View Poll Results: How Important to You is Your Trust in a Frequent Travel Loyalty Program?
Very Important.
160
68.97%
Somewhat Important.
41
17.67%
Neither Important nor Unimportant.
19
8.19%
Somewhat Unimportant.
5
2.16%
Not Important at All.
7
3.02%
Voters: 232. You may not vote on this poll
How Important to You is Your Trust in a Frequent Travel Loyalty Program?
Feb 26, 2014, 7:39 pm
#31
In memoriam
Join Date: Aug 2002
Programs: AA EXP "Life is good! Really good.""
Posts: 4,923
In an ideal world, I would say that the ability to trust a corporation is important to building a long and valued business relationship. However, in the real world, I realize the only thing that matters at all is this quarter's share price, as that is a driven of the CEO's bonus this year, and that CEO is statistically likely to be gone in two years.
Thus, I expect that most publicly-traded firms will seek to cut costs and attempt to maximize the value extracted from me in the very short term, even at the expense of long-term health of the business.
In general, the airlines have defined their relationship with their passengers as adversarial. They do it with sneaky fees that aren't really pinned to delivery of a good or service, intentionally-poor customer service at every touchpoint imaginable, 20th-century websites, and an unending culture that their "give-a-f..." is broken today. They hate us. We hate them. So the best we can do is play the game as best we can and hope most other passengers don't play it well as we do.
I used to think that hotels were different. Until probably 5-6 years ago, I felt like they were still more driven by hospitality and generally treating their customers well. I think pockets of that still exist, especially at well-managed properties within each of the brands. Front-line people at a good Marriott, for example, are still quite customer-focused. But the loyalty programs are beginning to follow the airlines in terms of devaluations and continually taking things away from guests.
I've mainly thought of the rental car agencies as simply unorganized and inept. No grand conspiracy there...just a lot of franchises that hire a lot of minimum-wage people who don't follow the systems well. It's hard to get too angry at a high-school kid who was never trained on the nuances of the elite tiers within Hertz #1 Club Gold. Just find me a car, any car, and I'll go on my way.
Thus, I expect that most publicly-traded firms will seek to cut costs and attempt to maximize the value extracted from me in the very short term, even at the expense of long-term health of the business.
In general, the airlines have defined their relationship with their passengers as adversarial. They do it with sneaky fees that aren't really pinned to delivery of a good or service, intentionally-poor customer service at every touchpoint imaginable, 20th-century websites, and an unending culture that their "give-a-f..." is broken today. They hate us. We hate them. So the best we can do is play the game as best we can and hope most other passengers don't play it well as we do.
I used to think that hotels were different. Until probably 5-6 years ago, I felt like they were still more driven by hospitality and generally treating their customers well. I think pockets of that still exist, especially at well-managed properties within each of the brands. Front-line people at a good Marriott, for example, are still quite customer-focused. But the loyalty programs are beginning to follow the airlines in terms of devaluations and continually taking things away from guests.
I've mainly thought of the rental car agencies as simply unorganized and inept. No grand conspiracy there...just a lot of franchises that hire a lot of minimum-wage people who don't follow the systems well. It's hard to get too angry at a high-school kid who was never trained on the nuances of the elite tiers within Hertz #1 Club Gold. Just find me a car, any car, and I'll go on my way.
Feb 27, 2014, 9:00 pm
#33
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Livingston, TX
Programs: All airlines / hotels
Posts: 7
I'm part of the 70% who feel trust is important. I have reached a stage where I don't want to open my (e)mail from Delta, as I wonder what else they are taking away. Trust is gone; DL wants to act like Southwest & JetBlue, so I really don't have a choice but to entertain new airlines. DL has chosen to divorce me, something I didn't want.
I know that revenue matters more than longevity to Delta. I grudgingly accept that change. What DL fails to recognize in these last changes is that passengers are forced (either by our company travel agents or our own interests) to accept the lowest fares in a market but we always know mileage accreditation. For example, I travel to JNB. If DL has sold enough seats, the lowest fare will be $1,500 or more higher than on days when it hasn't sold enough seats. DL has a plane to fill. But, under the current system, I know my exact "mileage" amount. Now, I'm not in control of pricing & I have no way to effectively know where I stand on my earnings.
