Help decide on a strike target to protest enhancements to ff programs
 

On the AA board, I proposed that we form a group to determine which is the worst airline in terms of enhancements. We will then go on strike against that airline. We will collectively notify the airline of why we are unhappy and that we will minimize travel on that airline.

I start with no bias. Any airline is fair game. If you disagree with the determination, you don't have to strike.

One person complaining will do no good. If we can band together and send our letters at the same time or same period, then there's a tiny sliver of hope.

We cannot individually boycott airlines because everyone will boycott a different airline and change to another boycotted airline. That is why the airlines keep enhancing the programs. If this is enhancement, I hate to see devaluation !

Please reply with your support to start a study.

Given how many diverse opinions we have on this forum, I doubt you'll get a sufficient consensus for a good boycott. Moreover, understand that FTers probably represent less than 1% of the traveling public as a whole. Even if all FTers stopped flying entirely, it would be nothing more than a blip in the revenue stream. Don't overestimate the "importance" of FT; as much as we love to think FT is the end-all and be-all of frequent flyer communities, the people who aren't on FT greatly outnumber us... and they, as always, will continue to fly whomever is the best deal for them at the time.

The difficulties ahead are great. However, the satisfaction of leaving the airline which is judged to be the worse is good.

Everyone will have his/her own opinion of which airlines are the "worst" and will likely already be doing his/her best to avoid flying those airlines (except in monopoly or similar situations where there is no other reasonable choice).

Have you been to www.savedividendmiles.com? I think you are proposing to duplicate an effort that Randy is already working.

USAir has been at the bottom of many lists. FTers that used to be with US have had many similar communications. FFOCUs sent a list of CP and other elite that have left, we regularly fax receipts of flights we no longer take with US, Randy started his program, etc.

US's response? Nada, didly, zero. They could not care less. They have made a strategic decision that business travelers mean nothing and they'll bet the farm on squeezing fees from the Kettle's. So making arguments that the old business model is being impacted means nothing to them.

Perhaps you can protest the second most "unenhanced" airline.

A strike by FTers would only serve to prove our impotence as an economic force. Our strength is our ability to influence opinion over the long run, not any ability to steer business in the short run.

Unless a miracle happens, I am about to abandon my effort.

My gut feeling is that US Airways is the worst airline. I burned my miles with them a while ago and now just am looking for magazines to burn off the orphan miles. If the consensus was the US Airways was the strike target, perhaps if we could have resigned en masse. Getting a bunch of people to resign on the same day and link themselves to the cooperative effort could give us satisfaction and be an eyeopener for the mail clerk there (but few others!)

A ff program is important to me but not the only thing. Singapore Airlines is an airline that has a good product but not very good program. US Airways is an example of a very mediocre to slightly poor product with a lousy program. It could be a tad worst so there's still room for enhancements!

About the %, you are right (of course, cuz we are here I thought WE were the center of the universe:D) but are you saying it's really not even worth trying because we know we are so small? I hope not.

I say we try anyway. Nobel effort by the OP. I can say I have been writing letters to airlines about everything for years. Eventually, over time, things may change in our favor too.

Each airline has it's good and bad points. I say write to em all anyway. Tell the good and bad points about all to all.

AND, see if you can both help and support these cats:

www.FlyersRights.org

Kate Hanni, Executive Director noted that congress will be voting on HR 6355, a segment of the Airline Passenger Bill of Rights. They meet in Washington DC to rally and encourage congress to pass bills. They need Support

Just this weekend over 1000 people were stranded on the tarmac for several hours. They were trapped on the planes with virtually no rights. They were at the mercy of the airlines.

This can't continue.
Please help.
Our rights are at stake!

Get the Full Story at: www.FlyersRights.org
(the organization needs to be encouraged to help with award and mileage concerns as well, because in my opinion, they are like rebate scams)