I am a PM and have been one every year but one up until now. I will only qualify for GM this year due to travel budget restrcitions imposed by my company. I was already planning my strategy for how to get PM taken care of quickly next year. Now my only question is:

Did you screw me with a flat, phillips or torx head screwdriver?

Why bother? All I can discern is that I get less than before and you expect more of me in return.

I'm going to start a not for profit company that will counsel and explain ridiculous FF programs to disgruntled business flyers for $10/year. I'll be able to make enough money to buy my own plane.

And you're proud of these "changes"? Did you hire the guy who invented New Coke, the New BMW 745 or the writer of Madonna's last movie as a consultant.

Don't get me started....

Bruceb,and the rest of the forum... Sorry for wondering aloud, but as a Northwest Elite flyer, when the NW/CO/DL/KLM?? programs align, won't many of these changes be for naught? The other three programs are very much in line with each other and the KLM program just aligned itself with NW and CO. This will make DL the "out in left field" program and I seriously don't think NW/CO/KLM will make these draconian changes to their program. I know I won't get a straight answer on this one, but just wanted to throw it out there.

What happens to those of us who have already purchased L/U/T fares for travel in 2003? Will we only get 1/2 of the mileage credit, even though the tickets were bought under the impression that the full mileage would be credited for Medallion purposes? Not only do I dislike the new policy, I think the timing of it (in mid December, effective for travel beginning in January) was very inconsiderate for Delta flyers who have already pruchased tickets for next year.

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You'll still get all the miles + bonus miles, but will receive only 1/2 MQM miles. I am getting screwed on this for booking travel on DL next year as well. Well, live, learn, and book on other carriers I guess...

Zip:

I wouldn't worry too much about NW/CO/DL - in this environment - I seriously doubt the feds are going to let it fly...It has already had its review extended twice.

Bruce:

I am a Platinum Member with 55 segment upgrades that expire on 12-31-2003. It sounds like I will not need to use them in 2003. Will they be converted to 500-mile segment upgrades that I will be able to use in 2004?

Negative. You will have 0 when the conversion happens. 0*800/500= 0

I have a whole bunch that vaporized when I turned PM many years ago (earned them the one year I was an FO/GM and as an FO/GM's scored very few upgrades). I asked once about what happens if I only make GM one year. The answer: I get the 8 to start and that's it. Now it's 4. (except for the one time bonus on 1/1/04)

So after 2004, at the start of every year, nobody has any upgrades in the bank as they do not carry over.
FC will then only have those few who for some reason pay for FC and non-revs.
This is going to like an extended holiday season for the non-revs.

Bruce,

Going from unlimited upgrades to 4x500/10000 is ridiculous. I realize the need to re-align via revenue, but to then punish us that do 100k butt in seat miles per year is ridiculous. That 4x500 isn't enough for me to upgrade one-way to the west coast. And being in BUF, its 712 miles to ATL. Plus, if Dr. Evil decides that there will only be a 1 time bonus of 20 MSU deposited for Plat's, what reason do I have for going after Plat instead of Gold, other than the "innumerable" benefits of the crown room - give me a break, I don't drink when I fly. I think I've been in the crown room 4 times in the last year - and that's only when I was delayed due to equipment problems (read, Delta decided to keep me in ATL for a few hours more than planned). What if I decline the club membership - will you give me more upgrades then? I certainly don't get my money's worth from this "valuable" option.

As an ATL based PM, I do not like this at all. 20 Instead of 10 International Segments.

Although many of my flights have been to Asia on Skyteam in Business and those prices alone would qualify me for PM in 2004, I probably will not be loyal to Skyteam anymore.

The reamining 50 flights that I take on Delta as a PM are now guarenteed to be in coach on the outbound with the first cabin filled with hub and spoke customers that got to the gate first. Imagine this scenerio:

Mr. Silver Customer (based in a hub Huntsville, Alabama) buys his L Ticket 50 weeks in advance, HSV-ATL-SFO and return. He is on a Saturday night stayover and he pays $350.00 RT. He checks at 1:00 CST(2:00 PM In Atlanta) for a three o'clock departure, HSV - ATL. in In HSV and is upgraded for all of his outbound segments. After a 50 minute flight and a 45 minute connection time, he is on the plane (in First) and ready to meet the scheduled departure time of 3:35 PM.

Mr. Platinum (based in the spoke, Atlanta) (has met the qualifications for PM as he has spent $60,000.00 on Delta on the ten Asia Round Trip Tickets in the past year)buys his ticket 3 weeks in advance ATL-SFO and Return but at the time he booked his, only K fares were avsailable, his ticket was $800.00 as he is not staying over Saturday night. For a 3:35 Departure, Mr. Platinum arrives at the airport at 2:30 and asks for an upgrade, "sorry, none available."

This is a very real scenerio and is a horrible thing for Delta PM/GM customer base in Atlanta.

So my question for Bruce is, did the people who planned the enhancements to MY Skymiles program (remember me, the customer, the one with the money; it IS MY Skymiles Program) think about this scenerio?

I doubt Mr. Bruce is a Delta employee. My guess is a media relations type person retained to do just what he's doing.

I think Delta either doesn't trust their employees or doesn't want to expose them to the environment of Flyertalk.


[This message has been edited by GeorgeBurdell (edited 12-14-2002).]

He sounds pretty authentic to me.

[This message has been edited by vasantn (edited 12-13-2002).]

My supposition is that there is no Mister Bruce behind the screen, but several people working as a team, the 'Bruce-Team', for this project.

My comprehension is that Delta has people that , or rather pays a consultant to.. spend time here.

I like te idea of a consultant. Many of you should probably have an idea ?

It means that our forum (no offense to our host, I want to say his forum AND our discussions) has really gained a great importance in matter of frequentflyer concerns.


I understand also that some of the worst critics we had here (no more InsULTant fares that are not upgradable, What is the use of so many 800 miles e-coupon that nobody use) have been adressed.

We can complain about the way they were 'solved', but we must admit it is true that we, as a group, constantly and persistantly said we wanted these two problems to be solved.

And that is true it has been.

Ladies and gentlemen Bruce

I do not think this question has yet bee adressed.
It is related to the re-calculation of all the individual situations that should occur, if I understand, in late december, or in january :

As there have been several double base miles promotion, including the Amex double miles promotion, how will a international trip (for instance) , with double base mile in Y or in L been treated ?

[This message has been edited by felis (edited 12-13-2002).]

[This message has been edited by felis (edited 12-13-2002).]

Is that true, Bruce? I can find a statement in the Upgrade FAQs that the "conversion [on May 1, 2003] will have no impact on the expiration of your existing upgrades." But I can't find anything that states what the expiration date for the new 500-Mile Upgrade points will be. One year? Something else?

[This message has been edited by Dave M (edited 12-13-2002).]