Another example of trust: Try redeeming points today at the 25,000 point level. DL insists it is possible. In reality,its near impossible. I know what questions to ask DL agents and my long term status is respected enough that some DL Agents will confide that, even on planes with no seats booked (and it happens if you try booking far enough out) the lowest point class isn't available. That doesn't enable trust - and is not connected to Delta's statement about how every initiative undertaken is a positive response to FF requests.
While its Delta's right to change the FF program, it can be done in a way that enables trust to continue. Change is hard. Particularly when one stays loyal through the bad years of the airline only to be thrown under the bus when the airline return to profitability. DL isn't paying income tax because of accumulated operating losses, so this isn't an airline in financial trouble.
Thanks to Delta discounting my trust, I've now become an advocate for increasing competition from new airlines. Airlines like Norweigan Air must be allowed entry into the US, assuming they can prove safety and air worthiness. They fly new equipment, just like Volaris (the leading low cost airline in Mexico). I really hope fellow FF's will also encourage our Gov't to do all it can to allow new airlines to enter.
All that said, it doesn't feel good to have the trust I put in Delta dismissed. Yes, I have rose-colored glasses. I learned years ago that you have to give to get; I feel like I've done my part. Delta isn't reciprocating. I have to accept it and move on.
I know that revenue matters more than longevity to Delta. I grudgingly accept that change. What DL fails to recognize in these last changes is that passengers are forced (either by our company travel agents or our own interests) to accept the lowest fares in a market but we always know mileage accreditation. For example, I travel to JNB. If DL has sold enough seats, the lowest fare will be $1,500 or more higher than on days when it hasn't sold enough seats. DL has a plane to fill. But, under the current system, I know my exact "mileage" amount. Now, I'm not in control of pricing & I have no way to effectively know where I stand on my earnings.
Another example of trust: Try redeeming points today at the 25,000 point level. DL insists it is possible. In reality,its near impossible. I know what questions to ask DL agents and my long term status is respected enough that some DL Agents will confide that, even on planes with no seats booked (and it happens if you try booking far enough out) the lowest point class isn't available. That doesn't enable trust - and is not connected to Delta's statement about how every initiative undertaken is a positive response to FF requests.
While its Delta's right to change the FF program, it can be done in a way that enables trust to continue. Change is hard. Particularly when one stays loyal through the bad years of the airline only to be thrown under the bus when the airline return to profitability. DL isn't paying income tax because of accumulated operating losses, so this isn't an airline in financial trouble.
Thanks to Delta discounting my trust, I've now become an advocate for increasing competition from new airlines. Airlines like Norweigan Air must be allowed entry into the US, assuming they can prove safety and air worthiness. They fly new equipment, just like Volaris (the leading low cost airline in Mexico). I really hope fellow FF's will also encourage our Gov't to do all it can to allow new airlines to enter.
All that said, it doesn't feel good to have the trust I put in Delta dismissed. Yes, I have rose-colored glasses. I learned years ago that you have to give to get; I feel like I've done my part. Delta isn't reciprocating. I have to accept it and move on.
Feb 28, 2014, 8:12 am
#34
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Traveling some where hopefully
Programs: AS, AA Gold, and Hilton
Posts: 1,954
I'm part of the 70% who feel trust is important. I have reached a stage where I don't want to open my (e)mail from Delta, as I wonder what else they are taking away. Trust is gone; DL wants to act like Southwest & JetBlue, so I really don't have a choice but to entertain new airlines. DL has chosen to divorce me, something I didn't want.
I know that revenue matters more than longevity to Delta. I grudgingly accept that change. What DL fails to recognize in these last changes is that passengers are forced (either by our company travel agents or our own interests) to accept the lowest fares in a market but we always know mileage accreditation. For example, I travel to JNB. If DL has sold enough seats, the lowest fare will be $1,500 or more higher than on days when it hasn't sold enough seats. DL has a plane to fill. But, under the current system, I know my exact "mileage" amount. Now, I'm not in control of pricing & I have no way to effectively know where I stand on my earnings.
Another example of trust: Try redeeming points today at the 25,000 point level. DL insists it is possible. In reality,its near impossible. I know what questions to ask DL agents and my long term status is respected enough that some DL Agents will confide that, even on planes with no seats booked (and it happens if you try booking far enough out) the lowest point class isn't available. That doesn't enable trust - and is not connected to Delta's statement about how every initiative undertaken is a positive response to FF requests.
