Let's face it. If you live in SFO or LAX, CO may not be the best choice for your primary carrier, unless you are mostly flying to a CO hub all the time. For SFO travellers, UA is likely the most logical airline to fly for all around travel.

Now once CO joins *A, then CO will be an option - but likely mostly for travel to CO hubs or when the CO ticket is cheapest.

Not exactly. It is 2 per quarter where you fly at least 10k (8 per year).

As a nearly 100% domestic 1K, I have long thought CO's system would work better for my travel in some ways, but I don't mind sitting in E+ on some flights and UA's network gives me more options to get home early after a job is done. Just a fact of life since SFO and SJC are more heavily served by UA. I also don't use all of my upgrades on myself. I enjoy being able to confirm friends or family into F at the time of booking with CR1's or SWU's from time to time. @:-)

I really doubt we'll see complimentary upgrades between the two carriers. I'd be happy enough earning EQM's and using 15k miles to upgrade on CO when I wanted. That and inter-lounge access. Clearly you guys have the better clubs

Several things trouble me about the UA CO codesharing and move to *A

Most all *A members only offer MAX of 100% EQM's even in F or Biz, all ST members offer 150% EQM's for Biz and even full fare Y.

UA considers an upgrade as a move to E+ so if the is UG Repro will CO PE's be fighting UA 1K for F seats, while CO PE's settle for E+ on UA?

UA RC lounge doesn't offer half what PC, WC or CRC lounges offer wifi, drinks and more substantial breakfast items for example.

EQM's on UA are never less than 100%.

If CO does require 1K, I'll reconsider again moving back to DL.

There are lot of issues with this change, and I think it's a pity that CO hasn't really communicated much about their plans. Though it does seem with the bill introduced by James Oberstar indicates the move won't be a slam-dunk, and CO is just nervous to communicate anything before the plan is approved by the Feds.

Which Bill did he introduce?

CO needs to negotiate all these items with UA after they exit SkyTeam. CO does not plan to change its PC, upgrades, etc. Whatever reciprocity CO and UA will undertake has not been negotiated, so CO does not really know at this point. Plus if they have ideas, they can not talk about it yet.

A number of airlines have dropped int'l F for a reason. If your client base or likely base can't support it, why waste the effort and money? All you'll do is encourage the constant "cost cutting" which can erode all of your products, and thereby erode your profitable business segment. Given the general US market, I think F is difficult to build a niche on. Be like NZ where you have a very solid and desirable business product that you can actually sell rather than merely upgrade.

http://transportation.house.gov/News...spx?NewsID=815

Airline anti-trust bill.

I agree, I don't think FC is necessary at all, just a good Biz product, good food, IFE, nice seats that ideally lie flat. Virgin Atlantic, NZ are great examples. Unforunantly, there are some bad ones too, Aeroflot, AZ, DL, and yes CO come to mind. Personally, CO's current BF offering is just too inconsistant, a different seat on every aircraft type but it's pretty hard to beat CO's meal service, even AF doesn't quite get there.

Where are you coming up with this?? Are you saying that UA only credits 100% for F fares on other carriers? I know for a fact that BD credits partner F fares at 300% (even on a Q-Up ), so clearly there are CoS bonuses available in *A and I would expect that to continue as CO moves over.

UA does offer free WiFi for RCC members in almost all locations. Not as much as CO or NW but comparable to what DL offers. Certainly the drinks are better in that they are free.

Has there been any discussion of how the differences in the PC and RCC will be mitigated?

Comp'ed beverages is a fairly sizable gap between the two clubs, and given a choice, I know which one I would choose!

Nothing that is conclusive. One bit that has been suggested is that access will only be granted with a BP for that carrier rather than full reciprocity. But no one here really know for sure.

CO need not and will not wait until CO's departure from SkyTeam to begin the nitty-gritty discussions with United. However, CO DOES need to wait until the ATI is approved to begin making firm agreements with United and other airlines on most post-SkyTeam cooperative activities (with some exceptions being issues like lounge access, where the carriers can and do cooperate now to the extent that it does not place CO in violation of its contractual obligation to SkyTeam).

I am hoping that Continental does not implement a reciprocal upgrade policy with United like the soon-to-be-former relationship with Northwest. I do not want to have to fight UA's 1Ks and UGS for upgrades or for seat access. It is bad enough that the PC and RCC may implement a cross-access policy, as I surmise CO will decide the free booze policy is too expensive and this service will be "enhanced" out of existence.

United's RCCs are, for the most part, sub-par and offer zero amenities other than perhaps a slightly enhanced access to ticketing agents which might be of benefit only if flying a code-share flight. Dealing with UAL's Indian call centers is a nightmare, and I don't want CO getting any bad ideas.

Unless it's a SQ F in which case mere 200% credit will be applied.

I doubt there will be reciprocal upgrade agreement between CO and UA as UA doesn't do comp elite upgrade (save for Y/B comp upgrade).

"I expect CO and UA to offer just as many reciprocal Elite benefits as CO/NW, and for commercial reasons this will dictate harmonized Elite qualification levels."

Sorry, that can't be possible without one program changing. UA works on a certificate basis. This means those people who are willing to buy certificates (even the highest elites don't get many) and have the highest tier of FF status get upgraded. As a gold, I would continually have my certificates expire.

CO upgrades automatically for right now.

You're living in a dream world if you think that the larger UA is going to move to an automatic upgrade model. Any harmonization that happens would change CO's program and not that of UA. The price for reciprocal upgrades would be loss of automatic upgrades on CO.

Best of luck with that. The writing is on the wall for where CO's program is headed and it's not in an upward direction.