Need advice..contacting corporate re: "soft landing"
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: GEG (Spokane, WA)
Programs: Delta Plat, MM, AS MVP, Lifetime Skyclub, HHonors Lifetime Diamond, National Exec Elite, IHG Gold
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Need advice..contacting corporate re: "soft landing"
So, for the last year and half I have been out of work. I recently just got a new job traveling 50% and already have more than 5 trips booked on DL. I will drop from Plat to Silver (Lifetime) in Feb. I anticipate that I will be at least Plat if not Diamond by the end of the year flying mostly domestic with 1-2 International trips. Is there some department to contact in corp to ask if them would extend me a challenge or soft landing? I am going to loathe dropping to silver after more than 17 years as either Plat or Diamond.
#3
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So, for the last year and half I have been out of work. I recently just got a new job traveling 50% and already have more than 5 trips booked on DL. I will drop from Plat to Silver (Lifetime) in Feb. I anticipate that I will be at least Plat if not Diamond by the end of the year flying mostly domestic with 1-2 International trips. Is there some department to contact in corp to ask if them would extend me a challenge or soft landing? I am going to loathe dropping to silver after more than 17 years as either Plat or Diamond.
I'd ask. However, i would doubt you'll get a yes unless you can show purchased, non-refundable tickets that would put you over in next few months. I wouldnt expect, nor ask for anything higher than Gold. You get STE+ benefits at that level and is more realistic IMO than PM. (DM is not realistic at any level, they're trying to trim the DM numbers as it is)
#4
Join Date: Mar 2018
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So, for the last year and half I have been out of work. I recently just got a new job traveling 50% and already have more than 5 trips booked on DL. I will drop from Plat to Silver (Lifetime) in Feb. I anticipate that I will be at least Plat if not Diamond by the end of the year flying mostly domestic with 1-2 International trips. Is there some department to contact in corp to ask if them would extend me a challenge or soft landing? I am going to loathe dropping to silver after more than 17 years as either Plat or Diamond.
When I had several thousand dollars worth of upcoming flights that would put me into a new bracket and tried calling I got nowhere with it, you're long history may give you better luck but I seriously doubt anyone can do it for you. Does your new employer have corporate points or whatever they're called? They might be able to get the Medallion status for you.
#5
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#6
Join Date: Sep 2017
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I'm not sure I follow ... I understand you did 17 years as a Plat or Diamond, but you also received the due benefits during that same time, yes?
I'm genuinely curious, why would you expect a company to grant you a level of status and benefits that you haven't currently earned based on their requirements?
Again, I understand being a loyal customer for 17 yrs, but there are many of those out there ... is there a particular reason why you feel you should be gifted status without earning it?
I'm genuinely curious, why would you expect a company to grant you a level of status and benefits that you haven't currently earned based on their requirements?
Again, I understand being a loyal customer for 17 yrs, but there are many of those out there ... is there a particular reason why you feel you should be gifted status without earning it?
Last edited by Loadmaster; Jan 3, 2019 at 11:15 pm
#7
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: Delta DM, 2MM
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I'm not sure I follow ... I understand you did 17 years as a Plat or Diamond, but you also received the due benefits during that same time, yes?
I'm genuinely curious, why would you expect a company to grant you a level of status and benefits that you haven't currently earned based on their requirements?
Again, I understand being a loyal customer for 17 yrs, but there are many of those out there ... is there a particular reason why you feel you should be gifted status without earning it?
I'm genuinely curious, why would you expect a company to grant you a level of status and benefits that you haven't currently earned based on their requirements?
Again, I understand being a loyal customer for 17 yrs, but there are many of those out there ... is there a particular reason why you feel you should be gifted status without earning it?
Have you considered that there is value to Delta outside of the published requirements by endearing loyalty? It costs Delta virtually nothing to grant a soft landing and could lead to more revenue as the OP might be willing to pay a premium for upcoming travel to utilize the higher medallion benefits. It’s the same sort of thing when Delta waives a ticket change fee when you have an unexpected problem force you to make a change.