While its Delta's right to change the FF program, it can be done in a way that enables trust to continue. Change is hard. Particularly when one stays loyal through the bad years of the airline only to be thrown under the bus when the airline return to profitability. DL isn't paying income tax because of accumulated operating losses, so this isn't an airline in financial trouble.
Thanks to Delta discounting my trust, I've now become an advocate for increasing competition from new airlines. Airlines like Norweigan Air must be allowed entry into the US, assuming they can prove safety and air worthiness. They fly new equipment, just like Volaris (the leading low cost airline in Mexico). I really hope fellow FF's will also encourage our Gov't to do all it can to allow new airlines to enter.
All that said, it doesn't feel good to have the trust I put in Delta dismissed. Yes, I have rose-colored glasses. I learned years ago that you have to give to get; I feel like I've done my part. Delta isn't reciprocating. I have to accept it and move on.
I know that revenue matters more than longevity to Delta. I grudgingly accept that change. What DL fails to recognize in these last changes is that passengers are forced (either by our company travel agents or our own interests) to accept the lowest fares in a market but we always know mileage accreditation. For example, I travel to JNB. If DL has sold enough seats, the lowest fare will be $1,500 or more higher than on days when it hasn't sold enough seats. DL has a plane to fill. But, under the current system, I know my exact "mileage" amount. Now, I'm not in control of pricing & I have no way to effectively know where I stand on my earnings.
Another example of trust: Try redeeming points today at the 25,000 point level. DL insists it is possible. In reality,its near impossible. I know what questions to ask DL agents and my long term status is respected enough that some DL Agents will confide that, even on planes with no seats booked (and it happens if you try booking far enough out) the lowest point class isn't available. That doesn't enable trust - and is not connected to Delta's statement about how every initiative undertaken is a positive response to FF requests.
While its Delta's right to change the FF program, it can be done in a way that enables trust to continue. Change is hard. Particularly when one stays loyal through the bad years of the airline only to be thrown under the bus when the airline return to profitability. DL isn't paying income tax because of accumulated operating losses, so this isn't an airline in financial trouble.
Thanks to Delta discounting my trust, I've now become an advocate for increasing competition from new airlines. Airlines like Norweigan Air must be allowed entry into the US, assuming they can prove safety and air worthiness. They fly new equipment, just like Volaris (the leading low cost airline in Mexico). I really hope fellow FF's will also encourage our Gov't to do all it can to allow new airlines to enter.
All that said, it doesn't feel good to have the trust I put in Delta dismissed. Yes, I have rose-colored glasses. I learned years ago that you have to give to get; I feel like I've done my part. Delta isn't reciprocating. I have to accept it and move on.
Mar 2, 2014, 4:23 pm
#35
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 2
United Airlines Mileage Plus
I've been a loyal United Airlines customers for years. Even though the quality of service has faded over the years I stick with them. I used to work at The Walt Disney Company and we got 45% off anywhere in the world United Airlines flies, plus you could bring a friend or spouse.
Since my days at Disney I've enjoyed Silver Premiere Status on United. I've traveled a lot over the years, not exclusively with United, but enough to always maintain Silver Premiere status.
In 2011 I flew Emirates A380 to Dhabi and Seychelles to Scuba Dive. That same year I took V Australia to Australia twice. In 2012 I flew United's partner Lufthansa to Florence, Italy and then on to the Cannes Film Festival. I took Air New Zealand to London that same year. The level of service, quality of food and wine and the comfort level on Emirates is superior to United. Lufthansa was nicer than United as well and so was Air New Zealand. I thought V Australia was just okay. If anything, they were equal to United. They do, however, have younger and much friendly flight attendants on V Australia.
Needless to say I travel a lot. To maintain my Silver Premiere status for 2013 I took a trip on United to Hawaii on my birthday in December 2012. Talk about a horrible flight. It was 5 hours on a cramped 737 where you're forced to watch the same DirectTV ads before takeoff over and over and over again on those cheap cut out personal monitors they installed in back of the seats. I hate DirectTV. I have DISH. And of course they had those snack boxes for purchase. By the time they got to us they ran out of what we wanted. The flight attendant tried several times to sell us the cheese tray. Airlines are so cheap these days they don't even pack enough food on a flight to feed people even if you have to pay for it. Long gone are the days when you could fly to Hawaii on a comfortable wide body jet and they served hot meals and wine for free! Now you have to pay to eat and drink crap.
