RealHJ

Oh, now this answers my questions about how NZ was doing it.

That could work (so the FFP rules for all airlines for the FFP member, regardless of their own earning set-up, while mileage for other FFP members on the airline that has a different set-up for its own FFP members). This would, however, I am sure, result also in quite a few former DL FFs simply registering and starting to earn miles for another ST FFP, so that they can still earn distance-based miles on their DL flights, still become ST E+, etc.. I mean, all it takes is a few minutes to register for, say, KE FFP and start using KE FF # for all of one's DL reservations.

DHalltheway

I agree, but lacking information at this point in time, we can't say how good or bad this will be.

But I think it is a consensus that this will be bad, the question is how bad.

HongKonger

I wonder how it will do for someone who flies TPAC 3-5x/year, often on M fares but sometimes on sLUT fares, plus HKG-NRT 3-5x/year, sometimes in J, sometimes in M and sometimes on sLUT. Probably not that good. It may force me to SQ/CX despite them being more expensive if they actually give good bennies to their frequent flyers.

I feel sorry for DMs who have 3-4 years' worth of rollover MQMs built up, will they suddenly lose the future status they thought was assured?

AUDirt

If they do this, I really hope the actual cost of the ticket is factored into the equation. HSV was the fourth most expensive airport in the country last year and I suspect a lot of those high-priced fares went into DL's pocket as profit (as opposed to airport fees).

USAir is frequently cheaper and I like CLT a lot. Unless DL factors in what it costs me to be loyal to them, I may have to give Scareways another look.

javabytes

I'm sure this was already on the roadmap by the time the mileage expiration was eliminated. "Miles that never expire" sounds great next to DL's competitors, and if they're planning bigger changes to contain SM liabilities, why not?

mtkeller

That's basically how it works now, anyway. There are AF buckets that earn 100% if credited to DL, but 0% if credited to KE. Each pair of partner airlines negotiate an "exchange rate" for how many "units" will be credited based on operating carrier, marketing carrier, fare class, and distance. DL would be making a radical departure from their SkyTeam partners, but it would all be negotiated so that FB members would earn based on miles on DL metal and DL members would earn based on DL criteria on AF/KL/KQ/RO/UX metal.

I do think that a lot of us would look away from DL. I'd actually probably head over to AS before joining another ST program. Hellloooooo CX F awards (provided there aren't IT issues when you're trying to book).

DHalltheway

+1

That is actually a real good idea.

jsmith50

If my friend at DL is right, I'm hoping that this is an "in addition" way that one could qualify for medallion status rather than an outright replacement of the current SM program. At least that would be more acceptable to me as one of those DMs that has years of rollover MQMs banked to protect status for the forseeable future.

Winkdaddy

What are the odds that Delta intentionally "leaked" this info so they could guage Flyertalk response before they hammered out details on the supposed new program?

SFO777

Slim and none. And Slim had already left town.

AUDirt

DL doesn't seem to care about FT opinions very much, IMO.

You know that adage about the two guys in the woods who meet a bear? When they meet the bear, one guy takes off running. The other guy yells at him, telling him it's pointless -- they'll never outrun the bear.

"I don't have to be faster than the bear, just faster than you!" the first guy tells him.

I think that's how DL views their FF program. It doesn't have to be the best. Just better than the worst.

rylan

Except that DL is basically leading the charge to the bottom of the pack, if not there already... look at all of the 'unannounced' changes such as FCM destroying domestic elite upgrades, M fares going through the roof to neuter SWUs even more, and lack of low level award inventory for the vast majority of tickets.

If that implementation list is true, pretty much nothing sounded good in there... Neutral at best, ominous at worst.

Wonder if there will be good status match promos at UACO or AA once the $hit hits the fan.

Time to burn those miles even faster... I strongly suspect that the program will value mile redemption at less than the currently horrid 1c/mi for PWM

canadatosiberia

Well, as a multi FFP member, I can say that this looks like a race to the bottom on the only thing that kept me loyal (well not so loyal in the DL case, since I have backed off and added to *A). But I do my best to get on DL flights regularly, and as the FFP devaluation goes on I will just buy the cheapest J fare and not worry about the points/status as much...

Kwaj boy

This is a very common misinterpretation in Huntsville. HSV has very high AVERAGE airfares, simply because there are so many business travelers here that are willing to buy last minute tickets. This does NOT mean that ALL airfares are high out of HSV and that cheap airfares don't exist. My wife, a travel agent, deals with this misconception every day. People read this and assume that they can't buy a cheap ticket from HSV which is completely false.

rylan

This is similar to the saying 'nothing good happens after 2am... but in this case 'nothing good happens when DL makes enhancements'