I was unable to choose 2010 only 2011. I pinged delta on twitter and their responce was to wait for the email. Which I told them I recieved. They then suggested I call the elite line which I already done :(

From the T&C showing up right now

Terms & Conditions

Eligibility for Choice benefits is based upon a status change to Platinum or Diamond Medallion within a given status year. Choice Benefits selections for 2010 status need to be made by February 28, 2011; selections for 2011 status need to be made by February 29, 2012. Complimentary upgrades are subject to availability and may not be available on all flights or in all markets.

Seems to be that we should get both 2010 and 2011.

Went from GM to PM on Dec 11, and not getting the 2010 choice like others...

I just spoke with the premium service line, and after waiting for a few minutes while the agent checked, was told that qualification in one year (2010) makes you eligible for selection in the following year of status (2011). I am going to keep pursuing, as this appears inconsistent with others who qualified Dec 8 and earlier (and Delta's T&Cs).

I hope this is just bad information at first level support, but thought I would share since so many are in the same boat.

I made it barely
 

I made DM on the 8th and my status was adjusted on the 9th. I made my selection for 2010 and 2011 the same day. 25000 miles and delta $200 for both years. I didnt know about any cut off but I am happy I was able to get this done before this mess. I wish you all that qualify after the 9th luck fighting for 2010 benefit. It is not fair to you guys and if they wanted to have a cut off date, it would of been fair to publish it.

I received a response from DELTA
 

I just received the following response:

Dear Mr. DOMCHARLES,

Thank you for your e-mail to Delta Air Lines and congratulations on
reaching Platinum Medallion status.

I am sorry for any confusion with the Choice Benefit selections. The
Choice Benefits are indeed for the status year. The status year is
based on a calendar year. When you went from a Gold Medallion to a
Platinum Medallion member, this is for qualification for the following
status year. Your Platinum Medallion benefits, however, become
effective within two days of qualifying. Some of the Platinum Medallion
benefits include award ticket redemption fee waivers, redeposit &
reissue fee waivers on award tickets, waived baggage fees, and much
more.

The Choice Benefits are based solely on the calendar year. You have
qualified for Platinum Medallion status for 2011, therefore you would
not have a Choice Benefit selection for 2010, only for 2011. This would
be true for any SkyMiles member qualifying anytime in 2010 for their
2011 Platinum or Diamond Medallion status. Again, I apologize if there
has been any confusion.

Again, thank you for writing. We appreciate your selection of Delta and
will always welcome the opportunity to be of service.

Sincerely,

S---- M----
Medallion Desk


I wrote back again:

Thank you for your reply.

In your email you stated: "This would be true for any SkyMiles member qualifying anytime in 2010 for their 2011 Platinum or Diamond Medallion status." However this is not the case. Along with other recently advanced medallions on Flyertalk, I have been collecting evidence to the contrary. This evidence points to the fact that members who achieved medallion status before Dec. 10 were awarded Choice Benefits for both 2010 and 2011. After a thorough review of the rules / policies on Choice Benefits on the Delta.com, there has been no change in policy. Yet, it is quite clear that there has been a change in policy.

I am therefore requesting that I also be awarded a Choice Benefit for 2010, which a person in my exact same situation would have been rewarded if they were to achieve Platinum Medallion Status in November.

I find it very frustrating to receive an email with statements that do no reflect reality. The "res ipsa loquitur" of the situation is that people have been treated differently before and after circa Dec. 10.

Please do no insult me and say that this is not the case. Please treat me in the same manner that others were treated throughout the year.

Thank you for your assistance and attention to this matter.

Sincerely,
DOMCHARLES


HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD ANY OTHER LUCK ?

My e-mail to Delta

Message: Hello: I achieved Diamond Medallion (DM) status on 12/12/10.
Yesterday I received an e-mail from DL to claim my DM choice benefit.
When I go to claim my choice benefit I am only allowed the choice
benefit for my 2011 status. I know of numerous individuals who achieved
DM around the same time and they got to choose choice benefits for 2010
as well as 2011. 12/12/10 falls in 2010 and for my activity (BKK to FAR)
on 12/12/10 I received all other 2010 benefits including upgrades and
Skyteam Elite Plus status. I believe that I am eligible for a 2010 as
well as a 2011 DM Choice benefit like numerous others who qualified
around the same time period. I have always been a loyal DL customer and
have never flown any airline other than DL and its partners and would
like to continue doing so. Please authorize my two choices for
qualifying for Diamond in 2010 and two choices for 2011. Regards and
Happy Holidays!


Response from Delta

Thank you for your e-mail. We regret any misunderstanding that may have
occurred concerning our procedures.

The qualifications for 2010 Diamond choice benefits require 125,000
earned MQMs or 140 segments for travel January 1, 2009 through the end
of the 2009 calendar year. Our records indicate you earned 96,226 MQM's
and 50 segments for 2009; earning you 2010 Platinum Medallion status.

