Delta / Northwest
 

With the codeshareing of Delta, can I use my NWA ff # on Delta Airlines?

the agreement hasn't been finalized or nowhere near approved... it's gonna take some time before frequent flyer benefits will be reciprocal.

(and I hope it doesn't happen, b.t.w.)

DJ... I'm with you on this one.

Why not?

Biggest reason to not want this to go through is DL's attitude on domestic upgrades, and the possibility that NW and CO would follow suit. They will NOT let you upgrade on the lowest fare classes (L and U, more commonly referred to as LUser fares over on the DL board.)

We currently enjoy an excellent domestic upgrade program, and I would hate to see the benefits stripped away because of DL.

Not only does code-sharing reduce competition, but frequent flyer benefits will definitely be hurt for SkyMiles/OnePass/WorldPerks members.

Even if award levels remain the same (and I am sure they aren't, I & D business class tickets are getting harder to score as NWA is making more seats available as Z class "sale" seats), more people having more access to award seats means that less seats are going to be available for you.

And even though I've heard Continental's Business First is pretty good, I would prefer to spend my WorldPerks miles on World Business Class and my (much more slowly accumulating) SkyMiles on Delta's products.

And don't even get me started on the point where they start to "equalize" benefits between programs (where awards get "enhanced" to cost more or they do away with unlimited Elite upgrades).

That's now insULT fares, as a non-upgradable T class has been added as well.

If this thing goes through, I expect NW to follow DL on the upgrades. You can't use miles to upgrade off most international fares, so it would seem domestic fares are the next logical step.

I have to disagree with the comment that codeshares reduce competition, though. Many on this board mention that they call NW for one price from Paducah to Timbuktu all on NW metal, but CO offers the same flights, NW metal but CO* designated, at a greatly reduced rate.

In small towns where NW is the only carrier, or DL, etc., competition would be enhanced because each airline would publish their own fares and one carrier may substantially undercut one of its partners.

Just my $.02!

I agree with PARSpro that codeshares don't reduce competition. Throughout most of the 1990s, Delta was Northwest's primary competition (in terms of agreesive fare pricing) in Detroit. But then Spirit and Southwest became NW's primary competition, NW started matching their pricing and DL dropped out. Then Continental became agressive in the Detroit market, and stayed that way until March-April this year. Now they're among the most expensive.

I personally don't think NW will adapt "insULT" fares a la CO/DL; Richard Anderson is smart enough to realize that most of his premium flyers choose his airline because of favorable upgrade policies. NW would also be in position to attract Delta flyers. That said, it wouldn't surprise me if NW added an addendum to their upgrade policy: "COMPLIMENTARY UPGRADES FOR ALL ELITES: excludes flyers in Michigan and Minnesota."

Ditto.

Unless you live in ATL, CVG, DFW, or SLC, I don't see anything good happening for us NW fliers by this going through.

If NW adopts DL's crappy policies, this goat will be looking into AA. Then once I've stopped drinking, I just may think about another carrier-of-choice.