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Originally Posted by Dovster
(Post 20067583)
Originally Posted by NYTA
(Post 20065829)
So for people who live overseas it's the same as before?
The question of MQDs is meaningless for me. There are very few inexpensive routes starting in other countries. If I earn enough MQMs to meet a particular level than I am going to pay at least the required spend amount -- so Delta is merely saving itself some bookeeping expenses by not tracking my MQDs. (Example: I made Platinum this year with a little over 75,000 MQMs, but I spent $9000 doing it.) Where it hurts foreign residents -- and badly -- is the elimination of the 50% MQM bonus for M fares. These are not cheap fares (I pay close to twice for an M fare than I would for a LUT fare) and giving me the same MQMs for them means I will not qualify as a Platinum again, and possibly not as a Gold. Why is that so bad? Because without the 100% SkyMile bonus that a Gold earns, or the 4 SWUs that a Platinum gets, I will not be able to upgrade my M fares. Right now, I have the SWUs to be able to upgrade two more itineraries. With the SkyMiles that I earn on them I will probably be able to upgrade an additional two. After that, I will not be buying any more M fares. At my age (67) I do not feel like subjecting myself to 12 hours TLV-JFK in an Economy Class seat, so not only will I not be buying any M fares, but I also will not be buying any K fares or even LUT fares. (If I were younger, I might buy the LUT fares but why would Delta prefer that I pay $1800 instead of $3000?) All my travel is leisure. I can fly when I want to fly and to wherever I want to go. In recent years that has generally meant to the States, and that will probably continue in 2013, but as soon as I can no longer upgrade I will have to re-think my travel plans. One possibility is to look for the least expensive Business Class trips to the States that I can find. This almost certainly means I won't be choosing Delta. Instead, it will be one of the European airlines. Another, and more probable, alternative is to take my vacations in Europe instead of the U.S. On a 4 hour flight to Western Europe, it really doesn't matter if I am sitting in the front or the back cabin and if I am forking out $400 for airfare instead of the $3000 I pay for Delta M fares, that represents a major savings -- especially if done two or three times each year. By myself, I represent almost no threat at all to Delta's bottom line. However, there are many Americans living overseas who buy M fares on Delta simply for the upgrades. When we can no longer do that, some will buy LUT fares, others will seek out better prices on competing airlines, and still others will change their travel destinations. Together, we will be hurting that DL bottom line. However I priced out some typical itineraries in M and B which still earns the bonus and found that B isn't that much more. If this continues to be the case maybe I'll just go B fares instead. |
I'm trying to figure out what my MQDs might have been for 2012.
Can one of you who is expert in deciphering fares tell me what, if any of these fees would count (earn MQDs) on top of the base fare: Total: 61.46 Itemized: 10.00 AY 18.00 XF 15.60 ZP 17.86 US |
Originally Posted by houserulz77
(Post 20072191)
I'm trying to figure out what my MQDs might have been for 2012.
Can one of you who is expert in deciphering fares tell me what, if any of these fees would count (earn MQDs) on top of the base fare: Total: 61.46 Itemized: 10.00 AY 18.00 XF 15.60 ZP 17.86 US AY = 9/11 Security Fee XF = Passenger Facility Charge ZP = Domestic Segment Tax US = Federal Excise 7.5% All are government imposed |
Originally Posted by HongKonger
(Post 20072183)
This is me too.
However I priced out some typical itineraries in M and B which still earns the bonus and found that B isn't that much more. If this continues to be the case maybe I'll just go B fares instead. |
Originally Posted by roknroll
(Post 20072201)
This is the case now, but I suspect M fares will drop. We wouldn't see any change until after March 1' since M fares purchased before March would still get 150% MQMs, even if travel is after that date.
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I would suggest that Dovester look at AF Premium economy rather than M. MQMs are higher. You can't upgrade them anymore, at least not the cheapest ones, but it is WAAAAAAYYYY better than flying in Y. Definitely not J, but much cheaper.
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Originally Posted by flightline
(Post 20071141)
Really, the worst part of this for some is the major reduction in MQM earnings on partners. For those who travel internationally a lot, this will hurt and make it much harder to qualify.
Some may be happy about the introduction of MQDs, but I don't think it's hit home with them just how HUGE a hit the MQM earnings charts take on March 1. If these changes had been made in separate announcements on different days, there would have been an uproar, but I think DL may have slyly combined the news. In other words, they may have intentionally timed it to take the spotlight off the throat-slitting they're giving to those who rely on the SkyTeam Alliance to have real meaning. |
Originally Posted by flightline
(Post 20072251)
In fact, the reduction of MQM earnings on most alliance partners is a completely separate devaluation from the other changes DL made today. They are unrelated, despite being announced on the same day.