Any SkyMiles members entitled to choose 2 Diamond Medallion 2010 choice
benefits would have had to earn the required amount of MQM's or segments
with travel beginning January 1, 2009 through the end of the 2009
calendar year. Any Diamond Medallion status earned for travel beginning
January 1, 2010 qualifies for Diamond status starting when the required
amount is flown and will continue until the end February 2012.

We understand this program can sometimes be confusing and sincerely
appreciate your patience and understanding. Please do not hesitate to
contact us with any further concerns or comments. Not only does it make
us aware of new and unresolved issues but also keeps us on target to
meeting all your expectations.

Thank you for your loyalty as a Diamond Medallion member and for flying
with us as frequently as you do. Be assured, we will make every attempt
to serve you well; we are focused on the future and look forward to our
continued business relationship.

Sincerely,

XXXXXXX YYYYYYY
Medallion Desk
www.delta.com

No, but I've had the exact same problem you have. I am writing to them for a fourth time now and am raising the tenor of the conversation. I was initially somewhat pleased to reached DM level, but DL has done a wonderful job of taking any enjoyment out of it. I'll report any results.

Maybe they'll rescind those awards given out to people who got same year Choice Benefits (like me---went Platinum somewhere over the Pacific on December 7).

I made Plat on Dec.1, haven't made my selection for the 10 choice benefits because I want the DL voucher to expire as late as possible... But am thinking I should just get it now in case Delta decides to take it away.

That's what I'm afraid of, did u make your pick for 2010 yet?

Yep, and did so before all the brouhaha broke out. I haven't yet done 2011.

I went with the 20K SkyMiles, as I actually use my miles almost as quickly as I earn them to fly my kids and extended family here and there. SWUs entirely useless to me as I can't use them on the cheap economy tickets that I use for TATL and TPAC travel, and I live in Atlanta so almost never need to use a Sky Club unless I'm traveling internationally and then I've already got access as Platinum. Nobody needs gifting of status---either they've got it or don't fly often enough to need it. The $200 voucher was the other option that I might have chosen.

Retroactively rescinding these benefits would be difficult.

As I posted earlier, I wrote to Kevin about this issue. He forwarded my email to three SkyMiles folks. I haven't heard anything since that email was forwarded (days ago) so I directly emailed the three SkyMiles people as follows:

"I just wanted to follow-up on the email I sent to Kevin Pinto which was forwarded to all of you.

Not sure if you have been following the growing thread on Flyertalk, but it appears that a number of people have been caught in this apparent unannounced change in SkyMiles rules regarding the selection of Elite Choice Benefits. It appears that SkyMiles members that earned Platinum or Diamond status from January 1, 2010 - December 9'ish, 2010 were able to select Elite Choice "gifts" for 2010 and 2011. SkyMiles members that earned Platinum or Diamond status in the eight days after December 9 have only able to chose a 2011 Elite Choice "gift." Again, this change in policy was not announced.

From my perspective (and others on Flyertalk, apparently), I would have preferred to "stop short" before reaching Platinum status thereby giving me a healthy number of rollover EQM for next year. The ONLY reason I went for Platinum status (and lose my rollover miles) was for the second Elite Choice gift. I did the math....and the second "gift" really pushed me over the edge. I was going to select the 20K miles and $200 Delta ETV.

The discussion is raging on Flyertalk and it appears that quite a number of folks have written to the Customer Care department...probably tying up those Delta resources. It would be nice if someone from SkyMiles could publicly address the issue once and for all so we all know where we stand...instead of just letting the discussion go on and on and on (and everyone is getting pretty riled up). Thank you very much for your understanding.

I will say this is my first year of earned Elite status with Delta. For many, many years I held Elite status with CO and AA. After CO and DL split, DL matched my status. If DL makes this unannounced change to the program stand, I won't be starting this new "relationship" on very solid footing obviously.

Please advise. Again, thank you.

jfksfolax_friend
Platinum xxxxxxxxxx
xxx-xxx-xxxx mobile"

I will report back when/if I hear something.

This is making me angry :( growl grrrrr

Have I posted to say this is lame in this thread yet? Looks like I haven't. This is lame. Especially since my last flight to hit Diamond was on December 10.

I don't mind the policy in principle; I mind that it wasn't communicated at all and that I made the decision to bump over the threshold to Diamond in large part because I was expecting to get 2010 benefit selections.

For the folks from Delta who are inevitably reading this and wondering if me saying that is just hyperbole from some cranky dude on the internets, it's not - you should go check out this thread from October: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...uestion-2.html The last post in that thread is why I decided to book another trip and go for diamond status (in the process committing to an extra 50k of flying next year) - getting the 2010 benefit actually changed the value equation enough for Diamond to become worthwhile for me.

Delta should really do the right thing here, much as they did (eventually) the last time we had forum drama over choice benefits. Go ahead and put the Dec 10 policy in place for next year, but be explicit about it in the program rules so we can plan accordingly.

Very valid points. If you haven't already, please write to Delta and state your dissatisfaction.