2011 Double MQM Speculation
Mar 10, 2011, 9:37 am
#62
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SUX
Programs: BA Silver; HHonors Gold; SPG Gold; Points but dirt with everyone else
Posts: 8,050
I do not disagree but it will NEVER happen..
Delta sees an opportunity to manipulate people to fly literally 10's of thousands of miles they would never have flown to attain status they will never get the full benefit from. It is a no-lose proposition for them. People take trips to Asia JUST to earn status and many people last year booked positioning flights to the promo cities for just about EVERY domestic trip they had to get the status. The problem is, of course, they don't REALLY fly that much normally and thus will not be as much as a drag on the Delta overhead once they are DM.
Delta sees an opportunity to manipulate people to fly literally 10's of thousands of miles they would never have flown to attain status they will never get the full benefit from. It is a no-lose proposition for them. People take trips to Asia JUST to earn status and many people last year booked positioning flights to the promo cities for just about EVERY domestic trip they had to get the status. The problem is, of course, they don't REALLY fly that much normally and thus will not be as much as a drag on the Delta overhead once they are DM.
Mar 10, 2011, 9:44 am
#63
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Utqiagvik (Barrow) Alaska and Ann Arbor, Michigan
Programs: Charter Member Delta Diamond Medallion, Lifetime AA Platinum, IHG Diamond, Hilton & Marriott Gold
Posts: 630
Mar 10, 2011, 12:39 pm
#65
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Big Sky Country
Programs: CO PLT, DL GM, Hertz President Circle, SPG Platinum
Posts: 450
You will RARELY if EVER see a DL promotion to an airport where the carrier receives incentives to operate to/from. The reason is that they are guaranteed revenue floors to operate the service, so in essence they would be shooting themselves in the foot. The airport/community are paying the bills.
You may see an airport offer incentives. RFD is the leader in these promotions; but, it will not involve the carrier itself or FF program. It usually involves a rebate of some sort or reduced fares on targeted flights. RFD did a Buy 1 Get 1 Free a few years back on UA. I took my daughter to Singapore
The only place we will see these are in specific competitive markets; i.e STL, RDU, PIT (like last year) where the dominant carrier has shown weakness or pull down of schedule and DL is flashing SKY ZWD as the incentive to switch alliances.
Outside of that, I would be shocked, except MAYBE as a part of a larger market share retention strategy, similar to the NWA push in the Midwest a few years back, where MSN, GRB, MKE for example would be targeted to respond to the F9 growth and when the WN/FL (if) link-up gets rolling.
DL is not nearly as cut-throat and protective as NW was. I am wondering if this is a strategy in response to the LGA/DCA swap review; or, a change in philosophy. DL left the door wide open and WN is blowing up the barn, taking full advantage. NW would have aggressively responded to the MKE build up and ATL/MSP invasion with all sorts of loyalty retention tools; ie. Double EQM, Triple Miles, etc.
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You may see an airport offer incentives. RFD is the leader in these promotions; but, it will not involve the carrier itself or FF program. It usually involves a rebate of some sort or reduced fares on targeted flights. RFD did a Buy 1 Get 1 Free a few years back on UA. I took my daughter to Singapore
The only place we will see these are in specific competitive markets; i.e STL, RDU, PIT (like last year) where the dominant carrier has shown weakness or pull down of schedule and DL is flashing SKY ZWD as the incentive to switch alliances.
Outside of that, I would be shocked, except MAYBE as a part of a larger market share retention strategy, similar to the NWA push in the Midwest a few years back, where MSN, GRB, MKE for example would be targeted to respond to the F9 growth and when the WN/FL (if) link-up gets rolling.
DL is not nearly as cut-throat and protective as NW was. I am wondering if this is a strategy in response to the LGA/DCA swap review; or, a change in philosophy. DL left the door wide open and WN is blowing up the barn, taking full advantage. NW would have aggressively responded to the MKE build up and ATL/MSP invasion with all sorts of loyalty retention tools; ie. Double EQM, Triple Miles, etc.
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Last edited by idriveuride; Mar 10, 2011 at 12:53 pm
Mar 10, 2011, 12:44 pm
#66
Join Date: Mar 2008
Programs: DL BA Amex
Posts: 916
[QUOTE=idriveuride;16010690]The only place we will see these are in specific competitive markets; i.e STL, RDU, PIT (like last year) where the dominate carrier has shown weekness or pull down of schedule and DL is flashing SKY ZWD as the incentive to switch alliances.QUOTE]
With the potential pull-down of service by CO in CLE... maybe CLE could be a market for a promo.
With the potential pull-down of service by CO in CLE... maybe CLE could be a market for a promo.
Mar 10, 2011, 2:38 pm
#68
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Big Sky Country
Programs: CO PLT, DL GM, Hertz President Circle, SPG Platinum
Posts: 450
Initiating a loyalty retention program at MKE would be one of the smartest decisions DL could do right now.
Don't attack on price which was a mistake made inn the past. They should keep at least a $20-$40 fare premium vs. F9, FL, WN and launch a SKY ZWD incentive; i.e. Double Miles on all competing routes, Double EQM on any new routes announced by competitors, etc.