Some may be happy about the introduction of MQDs, but I don't think it's hit home with them just how HUGE a hit the MQM earnings charts take on March 1. If these changes had been made in separate announcements on different days, there would have been an uproar, but I think DL may have slyly combined the news. In other words, they may have intentionally timed it to take the spotlight off the throat-slitting they're giving to those who rely on the SkyTeam Alliance to have real meaning. |
Originally Posted by FlyDeltaJets87
(Post 20071881)
Delta is banking on the fact that they won't lose business. They may lose the "Elites" but not necessarily the business. They're banking on the fact that if a leisure Elite (which I mostly am, BTW) doesn't buy that seat, some non-Elite will buy that discounted fare and take their place, and that non-Elite will also likely pay to check a bag and possibly other "services" that Elites don't pay for. So which is better: A) a low tier elite buys a leisure ticket for $250 and gets a free bag, free premium seats, and possibly a free upgrade or B) a non-Elite pays $250 for the ticket, pays $50 round trip to check a bag, and maybe drops a few bucks for a preferred seat, for $300 and possibly a few more bucks? It may work for Delta. It may not. Time will tell.
People have choices of when to fly and whether they will fly. It is an economical balance game. Sure there are some for who the balance is in the airlines favor, but those passengers are the ones least likely to be swayed by a FF program in the first place. Those for who the FF program DOES play factor are the ones who ARE price sensitive, but who fly enough that the extra cost of flying a DELTA fare is offset by the extra perks. They suddenly just upped their fares compared to JetBlue because now I DON'T get any extra benefits from flying Delta. Frequent Flyers in particular are likely to be demotivated completely from taking a trip. Instead of flying because they HAVE to, they fly because they WANT to. Now you just killed off some (perhaps a lot) of reasons people have for flying. And they aren't going to spend ANY money on your airline. I am a "passenger of size". I like traveling, but I have limited budget. NOT to drag it into this thread, but there are plenty of threads that go into the fat passenger. Believe me, it is worse for us than it is for them. That is why upgrades are so vital for me- they are a difference between me being able to enjoy a trip and a trip where I am stressed out from the snide looks and remarks, the unpleasantness of travel, and also the unpleasantness for the people sitting next to me. Unfortunately that is now being put out of reach to me. In the end Delta needs to fill those seats. With a large FF base, they could fill it easily because a lot of passengers would choose Delta over another carrier even if the fare was a little bit higher, as they earned something for it. Now, that loyalty is gone - there is no reason to pay even a little more to fly Delta. To fill those seats, Delta is now going to have to lower their seat prices, they are going ot have to do more advertising, and they are going to have to compete for those same travelers that they could have earned more money from. Worse, it is not like they are now getting higher fares from anyone to balance them out. The high-paying flyers are still paying the same. The seat up front is still going out whether it goes out full or empty. They haven't gained at the top end, but they lobbed off the bottom. |
Originally Posted by javabytes
(Post 20072259)
I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop. This announcement was all about elite qualification. Nothing about redeemable mileage accrual and redemption.
On a side note, a DM Million Miler friend of mine just received a match to AA EXP two weeks ago. Another DL 3 Million Miler friend has told me he now plans to request the same. (Not sure it will really matter, since much like fare hikes, it may be no time at all before AA/US and UA have similar programs.) |
The New SkyTeam
If I'm a SkyTeam partner, other than maybe Alaska, I'm pretty PO'ed now. I doubt the JV revenue is as good for tickets purchased on Delta stock. So glad I'm Platinum on United. The miles are worth more and I'm guessing some current SkyTeam partners will make their way to the Star Alliance.
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Originally Posted by DwayneSkyMiles
(Post 20065494)
These changes will not change the way your redeemable SkyMiles (for Award Travel, etc.) are counted or redeemed.
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Originally Posted by mcanders
(Post 20072533)
Does this infer there will be no changes to accrual or redemption going forward or that only these new elite qualification requirements do not affect accrual or redemption?
The way I read it, "These changes will not change the way your redeemable SkyMiles (for Award Travel, etc.) are counted or redeemed." Say nothing of other changes that may or may not be coming... [ETA]Wow... the last couple years of DL have really soured me. Even a year or two ago I was an apologist...[/ETA] |
Delta mission: we want your money.
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What about if I fly 134,000 MQMs and only spend 8000 MQDs? Is my rollover from the Diamond threshold or the platinum threshold? I would assume Diamond threshold as it's the only one that's been achieved with the new MQDs requirements? Anyone? Buehler?
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