In 2013 I stuck with United on a few domestic flights to New York and last November I went to Puerto Rico on United. Toward the end of 2013 I was just 3000 miles shy of keeping my Silver Premiere Status because I had flown on so many different airlines that I thought were much better.
I had long been considering abandoning United because they changed the terms of their Mileage Plus program where now, you not only have to fly 25,000 miles per calendar year, but you must also spend $2,500. To me, that's not a loyalty program. It's corporate greed. It's almost as if United has devalued their Mileage Plus Program and looking to weed out the people who do miles runs.
I'm a screenwriter and Reality TV producer living in Los Angeles. After each show I do, I treat myself to a trip somewhere in the world. I recently wrapped Vanderpump Rules Season 2 and decided to go to Singapore. And even though I let my Silver Premiere Status expire in January 2014, I thought why not stick with United and rebuild my status. It shouldn't take long as I plan to fly a lot this year and I would enjoy Silver Premiere Status through to 2015.
I booked my flight to Singapore based on two criteria's. A.) I wanted to experience the new 787 Dreamliner. B.) I wanted to earn maximum miles for the best price. So I routed the trip from LAX to NRT to SIN. The flight to Tokyo was on the 787 Dreamliner. The flight to Singapore was aboard the 777.
Prior to my trip, I checked United's website religiously with the hope of finding the best possible price on the 787 Dreamliner. They offer many flights to Singapore but in order to fly aboard the 787 Dreamliner you have to take flight 32. After determining the price wasn't going to get any cheaper I booked my United flight on Vayama.com for $1076 out of fear the price would go up.
Two days later the price dropped on United.com to $845 and I was pissed! I tried without success to get a refund from Vayama, but these days, you call in only get through to some Indian call center where you have to deal with someone who has a thick accent you can barely understand. The woman on the phone stuck to the script and told me there was nothing she could do. The ticket was non-refundable. Go figure. I started to call Bank of America to block the charge but then I thought, what the hell. I'll just try to appeal to United. Maybe they'll credit me the difference or at the very least put me in Economy Plus.
I called United and they were much more rude about my situation than Vayama.com. The agent clearly didn't care that I had overspent by $200 for a ticket that had I waited, could have purchased for $845. No matter. I let it go and thought, well at least I'll be almost halfway there to earning Silver Premiere status through my purchase.
United has what they call PQM and PQD. PQM or Pre-qualifying miles and PQD or Pre-qualifying Dollars. I went to Singapore on February 18, 2014. I earned 17,558 PQM on this trip. I upgraded to Economy Plus on flight 32 to Tokyo for $164 and earned 164 PQDs.
To my surprise, United did not credit me PQD for the ticket purchase because I bought it on Vayama.com. Apparently I didn't qualify for PQD because essentially, if you don't buy your ticket on United.com you are SOL! I was livid! I checked the website and read that you do not qualify for PQD if the ticket is purchased as an "oblique fare" or purchased on Priceline.com or Hotwire. So I couldn't understand why I did not earn the PQD since I purchased my ticket on Vayama.com
I called to complain but if fell on deaf ears. I asked the agent on the phone to speak to a supervisor. The supervisor came to the phone and admittedly said she understood what I was saying but insisted that there was nothing she could do. I asked her to show me where it says you must buy a ticket on United.com in order to be eligible for PQD and she couldn't. I asked her to define "Oblique fare" and she said, "anything that doesn't qualify for PQD." I told her it was unacceptable and they their policy is vague and convoluted. She said I could write United's Mileage Plus customer care to express my concerns.
I wrote an email to United's Costumer Care Service and stated in my email that I thought it was unfair that United doesn't make it clear in their terms and condition that you must purchase your ticket on United.com. in order to qualify for PQD. I pointed out that nowhere on their website does it say tickets must be purchased on United.com
It is clearly stated that you earn PQD if you fly United and their partner airlines. I read the fine print buried deep on their sight and read the terms and conditions which state you are not eligible for PQD on Oblique fares and if you purchase on Priceline.com and Hotwire.com. There is no mention of Vayama.com. I cut and paste their own written policy and included it in my email.
