Several FTers (and FT itself as well as Randy) quoted in an article in todays WSJ.com
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB1...224440,00.html

[This message has been edited by JonNYC (edited 01-31-2002).]

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum20/HTML/004335.html

Is there any bit on USAIR in this article?

Very impressive, Jon. Now it's not the CO FTers who know you bolted, but now readers of the WSJ, probably the most significant business newspaper in the world, are well aware. Again, very impressive.

Another thing I liked was the publicity our CO forum is getting in the WSJ. I quote from the article: "Internet sites are filled with postings from frequent travelers fuming over the recent moves -- Continental's new mileage requirement, for example, provoked a flood of messages on FlyerTalk.com."

If CO thought we were a 'fringe movement', the WSJ changed all of that. They recognized us quite publically. So now those who don't normally use forums such as FT will know about the frustrations other CO flyers have. I'm hoping the pressure will mount.

By the way, Jon, how did you select AA? What in particular attracted you to their program over the others, if you don't mind my asking?

Not at all.
One reason.
Three simple words:

International
Upgrade
Policy

So which AA award to Hawaii is it that went up by 20K miles? Did I miss something?

------------------
UAL free since the last millennium - and planning to stay that way!

Another "Type A" malcontent (eg unappreciative traveler) who shows no sympathy or loyalty to a supplier of services in temporary trouble. And who is this "Jon Posner" character anyway? And why is he so vocal. AA must think very little of him too as they started him at the bottom of their ff food chain.

I am sticking with Eastern Airlines no matter what temporary difficulties their management or labor cause or encounter. I have loyality and am in it for the long haul.

MisterNice <grin>

Two First Class tickets to Hawai for 100K miles are being discontinued. You will have to buy 2 single tickets for 60K miles each instead, after June 30.

The same is true for 2 First class tickets to Europe : They go up from 200K miles to 250K miles. 2 Buisness class tickets to Europe go up from 160K miles to 180K miles. I think there are similar increases for Asia : basically all discounted 2-ticket specials are being discontinued.

MisterNice actually brings up a good point (mark this date Feb 1, 2002-- in case the question ever comes up in a FT contest )

And, since AA does monitor FT (whereas CO really can't be bothered-- after all, you can't really improve on perfection , can you?) Would you mind bumping my AA comp to Plat instead of Gold-- for all the great publicity I'm generating?

I'm leaving on a OneWorld 5 continent RTW in two weeks, so I'll make AA Plat (and then some) before the end of the month anyway-- but really, I think it's the least you can do!

Entire Article:

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL 2/1/02

Last month, Thomas Anantharaman nearly threw away a free vacation to Hawaii.

Just as he was set to toss his American Airlines frequent-flier statement in the trash, he suddenly noticed that the mileage requirement for a summer vacation he'd been planning jumped by 20,000 miles -- unless he booked soon. "Now I guess I'm doing it in the coming winter," says Mr. Anantharaman, a college professor in Madison, Wis.

Warning to frequent fliers: Start reading the fine print. After a post-Sept. 11 bonanza in mileage offers, airlines have quietly started imposing an array of new restrictions making life harder for frequent fliers. True, some carriers recently eliminated blackout dates. But others have changed the rules on everything from upgrade certificates to higher mileage requirements for free tickets, in some cases by as much as 25% more. During the past few weeks, Northwest Airlines and Continental Airlines raised the award levels for most domestic coach flights to 25,000 miles from 20,000. (And, unlike on most airlines, you're still stuck having to stay over on a Saturday night.)

"I feel betrayed by an airline I used to admire greatly," says Andy Hyde, a publishing executive from Nashville, Tenn., and a Continental platinum member.

Other signs of stinginess: Alaska Airlines, for one, is eliminating some free certificates travelers used for fare discounts and admission to airport lounges. Fliers aren't happy. Says Robert Winn, a corporate trainer in South Bend, Ind., who flew 69,000 miles on Alaska and its partner airlines last year, "It's made me rethink where my airline loyalty should lie."

Some Curious Timing

Doing anything to make it harder to fly would have been unthinkable just a few months ago: Passenger traffic was down 20% and airlines were desperate for passengers to fill seats. American, Delta and Alaska offered double miles for all trips flown. Northwest began promoting super-discount fares when used in combination with tiny numbers of miles.

