blueskeyes

Your post indicates that you've been banned from Delta's program - for two different reasons.

Is your question:
A "What will happen?" Ask the airline - you're a platinum.
-or is your question -
B "How can Delta catch me when Delta's published/agreed upon terms prevent me from doing business with them again?"

If you've been banned twice - I'm thinking that it may be best for you not to try to squeak through/be banned thrice.

Others may be able to help if you provide more info:
- Why did you sue?
- What was the end result of the lawsuit?
- Were you banned for only past business?
- What was the other reason? Did you violate a rule? How long ago was that?
- Were you dropped because you sued? What did that violate?
- Did any settlement or program restriction prevent you from future business?
- Does any current Delta or NW language prevent you from participating?

shadesofgrey1x

I am always surprised that someone finds a useful suggestion on a thread like this, despite the lack of information.

Yup, best and only guaranteed sure winner on the advice front is to burn miles before the merger.

Since the merger and the resultant FF program do not as yet exist, the mechanism for the merger and how they will handle it is pure and pointless speculation. Unless someone has a time machine. Of course if any FF did they would go back and book flight on one of the golden age carriers like Pan-Am in their peak days or at least a flight in F on the DL 747 transcon with the F lounge upstairs

BingoLoco

In for second reason.

spleenstomper

I have so many really bad scenarios going on in my head for the 2nd reason, the OP would be better off just telling us!

We won't judge

Gargoyle

How hard will it be to set up a database search on the NW FF list, matching Plat's with over 700k miles with the list of banned DL member names?

I'm guessing about 4 or 5 minutes to set up the search, and another 1 or 2 minutes to run the search. They have all the data they need from the OP.

Conclusion- burn baby burn...

Pit

You should get it in writing from NW that your miles will transfer. Then, should anything bad happen, you can sue them again.

shadesofgrey1x

Anyone thought of the possibility that you would rather lose the miles than merge, given the opportunity. The programs are changing fast. You know AA is now charging $5 for web redemptions to pay for the technology.

What if you can merge the WP mile into Skymiles only after paying a processing fee of $.01/mile? would you do it? What if the fee was $.10/mile? And what if no more tickets for free. NWA is really pushing the cash and miles option. What if this is the ultimate state DL wants the program to be in.

Again don't be so eager to join something that you know nothing about.

Think on this. 15 years ago the concept that your miles were useless on certain flights, no matter how many you are willing to spend would seem absurd. Yet here we are with DL saying for 270K you get enhanced availability but, no guarantee of a BE seat even if they have yet to sell a single rev seat.

Even NWA says the same thing for 200k, it was buh buy to rule buster awards.

What do you think will happen to enhanced redemption levels for INTL BE go down to WP 200K or up to DL Skymiles 270K or possibly higher? The OP may, even assuming he gets to join and merge, be looking at stiff fees and reduced award availability for mucho miles.

Some likely scenarios on the new DL program.

1)NW and DL will reduce flights. They are already doing so. Fewer flights mean fewer seats means fewer FF seats.

2) With tickets costing more why would redemption level remain steady?

3) Expect the cost of the tech side of the merger to be passed on in the form of even more fees.

4) Expect service to be cut even further. Pre 9-11 ATL-MIA F got a meal or at least a meal sized snack. Now you are lucky to get a cocktail or two. So when you spend for F or even an up to F, is it really worth it?

5) Want a real shock? wander over to the USAirways page and look up the changes they are phasing in.

By the time you get the real details on the merged DL program, you may not care if you can not join it.

You can always turn your 720k miles into a nice new HD plama TV.

csgoalie

I'd burn em,


Termination and/or Mileage Deduction for Violations
Delta reserves the right to terminate your membership in the SkyMiles program at any time if you violate the SkyMiles program rules, any term or condition of Delta's contract of carriage, Delta's fare rules, or any other Delta rules and regulations that apply to your travel. Termination of your membership will result in a loss of all accumulated mileage credit in your account, the cancellation of any unused Awards or Award Certificates, and the loss of all other SkyMiles benefits. Terminated members are not eligible to participate in any aspect of the SkyMiles program, including without limitation any special promotions or SkyMiles partnership offers. In lieu of termination, Delta may at its sole discretion deduct mileage from your account, but permit you to continue participating in the SkyMiles program.

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AMA

here's one for ya:

* wait until the merger is about to happen.
* go out and book a bunch of FF trips, several months out in the future. Leave a few token miles in your account.
* after the merger dust settles, see what happens to your account. If the miles are taken away, you still have the tickets in hand, enjoy a bunch of trips.
If the account is unchanged, redeposit the tickets to your account, get the points back, sit tight, use 'em later.

It's not clear from your posts whether Delta would totally revoke any/all aspects of your account, or just empty out the miles...so, worth a try...

sammy0623

wouldn't northwest have kicked him out of thie program then?

jspear

Unless I am mistaken (wouldn't be the first time), the scenario mentioned below would not be a safe bet all all. If Delta decides to close the merged account they will in all likelyhood invalidate any future reservations linked to that account.

crux

Yes but they never would...they dont care that much.. at a large company like delta to do a search like that you need to pull away resources from something that actually matters. Im guessing that most of the IT managers are too busy trying to make deadlines with staff constraints to do it.

jwhite4

Slightly off topic, but how will the account mergers happen? I have both WorldPerks and SkyMiles accounts. I guess they could a name & address comparison, and assume that Jeff ___ residing at ___ ___ ___, if it appears in both programs, is probably the same person. However, there could certainly be people with different addresses, even different names (ie. maybe a maiden name on an account not frequently used).

One idea I had is that Northwest would send out a communication to ever WP member, asking them to register a Skymiles account with them, if they wish their WP and SM miles to be combined. Otherwise, I think all WP members would end up getting new SM accounts after the merger.

Jeff

sbagdon

I bet if we dig into the CoC enough, we'll find a clause that says if you litigate, you've violated the CoC (arbitration clause?).

Technically, would there be a new company, not NW or DL, yet a new incorporated entitity with a new stock symbol? Or is this "merger" really an aquisition for one of the entities? Either way, I'm guessing that there will be a new frequent flyer program, which will then have all the NW and DL miles deposited into the new accounts, including those NW/DL miles that are combined, with a short grace period to combine miles for those accounts that didn't "match" (differing middle initial, maiden names, different addresses, etc). This way, as the program is new, NW/DL can now re-write all the rules, with new balances, and new rules. Whether or not, I'm guessing that NW and DL will not attempt to reconcile the banned-list, closing accounts from the other airline. Then again, this is DL, and RP.

All of that aside, I'd burn anyway. The industry is in such an upheaveal, with declining destinations and service, who's to know where we'll be in a year. I've burned through all my NW miles, with just a token amount (for me) for that just-in-case trip. I'm looking to just about burn through all my travel points programs (I'm starting to get real popular in the family!), and shortening my holding-timeframe. At one time, frequent flyer miles were something you "saved for retirement"... now, I'm not sure there's safety (in retained value) in saving them for next quarter.

Steve B.

elmococker

Wasn't DB Cooper a bit farther back than 11 yrs and on a different airline?

Besides, I think the OP's skeleton is going to stay as much of a secret as ol' DB whereabouts.