Comping Status, how do they do it?
 

There comes a time in many Frequent flyers lives because of any number of reasions (moving, new client, better service/flights, company policy, etc) that we need to take our elite status and move to another airline. Most airlines are pretty easy about how to do this. You mail in a copy of your card and statement to a given address or fax it to a certain number. But what happens next?

Do they call your exisiting airline? Tap into their system and check your status? I am just curious how they "verify" your status beyond the photocopies... I am a 1K on United, and have valid status, but could someone fake a card and send it in for say Platinum Elite on Continental? Or Premier Exec on United?

Thanks for any info or insight you may have on this....

(A mind is a terrible thing to leave alone on flyertalk).. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

I think yes. I don't think they can verify what you give them. I doubt very much if airlines share any of this vital information. IMHO.

When I contacted NW this year, they wanted my original statements. Web statements did not qualify. I doubt if they contacted UA (but I may be wrong). And they turned me down.

A few years ago I personally know when CO offered at least tens of thousands of employees of a US corporation, their mid level elite status. That is why also I am not sure how closely they scrutinize or contact the other airline.

[This message has been edited by PG (edited 10-02-2000).]

When I was consolidating a few years ago, I wasn't totally sure where my new home would be, but I knew it would no longer be DL, where I was Silver Medallian. I went to US, CO, UA and AA to see if they would match my level. US, CO and UA did so immediately with a copy of my statement from DL. AA issued me a challenge --- i.e. if I were to fly so many miles in so many months, then they would match it. Needless to say when I settled on AA, the others did not renew when my mileage on them wasn't significant.

Let me share you a story... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I decided that I would split my miles between US Airways and Delta, rather than all going to the former. So I FedExed (Priority Overnight) a package to Delta at Hartsfield with the following:

• A letter explaining my intention to do about 50,000 miles on Delta, mostly to Europe in C
• Several photocopies of US Airways statements clearly showing my CP status, along with pointing out many revenue F and C flights transcon and to Europe
• Photocopies of two full-fare BusinessElite tickets between the US and Milan, for travel in the following month

So they comp me silver http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

But then I read on FT of people getting comped Gold for mid-tier on another airline. Here I was, top-tier on another, showing lots of F and C tix, with two purchased BE tix, and all I get is silver. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

But now I am gold, so everything is ok. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

CP

I'm platinum with AA. I've been reading about getting comp status on other airlines and UA's triple miles seemed awfully appealling. On Sunday August 27, 2000 I called UA's MP and their South Dakota office answer. The supervisor will be back Monday, August 28, 2000 but the agent says to fax them a copy of my AA Platinum card showing the expiry date (I presume to show my current status) and my year-end statement for 1999 showing the mileage I flew and segments. I check AA's website for account info but can go back only to March 2000 which only shows about 8 segments flown year to date but shows my total mileage (over 400,000). I print\fax that March 2000 statement anyhows and reference a record locator for an international flight on UA upcoming in 4 days which is why I need UA Premex Status immediately for pre-boarding, seat-blocking, and lounge access given my coach seat. The next day, August 28, the UA MP supervisor calls me, confirms my comp status, and within 3 days, the UA reservations acknowledges my PE status. The PE status was printed on boarding passes so even without the hard gold card (just got it this past weekend), all overseas facilities acknowledged it. UA did a great rush job, and thus, I'm trying to get 1k before year-end.

P.S. Anyone know if Lufthansa will comp me to gold given my AA Plat and UA Gold?

[This message has been edited by crankyusi (edited 10-02-2000).]

Yes, I know they do all that stuff... interesting how the different airlines handle it.

I wonder if there is a person at Delta calling United's automatic number and keying in all the numbers to check status http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif LOL!

Who knows.. just wondered how many people "fake" status on another airline and get comped....

LAX 1k interesting question. Why would anyone want to know if it would be easy to lie and cheat????????

I don't know how easy it would be to fake it.

I think the airlines always require you to mail in or fax a statement and/or membership card, which would show your name and status.

Could you fake a statement? White out someone else's name and type yours in?

AA comped me to Platinum based on DL Gold Medallion (comparable 50,000-mile level). I sent a prinout of my statement from the DL Web site, which apparently was enough. They didn't ask me to challenge. (This was in April 1998. The challenge program did, if I recall, exist then.) They sent me four 500-mile upgrade stickers with my welcome letter.

The fact that my travel agent did the legwork, and may have used a non-standard channel at AA, may have helped. If you have that option, use it.

ranles,

I guess I have been thinking recently on how this world is sinking... And alot of "interesting things" people do. There was recently that article about the man who stole first grade upgrades, etc.

I was just curious on how far people go, and what they do to get there. I am a 1K on United... and would be at least Premier Exec next year. I am not looking to cheat the system... just curious on what is happening out there.

Sorry, did not mean to give anyone any ideas.

I think some of us who responded to your question in fact missed your point because we weren't considering the alternative you were thinking of. I read your other thread about your disgust with UA's uncaring service for you and a couple other 1K's and can sort of understand how your need to fly with somebody else may lead to a verification question as you have posted here. No harm, no foul.

crankyusi: LH very rarely comps, and if they do I doubt they would give away their top tier status (Senator), rather the *silver (FTL), UA doesn't comp 1K as well, most they give out is PremEx. LH offers HON status to VIPs and politicians occasionally, but the perks are not different from SEN. We recently had a discussion on this topic in the LH forum:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum32/HTML/000259.html

Cheers

Mizu

Thanks for understanding.

I guess my mind wanders alot on these topics. Kind of curious how they work. It is strange though, I am so disgusted with UA, but their direct service and "Miles bribes" are making it hard to leave.

I originally came to UA from US about 3 years ago... and just saw a different attitude at US for accomodating their Chairman Prefered vs UA and 1Ks...

I used to do UA a lot, even when I moved to AUS, where they are a less than convenient option. I was actually trying to get Lifetime Premier Executive/Million Mile Flyer, but I decided the inconvenient connections, poor service, etc, just wasn't worth it. And, I admit, seeing UA's woes this summer, I have little regret for leaving. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

But I know some people love UA and go far out of their way to stick with them, and that's fine with me. I've had great experiences again and again with AA, and some people hate this airline, and that's ok with me.

I generally find that the larger the airline, the harder it is to get true exclusive benefits, in all tiers.

For example: On many UA routes, you are nothing if you aren't a 1K Flyer, and, even if you are 1K, you aren't that special. On Delta, though, I am only GM. I know I am not at the top of the food chain (but I hope to be next year), yet, I have not yet sat in coach on eligible flights this year (I've had some L-fares and webfares. I knew I wasn't going to upgrade these, so I was ok with that. Luckily, I have upgraded one L-fare at the gate).

I have a very good friend who lives in SFO. While he is also a 1K, he tells great stories from US Airways as he is a Chairman's Preferred with them, going to PHL every week or thereabouts. Since there are fewer C.P.'s than 1K (not even close), US can offer much better treatment. Same with Continental and Delta, and to a much lesser extent, American.

Cheers,
the globespanner