To their credit, United wrote me back the very next day. I was impressed with that, so I have to give them credit for responding. They wrote and apologized for what happened. The usual thank you for bringing this to our attention BS. She stated that since my purchase was "a bulk fare" that it was not eligible for PQD.
The goal of flying with United to build up miles and re-establish Silver Premiere Status was all for nothing. I kept stewing over it because I felt like I had been ripped off. I'm a reasonably intelligent guy and their policy was not clear to me. As a loyal customer, I trusted United Airlines to credit me for the PQD. That trust is gone. And the experience only pushes me closer to the edge of abandoning United Airlines and flying with their competitors.
Had I known that buying my ticket on Vayama.com would disqualify me to earn PQDs I would have certainly bought my ticket on United.com. It feels like I'm being punished for something that is not clearly written on their website.
I'm not a travel agent, nor do I work for United. I'm just a consumer with a college education and a pretty amazing career. Their policy was not clear to me. The fact that I spent $1,076 on a ticket to Singapore and did not earn PDQ makes me feel cheated by a company that only cares about profit. So if you ask me if I trust United's Mileage Plus program, the answer would be NO!
This bugged me so much I wrote the CEO Jeffery Smisek to express my disappointment and wrote that if they are going to change the rules, then they need to write them in a clear and understandable manner and not word the policy so that it's confusing and convoluted to the average consumer.
To my surprise, United responded that same day. Again, I have to give United credit for at least responding to me. And while I did not get the PDQ as requested, I at least feel good about trying. I also let Mr. Smisek know that I felt the service aboard the 787 Dreamliner left little to be desired.
The plane was dirty and the seats were uncomfortable even in Economy Plus. I took pictures of the stained carpet and sent them with my email. I let them know the food was crap. The flimsy seats gave me a back ache after 11 hours to Tokyo, and that was in Economy Plus. More importantly, they charge $7.99 for cheap wine on an international flight. Long gone are the days when wine was complimentary on an international flight. I can get a nice bottle of wine at Trader Joe's for less than what they charge for those tiny bottles that are barely drinkable if not disgusting.
It was a learning experience. But to be honest, I no longer feel loyal to United's Mileage Plus program. The trust factor is gone. The overall experience has left a sour taste in my mouth and as a consumer, I know I have a choice to fly competing airlines.
Even if you have Silver Premiere Status it doesn't guarantee an automatic upgrade to Economy Plus when you book like the good old days. They blame this on the merger with Continental which to me is just a lame excuse to pass the buck, cut cost and make money. Now they make you wait until 24 hours before the flight departs before you can get an upgrade to Economy Plus because they would rather rope people into purchasing Economy Plus seats up until the very last minute so that they can make maximum profit. And although I had Silver Premiere status when I flew to Puerto Rico, I was not upgraded to Economy Plus. But then you board the flight and see nothing but empty seats in Economy Plus. This to me is a racket.
This is what's wrong with America. Corporations are greedy and apathetic about customer service. They just want your money. It's almost as if they're not in business to do what they're originally in business to do. They don't care about flying you from point A to point B in comfort or keeping you as a loyal customer by rewarding you through their Frequent flier program. They just want your money.
So basically, I'm sitting here scratching my head and thinking, why should I remain loyal to United Airlines when all they seem to do is go out of their way to ruin the trust factor I once had. As with any relationship, Loyalty and trust is a two-way street. Anything else is dysfunctional.
Dear Mr. xxxx:
Thank you for contacting United Airlines. Your letter has been received by our executive office and I am responding on behalf of Mr. Smisek.
I regret your disappointment in our 2014 MileagePlus program rules and how the premier qualifications are displayed on our website.
My apology cannot erase what happened, but I hope it helps to know we take your concerns very seriously. To ensure your concerns do not go unnoticed, I have included your comments in my report that is distributed to the appropriate senior management for their internal review as we improve on our products and services.
I understand the value of your decision to fly with us, and I assure you that we will make every effort to leave you with a better impression of our airline next time you fly with us.
Mr. Williams, as a MileagePlus member with us, we appreciate your business and look forward to welcoming you on board a future United Airlines flight.
Regards,
S.D.
