ATLCDG

I tend to agree with this one important sentence. There is really no comparison with current exec team and the one we all dealt with in the mid 2k. The way they have managed the merger, the instability with fuel pricing.....finally delivering a profit to shareholders....while, in my opinion enhancing (from the Mullin days) the program adding the Diamond tier....there is just no comparison with the pre Grinstein team. Also...the way they have managed capacity through this economic crisis is ...quite frankly ....impressive.

I am waiting to see how this rolls out.....and while I wait, I will continue to enjoy...be entertained...and sometimes amazed by this thread.

ATLCDG

LOL^

starflyer

The man who brought us the current "best in class program" mess? His SkyMiles changes have already caused me to drop Delta altogether as a consideration for any of my over 100K in annual flight miles, so I guess he can't make things any worse for me.

yohanson

Uhmm, Delta doesn't pay dividends so they actually delivered no profits to their shareholders.

GUWonder

That is certainly not all true. A lot of meetins and conferences that would take place all in person a decade or two ago no longer take place all in person. While technology is not going to wipe out all conferences/business meetings that take place in person, it has eaten into some of the demand for travel. Even telephone conference calls have somewhat eaten into in-person meeting demand, albeit the demand for in-person meetings/conferences still exists and has even grown too.

DL already rewards UHVC by giving them more miles per mile travelled a path to achieve/retain status with less future in-flight flying time to have that elite status.

DHalltheway

They should offer shareholders 100 Skymiles per share as dividends.

ATLCDG

The last time I checked, profits generally-and I mean generally these days--provide upward presure on stockprices. Who wants dividends? Give me a LT capital gain any day.

Just my opionion...Uhmmm....however.

dcline414

Or just that it makes attaining any status above GM nearly worthless:

IN THEORY, a GM gets upgraded T-3 and a PM/DM gets upgraded T-5. IN REALITY (on my routes to/from ATL), NO ONE gets upgraded until the gate.

So at GM status gets you STE+ and all SP benefits at the airport. This is definitely worth attaining as FO is all but useless in comparison.

But if I reach PM status, I would get same 100% RDM bonus, and would get my choice of (useless) SWUs, giving my wife (useless) FO status, or getting 20k (useless, and potentially soon to be even more useless) RDMs.

So if only the rare DM on a high fare coach ticket will get upgraded (at the gate), what incentive is there for a GM like me who COULD make PM this year to stay 100% loyal to Delta?

I'm not saying Delta OWES me anything more than the coach transportation I bought from them. But typical loyalty programs do much better at making customers WANT to spend more to get some benefit. Purely from a BUSINESS perspective, I think Delta could find a low-cost way to do a better job of differentiating GM/PM/DM.

And if the changes are as drastic as the rumors suggest, I think they could roll it out in a way that gives people time to react and adapt their travel accordingly (either toward or away from Delta, depending on the details). Their silence in response to the rumors is not very reassuring in this regard.

DHalltheway

Their response is to have the system down so we can't redeem award Business class on AF/KL.

On a more serious note, Delta likes to spring surprises on their customers in the middle of the qualifying year. There is nothing new about that. Especially if their changes are likely to steer customers away.

yohanson

I like dividends and I'm happy to have worked for a company for the past 23 1/2 years that pays them. Especially seeing as how they match my 401K with stock.

Dovster

I would be extremely surprised if Delta does not give someone who earns a particular status in 2012 that status through March 2014. At the same time, it will either announce that earning status will have new requirements as of Jan 2013 or else begin the new system immediately and give FFers the higher of the two statuses that they earn this year.

(Actually, I really believe that the current statuses will remain, and to a great degree the same benefits will remain in theory but that a new top status will come into being, based on revenue, and that in practical terms this new status will take most of the available upgrades, leaving even less for other Medallions.)

ATLCDG

^

DHalltheway

If that is true, I will continue to fly DL.

However, if they switch miles to points system like WN, I will probably be gone, because a points system is essential a rebate system, which is, more or less a devalued IMHO as I believe miles often get you more than rebates.

It is a good business decision in terms of bottom line and long term liability, but then again it won't make me, and I assume others, want to chase status, which affect the business's top line.

Of course YMMV

waltinsocal

I agree with you. And I have no problem with a "new top status" either..Quite frankly, I hope they do that. Those folks that fly that much deserve the increased benefits. Additionally, I am thankful that I don't have to fly THAT much. I will always be a GM and that's perfectly fine with me, and as such, I recognize that those levels above me deserve more benefits.

blug

Well, they are good at making money. But that doesn't make them respectable. There are tons of legal but unethical, contemptible and low-class ways to make money.