Teamstone

That would make two of us.

BogusRogus

I am Delta's nightmare customer. I have huge flexibility in dates I choose for flights (months worth). I plan out my yearly travel based on about 4 round trips from HSV or BHM to Hong kong. If I route it through Atlanta and then Tokyo - I get close to 10,000 mqm EACH way. I had 105k mqm last year on wait for it.... 29 segments flown. Ouch. My customer value score on the leaked link was predictably Zero. I don't use their credit cad, I have the real Amex Plat so that gives me free lounge access. Although not Thomas Hudson style, I consume well more than my fair share of Woodford. If TH and I do fly the same flight, we call ahead and make sure they stock the bev cart properly. I take all my miles, always take the 20k bonus, not swu. I've never bought an M fare in my life. When I am in the states for a few weeks, I go see my family and brother in San Antonio other places and have 100 percent upgrade results (on award tix) and never more than 25k award ticket. With near 20k mqm per round trip TPAC, and 40k miles, this gives me 1.5 effectively first class domestic tickets when I'm here in the USA.
I look at my zero score differently than most have. It's not that Delta doesn't "care". It's just that I'm winning the battle for my dollars versus benefits given and Delta is losing. I don't think this qualifies me as a gamer so much as a cheap ... customer. But... Since I do live in the Philippines now.. Just a simple change of address and the fun can continue - sorry Delta your not getting rid of me yet!!!

Tupolev2006

If your travel site is identified by DELTA AIRLINES as a "CONSOLIDATOR", you will NOT earn ANY miles! That is right from Delta's MOUTH! A few guys in my office work for Lockheed Martin. There particular division uses a "travelocity" website. Two Guys WALKED into Delta HQ in Atlanta(right by Spoondivits) and they waited one hour and 20 minutes for the software division to tell one of the corporates that agreed to help these guys and the answer was a resounding NO!....If the software identifies itself as a "CONSOLIDATOR"(i.e Orbitz, Vayama, Travelocity) you are SCREWED! NO MQM's will be earned but you will get "bonus" miles for redemption of future tickets in LUT class.:-:

Tupolev2006

I called the PM line last Friday, late at night. The young gentlemen actually told me, "Sir, it appears that you ar gaming the system".....he then proceeded to tell me to consider Southwest Airlines. I told him that I already have and he disconnected. Didn't remember his name nor did I say "YES" if I was able to take a brief survey.

Tupolev2006

Approximately 2 years ago, I was contacted by DELTA Airlines and asked to participate in a "focus" group on HOW DELTA AIRLINES could change their FF Program. We were sat in a boardroom(in Decatur Georgia)with mirrors/micrphones..etc and behind the mirrors was everyone from Richard Anderson, to every senior executive of the Marketing Department, the Economic Department...etc.....watching us and taping us. I was required to sign a NON DISCLOSURE letter for a year or whenever they announced some proposed changes.
Frankly speaking about 80% of what they suggested was released on the website......

CJKatl ---this is for you.....

There was one policy to go back upgrade certificates(regardless of fare class) that would be given to each level of Medallion Status. They floated tha DM got 25, PM got 15, GM got 10, and SM got 5. They could be used at anytime at the gate. The question arose, what about the open seat in FC.....the answer given by the Economic department was to open FC to the rest of the plane for $$$ upgrades REGARDLESS of Fare Class, however, they did say that a T fare would pay some $400 while the M fare may pay $90.00. They explained the logic as one way to alleviate the burden placed on the DM and give them a more "unique" experience. I will say, one guy threw a lamp at the glass. We were all PAYED $200.00 for our time and the Pink Ponk South had some extra business that night..@:-)

DelrayChris

No, you are not. They created the rules and you operated within them.

DL has no one to blame but themselves for diluting their own products. Simple corporate greed and an incessant appetite to squeeze every possible dollar out of every rock, most of the time, at the expense of its most valuable customers.

Tis why I will never again work for a publicly-traded company. Most are very short-sighted and only focus on quarterly gains.

mnredfox

I personally can't believe this thread is over 2000 posts...

