I want you to get mad! We're mad as heck, and we're not going to take this anymore!
Nov 18, 2014, 5:42 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 367
I want you to get mad! We're mad as heck, and we're not going to take this anymore!
Following Delta's latest move of chiseling away their SkyMiles program when it comes to SkyMiles awards with stopovers or open jaws, I reached the conclusion that I need to find a new airline! I spend most of my work days traveling away from home, only to return home for a fight about the next work trip. One of the few rays of sunshine in my life was an awards program I felt had my back, that is until Delta enacted the following:
Removal of Award Ticket Open Jaws / Stopoevers
Removal of Award Ticket Around-The-World Options
Switching from Mileage Based to Revenue Based Skymiles Program
Additional Revenue Requirements for Medallion Status
Reduced SkyClub Guests and Increased Fees
Increased Amex Card Annual Fees
A Tighter Same Day Confirm Policy
Blocked Access to ExpertFlyer
Limited Partner Transfers to SkyMiles
Monitization of First Class which inhibits Medallion Upgrades
On the drive home tonight from the airport, I couldn't help but feel like I'm being stabbed in the back my Delta. With over 1.2M Skymiles, my redemption options are getting slimmer day by day. With wild hopes for an amazing around the world honeymoon trip in 2016, I'm slowly beginning to realize those Skymiles will soon be practically worthless.
The following is my way of expressing my frustration and how upset I am about these changes. The only way to send a clear message to Delta that we're not going to tolerate these changes is to get mad!
Adapted from The Original Motion Picture Network (1976)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K91WIBsKu_Y
I don't have to tell you things are bad. Everybody knows things are bad. It's Skymiles 2015. Everybody's out of work or scared of losing their job. The Skydollar buys a Skynickel's worth, baggage belts are going bust, pilots keep a gun under the cockpit counter. Gate lice are running wild in the terminal and there's nobody anywhere who seems to know what to do, and there's no end to it. We know the cabin air is unfit to breathe and our airline coach food is unfit to eat, and we sit watching our IFE's while some local newscaster tells us that today we had fifteen homicides and sixty-three violent crimes, as if that's the way it's supposed to be. We know things are bad - worse than bad. They're crazy. It's like everything everywhere is going crazy, so we don't go out anymore. We sit in our bulkhead seats, and slowly the world we are living in is getting smaller, and all we say is, 'Please, at least leave us alone in our bulkhead seat. Let me have my Economy Comfort and my Woodruff Reserve and my 69th place on the upgrade list as a Diamond on a B fare and I won't say anything. Just leave us alone.'
Well, I'm not gonna leave you alone! I want you to get mad! I don't want you to protest. I don't want you to riot - I don't want you to write to Virginia Avenue because I wouldn't know what to tell you to write. I don't know what to do about the ending of Award Ticket Open Jaws and Stop Overs and the MQD thresholds inflation and the ending of Around The World Award Tickets and the motorization of first class which kills the chance of medallion upgrades.
All I know is that first you've got to get mad! You've got to say, 'I'm a MEDALLION, G** d*** it! My loyalty has VALUE!'
So I want you to get up now. I want all of you to get up out of your Sky Club chairs. I want you to get up right now and go to the gate agent's podium. Open it, and stick your head out, and yell, 'I'M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!'. Things have got to change. But first, you've gotta get mad! You've got to say, 'I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!'
Then we'll figure out what to do about Skymiles 2015 and the MQD threshold inflation and the award ticket features and options being discontinued.
Removal of Award Ticket Open Jaws / Stopoevers
Removal of Award Ticket Around-The-World Options
Switching from Mileage Based to Revenue Based Skymiles Program
Additional Revenue Requirements for Medallion Status
Reduced SkyClub Guests and Increased Fees
Increased Amex Card Annual Fees
A Tighter Same Day Confirm Policy
Blocked Access to ExpertFlyer
Limited Partner Transfers to SkyMiles
Monitization of First Class which inhibits Medallion Upgrades
On the drive home tonight from the airport, I couldn't help but feel like I'm being stabbed in the back my Delta. With over 1.2M Skymiles, my redemption options are getting slimmer day by day. With wild hopes for an amazing around the world honeymoon trip in 2016, I'm slowly beginning to realize those Skymiles will soon be practically worthless.
The following is my way of expressing my frustration and how upset I am about these changes. The only way to send a clear message to Delta that we're not going to tolerate these changes is to get mad!
Adapted from The Original Motion Picture Network (1976)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K91WIBsKu_Y
I don't have to tell you things are bad. Everybody knows things are bad. It's Skymiles 2015. Everybody's out of work or scared of losing their job. The Skydollar buys a Skynickel's worth, baggage belts are going bust, pilots keep a gun under the cockpit counter. Gate lice are running wild in the terminal and there's nobody anywhere who seems to know what to do, and there's no end to it. We know the cabin air is unfit to breathe and our airline coach food is unfit to eat, and we sit watching our IFE's while some local newscaster tells us that today we had fifteen homicides and sixty-three violent crimes, as if that's the way it's supposed to be. We know things are bad - worse than bad. They're crazy. It's like everything everywhere is going crazy, so we don't go out anymore. We sit in our bulkhead seats, and slowly the world we are living in is getting smaller, and all we say is, 'Please, at least leave us alone in our bulkhead seat. Let me have my Economy Comfort and my Woodruff Reserve and my 69th place on the upgrade list as a Diamond on a B fare and I won't say anything. Just leave us alone.'
