gaugeguy

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.

pvn

my advice would be to use a better thread subject line. you're more likely to get good responses since a lot of people won't click on vague threads

flyerCO

AFAIK DL won't do challenges if you have any status at all with them.

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)

Wimsta

Book as much in January as possible, get your immediate C+ UGs... or, maybe if you're lucky you can find a DM to gift you GM. But, I've not seen that kind of fishing work well unless you know people.
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.

obscure2k

Mod Note: Thread title edited for clarification
O2K-Mod

Loadmaster

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?

iflyalexair

gaugeguy

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.

ATOBTTR

To play devil's advocate, it doesn't "cost them nothing". Of course there's the argument they'd get more revenue by you buying more fares by having status (the reason for the programs) but yes, it cost them something if you utilize benefits. If you check bags that you now get the baggage fee waived versus would have had to pay due to being a lower status with less baggage allowance, that cost DL money. If you are given C+ at booking and get it for free, that prevents someone else from "buying" that seat otherwise. If they give you RUCs, that's a time you may not buy-up to FC. If you access a lounge (rather than pay an entry fee) and consume resources (food and drinks) in the lounge, that cost DL something. These costs might well be rounding errors in DL's accounting and expenses but it still technically cost them something, not "nothing".

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.

Often1

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.

MSPeconomist

Lomapaseo

I went through the same combinations years ago Top level for many years, partially retired at Lifetime Silver and the bleak days settled in for the few flights I booked. The first year I didn't make the top grade Delta sent a warm letter granting me one more year at the top gratis. I didn't ask for it so I have no idea who and why they did it. In your case i realize that the pain of only Silver will hurt for the first months of your heavy flying again (obviously you will at least make Gold before the end of this year)

fpmurphy

I could not agree more.

To the OP - man up and do your time until you earn the desired status the same as the rest of us.

DLdweeb

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.

Often1

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.