In the past DL was perhaps complacent and depended on their corporate contract and business incentive departments; but, WN has hands down the best of these departments and will steamroll DL if/when the merger goes through.
I used to think I was special; but, now know I am vanilla as 100,000 other people in the market. With F9 expanding and a combined WN/FL presence, it is becoming hard to ignore them, especially when they are cheaper across the board. I just booked F9 to DEN and look forward to DirecTV on the flight; but, at Double MQM or RDM, I would have still flown DL.
Don't attack on price which was a mistake made inn the past. They should keep at least a $20-$40 fare premium vs. F9, FL, WN and launch a SKY ZWD incentive; i.e. Double Miles on all competing routes, Double EQM on any new routes announced by competitors, etc.
In the past DL was perhaps complacent and depended on their corporate contract and business incentive departments; but, WN has hands down the best of these departments and will steamroll DL if/when the merger goes through.
I used to think I was special; but, now know I am vanilla as 100,000 other people in the market. With F9 expanding and a combined WN/FL presence, it is becoming hard to ignore them, especially when they are cheaper across the board. I just booked F9 to DEN and look forward to DirecTV on the flight; but, at Double MQM or RDM, I would have still flown DL.
Mar 10, 2011, 8:39 pm
#69
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Georgia
Programs: Delta Gold, Marriott Platinum, Amex Delta Reserve + Platinum MR. Y, I book.
Posts: 158
I do not disagree but it will NEVER happen..
Delta sees an opportunity to manipulate people to fly literally 10's of thousands of miles they would never have flown to attain status they will never get the full benefit from. It is a no-lose proposition for them. People take trips to Asia JUST to earn status and many people last year booked positioning flights to the promo cities for just about EVERY domestic trip they had to get the status. The problem is, of course, they don't REALLY fly that much normally and thus will not be as much as a drag on the Delta overhead once they are DM.
Delta sees an opportunity to manipulate people to fly literally 10's of thousands of miles they would never have flown to attain status they will never get the full benefit from. It is a no-lose proposition for them. People take trips to Asia JUST to earn status and many people last year booked positioning flights to the promo cities for just about EVERY domestic trip they had to get the status. The problem is, of course, they don't REALLY fly that much normally and thus will not be as much as a drag on the Delta overhead once they are DM.
Mar 11, 2011, 2:01 am
#71
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: New Orleans, LA
Programs: DL PM, AA Gold, A3 Gold, WN CP, and lots of points everywhere.
Posts: 344
Mar 11, 2011, 5:44 am
#72
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: CAK/CLE
Programs: Delta DM, Hilton Gold
Posts: 273
[QUOTE=bajrbajr;16010742]
I hope so. DL still maintains around 20-25 departures ( 1 mainline and mostly CR7 and CR9 service to ATL, CRJs and ERJs to CVG, MEM, MSP, DTW, JFK ) and would love them to expand their presence. UA/CO is slowly dying out here, and I know AA is noticing it and trying to make a move for the traffic ( added service to MIA last year, and upgraded all DFW flights to mainline ).
The only place we will see these are in specific competitive markets; i.e STL, RDU, PIT (like last year) where the dominate carrier has shown weekness or pull down of schedule and DL is flashing SKY ZWD as the incentive to switch alliances.QUOTE]
With the potential pull-down of service by CO in CLE... maybe CLE could be a market for a promo.
With the potential pull-down of service by CO in CLE... maybe CLE could be a market for a promo.
Mar 11, 2011, 7:00 am
#73
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Nashville
Programs: DL DM 3 MM AA PLAT HH Lifetime Diamond Marriott Plat AMB lifetime titanium Hertz PC
Posts: 6,190
DL is not nearly as cut-throat and protective as NW was. I am wondering if this is a strategy in response to the LGA/DCA swap review; or, a change in philosophy. DL left the door wide open and WN is blowing up the barn, taking full advantage. NW would have aggressively responded to the MKE build up and ATL/MSP invasion with all sorts of loyalty retention tools; ie. Double EQM, Triple Miles, etc.
.
.
Mar 11, 2011, 7:02 am
#74
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: ATL
Programs: DL PM Reserve
Posts: 567
[QUOTE=jmertic;16014980]
There's a reason for the CLE pull-down by carriers...
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/...o-census_N.htm
I hope so. DL still maintains around 20-25 departures ( 1 mainline and mostly CR7 and CR9 service to ATL, CRJs and ERJs to CVG, MEM, MSP, DTW, JFK ) and would love them to expand their presence. UA/CO is slowly dying out here, and I know AA is noticing it and trying to make a move for the traffic ( added service to MIA last year, and upgraded all DFW flights to mainline ).
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/...o-census_N.htm
Mar 11, 2011, 8:10 am
#75
Join Date: Mar 2008
Programs: DL BA Amex
Posts: 916
[QUOTE=ATL787;16015241]
There's a reason for the CLE pull-down by carriers...
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/...o-census_N.htm
Yes... and the other reason is they have TEN hubs.
There's a reason for the CLE pull-down by carriers...
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/...o-census_N.htm