Xeno

In light of all the sideline discussions in the mother thread about changes to the medallion program, I have long thought we needed a separate thread for those of us who lose big when M fares no longer earn 150% MQMs.

But news today posted by Dovster - http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20179086-post2258.html - shows that in fact we have not been given a clear map for 2013. Without this post, I would have paid a $250 change for plus a higher fare - probably on more than one ticket that already costs $4K - and lost 50% MQM bonus that I thought was firm through at least 2013.

Of course, I am still puzzled why fares that range from $3.5 - $5K are lumped together with those configurations that do not benefit DL and therefore must be penalized. Folk like myself who buy these tickets month in advance are not fighting for last minute upgrades on domestic flights.

I had decided to try and maximize my MQMs for 2013 (like adding another run to SVO in April) since I am not as worried about the MDQs but now I must foresee every possible problem with the international M fares already purchased for 2013 if I want to make DM for 2014. Gee, it would have been nice to know about all these things before buying three expensive tickets to Asia this year.

privacylawyer

I think they will have some problems trying to enforce a lower earn on tickets already purchased with the old M benefits. the same issues apply here as they do in the United legal battle for million milers.

Xeno

I hope you are right, but I will probably run out and pay change fees and higher fares this month so I don't risk losing the 50% bonus.

I just found out 2 days ago I need to change the return on my Oct-Nov flight to PUS but the problem there has always been finding Z (not O) for my days of travel.

dEagleS

That's going to be a problem. I already have several M+ fares purchased for this year, and if changing a single segment well lose the 150% bonus will be a kick in the groin. As already noted, international M+ fares are already quite expensive. I actually have flow many discounted J fares cheaper than the M ones. And, now you cannot purchase the "cheapest" M fares for upgrades and still get the mileage bonus. Likely I will focus on purchasing discounted J fares in the future, and then make the SWU's even more useless.

rylan

If you ware waitlisted for an SWU and it doesn't clear prior to 3/1, then when it does clear and your ticket gets reissued there is a real risk that the system may only credit you with 100% since the last ticketing date is after the cutoff....

As I've said several times in the other thread, DL obviously doesn't want the business of M+SWU travelers. They are only interested in full fare B+ pax.

exwannabe

I would expect you are correct.

I would really hope DL will see some of this and fix it.

HongKonger

The whole M fare devaluation is puzzling and his a huge flip of the bird from DL.

Many insist M fares will come down... Keep dreaming.

bennos

I would guess M fare devaluation is more likely the first step in an ultimate devaluation of the lower fare classes.

HongKonger

Much more likely.

skchin

I think you are probably right.

LegalTender

Doing that along with the MQD rollout would demonstrate a swaggering risk tolerance.

Which means it's likely.

DL2SXM

unless I'm missing something, the following excerpt was taken from delta.com

2) Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) are used as a counter to determine SkyMiles Medallion status. MQMs earned will adjust for select fare classes on Delta-marketed tickets purchased on or after March 1, 2013


The way I see it, if you purchased your M class tickets already, then you have nothing to worry about.

Xeno

Anyone know how we can get official clarification on the point of whether simply making changes to an M fare ticket after 3/1/13 also means losing the 50% MQM bonus?

I have already purchased my international M fare tickets for 2013 most of which cost around $4K (Asia). However, it is not unusual to make changes to such tickets close to the day of departure. I would go ahead and make a change to my PUS ticket in Oct-Nov, but I can't find Z inventory on alternative days. Much the same is true about KUL in August.

So it will be extremely disturbing to pay a $250 change fee + higher fare on these expensive M fares only to lose the 50% MQM bonus that I thought was secure for 2013.

jsgoldbe

Thanks for starting a separate thread for this. It is, for me, the single largest hit I am taking to my SM earning since I began flying DL for the majority of my flying several years ago.

The most likely rationale I can think of behind this move is that DL has done its due diligence and made the decision that there is a certain portion of its elite members who need/want to fly in J class and will take the cheapest option to do so (aside from burning miles -- something DL has also made outrageously expensive compared to its peers), which on DL happens to be the M class fare. Why reward these flyers for doing something they would do anyway?

If I either wasn't a hub captive or didn't have personal reasons for wanting the non-stops my hub provides, I would be status matching and jumping ship to UA or AA. Before being a hub-captive (when I lived in a non-hub city), I was required to make one-stops on UA to nearly anywhere I needed to go, and it wasn't so bad, just avoid ORD in the summer.

DL looks like it has chosen a unique position among the remaining US legacy airlines and is sticking to it: make it the easiest legacy to earn RDM and MQM, but make it the most expensive to purchase and redeem miles on. Raise the bar on both sides of the balance sheet, but cheat and raise the income side a little more to juice the profits.

So, back to the M-class fares and the reduced MQMs. How many fewer M fares will be sold due to this decision? IMHO, probably not a lot fewer since these are primarily purchased with the hopes of upgrading and people still want to fly in the front cabin internationally. But, only time will tell if DL loses some fraction of its bread-and-butter elites since they now will find their MQMs are 33% less than before, and that will be enough to make many Diamonds into Plats, PMs into GM, and so on, making many consider jumping ship. There are other options.

DL, if you're listening, please bring back this important bonus and differentiator for your airline.

Xeno

I know my case is not typical but my runs in BE are a medical necessity as I am a DVT/PE patient. Thus I buy far in advance when possible and never waitlist long segments of international tickets. More importantly, there is a limit on what I can spend so when the upgradeable fare is too high then I lose the trip. On the other hand, I can buy S when it costs less than M.

In the meantime, I wish DL would clarify what happens to the 50% MQM bonus for international M fares that undergo minor changes after 3/1/13.