AA Offers Double EQM, Will Continental?
Mar 19, 2009, 4:45 pm
#61
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I repeat: This has the potential to significantly increase the number of UA elites (at all levels) who will be competing with us come late October. As I mentioned in a previous thread, it appears that CO marketing is considering giving UA elites fully reciprocal upgrade benefits.
You do the math. We need this promo also.
You do the math. We need this promo also.
Mar 19, 2009, 5:12 pm
#62
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Mar 19, 2009, 5:19 pm
#63
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Mar 19, 2009, 5:53 pm
#64
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CO's and UA's programs will be MUCH more closely aligned in, say, a year from now than they are today, and UA is currently the lone holdout among the legacies in terms of not extending unlimited upgrades to top-tier elites. It may not be practical or desirable for CO and UA to have full and unlimited upgrade reciprocity at all levels, but I would be downright shocked if CO Plats and UA 1Ks did not have unlimited domestic UGs on each other's flights by the end of the 2010 Elite year.
Mar 19, 2009, 5:55 pm
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Don't assume UA's elite benefits will necessarily remain static, especially for top-tier elites.
CO's and UA's programs will be MUCH more closely aligned in, say, a year from now than they are today, and UA is currently the lone holdout among the legacies in terms of not extending unlimited upgrades to top-tier elites. It may not be practical or desirable for CO and UA to have full and unlimited upgrade reciprocity at all levels, but I would be downright shocked if CO Plats and UA 1Ks did not have unlimited domestic UGs on each other's flights by the end of the 2010 Elite year.
CO's and UA's programs will be MUCH more closely aligned in, say, a year from now than they are today, and UA is currently the lone holdout among the legacies in terms of not extending unlimited upgrades to top-tier elites. It may not be practical or desirable for CO and UA to have full and unlimited upgrade reciprocity at all levels, but I would be downright shocked if CO Plats and UA 1Ks did not have unlimited domestic UGs on each other's flights by the end of the 2010 Elite year.
Mar 19, 2009, 5:57 pm
#66
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These fears came up when CO and NW first partnered up, and proved largely unfounded.
Mar 19, 2009, 5:58 pm
#67
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Neither AA nor UA will move CO for the time being on the Double EQM promo, IMHO -- certainly not on a systemwide basis, anyway. The airline to watch is Delta. If SkyMiles matches the AA/UA promo outright, OnePass will follow suit within hours.
Mar 19, 2009, 6:05 pm
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If DL & CO have 1/2 a brain they would do a 2x only for those cities where either AA or UA fly into. Time will tell if they are smart or not.
Mar 19, 2009, 6:12 pm
#69
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Yep but it boils back to what I said UA was DUMB for doing it system wide and not simply only those flights where AA flys into also. When WN has a sale UA doesnt lower its Intl fares only those where they and WN fly into.
If DL & CO have 1/2 a brain they would do a 2x only for those cities where either AA or UA fly into. Time will tell if they are smart or not.
If DL & CO have 1/2 a brain they would do a 2x only for those cities where either AA or UA fly into. Time will tell if they are smart or not.
Mar 19, 2009, 6:31 pm
#70
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Reciprocal Upgrades
It'll be very interesting to see what CO does now that AA/UA are in the double EQM madness.
Mar 19, 2009, 6:33 pm
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Mar 19, 2009, 6:42 pm
#72
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This Year is Different
I think if DL did it CO would follow because this year DL= DL+NW. And with the other carriers doing it, and DL being a healthy, formidable carrier to compete against, I think CO would need to do it... especially with booking down so low and business travel way down.
Mar 19, 2009, 6:52 pm
#73
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There won't be such competition no matter what UA does. The vast majority of UAers will continue to stick to UA for their domestic travels, and COers will do the same. And on transcons, well, upgrades are rare enough that no one should expect them.
These fears came up when CO and NW first partnered up, and proved largely unfounded.
These fears came up when CO and NW first partnered up, and proved largely unfounded.
Mar 19, 2009, 7:11 pm
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Mar 19, 2009, 7:14 pm
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I will concede that hub-to-partner hub and vv. flights are an exception to the "no worries" rule. But for the vast majority of existing CO and UA flyers, there is really nothing to worry about.