Get your letter writing going! We need help...NOW!!!!
Sep 5, 2002 | 4:00 pm
#1
Original Poster
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: He who dies with the most miles wins!!
Programs: WorldPerks Demoted again to SE, DL 3.1MM Hilton Diamond, SPG Gold
Posts: 11,678
Get your letter writing going! We need help...NOW!!!!
I know that cross posting is frowned upon (I didn't post the original)
I am sure that MilesBuzz is not the best place for this...(Craig, please leave it up....all of us need the help and Buzz might get the most notice accross all forums)
This was posted at Delta..... It is a great template to start with.... Please write your preferred carriers.
BTW, all of the airlines slipped this in as a giant fare hike...I smell collusion...Write your Congressmen also. Why should the Government bail out these guys????
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum21/HTML/007149.html
baccarat0809
Posts: 38
From: Buffalo, NY, DL PM, Marriott PM, USScare Gold
Registered: Jan 2002
posted 09-05-2002 02:08 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here it is guys.
Let me introduce myself. My name is baccarat0809, skymiles number xxxxxxxxxx. I have been a Platinum Medallion CUSTOMER for the last three (3) years, and I assume, one of your best CUSTOMERS. I have flown over 400,000 miles on Delta over the last five (5) years. I fly K class or higher fares for over 80% of my travel. I accept the concept of a non-upgradeable ticket (insULT fares), and have sat in the back when seats were empty upfront, simply because I did not pay a fare level Delta felt was reasonable for that seat. I accept the undertakings of Simply Good Business. What I dont accept is Deltas recent decision to start charging a $100.00 fee for stand by seating, and I am utterly confused by this decision.
In a time when other airlines (US, United and AA) are alienating their top fliers by implementing rash decisions, Delta was given a great opportunity to grab new business from its competitors yet the jump on the bandwagon attitude you have decided to take will do the exact opposite, and in turn alienate your elite level flyers, and send your CUSTOMERS into the hands of Southwest, JetBlue and Airtran.
Maybe your marketing gurus don't understand the concept of a perishable product. After the plane leaves the gate, that seat is gone forever. Why not get me into the seat earlier than when I am ticketed?
If a seat is available on an earlier flight, and I am at the airport for that flight, I would think its a win-win situation for Delta and its CUSTOMERS. How many times has Delta had flights delayed due to mechanical, weather, or crew problems? How many missed connections will be prevented by getting a CUSTOMER on an earlier flight? How many oversold situations will Delta be able to alleviate by getting the CUSTOMER on an earlier flight? What happens if all seats for the original flight I am ticketed for are sold, and by moving me to an earlier flight it frees up a seat that can be sold to a different customer on a walk up basis (full Y fare). Most importantly, what happens if I can get out of a meeting early, get home a few hours early, and be able to spend dinner with my wife and child, rather than arriving when theyre both in bed? The decision to charge me more to spend time with my family, when your product is perishable, and the above situations occur on a daily basis, is abhorrent.
Delta airlines decision to charge this fee is akin to your CUSTOMERS arbitrarily deciding to charge Delta with a late fee. Something to the point that for every one (1) minute late you make your CUSTOMERS, you have to pay your CUSTOMERS $1.00. Just think of it, that three hour delay turns into a payment of $180.00, and multiply that by 200 passengers on that plane, and lo and behold, the CUSTOMERS have decided to charge Delta $36,000 for their time. You say you cant control the weather? Well, I say I cant control what time my meeting will end, and when taking an earlier flight is an option, its a win-win situation for both Delta and its CUSTOMERS.
Lastly, I would like you to think of the anti-trust violations that you may trigger due to this follow the leader philosophy. I wonder what it would take for congress to bring this up, and the cost associated with defending yourself (right or wrong). The millions in legal fees, along with the bad publicity generated, cannot be compensated for the expected return you feel will result due to this policy change.
Should you be interested in further discussing my opinions, I can be reached at 716-xxx-xxxx during the day, 716-xxx-xxxx during the evenings, and via cellular at 716-xxx-xxxx.