Well, I'm not gonna leave you alone! I want you to get mad! I don't want you to protest. I don't want you to riot - I don't want you to write to Virginia Avenue because I wouldn't know what to tell you to write. I don't know what to do about the ending of Award Ticket Open Jaws and Stop Overs and the MQD thresholds inflation and the ending of Around The World Award Tickets and the motorization of first class which kills the chance of medallion upgrades.
All I know is that first you've got to get mad! You've got to say, 'I'm a MEDALLION, G** d*** it! My loyalty has VALUE!'
So I want you to get up now. I want all of you to get up out of your Sky Club chairs. I want you to get up right now and go to the gate agent's podium. Open it, and stick your head out, and yell, 'I'M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!'. Things have got to change. But first, you've gotta get mad! You've got to say, 'I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!'
Then we'll figure out what to do about Skymiles 2015 and the MQD threshold inflation and the award ticket features and options being discontinued.
Nov 18, 2014, 6:03 pm
#4
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: ATL
Programs: Delta DM/1.3MM, Marriott PP/LTP, Natl EE, Etihad Guest, FT FNG
Posts: 662
Nov 18, 2014, 6:30 pm
#7
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: ATL
Programs: Delta DM/1.3MM, Marriott PP/LTP, Natl EE, Etihad Guest, FT FNG
Posts: 662
Nov 18, 2014, 6:38 pm
#8
Used to be 'TheManWhoFlewTooMuch'
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SFO, SAN
Programs: United 1K 2MM, Delta Diamond emeritus, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 101
I have had United 1K status for the past 18 consecutive years, and I can tell you that United doesn't give a flying f--k about that. They haven't even noticed that I'm gone (switched to Delta this year).
I thought the grass would be greener at Delta. And indeed, it is a better in-flight experience. However, there is no point in chasing status or claiming loyalty to Delta; I see that now.
There are too many people flying, and too few seats, and virtually no competition nowadays. Frequent Flyer programs are just a liability for the airlines now, an obsolete concept that they would like to discard. They will continue to erode benefits and devalue our FF balances because the value of our loyalty has diminished in their eyes.
You can feel hurt and express indignance, but you can't do anything about it. You have nowhere else to go. You can't stop flying, and your "choice of airlines" is as quaint and outdated a concept as the Frequent Flyer program. The remaining airlines are indistinguishable from one another.
Welcome to 2014! (I sure do miss 1997....)
Nov 18, 2014, 6:59 pm
#10
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: SJC (formerly CHI and STL)
Programs: AS, DL, AA, UA, WN
Posts: 1,013
Seeing posts like these is always great for keeping things in perspective.
Sure, some of the changes Delta has made to its program have impacted me negatively and may cause me to change my flying habits; that's the nature of all business. However, I'm glad I've never actually thought a corporation (which, as it is not a person, cannot care or feel anything) cared about me or liked me, and I've never had my emotional well-being thrown into disarray over the way frequent flyer miles are earned or used.
To the OP - if DL's mileage program was really the bright spot in your life, you might consider stepping back and reevaluating priorities and what makes you happy.
If this was all just trolling, well, I tip my hat at the excellent performance.
Sure, some of the changes Delta has made to its program have impacted me negatively and may cause me to change my flying habits; that's the nature of all business. However, I'm glad I've never actually thought a corporation (which, as it is not a person, cannot care or feel anything) cared about me or liked me, and I've never had my emotional well-being thrown into disarray over the way frequent flyer miles are earned or used.
To the OP - if DL's mileage program was really the bright spot in your life, you might consider stepping back and reevaluating priorities and what makes you happy.
If this was all just trolling, well, I tip my hat at the excellent performance.
Nov 18, 2014, 7:48 pm
#13
Join Date: Nov 2014
Programs: DL FO, DL Reserve, AMEX Plat, Priority Pass, Global Entry
Posts: 248
I thought the op's post was quite humorous, as well as informative. I had no idea about a few of the former benefits I'm about to lose, or never will have. For example, what is "Expert Flyer?" I'll google it now.
In the meantime, the OP clearly the took time and pain to funnily follow, fairly closely, a broadly known cultural metaphor to make his or her point. Why post responses that are hurtful and degenerating? That just isn't nice.
Thank you OP, for making me aware of something else that I'll never get. Most people post their complaints in unimaginative negativity. I really appreciate the fun and creative way you chose "rant".
In the meantime, the OP clearly the took time and pain to funnily follow, fairly closely, a broadly known cultural metaphor to make his or her point. Why post responses that are hurtful and degenerating? That just isn't nice.
Thank you OP, for making me aware of something else that I'll never get. Most people post their complaints in unimaginative negativity. I really appreciate the fun and creative way you chose "rant".
Nov 18, 2014, 7:52 pm
#14
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: PIT, BWI, or IPT
Programs: Dividend Miles, WorldPerks
Posts: 1,303
I will give the OP one thing...it does seem like we all take these changes quietly like the DL sheepie that DL wants us to be.
I was not around during the "save my skymiles" campaign in the early 2000's that seemed to work and get decent involvement...why is a similar thing not happening now?
Oh...there is no where else to go :P
...oh, DL is making money hand over fist too.
I still say...those ULCC's are growing capacity at breakneck speeds. Don't forget who had your back Delta.
I was not around during the "save my skymiles" campaign in the early 2000's that seemed to work and get decent involvement...why is a similar thing not happening now?
Oh...there is no where else to go :P
...oh, DL is making money hand over fist too.
I still say...those ULCC's are growing capacity at breakneck speeds. Don't forget who had your back Delta.