Yes, this is pure speculation. I don't see the discrepancy between my:

CO-operated NW-coded (For example, NW99956 IAH-EWR) - 50% EQMs cheap fares, 100% higher ones

and cindi's off the website:

Northwest L, T, or K fares on flights operated by Continental

statements...

My apologies, I misread your comments. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif The situation you outline may end up going either way.

(I'll leave my original reply unedited, for historical accuracy.)

I just got back from DCA this morning, on a ticket purchased on my dime. Since I had already crossed the threshold for plat a couple of months ago, I was feeling a little unsure of the wisdom of spending my money on NW at a time when they might have been thinking of "enhancing" us. I am glad I put a little something extra in NW stocking. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Now how does that song go Zipper?

The CO version is
Oh I wish were a WP platinum.....

Puting miles into World Perks for a Delta flight will be useful to you only if at some point you start flying NW. And once you see it is easier for you to get Eliete status on NW than on Deltas, you will switch.

Do you have a number/details on how to get the US Airways comp? Thanks - I did a search and couldn't find it.

One can't really blame NW for this. When people use creative routings to pile a ton of miles for low fares on another airline, something had to be done. For example, DCA-MEM-MSY would earn you about 1262 miles each way on NW. However on CO, one could do, DCA-EWR-IAH-MSY and earn 2400 miles. With 50% EQMS, you will still get 1200 miles. So all it does is reduces the value of MR to you. The revenue goes to the airline operating the flight, regardless of the code or who sold the ticket. I think, what NW is saying is that it will tolerate creative routings as long as it gets the revenue.

I'm not sure that MR's really factor in to the move behind the EQMs. After all, you can still do pure NW mileage runs and earn 100% EQMs. And you can now do DL mileage runs and earn 100% EQMs. If they really wanted to discourage mileage runs, they would state that you only earn the miles between the origin and destination, and disregard any connections along the way.

My own feeling is that NW really wanted to make a statement to CO that it feels CO's policy is bad for business and that, while they'll treat WorldPerk's flyers on CO metal the same as CO NonePass members with regards to EQM, they have no intention of doing the same on their own metal. NW is more than happy to take the "riff-raff".

You can find several verses of my song in this thread it was originally posted in the CO forum regarding the EUA schenanigans they continually play.

Is there a policy on CO that allows a refund even for a minor schedule change? Or could the purchase be contested with the credit card company if the airline tries not to refund?

I'm not sure what their Contract of Carriage says, but CO changed my flights so I'm now arriving 8-hours later than planned... however, b/c the outbound's virgin (I have an 8-hour layover at EWR - there's no other connecting flight that will get me to EWR in time for my flight, due to the holiday) they claim I have no case.