposite scenario to you. Since the DL/NW merger announcement I've been giving serious consideration to signing up for OP and shifting to CO.

But I'm glad I held off on this for a while because the StarA announcement has changed the landscape a lot. Now I see that the OP changes just announced are disheartening, yes, but they won't be the last. The forthcoming all-RJ sched to TUS is another disincentive.

I have in the past, and do now, congratulate CO on the depth of their partnership with NW. I've felt treated as a genuine Elite whenever I've flown CO for better (most of the time) and for worse (irops at EWR). And for the last few years I've felt that the SkyTeam options were the best, in terms of network coverage, choice of carriers between many US cities, reciprocity levels in FFP accumulation/redemption and so on.

I think the CO/UA relationship is going to be nothing like as effective for OPE. Starnet filtering, upgrade certs a la UA, etc.

By the way, this critique doesn't mean that I'm defending how DL is going to treat merged NW WPE either, because I fear DL Customer Service and many other things.

You can be sure I'm enjoying my last few months as a genuine redtail PE:

Op-ups to the top deck of the 744 to Asia left and right.
Op-ups on award tix on the 330.
Excellent irops recovery under all circumstances.
Wonderful flexibility and helpfulness from the WP GE/PE line.
Great WP program conditions, no late booking fee, no fees at all for PE until next week, etc.
SWUs - and other great benefits - through the EEP program.

Must book those juicy HNL-Asia RTs in C, on the top deck, for 60k and no fee before DL pulls the plug and/or surcharges us like AF/KL do for European FF.

After this, it's really all downhill. Our nice 744s and 330s will all descend into ATL and be seized. We'll be issued with our new DL SMM cards and told to call India where the agents won't be empowered, or able, to assist us concocting our favorite WP award itins from US-EU via SXM, AUA with stopovers, open-jaws etc.... MSP and DTW will get the crummy DL 763s. Etc.

Sigh. WP was the best program. I do remember one award flight I took a few years ago on CO, to GIG, sitting next to an OPE pax who'd also booked an award...this was when OP had just incremented to 50k for Y awards, but WP were still booking at 35k for deep S.Am. On CO metal.

But now, if you're the guy reading this, you get the last laugh because now we have...DL.

We're all going to experience a diminution in service.

NO..Im staying with CO..they could have changed alot more,I really think they didnt want to have to make any changes but market conditions dictate..CO is the best out there..and you know it..:)

CO is losing my loyalty
 

For the last several years I've given all my business, meaning 3 or 4 trips a year between New York and Brasil, and enjoyed the benefits of being (just a) Silver Elite.

This coming year, due to family illness, I probably won't even make Silver, meaning no priority boarding, easier access to award seats, and Elite bonus.

This is the time for me to evaluate who I want to fly with in the future. It probably won't be Continental, but rather a combination of United and TAM, which is bringing back non-stop flights between New York and Rio, just like Continental used to have.

Up till now I considered Continental better than its competitors, but the first bag fee, lower Elite miles, and small things like the inability to provide my wife's special meal, even with it on her record and with reminders on the phone whenever we make reservations. Her veggie meal is remembered less than one third of the time.

What would it take to win me back? Non stops on my traveled route would help, but that's not relevant to this thread. Rescinding the changes, especially the Elite bonus mile reduction, would help a lot. I'll still fly with CO when it's the cheapest, but no longer would spend more to fly with them when the fare is higher--as it usually is. I'm not going to spend more money to get fewer ff miles.

Since CO and UA will be in bed together soon (with *A and all), I would generally advise someone to look at getting top tier status at a carrier in another alliance instead (unless of course the other alliances are completely useless to you), if one does travel quite a bit. I cover myself with status at all three (AA for OW, DL for SkyTeam, and LH/UA for *A) so that I never have to stand in a Y line for check-in, etc., in case I find myself travelling outside of my usual "home" alliance/carrier.

Ironically, after many years away from CO, I have found myself back at Gold Elite now, and will get Plat after my next BF TATL trip...