In my case, I was granted a MQD waiver as I vastly exceeded the MQM requirements, had demonstrated past loyalty, and was only a few thousand away from the $250k. I was resigned to being a PM and paying for J tickets with other airlines/alliances if the price and/or routing was better. Since DL gave me the waiver, I booked a J trip on them instead of AA.
Nothing is expected certainly, but that decision by Delta has already had a revenue positive benefit that likely outweighs the expense associated with DM benefits over PM benefits that I earned.
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: GEG (Spokane, WA)
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Exactly. I have shown years and years of loyalty. A soft landing for someone who was out of work for a while costs them nothing. My only problem is trying to find the right person to contact to ask the question.
#9
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Plus, if you've already booked 5 trips on DL without getting this soft-landing, you've already told DL you're willing to fly them and rebuild towards status without them even giving you a soft-landing. DL might well also say your "soft-landing" for years of loyalty is the "complimentary annual" FO status for 1MM, which guarantees you at least Silver Medallion status even if you never step foot on the plane. Yea, I realize compared to GM, PM, or DM, that FO status is can seem pretty meager but even FO status is enough to take traveling/flying from miserable to bearable with access to preferred seats, priority check-in, better protection in IROPS, etc.
#10
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Of course there is a cost to DL. It may not be an outright cash expenditure, but there is a branding and goodwill issue with other customers who are competing for a limited number of perks. It goes without saying that none of this matters in the context of any one customer. But, if DL effectively expands the universe of qualifications for a given status level (that is what a "soft landing" is), it is then accused of a devaluation.
I would not suggest buying a lot of non-refundable tickets. Nobody here can say whether that motivates DL to see you as a candidate for a "soft landing" or whether DL identifies such a person as already loyal and thus not requiring a sweetener.
I would not suggest buying a lot of non-refundable tickets. Nobody here can say whether that motivates DL to see you as a candidate for a "soft landing" or whether DL identifies such a person as already loyal and thus not requiring a sweetener.
#11
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DL might decide whether or not to give you such a gift based on their analysis of the costs and benefits to DL, but status also carries some zero sum benefits. If DL gives you PM and you then get an upgrade, the cost of your status is really being paid by the GM who is next of the upgrade list and thanks to you lost out on the last FC seat.
This is why I'm against any soft landings, MQD DM exceptions, and other special treatment that results in the reallocation of earned published elite benefits.
This is why I'm against any soft landings, MQD DM exceptions, and other special treatment that results in the reallocation of earned published elite benefits.
#12
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So, for the last year and half I have been out of work. I recently just got a new job traveling 50% and already have more than 5 trips booked on DL. I will drop from Plat to Silver (Lifetime) in Feb. I anticipate that I will be at least Plat if not Diamond by the end of the year flying mostly domestic with 1-2 International trips. Is there some department to contact in corp to ask if them would extend me a challenge or soft landing? I am going to loathe dropping to silver after more than 17 years as either Plat or Diamond.
#13
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 585
To the OP - man up and do your time until you earn the desired status the same as the rest of us.
#14
Join Date: Oct 2007
Programs: Now just a lowly DL PM/1MM. This industry needs some competition. It's just not enjoyable anymore.
Posts: 3,543
And you enjoyed top tier benefits during those years and years. If you don't fly for a year (for whatever reason), you don't get to enjoy those benefits. Seems pretty clear cut. So I agree, man up, do the time, and you'll be back at top tier before you know it.
To answer your question, I have no idea who you should contact. Best of luck, though.
To answer your question, I have no idea who you should contact. Best of luck, though.
#15
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Air carriers do not reward past loyalty with status. Rather, they purchase future loyalty with status.
It is simply that the past is usually a good predictor of the future, so it is the system used. But, don't believe for a second that DL or any other service provider is offering you status because it wants to thank you for spending money you have already spent.
It is simply that the past is usually a good predictor of the future, so it is the system used. But, don't believe for a second that DL or any other service provider is offering you status because it wants to thank you for spending money you have already spent.