Customer Care Manager
Since my days at Disney I've enjoyed Silver Premiere Status on United. I've traveled a lot over the years, not exclusively with United, but enough to always maintain Silver Premiere status.
In 2011 I flew Emirates A380 to Dhabi and Seychelles to Scuba Dive. That same year I took V Australia to Australia twice. In 2012 I flew United's partner Lufthansa to Florence, Italy and then on to the Cannes Film Festival. I took Air New Zealand to London that same year. The level of service, quality of food and wine and the comfort level on Emirates is superior to United. Lufthansa was nicer than United as well and so was Air New Zealand. I thought V Australia was just okay. If anything, they were equal to United. They do, however, have younger and much friendly flight attendants on V Australia.
Needless to say I travel a lot. To maintain my Silver Premiere status for 2013 I took a trip on United to Hawaii on my birthday in December 2012. Talk about a horrible flight. It was 5 hours on a cramped 737 where you're forced to watch the same DirectTV ads before takeoff over and over and over again on those cheap cut out personal monitors they installed in back of the seats. I hate DirectTV. I have DISH. And of course they had those snack boxes for purchase. By the time they got to us they ran out of what we wanted. The flight attendant tried several times to sell us the cheese tray. Airlines are so cheap these days they don't even pack enough food on a flight to feed people even if you have to pay for it. Long gone are the days when you could fly to Hawaii on a comfortable wide body jet and they served hot meals and wine for free! Now you have to pay to eat and drink crap.
In 2013 I stuck with United on a few domestic flights to New York and last November I went to Puerto Rico on United. Toward the end of 2013 I was just 3000 miles shy of keeping my Silver Premiere Status because I had flown on so many different airlines that I thought were much better.
I had long been considering abandoning United because they changed the terms of their Mileage Plus program where now, you not only have to fly 25,000 miles per calendar year, but you must also spend $2,500. To me, that's not a loyalty program. It's corporate greed. It's almost as if United has devalued their Mileage Plus Program and looking to weed out the people who do miles runs.
I'm a screenwriter and Reality TV producer living in Los Angeles. After each show I do, I treat myself to a trip somewhere in the world. I recently wrapped Vanderpump Rules Season 2 and decided to go to Singapore. And even though I let my Silver Premiere Status expire in January 2014, I thought why not stick with United and rebuild my status. It shouldn't take long as I plan to fly a lot this year and I would enjoy Silver Premiere Status through to 2015.
I booked my flight to Singapore based on two criteria's. A.) I wanted to experience the new 787 Dreamliner. B.) I wanted to earn maximum miles for the best price. So I routed the trip from LAX to NRT to SIN. The flight to Tokyo was on the 787 Dreamliner. The flight to Singapore was aboard the 777.
Prior to my trip, I checked United's website religiously with the hope of finding the best possible price on the 787 Dreamliner. They offer many flights to Singapore but in order to fly aboard the 787 Dreamliner you have to take flight 32. After determining the price wasn't going to get any cheaper I booked my United flight on Vayama.com for $1076 out of fear the price would go up.
Two days later the price dropped on United.com to $845 and I was pissed! I tried without success to get a refund from Vayama, but these days, you call in only get through to some Indian call center where you have to deal with someone who has a thick accent you can barely understand. The woman on the phone stuck to the script and told me there was nothing she could do. The ticket was non-refundable. Go figure. I started to call Bank of America to block the charge but then I thought, what the hell. I'll just try to appeal to United. Maybe they'll credit me the difference or at the very least put me in Economy Plus.
I called United and they were much more rude about my situation than Vayama.com. The agent clearly didn't care that I had overspent by $200 for a ticket that had I waited, could have purchased for $845. No matter. I let it go and thought, well at least I'll be almost halfway there to earning Silver Premiere status through my purchase.
United has what they call PQM and PQD. PQM or Pre-qualifying miles and PQD or Pre-qualifying Dollars. I went to Singapore on February 18, 2014. I earned 17,558 PQM on this trip. I upgraded to Economy Plus on flight 32 to Tokyo for $164 and earned 164 PQDs.
