Boy, do I feel like a fool....

Didn't take me long to leave behind my UA 1K status a few years back. It will take me even less time to leave DM behind if this program devalues any more. (Already unhappy that I'm well inside the UG window and looking at two virtually empty FC cabins and an empty V bucket. Welcome FCM, so long "loyalty" program.)

- Nope! This is the upcoming new phase of the DL "Keep Climbing" campaign.

"Evolution of SkyMiles (EOS)"? Sounds to me like End of Skymiles.

Exactly my thoughts.

Purely as a marketing ploy.

Many of us have been speculating about the demise of rollover since shortly after it was implemented. We all know nothing is "assured" with airline FFP's.

As someone who has reached DM the past two years on 75+% leisure travel (and who enjoys the journey just as much as the destination) I'm quite confident that I will be switching my discretionary $$ to another carrier or (ghasp!) my savings account. Hurry up and make your announcement Delta, I need to plan my summer travel; hopefully with, but possibly without you!

Well, damn.

If I can’t maintain my GM status the way I have been doing it if DL changes the program, then both AA, where I have lifetime Gold status and JetBlue will be getting all the business from me and my family.

I think you will see a large defection of lower level elites from DL, a lot of us out there can’t make elite by flying on more than one airline, but if DL makes it impossible for us to maintain elite, then I see no reason to fly exclusively DL again.

It doesn’t make sense, even though the HVC customers bring in more money, they don’t fill the airplane, it’s the people in the back who make or break a flight profit wise, so chasing away lower level elites to me makes for bad business, because those seats will not be filled up by anyone else.

Mr. Elliott

The "Keep Digging" campaign. ;) All kidding aside, I'll reserve judgement until the details are released. I think Delta is a good airline with bad redemption opportunities. IF this devalues other parts of the FFP, for the average Joe it is going to hurt DL. I doubt DL picks up many new HVCs as a result of adifferet FFP approach, but it sure could disenfranchise a lot of people.

+1 While that job description link says phase one is scheduled for Sept 2012, I want to know what my miles will be worth that I will be earning this summer. My guess is lots of people try to burn their miles before this thing hits..

I have an advanced degree in Telephone. Since it is a rumor it may have gotten its genesis in speculation, which is often but not always generated by occurrences unrelated to the subject of the rumor. Telephone research indicates that 1) what you heard is sometimes not what was said; 2) what is heard is subject to exaggeration by the person repeating it; and 3) the topic can be embellished for reasons known only to the embellisher, ranging from a desire to appear erudite to pure spite and anything in between or outside of that range.

Personally I don't think they will get rid of SkyMiles. But they may change the MQM program. Some people can become PM or even DM without spending much with the airline - credit cards alone could push someone to gold or higher, then a couple of cheap international flights (think, LAX to Europe at 12,000 each trip. or JFK to Jakarta for a heck of a lot more) gets them to PM or even DM. The person who flies a short haul a couple times a week can't get to DM on segments or miles and yet spends far more in dollars, and in time.

Considering that United has a very elite program known as Global Service - which is above the 1K - it is possible that DL could inflate the ranks of PM and DM by adding a money factor to it, while tacking on a GS type service where. DM has some perks but from what I understand its not the same. What I wouldn't do to avoid waiting in lines... Just signed up for Global Entry doing my interview this week, and paid for Clear (but haven't completed the process yet, will do it in NYC next month) even though I haven't been in a Clear airport in 18 months...

So what is DL's definition of loyalty? Is it someone who flies DL exclusively at whatever fare DL chooses to offer (yes, LUTE), or is it someone who splits time among carriers but pays higher fares (K and up)?

Experience over the last 18 to 24 months would suggest that waiting to respond to a program change is doomed to failure.

Waiting until they have announced these changes and put them in effect (or, as they prefer to do it, put them into effect and then announce them) gives them the momentum.

Once they have momentum, we are hosed.

Perhaps we should go out pre-emptively.

Instead of a reactive SSM II, we need a proactive DSSM (Don't Screw-Up Sky Miles) program.

OK... I'll increase my ante to $250.

Intrusive thoughts are often accompanied by paranoia, and this combination can have a big effect on OCD sufferers. They tend to increase over time, becoming more frequent and intense. In many cases, compulsions are performed to reduce the anxiety caused by intrusive thoughts and paranoia.

Not "we" but the Delta stockholders -- i.e. where are you if you lose the best of your regular customers?

Bob H