HongKonger

Same boat. I travel on those fares for business and can claim them on my taxes. When I travel leisure with my family we aren't always in BE, and free EC for a party of 5 TPAC is valuable to me as are the bonus RDMs so I can take my wife for a free trip every couple of years. I'll probably pony up an extra few hundred for the B fare.

Dovster

Our differences:

1. All my trips are leisure ones.

2. I very much doubt that your wife would agree to take a trip with me.

ciao114

We should be fine!
Otherwise

Hoping UA won`t follow what DL is doing.

code7700

Dear Delta,

I hope you read this.

I've been a top tier DL flyer for the past 15 years, I spend more than $12.5K on tickets, charge more than $50K on my DL AMEX, and so on. I don't live in a hub city. But I make it work.

For a number of good reasons (mostly price and schedule) I end up on your SkyTeam partners for my many trips to Asia and Europe each year. You're just too expensive, too late, or otherwise off the mark.

The 006 or DL rules for 2013+ are annoying. It might confuse me. And it will certainly confuse my company's online travel tool which forces me to take the cheapest flight (with a few hundred dollar buffer policy). Oddly, many times it tells me to book a flight on a SkyTeam partner. But it isn't always a DL flight, it isn't a DL code share, and it isn't a 006 ticket.

Most of the time my EU flights are KL and AF. Things get bad when I'm flying beyond AMS and CDG. They are cheaper and have more seats than your same-flight booking. Even worse is the Asia factor. This is what really burns me... with these your new rules. KE and others previously gave me 100-150% MQM and now that is down to 50-75% because you want me to ride DL metal.

I understand why. It is a great idea (in your heads). But I can't do it. Not when the SkyTeam partner ticket prices (especially on the few trips where I am permitted to book J class) are thousands of dollars less expensive for the same origin and destination.

Getting 50% credit is a joke. Your service to Asia is okay. But not great. I can get 100% from your competitors.

Truth be told, I'm insulted by the 50% cut... but I have to take that flight. And as I suggested above, others will give me 100%. So I will start to look at other alliances. Ive got a year head start. Why? Because you've annoyed me.

Yes, it really is quite possible (but not certain) that I will jump ship in 2014. Nothing personal. Just business.

5khours

The price of M fares is going down! You heard it here first.

aubreyfromwheaton

Then you should jump ship and go where you think the grass is greener. Obviously the earnings on those Asian partners is not attractive to DL.
It is what it is. But how can you say it's just business, when you say you are insulted and annoyed? Just curious.

CJKatl

I would be fine with this. It's a spelled out policy, we know what to expect. If other airlines are offering better packages and work for where/when I need to fly, I'd switch alliances.

I don't fly for status. I fly because the job I am fortunate enough to get paid to do requires I be in as many as five cities in a single week. The job it the point, the airline is a vendor.

We used to use Hertz. National gave us a much better deal. National also often didn't have cars late at night. We moved back to Hertz, National made promises, we moved back to National and now all is good. It's business. Each company made an offer and I'm evaluating what is best for me.

Heck, when I saw something happening at my company that didn't seem right, I asked around about what others would offer me and moved to another company, where things are much better. I still get along with the people at the old company, my now competitors, but had to make a decision about what is right for me, based on what was being offered. It's business. Each company offered a situation and I'm evaluating what is best for me.

For me, and for my coworkers, it's not about UGs. It's about which airline has the best route system for where I need to go. Another place DL is spectacular is helping me with IROPs. I've NEVER not been where I've needed to go, even if it sometimes meant they put me on another airline or flew me to/from a nearby airport. Two years ago, it was me they raced into HOU to a waiting plane after a last minute canceled flight at IAD. I was one of two people from a full IAD flight that was rushed across town. Taking away UGs completely, DL would still likely be my best business partner. (Although I would evaluate what is available should that happen.)

UGs are great, but, IMO, all should be battlefield and these are nice, but not expected. When there is a reason I positively have to be in F, I pay for a fare that gets me there. (Very limited circumstance; rarely happens.)

DelrayChris

The best thing that people can do is vote with their wallets.