Rudi...sounds to me like you have a lot of explaining to do! :)

#1 problem: Capacity controls.

Award Availability. Plain and simple. There are many root causes, but this is the #1 frustration.

Award availability and all the hoping and calling each and everyday to see if seats open up when you can't get them initially.

1. Getting "standard" awards between US and Europe. Airlines are now making it sound like the higher priced awards without capacity controls are the normal award they expect us to claim.

2. Devaluation of miles as award levels increase. FF accounts have got to be the only bank accounts in the world that pay negative interest. AMEX seems to be particularly bad on awards for nicer hotels.

I CAN TOTALLY RELATE!! :)

My biggest problem is trying to explain that now that i do not have status on Airline X (let's call it UA)... and now fly Airline Y (let's call it HP) why I do not get as many miles and UA puts us in the back of the bus.... :)
Oh well.... but my wife now expects upgrades at Hilton, lounge access and first class when possible (flying)... fun huh????

But hey, she tries to understand my insane addiction...

1. Availability. "Saver" awards used to be standard awards. The clear trend is to move as many awards as possible to double the miles previously needed.

2. Devaluation. Just when I finally get enough Northwest miles for a business class ticket to Europe (80,000 or 90,000 miles - can't remember which), they up it to 120,000.

9. Forcing me to pay a fee to talk to an agent to get an award ticket when there is no other way to get a ticket. Generally you can't get a partner award online, and often agents have available inventory their own airline that is not available online.

10. Fee for late ticketing, even when it is an e-ticket. There are no additional expenses to the airline for issuing an e-ticket close to departure. Obvious greed does not encourage customer loyalty. Disinterest in providing personal service does not encourage customer loyalty.

1. Fee to speak with agent when it is impossible to book the award via web site.
2. Devaluation

Award availability - many airlines promote frequent flyer awards and make it look like you can book flights to places you want to go without mentioning that often on popular routes they do not release any seats for frequent flyer awards at regular levels, so you will need to use double the miles. Also, they often only release 2 seats per plane, so forget about using the miles for the family.

Did I mention award availability.....

1 when there's a problem with something and you have to call CS.

2 when you call CS to explain said problem and you have to explain it all over again when you get to the next person.

3 when you call back and have to explain it again. They do not give you anything but a first name, but hey, they know ALL about you, right?

4 when you try to get to the manager's manager or to the custodian, because hey, he knows more about the place than the idiots who work there...

5 when you get the canned response NO even from the top manager you spoke with. You have faxed, emailed, called and written and whatever your problem is, the airline will not help you because the situation was out of our control, sir. Well, it certainly wasn't in MY control but I was on your freakin' plane when it happened, so who pays?

6 Just having the problem to begin with--[B]because there is no accountability in the industry. [/B] And that's why there are so many of those other problems like award availability issues, baggage issues, missing miles issues, bad food issues, etc.

:(MM

1. You can't earn points, miles, or upgrades when using them.

I'm serious -- that's what kills it for me.

With tickets so cheap, it's almost impossible to justify using miles for a coach award ticket on myself when I can't earn the above benefits. Thus, most of my miles are saved for non-FF friends and family who probably won't benefit from the lost points, miles or upgrades.

Generally, I object to the practice of stripping out customary benefits for "sale" or "free" merchandise or services. (Example: Nordstrom offers free tailoring for regular purchases, but not on sale merchandise.) Common, yes. Right? I don't think so. It's deceptive to claim to offer something at a reduced price that really isn't the same thing as the full-price item. A "free" award flight isn't really free, not only because they've started charging, but because it's really only a crippled stepchild of the real thing.

Being primarily an AA flyer, the various award "fees" are an insult. To charge $50 or $75 to "expedite" an electronic award or to charge $100 to "re-deposit" award mileage is insane! At least before the advent of "e-ticket" awards, one could claim an award certificate and keep it handy for last minute travel, thus avoiding "expedite fees." Of course, EXPs are exempt from these fees, making it look like one more EXP "privilege." But who does aa think they're kidding? Waiving the fee for EXPs isn't an EXP privelege at all...it's just a dis-AAdvantage for Golds, Plats and everyone else who has to pay it!! :mad:

[QUOTE=pgary]1. Availability. "Saver" awards used to be standard awards. The clear trend is to move as many awards as possible to double the miles previously needed.

2. Devaluation. Just when I finally get enough Northwest miles for a business class ticket to Europe (80,000 or 90,000 miles - can't remember which), they up it to 120,000.

9. Forcing me to pay a fee to talk to an agent to get an award ticket when there is no other way to get a ticket. Generally you can't get a partner award online, and often agents have available inventory their own airline that is not available online.

10. Fee for late ticketing, even when it is an e-ticket. There are no additional expenses to the airline for issuing an e-ticket close to departure. Obvious greed does not encourage customer loyalty. Disinterest in providing personal service does not encourage customer loyalty.[/QUOTe

Pgary I'm with you on these all the way

#1 United has shifted the lions share of saver to standard award whatever the reason I'm in AAs metal now
UA inventory is starting to resemble Continental in places :(
Though it still isn't that bad yet.
Though for that matter it doesn't have much further to go ;)

#2 obscene
ruining value in their program and later the industry as monkey see monkey does with the other programs

#9 What happened to three to nine ? :D More obscene

#10 I'm used to some of that nickle and dime stuff though it does keep me in other programs where the fee didn't exist.The lose because I spread my revenue into other programs so I can redeem where the same fees don't exist

FYI Delta may be the worst for redeeming miles of any carrier due to no availability. My fiancee travels both domestically and abroad 4-8 times a year, and she faithfully checked Delta for a chance to use her miles for years before she was ever able to use them. She eventually had to take a business class domestic ticket just to use them up.

In the Northwest US, Alaska seems to have an especially good program. Both to earn and redeem miles their list of partners is extensive. If redeeming on Alaska itself, awards start at 20,000-- 5,000 less than most other FF programs.

I'd say redemption fees, change penalty fees, security fees, and other miscellaneous fees. You get to a point and wonder is this really an (free) award ticket? Case in point, Delta charges $50 redemption fee/change fee. If you redeem 14 days out or less they charge you $50. On top of everything, there's a $10 security fee.