Some experts find it curious airlines would reverse the generosity now, given the continued reluctance of many people to fly. "I don't know that this is the right time to be messing with your programs," says frequent-flier analyst Randy Petersen.

But other analysts say the post-Sept. 11 crisis has forced airlines to re-examine everything from their pricing structures to their route maps in an effort to return to profitability. Changing award programs to limit free flights, some experts say, is another part of that turnaround effort. "If you're going to do it, now is a good time," says Ray Neidl, an analyst at ABN Amro Securities.

What's more, though air travel is still off, it's slowly recovering. "In October, airlines were saying 'We're going to have empty seats anyhow, so let's give them away,' " says Goldman Sachs analyst Glenn Engel. But now, "you don't want to be giving away seats when supply and demand are already tight."

To be sure, this isn't the first time frequent fliers have complained about the difficulty of redeeming miles. In 2000, the miles earned by frequent fliers rose nearly 12%, while those they actually redeemed fell 2.5%, according to Webflyer.com. Internet sites are filled with postings from frequent travelers fuming over the recent moves -- Continental's new mileage requirement, for example, provoked a flood of messages on FlyerTalk.com.

But Northwest, Continental and American say they are trying to make things simpler for fliers, and are cutting discounts or provisions few people used anyway. Some of the discounts aren't needed from a "competitive standpoint," says Continental. And some changes clearly benefit travelers: Delta is temporarily offering double miles to give fliers a chance to beef up their accounts. US Airways says fliers have more opportunities for upgrades than in the past. And blackout dates are disappearing.

Loyalties Take Flight

Some fliers, however, contend that cutting those blackouts on a few peak travel days isn't much of a perk, particularly if you have to pony up more miles to fly most of the year now. "Those dates are going to be very hard to get free trips on anyway," says Pankaj Gupta, a computer executive in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., and frequent flier on Northwest.


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Higher Hurdles
As travelers slowly return to flying, airlines are tightening up their frequent-flier programs, making it tougher to earn and redeem miles. Below, what some major carriers are doing:

Airline / Change
Alaska - The old policy: Fly 10,000 miles, get 10,000 miles. Now it's fly 75,000 miles, get 50,000. And effective April 30, upgrades will cost 10,000 miles, up from 5,000.
American Starting June 30, the number of miles needed to get a pair of upper-tier tickets to Hawaii and Europe will increase by as much as 25%.
Continental - Miles required for a free ticket during most of the year (September through May) rises to 25,000 from 20,000. You have until June 1 to book under the old rules.
Delta - Want to stay on Delta's Platinum list? You'll need to fly 20,000 miles in the first quarter, up from 15,000 last year.
Northwest Miles required for a free trip from September through May will rise to 25,000, up from 20,000. New rate begins June 1.
US Airways - Travelers used to be able to book free upgrades months in advance; now they have to wait until a few days before departure.

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What to do? Act fast -- not all the restrictions take effect immediately. And some fliers are simply changing loyalties. Eager for coveted frequent fliers, some airlines will start you off as an "elite" flier just for promising your future business. That classification gives you preference in upgrades, among other benefits. So, fed up with the recent changes at Continental, Jon Posner bolted. The New York real-estate manager gave American proof of his "platinum" frequent-flier status with Continental -- and now has "gold" status on American. "I'm done with OnePass," he says of Continental's program.

No sooner does the WSJ print the above piece (Friday) than they come out with (Monday) a CO PR pablam piece about how terriffic the airline is....

Forgive me, but what a load of crap! This reporter (and I use that term loosely) prints whatever CO tell him to, does not look for any opposing viewpoints even though his own paper printed three of them 3 days earlier, and only interviews "travel managers" not travelers.

Gordo the liar quoting himself, especially in light of the benefit reductions is outrageous. And, in another thread, we're beginning to see signs that food cuts are coming on CO flights.

Man, someone should write to the publishers and demand an apology for this garbage, puff piece.

Actually, never mind. This is why I don't read the WSJ in the first place - Great business news surrounded by fluff PR pieces with emense difficulty telling one from the other.

Perhaps an editorial pointing out how shoddy this reporter's research was is in order?