How many times does it need to be said? Their program couldn't "remain the same" because it succeeded with unintended - but foreseeable - consequences. That's no excuse for blaming Medallions who don't appreciate that when ill-considered offers are withdrawn, programs devalued or benefits made unfeasible it's for the overall good.

The spend component are rollover tier explosion are components of a revenue dynamic integration.

Why does anyone believe the assurances that airlines provide when they are trying to merge?

Or when their CEO testifies before Congress and gives interviews to the Memphis paper?

Don't you know, we're all gamers and they have to extract more from the Ham Sandwiches! :p

On the recent CNBC profile, Bill Marriott explained the company is much better off leaving a room empty and turning away someone who shows up in the lobby at midnight versus selling the room at a discount. Hotel rooms are also perishable commodities, and Bill Marriott is definitely an expert and success.

The next obvious step for DL is to start pruning capacity. A plane with 100 empty seats in the back is a route that likely needs to be pruned. Smaller planes, fewer flights or only flying on certain dates would likely be more profitable than filling the plane at fares that don't cover the cost.

Discounting solves an immediate problem, but creates a longterm issue. It's the old "teach a man to fish" or "give a man a fish" thing.

Repeating it doesn't make it true.

Who said that this is a response to rollover? If it was, why not just kill rollover? Other carriers have minimum spend requirements for certain levels. Other carriers have minimum flight requirements. And they have them despite having rollover. I'm sorry, but you are trying to present your theory as fact and even the circumstantial evidence is incredibly weak.

In what way did DL not honor their assurances? What is the time limit before which they can't adjust capacity at a hub? Regardless, only a gullible idiot (e.g. a Congressman) would have believed that the assurances provided meant MEM would always be a hub.

+1.

"Loyalty programs should be loyal" Yuk Yuk.

This is a slightly dangerous move by DL. They are betting that the millions of business travelers who pay the lions share of their overhead will stick with DL because they think they have a better product. Remember the vast majority of business travellers make the decision on who they fly not their company (assuming the price is close). DL is about to make every one of those people look at what is in it for THEM when they CHOOSE DL. Once people realize that the program is dead/dying AND IF UA/AA/VA (and even VA and JB domestically) do not follow suit droves WILL leave for the program with the most in it for them. While that will make many people on this board happy it will be short lived as DL cannot stay afloat if that happens. Many folks here think that if this happens DL will just course correct and lure them all back. I get burned once and I never trust again...

Management teams who want a big payout (read bonus/personal gain) are usually willing to take risks and trick shareholders into trusting them in hopes of the big pay day. The sham has begun....but I believe they are going to lose this bet.

As for those who think being in FC and having perks is "elite" they are just plain wrong. Being in FC and having perks is what DL promised the people who loyally wrote the check (or directed someone to) for all these years. It IS upgrade class because that IS WHAT IT IS AND ALL IT WAS EVER MEANT TO BE. Fly net jets if you are too poor to own your own BJ and then you can be kind of elite.

DL isn't saying that everyone is a gamer, just those that spend less than $0.10 per mile over a substantial number of miles. Such customers are so far below DL's yield numbers that they are either among the luckiest people in the world or they are gaming the system.

I'm not seeing where DL management has made any promises that have not been or will not be fulfilled. Please explain. Here are the facts:

For my loyalty in 2012, measured in a proscribed way, DL is giving me a specified list of perks for Feb 2013 - Feb 2014, just as promised.

For my loyalty in 2013, measured in a proscribed way, DL has promised to give me a specified list of perks for Feb 2014 - Feb 2015. Nothing has changed in this regard; it's the same qualification benchmarks I expected when I started flying in Jan 2013.

My loyalty in 2014 is going to be measured in a different way. I already know the measures one year ahead of my first flight for that qualifying year, and will surely know the perks being granted for the Feb 2015-Feb 2016 period before my first qualifying flight for that year.

^

They have been delightfully and honestly, unexpectedly honest and proactive with this announcement.

These aren't gamers. These are bargain hunters. Nothing wrong with that. As a company, though, why should DL throw money and perks at these people? The perk for these people is the low fare. The economic impact of these people towards DL, though, is not the same as those paying higher fares. There's nothing wrong with DL investing money for perks towards those who better impact the bottom line and not throw the perks at those who are not as profitable. DL is, after all, a business, not a charity or private club.

This is a slightly dangerous move by DL. They are betting that the millions of business travelers who pay the lions share of their overhead will stick with DL because.....

This isn't going to affect most business travelers. This is going to affect people sitting days upon days going back and forth to IST (fill in whatever route you want) on the lowest CPM that exists.

I am in full agreement.

I know you are, and I know you didn't originally use the term "gamer." I just wanted the bargain hunters to know that we don't think of them as gaming the system; they are using the rules to their advantage. Nothing wrong with that, but DL shouldn't be expected to shower these less profitable, but still valuable, customers with the bling rained on more profitable customers.

For two years, I've posted many, many times about the inequitable treatment given segments qualifiers. It just didn't make sense that DL would be giving more preferential treatment to less profitable customers. With the move to a minimum spend requirement, it seems DL agreed that there was a problem there. This new requirement will not impact segments qualifiers, as most, if not all, of us spend at least $100/segment.

I agree with most of what you've said in this thread, but you're really overestimating how difficult it is to come in below 10 cpMQM if you're flying certain markets. I can buy a one-way H fare SJC-MSP-BOS ticket to fly tomorrow for 10.3 cpMQM (excluding taxes, which don't count towards MQD). And that's a last minute purchase! With a week's advance purchase that same route is only 6.6 cpMQM.

If you're doing primarily intl or transcon flights in Y with even a bit of advance notice, it's very easy to come in below 10 cpMQM ex-Bay Area. No need to be a gamer.

+1

I too want to fly the dreamliner, but I am holding off until I figure out how to get my carry-on fire extinguisher past the TSA.