To my surprise, United did not credit me PQD for the ticket purchase because I bought it on Vayama.com. Apparently I didn't qualify for PQD because essentially, if you don't buy your ticket on United.com you are SOL! I was livid! I checked the website and read that you do not qualify for PQD if the ticket is purchased as an "oblique fare" or purchased on Priceline.com or Hotwire. So I couldn't understand why I did not earn the PQD since I purchased my ticket on Vayama.com
I called to complain but if fell on deaf ears. I asked the agent on the phone to speak to a supervisor. The supervisor came to the phone and admittedly said she understood what I was saying but insisted that there was nothing she could do. I asked her to show me where it says you must buy a ticket on United.com in order to be eligible for PQD and she couldn't. I asked her to define "Oblique fare" and she said, "anything that doesn't qualify for PQD." I told her it was unacceptable and they their policy is vague and convoluted. She said I could write United's Mileage Plus customer care to express my concerns.
I wrote an email to United's Costumer Care Service and stated in my email that I thought it was unfair that United doesn't make it clear in their terms and condition that you must purchase your ticket on United.com. in order to qualify for PQD. I pointed out that nowhere on their website does it say tickets must be purchased on United.com
It is clearly stated that you earn PQD if you fly United and their partner airlines. I read the fine print buried deep on their sight and read the terms and conditions which state you are not eligible for PQD on Oblique fares and if you purchase on Priceline.com and Hotwire.com. There is no mention of Vayama.com. I cut and paste their own written policy and included it in my email.
To their credit, United wrote me back the very next day. I was impressed with that, so I have to give them credit for responding. They wrote and apologized for what happened. The usual thank you for bringing this to our attention BS. She stated that since my purchase was "a bulk fare" that it was not eligible for PQD.
The goal of flying with United to build up miles and re-establish Silver Premiere Status was all for nothing. I kept stewing over it because I felt like I had been ripped off. I'm a reasonably intelligent guy and their policy was not clear to me. As a loyal customer, I trusted United Airlines to credit me for the PQD. That trust is gone. And the experience only pushes me closer to the edge of abandoning United Airlines and flying with their competitors.
Had I known that buying my ticket on Vayama.com would disqualify me to earn PQDs I would have certainly bought my ticket on United.com. It feels like I'm being punished for something that is not clearly written on their website.
I'm not a travel agent, nor do I work for United. I'm just a consumer with a college education and a pretty amazing career. Their policy was not clear to me. The fact that I spent $1,076 on a ticket to Singapore and did not earn PDQ makes me feel cheated by a company that only cares about profit. So if you ask me if I trust United's Mileage Plus program, the answer would be NO!
This bugged me so much I wrote the CEO Jeffery Smisek to express my disappointment and wrote that if they are going to change the rules, then they need to write them in a clear and understandable manner and not word the policy so that it's confusing and convoluted to the average consumer.
To my surprise, United responded that same day. Again, I have to give United credit for at least responding to me. And while I did not get the PDQ as requested, I at least feel good about trying. I also let Mr. Smisek know that I felt the service aboard the 787 Dreamliner left little to be desired.
The plane was dirty and the seats were uncomfortable even in Economy Plus. I took pictures of the stained carpet and sent them with my email. I let them know the food was crap. The flimsy seats gave me a back ache after 11 hours to Tokyo, and that was in Economy Plus. More importantly, they charge $7.99 for cheap wine on an international flight. Long gone are the days when wine was complimentary on an international flight. I can get a nice bottle of wine at Trader Joe's for less than what they charge for those tiny bottles that are barely drinkable if not disgusting.
It was a learning experience. But to be honest, I no longer feel loyal to United's Mileage Plus program. The trust factor is gone. The overall experience has left a sour taste in my mouth and as a consumer, I know I have a choice to fly competing airlines.
Even if you have Silver Premiere Status it doesn't guarantee an automatic upgrade to Economy Plus when you book like the good old days. They blame this on the merger with Continental which to me is just a lame excuse to pass the buck, cut cost and make money. Now they make you wait until 24 hours before the flight departs before you can get an upgrade to Economy Plus because they would rather rope people into purchasing Economy Plus seats up until the very last minute so that they can make maximum profit. And although I had Silver Premiere status when I flew to Puerto Rico, I was not upgraded to Economy Plus. But then you board the flight and see nothing but empty seats in Economy Plus. This to me is a racket.
This is what's wrong with America. Corporations are greedy and apathetic about customer service. They just want your money. It's almost as if they're not in business to do what they're originally in business to do. They don't care about flying you from point A to point B in comfort or keeping you as a loyal customer by rewarding you through their Frequent flier program. They just want your money.
