GUWonder

Reduced availability for D48@25k miles is an adjustment, right?

GUWonder

Changing the course with DL may well be a losing battle at this point -- the spirit of Leo Mullins haunts DL still and so that really is not much of an objective at this point -- but increased recognition of the marketing games being played by DL in this "battle" on SkyMiles customers is an informational victory each and every time a current or potential customer recognizes the devaluation being implemented by DL's marketing folk using this creative approach to devaluation. [If pulling a fast one over customers was an honorable objective, then those who came up with this approach would be deserving of a medal, which in the case of a DL haunted by the spirit of Mullins means a promotion and/or bonus.]

sxf24

Not to the award level. Despite your claims to the opposite, SkySaver awards will still be 25,000 miles.

The availability of awards at restricted levels certainly can change, and probably will in tandem with load factors and revenue ticket yields.

Is this a devaluation? That depends on your perspective as a customer. I'm not going to argue with anyone who holds that position. However, I will continue to challenge the multitude of falsities posted on this topic.

KeaauFlyer

Here is a quote from Jeff Robertson's post which started this thread:

"American, United, Continental and Alaska have all recently announced some award level increases, which we did integrate into the new award structure. We did not however make any adjustments to the D48 – 25K mile award level. Bottom line, there are a couple saver level increases, however the new expanded availability tier is always lower than SkyChoice today, and the new last seat levels are almost always higher than SkyChoice today."

I would like to know what the saver level increases will be. Something tells me they will be the "plums" that everyone lusts over. The D48 saver awards would appear to be the only ones guaranteed not to cost more, but only a "couple" will go up. Being based in Hawaii, that makes me wonder. I guess we'll find out in August.

soitgoes

It almost sounds like--the way he words it--they took all of the increases of the other airlines and combined them such that Skymiles members get to experience all of the award level increases...

DukieDrew

I'm glad to hear about the 500 mile minimums. Hopefully not charging for the first bag will remain a reality, too.

GUWonder

It's not always about you. I was most certainly discussing the content of your posts. Your motivations are your own -- claim whatever, deny whatever you wish, your motivations are your own and don't matter to me.

The SkySaver awards are being increased in price by being called something else that is greater than 25,000 miles for D48 travel for the majority of SkyMiles members. Call the new sub-SkySaver award of D48 travel @25k miles "SkySaver", but it's not the SkySaver as we have known it this year, last year and the years before when it comes to availability.

It's a devaluation, but I don't expect everyone to see that. I certainly don't expect everyone to acknowledge it, especially not those who have something to gain by denying or rationalizing DL's flaws and devaluations of SkyMiles (nor those who have something to lose by acknowledging DL's flaws and devaluation of SkyMiles).

You are not challenging "multitude of falsities", but you are certainly claiming to do so. Of course you, like all of us (myself included) are free to see what you want to see, claim whatever you want, deny whatever you want, and to do that all despite the reality of this three-tier award chart being a marketing sleight of hand to devalue SkyMiles, a sleight of hand trick that produces smoke and mirrors for DL management and management defenders to use against SkyMiles customers and critics alike who dare to recognize this for what it really is: a substantive devaluation of SkyMiles.

The D48@25k miles award ticket is going the way of the dodo as DL deploys the three-tier award chart to be the smoke and mirrors to hide behind while delivering a price increase for award inventory currently available at what is marketed as a SkySaver award. DL might fool many customers many times, but it's not going to fool all of the customers all of the time despite your wishes or mine.

sxf24

That makes no sense. When is a SkySaver not a SkySaver?

You don't know that. But, whatever. Hopefully you take your business elsewhere.

GUWonder

.... when DL has a smoke and mirror SkyMiles devaluation game in play with this three-tier award chart implementation.

If it doesn't make sense to you or if you want to claim that it doesn't make sense to you, that doesn't bother me. As I said earlier, claim whatever, deny whatever you want.

Claim whatever, deny whatever .... just like I noted earlier.

Keep hoping, but I still do business and will be doing business with DL -- and regardless of your hopes, that won't keep me from being critical of those elements of DL and of SkyMiles that deserve criticism and/or critical commentary.

If SkyMiles improves for most current and prospective customers, perhaps DL would get even more business and be deserving of less criticism and/or critical commentary than it gets in this forum and thread too.

sxf24

Well, it seems there will still be a 25,000 domestic award tier called SkySave so you're the one playing with smoke and mirrors.

My suggestion to you, go smoke a big one then look in the mirror. Then again, maybe I'll take that suggestion myself. It would be a hell of a lot more interesting and intellectually stimulating then continuing this conversation.

majorwibi

The only time I have ever had issues is between 3:45 and 5:00 PM on weekdays. Otherwise the lines are short but during this period the lines back up something fierce. Thats when the elite line makes a difference.

mcjava

OK, I'll be the first one not participating in this back and forth bickering.

+1.

It's getting tiresome

jbatl

+2. I think a couple of FTers have made their feelings crystal clear in this thread. Perhaps we can move in another direction?

I'm not disappointed in this month's offering from RealDLInsider, and I have been disappointed in the past.

Jeff, thanks for the clarity on the issues you chose to address. Like the answers or not, I think the q-and-a format is working well. As you can tell, we're definitely a 'just the facts' kind of crowd.

But, please, please, please make the focus of your August post ...

What is being done to address the faulty award search tool??

Thanks again.

mcjava

+1

DiscoPapa

Thanks Jeff for the Q&A, I appreciate it! ^