Sorry to get OT here, but I had to say something....While I understand to an extent the 'siege' mentality exhibited by many NWers towards the merger, many people are 'projecting' things about the new FF program, new airline, etc., that may or may not be true. And then to bolster their argument that the merger is going to be nothing but horrible for the NW side, they mix facts and fantasy left and right. For example, DL elites currently never have to talk to India, so if one remains an elite with the new DLNW, why would one have to talk to Bangalore Bob? Another example - DL sucks because they don't allow you to enter your NW FF # - well, guess what? after the merger, it won't be a problem since you will now be a DL elite, etc.
Once again, sorry for the OT...

Rescinding the changes would help me too. I wonder how likely that is to happen. My guess is about as likely as a silver elite getting a EUA on EWR-SFO ;)

I'm trying to think which carrier would best suit me, and still haven't figured it out. I go to NYC often, so love having nonstops to/from HNL. Then I often will go to FLL, and occasionally Europe and Asia. CO's flights for now are still the best option, but it's kind of pointless for me to be a Platinum.

If I were to go with AA, I think as an ExPlat I could get free upgrades on the Hawaii flights, but I would have to fly more (100k) vs (75k).

I guess there is still the DL/NW option ..

I'm leaving UA for CO. :)
 

I maintain one FFP account in each major alliance. Right now the lineup (in order of alliance preference) is NW, UA, AA. The only one I maintain elite status with is NW.

CO is my 2nd-favorite US48-based carrier, and UA is near the bottom of my list, so I fully intend to credit future *A flights to CO, and terminate my UA account.

Post-2009, I'm going to wait and see whether any US48-based members of *A survive other than CO, and also wait and see whether the post-merger DL/NW totally screws up, before deciding what to do.

Having my 2 favorite US48-based airlines in separate alliances gives me options like shifting business from one to the other if warranted, or maintaining platinum on one and silver on the other, or gold on both, or whatever.

I've been Plat for multiple years but will now just be satisfied with Gold. There's really no need to push for Plat now and that's what I've done in the past. I'll just spread the last bit of my travel around a couple of airlines - maybe UA, maybe SW.

What a sad day for Continental. Like someone else said I always thought Continental was different from other carriers. I don’t understand how it makes sense to charge someone separate for a bag instead of just incorporating it into the price of the ticket. I am PLAT for this year and next already so this doesn’t impact me but it’s a bad business strategy.

All and all the announcement stinks and since it bring CO more in line with everyone else I will look to spread my $900 a week H class fare spending on other airlines. I am ok with changes but when they take aware incentives of Platinum’s that really rubs me the wrong way.

I want CO to succeed but I think hurting frequent travelers is the wrong strategy. My annual spend on CO is over $100k due to many BF flights I take to Europe. CO is way behind other carriers across the pond but I stayed with them based on loyalty.

CO will lose allot my business next year because I am already Platinum and see little incentive to try and become Platinum again and will shoot for Gold. I will probably change to VS across the pond who has a way better experience anyway. Domestically I am not sure but I am thinking AA is the next option for me since I fly to Dallas often. Cost is not a barrier for me I just book the flights I am loyal to a carrier and sorry CO you will lose business from me. Sad day.

I don't plan on leaving CO but with my domestic travel, I can easily make Platinum. So, I will move my international travel to a carrier that offers Premium economy. My loyalty will no longer keep me blindly flying CO.

I think I will being doing the same, though IO need to figure who gives me the best options to Europe, both in cost, benefits and schedule.

A bonus goes from 125% to 100% and you give up on platinum? Perhaps you've not seen the difference in fees for changing award travel (zero vs. $150) or the extra availability for platinum redemptions. Frankly, I'm amazed nobody has made much of these differences.

I'm completely shocked at the lack of outrage at the huge award change fees for gold that were recently implemented. That we hear nothing about. Yet, going from 225% RDM to 200% RDM draws outrage :confused: ...

Will I leave CO because of these changes ?? NO... As they really do not effect me much:
#1- I NEVER EVER EVER check bags.
#2- As for the 100% vs 125% mileage bonus for Plat's-- not a big deal difference, as I've got over a million miles in my account now, and only use them occaisionally to upgrade overseas flights.
#3- No more minimum 500 miles for short flights doesn't matter to me, as I rarely do those short hops (and see #2).

So all in all, while I know most FT'ers will gripe and groan about these changes, I'll be sticking with CO.:p