So basically, I'm sitting here scratching my head and thinking, why should I remain loyal to United Airlines when all they seem to do is go out of their way to ruin the trust factor I once had. As with any relationship, Loyalty and trust is a two-way street. Anything else is dysfunctional.
Dear Mr. xxxx:
Thank you for contacting United Airlines. Your letter has been received by our executive office and I am responding on behalf of Mr. Smisek.
I regret your disappointment in our 2014 MileagePlus program rules and how the premier qualifications are displayed on our website.
My apology cannot erase what happened, but I hope it helps to know we take your concerns very seriously. To ensure your concerns do not go unnoticed, I have included your comments in my report that is distributed to the appropriate senior management for their internal review as we improve on our products and services.
I understand the value of your decision to fly with us, and I assure you that we will make every effort to leave you with a better impression of our airline next time you fly with us.
Mr. Williams, as a MileagePlus member with us, we appreciate your business and look forward to welcoming you on board a future United Airlines flight.
Regards,
S.D.
Customer Care Manager
Last edited by philemer; Mar 2, 2014 at 4:33 pm Reason: removed personal info
Mar 3, 2014, 1:21 pm
#36
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,564
The level of service, quality of food and wine and the comfort level on Emirates is superior to United. Lufthansa was nicer than United as well and so was Air New Zealand.
Airlines are so cheap these days they don't even pack enough food on a flight to feed people even if you have to pay for it. Long gone are the days when you could fly to Hawaii on a comfortable wide body jet and they served hot meals and wine for free! Now you have to pay to eat and drink crap.
I had long been considering abandoning United because they changed the terms of their Mileage Plus program where now, you not only have to fly 25,000 miles per calendar year, but you must also spend $2,500. To me, that's not a loyalty program. It's corporate greed. It's almost as if United has devalued their Mileage Plus Program and looking to weed out the people who do miles runs.
They offer many flights to Singapore but in order to fly aboard the 787 Dreamliner you have to take flight 32. After determining the price wasn't going to get any cheaper I booked my United flight on Vayama.com for $1076 out of fear the price would go up.
Two days later the price dropped on United.com to $845 and I was pissed!
(This is as far as I've gotten through the post for now...)
Mar 5, 2014, 9:46 am
#37
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 2
United Airlines Mileage Plus
So get this. I just got a call from United Airlines. The woman I spoke with was very nice. She apologized for what happened and says they are working to make the PQD rules more clear on their website. We had a very pleasant conversation. Her analogy of why you don't qualify for PQD if you book on another website outside of United.com made sense. The lesson I learned from this is to ALWAYS buy your ticket on United.com to earn the maximum benefit of PQD and PQM. With this phone call and apology, which I accepted, I am now convinced that it's worth sticking with United Airlines MileagePlus program. The phone call made a world of difference in my view. 
Mar 6, 2014, 12:15 pm
#38
Join Date: May 1998
Posts: 6,790
I guess it's a case of "we get what we pay for". In 1977, you'd probably do that Hawaii trip in a 747 and get nice service and good wine. And the ticket would cost $3,000 in 2014 dollars. Now we get "free" (kind of) tickets to Hawaii just for signing up for a credit card. Or we watch the fare specials and get there for $500 R/T. But we pay for cheese and drink swill for those five hours. If I had to accept either extreme, I guess I'll take today's version... Various attempts at that "middle ground" kind of airline never seem to get farther than, say, the Midwest Express type of operation from the 1990's. There aren't enough people willing to pay a little bit extra to enable that kind of airline to really scale up.
Officially, cumulative inflation from 1977 to 2014, using the Consumer Price Index, was 286%. That would mean a ticket costing $3,000 in 2014 dollars would have cost about $777 in 1977 dollars. My recollection is that the fares I paid RT to Hawaii in those days were under $400, or around $1500 in current dollars.
Of course, I shopped for lowest fares, and I think paying ~$400 then would have taken a bigger bite out of my wallet than paying $1500 would today, as I was just getting started back then (I was graduated from law school in 1973).
As I said, though, that's just a nit-pick; I'm in agreement with your general point that, adjusting for inflation, fares are cheaper today than they were, but I do think we've lost a lot in the process.