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Does CAL/UAL combo make you think?

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Old Apr 30, 2010, 7:44 am
  #1  
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Does CAL/UAL combo make you think?

When this CAL/UAL merger goes through (and in light of everything we have all discussed at length), does this make you think about a status match?

Being NYC based (and while I still really like Delta) it does have to make you at least think about the pros and cons.
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Old Apr 30, 2010, 7:50 am
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Originally Posted by jack_frost
When this CAL/UAL merger goes through (and in light of everything we have all discussed at length), does this make you think about a status match?

Being NYC based (and while I still really like Delta) it does have to make you at least think about the pros and cons.
Abso-freaking-lutely.
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Old Apr 30, 2010, 7:52 am
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Actually I ws "thinking" about it last year and decided early this year that I was going to status match to CO later this year (if you do it too early, you only get matched to Feb 2011 and I prefer to wait and get the match through Feb 2012).

Way more options within the US compared to DL. And *A has at least as many options to Europe and Asia. And when you compare frequent flyer programs, *A wins hands down vs. DL. That is not to say I will never fly DL after that. Even now I am flying DL a lot less. But I will definitely fly them. After my canceled J award ticket to Europe for 3 due to the volcano, I again have lots of DL miles to burn.
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Old Apr 30, 2010, 8:24 am
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We'd planned to status match to UA later this year anyway (similar to above, when it will give us all of 2011 to restatus) regardless of merger. Maybe this will take Richard's mind off being the biggest and he and his crew will get back to running a business.
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Old Apr 30, 2010, 8:26 am
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I wouldn't want to fly from EWR for most of my domestic trips. It seems like Delta would still have more flights from LGA and JFK than Continental and United combined.
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Old Apr 30, 2010, 8:32 am
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I just dropped in for a quick read in the CO forum and I started having bad flashbacks... deja vu all over again

Wake me up when its over and the dust has settled.
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Old Apr 30, 2010, 8:32 am
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I still have my doubts over the merger even happening. Remember the last time that CO/UA were going to merge--CO pulled out at the last minute. So, for right now, I'm going to take the reports of a merger with a "grain of salt."

As a US FF, it worries me a little as flights from the combined company are dropped--which makes each seat too valuable, driving the prices ever higher.
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Old Apr 30, 2010, 8:39 am
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It makes me think I should match over to DL until the merger dust settles. I think this might be worse than DL/NW.
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Old Apr 30, 2010, 8:51 am
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fti
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Originally Posted by 1bentley
It makes me think I should match over to DL until the merger dust settles. I think this might be worse than DL/NW.
Is that even possible?
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Old Apr 30, 2010, 8:56 am
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Originally Posted by fti
Is that even possible?
Of course--if US gets involved in the talks...
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Old Apr 30, 2010, 9:14 am
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I will think about it and probably consider it if they're still solvent 18 months after the merger, if it happens at all. I hate airline mergers. my memory includes National-PanAm, TWA-AA as well as the more recent disasters. I am not an optimist on mergers partly because of all that we say on this very forum.
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Old Apr 30, 2010, 9:16 am
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I don't know what the UAL/CO upgradeable business/FC availability is, but poking around United's mileage plus website, the ability to upgrade TPAC/TATL with miles, $ from a lot more fare classes is a gigantic plus compared to DL.

That, Economy +, and direct BWI-LAX flights combined with FO degredation will result in a status match and switch to *A for 2011.
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Old Apr 30, 2010, 9:25 am
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Funny, that was the first thing I thought about when I saw the article. Was a loayal CO flyer for many years (line 600,000) lifetime when I lived in NYC. When I moved, I slowly transitioned to NW because it was easier to go through DTW, MEM, or MSP instead of EWR or IAD. Depending on how the dust settles thiscombo might work well.
The DL/NW merger hasn't been horrible. with one exception, the DL website plain sucks. It needs a full overhaul. everything from flight options shown to managing interaries. It can't be fixed it needs to built out from scratch.
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Old Apr 30, 2010, 9:29 am
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Originally Posted by fti
Is that even possible?
Yep...just look at the US Scare/America West merger. It's still a mess.
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Old Apr 30, 2010, 9:30 am
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Originally Posted by jack_frost
When this CAL/UAL merger goes through (and in light of everything we have all discussed at length), does this make you think about a status match?
No
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