Has there been any announcement if PMs can still change award tix without a fee? Thanks!

Mine is approximately 70/30....70% from my pocket.

I wouldn't expect the quoted poster to give you the answer.

Simply put, DL doesn't care that the clubs are too crowded or that the domestic upgrade program is suffering from inflated medallions. They will continue to sell MQM because it makes money and has almost no cost for them. They will continue to sell Day Passes because they make money and the club members have already paid for the resources that will be consumed. They will continue to grant promotional MQM for credit card and other partners because it increases their affinity revenue at almost no actual cost. These changes aren't about getting ride of people who play the game. It's about getting rid of the ones that aren't paying enough to play.

Here is why.

FO and GM siphon benefits. I just purchased a last-minute DTWLAX and there were no upgrade seats. I know - WF, BF. However, why should I (a Platinum) on a VERY, VERY, VERY high fare (yes out of my pocket) be sitting in back because a GM got a window upgrade?

THIN THE HERD so those paying the bills get the perks.

Get him on your radio show.

DL has initiated and pulled back program changes before after online screaming and industry ridicule.

It's likely this change is sticking - and probably should. But it's not a universal life force, it's a fix. It bestows absolution on the savants who dreamed up rollovers and other high-speed Medallion on-ramps.

Remind JR of that as you kiss the ring.

Thanks for the welcome!:)

I'm going to wait and see. With over 1,000 posts in less than 18 hours, it's clearly the hottest topic around at the moment.

I think I spent about $11k on DL last year, but that was gross, not sure what it was without taxes etc. I have a company Amex and have to charge to that, so no way I can make $25k of charges on a personal one (unless college fees can go on there - good thought someone had....

I used to be Premier on UA, it as OK (and they only want 100k for their top tier it seems). I might go back to them, even with no promo it'd only take me 12 months to get to the top. But who knows their program might change during 2013 - just need to keep my eyes open on that.

You obviously do not understand how upgrades work as the GM would not have received that upgrade until pre-board . 30 minutes before depaarture. Even PM's don't get upgraded until they are at the gate unless that flight is way undersold.

Survey Results
 

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You should stop talking about things you obviously don't know anything about.

Sounds to me that this is a personal problem that could have been avoided with better planning. As a GM, I will gladly snag your upgrade at the window hopefully at a MUCH lower rate you paid, then get a discounted pass for the SC---after a few drinks, waltz by as your PM tagged bags hustles to the back. I even may add my old FO tags to my carry-on :p

That in particular doesn't have much to do with GM/FO, it has to do with release policies and others buying F. When I was flying AA enough to be EXP, it was common knowledge that 2 seats on almost every MD80 were held from upgrades until T-20 in case anybody felt like walking up and buying F.

I can't tell you how many times I SDC'ed at T-25, got bounced into some random middle seat in Y for about three minutes, and then got cleared into the last F seat.

As a lowly FO, I'd completely understand if the last two seats got held until T-20 so that you could swoop in and get a reasonable seat for a 4-digit ticket. Of course, there's a good chance that on a route like that where the weekday nonstop fare even eight weeks out is a Q, I'd have just bought the A fare and left you in coach anyway.

Good point. Maybe DL should make ALL domestic upgrades of the battlefield variety. I am sure that will stir some nerves on here.

As others have indicated, you are still only GM -- more evidence that this change has nothing to do with "thinning the herd" so that more valuable elites get "their" upgrades. You already give DL sufficient money (compared to the average), they don't need to do anything to drive additional revenue from you.

Can you provide a link to this poll?

:confused: What is wrong with what he said? DTW-LAX? GM upgrade clears at the window? Since when?

As a GM I have never been upgraded at the window unless there are empty seats in F after my upgrade clears, on any flights.