Sincerely,
baccarat0809
Well guys, if I've missed anything, let me know, and I'll get another one out. Since so many airlines like to use form letters, maybe we can create a form letter to send to them, a simple cut and paste and change the name and go.
I am sure that MilesBuzz is not the best place for this...(Craig, please leave it up....all of us need the help and Buzz might get the most notice accross all forums)
This was posted at Delta..... It is a great template to start with.... Please write your preferred carriers.
BTW, all of the airlines slipped this in as a giant fare hike...I smell collusion...Write your Congressmen also. Why should the Government bail out these guys????
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum21/HTML/007149.html
baccarat0809
Posts: 38
From: Buffalo, NY, DL PM, Marriott PM, USScare Gold
Registered: Jan 2002
posted 09-05-2002 02:08 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here it is guys.
Let me introduce myself. My name is baccarat0809, skymiles number xxxxxxxxxx. I have been a Platinum Medallion CUSTOMER for the last three (3) years, and I assume, one of your best CUSTOMERS. I have flown over 400,000 miles on Delta over the last five (5) years. I fly K class or higher fares for over 80% of my travel. I accept the concept of a non-upgradeable ticket (insULT fares), and have sat in the back when seats were empty upfront, simply because I did not pay a fare level Delta felt was reasonable for that seat. I accept the undertakings of Simply Good Business. What I dont accept is Deltas recent decision to start charging a $100.00 fee for stand by seating, and I am utterly confused by this decision.
In a time when other airlines (US, United and AA) are alienating their top fliers by implementing rash decisions, Delta was given a great opportunity to grab new business from its competitors yet the jump on the bandwagon attitude you have decided to take will do the exact opposite, and in turn alienate your elite level flyers, and send your CUSTOMERS into the hands of Southwest, JetBlue and Airtran.
Maybe your marketing gurus don't understand the concept of a perishable product. After the plane leaves the gate, that seat is gone forever. Why not get me into the seat earlier than when I am ticketed?
If a seat is available on an earlier flight, and I am at the airport for that flight, I would think its a win-win situation for Delta and its CUSTOMERS. How many times has Delta had flights delayed due to mechanical, weather, or crew problems? How many missed connections will be prevented by getting a CUSTOMER on an earlier flight? How many oversold situations will Delta be able to alleviate by getting the CUSTOMER on an earlier flight? What happens if all seats for the original flight I am ticketed for are sold, and by moving me to an earlier flight it frees up a seat that can be sold to a different customer on a walk up basis (full Y fare). Most importantly, what happens if I can get out of a meeting early, get home a few hours early, and be able to spend dinner with my wife and child, rather than arriving when theyre both in bed? The decision to charge me more to spend time with my family, when your product is perishable, and the above situations occur on a daily basis, is abhorrent.
Delta airlines decision to charge this fee is akin to your CUSTOMERS arbitrarily deciding to charge Delta with a late fee. Something to the point that for every one (1) minute late you make your CUSTOMERS, you have to pay your CUSTOMERS $1.00. Just think of it, that three hour delay turns into a payment of $180.00, and multiply that by 200 passengers on that plane, and lo and behold, the CUSTOMERS have decided to charge Delta $36,000 for their time. You say you cant control the weather? Well, I say I cant control what time my meeting will end, and when taking an earlier flight is an option, its a win-win situation for both Delta and its CUSTOMERS.
Lastly, I would like you to think of the anti-trust violations that you may trigger due to this follow the leader philosophy. I wonder what it would take for congress to bring this up, and the cost associated with defending yourself (right or wrong). The millions in legal fees, along with the bad publicity generated, cannot be compensated for the expected return you feel will result due to this policy change.
Should you be interested in further discussing my opinions, I can be reached at 716-xxx-xxxx during the day, 716-xxx-xxxx during the evenings, and via cellular at 716-xxx-xxxx.
Sincerely,
baccarat0809
Well guys, if I've missed anything, let me know, and I'll get another one out. Since so many airlines like to use form letters, maybe we can create a form letter to send to them, a simple cut and paste and change the name and go.
