Originally Posted by andryas (Post 20136057)

DL wants to purge M-fare medallion flyers? That is very heavy :rolleyes:

Originally Posted by LegalTender (Post 20133797)

DL being dead last IN THE WORLD in award seat avail, year after year, is another.

Originally Posted by javabytes (Post 20135651)

25 transcon r/ts under traditional MQM qualification would have resulted in Diamond. At $200 each, that's just barely Gold. One would have to be insane to do that kind of mileage running to reach DM, let alone GM.

Originally Posted by AeroWesty (Post 20136146)

That's why I believe there are so few "Mileage Diamonds" that they aren't plentiful enough to force the change in a FF plan. There are a few, certainly, but there aren't enough to be booting Plats from First on upgrades en masse. (You could fly JFK-HNL r/t 13 times for $435 to get to Diamond, too.)

Even those who do fly that much just for miles, will still be getting into priority check-in lanes, receiving priority boarding, are probably situated financially well enough to qualify for an AMEX which gives them free SkyClub access, etc. I just don't see MQDs having the major effect that people are jumping up and down about in terms of getting rid of the riff-raff.

Originally Posted by CJKatl (Post 20134329)

Wait a minute, I get it now. Hysterical. You feel as though you have to be a certain status with DL and that DL is now requiring you spend more because you have to maintain that status?

I'm sorry, but is anyone demanding you have a certain status with DL? Does your life, health or wellbeing depend on having a status with DL? Will the world end if you don't have a certain status in DL? The idea shouldn't be spending with DL for the sake of gaining status.

DL offers perks to customers who fit within certain profitable parameters. Those who fly have a choice for airlines. DL is looking to encourage those who spend a high amount on travel to do so with DL. Status isn't itself the product. It's the marketing tool to encourage those who will be spending to direct the dollars to DL.

Normal people would continue flying the same amount at the same price and take what status is offered them. The idea of flying and spending merely for status isn't the purpose of the program, save for "topping off" when one is close to a level and finds it economically beneficial to reach that status for the next year. Power to DL if they can gain profit from those who think airline status is the goal, but airline travel is to the ends, it's the means to an end. Power to DL, though, if they can sucker these fools into paying even more just for the sake of being able to claim a certain status.

There must be people who think the status itself is worthy of spending time and money to obtain and are used to being able to do so cheaply. Wow. Didn't realize there were people with that much time and that little else going on. It's the same as not liking Cracker Jacks but spending a buck on a box you don't eat just to get the $0.02 prize in the box. Wow. Learned something new.

Originally Posted by HongKonger (Post 20135992)

. I'm not talking about the change to M fare MQM earnings which is a minor point in the context of medallion qualification.

Originally Posted by Dovster (Post 20136678)

For many of us, myself included, it is the single largest change.

I don't have to meet any spending level, I rarely take partner flights and, when I do, the MQMs are so few as to be meaningless, but take away 33% of my MQMs and I definitely won't make PM again, probably won't make GM, and there is even a chance that I won't make FO.

Originally Posted by AeroWesty (Post 20136146)

That's why I believe there are so few "Mileage Diamonds" that they aren't plentiful enough to force the change in a FF plan. There are a few, certainly, but there aren't enough to be booting Plats from First on upgrades en masse. (You could fly JFK-HNL r/t 13 times for $435 to get to Diamond, too.)

Even those who do fly that much just for miles, will still be getting into priority check-in lanes, receiving priority boarding, are probably situated financially well enough to qualify for an AMEX which gives them free SkyClub access, etc. I just don't see MQDs having the major effect that people are jumping up and down about in terms of getting rid of the riff-raff.

Originally Posted by bubbashow (Post 20137831)

Then why is the riff-raff making so much noise about it here? Re-defining loyalty, etc., etc., etc. I think the riff raff will take the path of least-resistance and go elsewhere....until they all follow. Then, they will just sit in coach.

Originally Posted by Dovster (Post 20136678)

For many of us, myself included, it is the single largest change.

I don't have to meet any spending level, I rarely take partner flights and, when I do, the MQMs are so few as to be meaningless, but take away 33% of my MQMs and I definitely won't make PM again, probably won't make GM, and there is even a chance that I won't make FO.

Originally Posted by GRALISTAIR (Post 20135520)

I wonder if there will be a whole new section called DRs (Dollar runs) rather than MRs. In 2014 will we see a lot more runs to SJU in in paid first? Or indeed to desirable places like HNL/OGG/LIH/ITO/KOA in paid first?

Originally Posted by javabytes (Post 20135651)

Figure 2,600 miles each way for a transcon. That's within the ballpark of JFK-SFO non-stop, or XXX-ATL-SFO where XXX is a short hop around the 500 miles mark or less.

25 transcon r/ts under traditional MQM qualification would have resulted in Diamond. At $200 each, that's just barely Gold. One would have to be insane to do that kind of mileage running to reach DM, let alone GM.

Originally Posted by Deltahater (Post 20138079)

Why are you calling your fellow posters "riff raff"?

Are you really that judgmental or is there less 'judg' and more 'mental' going on in your case?.

Your DYKWIA attitude is simply astonishing.