Brace yourselves! It appears they're not done with us yet.

According to this thread just started in the DL forum, YBM fares will yield only 100% qualifying miles in 2009 (was 150% thru 2008).

The corresponding change for NW would be to reduce YB fares to 100% EQM.

This change makes even less sense than most. They're not even rewarding their high-fare customers. DL is becoming an equal opportunity, egalitarian screw job.

I think somewhere a bean counter realized that the airline was solvent because they were selling frequent flier miles, and started looking for other things they could sell, and realized they can sell EQM too.

Seems to be a resulting trend towards making it harder to make elite by actually flying in favor of making you use the airline-affiliated credit card/car rental company/etc to make elite. Then they don't even have to bother flying you anywhere to get money for the EQMs!

This would be a stupid change for DL. Why wouldn't they want to encourage us to buy the higher fares for 150% eqm? I guess that shows how stupid DL's management really is.

>>>>>>.I think somewhere a bean counter realized that the airline was solvent because they were selling frequent flier miles, and started looking for other things they could sell, and realized they can sell EQM too.

Sounds like this is coming true:
...charges will include a $25 tax on citizens traveling with any other airline, as well as a mandatory $30 surcharge for passengers who decide to just stay home for the holidays instead...additional charges would also apply, including a $15 fee for every piece of luggage customers have inside their bedroom closet, and a one-time payment of $40 for any American whose name is Greg..."Watching television last night cost me $250," said Baltimore resident Michael Peterson, one of many Americans now forced to pay high airline costs for folding their laundry and going to the ophthalmologist. "It's ridiculous, but what can you do? I guess that's just the price of not flying these days."

http://www.theonion.com/content/news...s_now_charging

Reading the NW and DL forums is like watching a train wreck. This particular change is completely irrational... Perhaps DL management has some grand vision for the FF program of the future, but they are completely botching the implementaton.

Yes this doesn't make sense at all. When you are charging a person 3 or 4 times the going rate on a fare why screw them out of 5 or 10 dollars worth of miles. 5 or 10 dollars worth of miles that AA, US, UA, and CO will give them without batting an eye. Completely stupid.

Well, this is majorly disappointing. I have to buy a lot of last minute tickets due to the scheduling of my trips. The one consolation I have is that these Y or B fares yield an 50% bonus. I don't understand the rationale at all - seems like you'd want to encourage the purchase of these tickets.

(Wondering Outloud)

What surprise is coming in the NW Elite packets????

--- besides the watered down EEP and probably unusable PMU Certs

Holy cow! DL is freakin' retarded.

It's almost comical now.

Whatever disease US Air had much have been contagious, as DL has certainly caught it.

Perhaps, they're trying to throw so much crap our way, that then they can backpeddle and throw a few crumbs back.

I am still hoping this is a misprint. Seriously, this would hurt Delta more than the travelers. They'd be making highly profitable Y and B fares look more unattractive than they already are.

UAs 150% EQM/EQS are looking better all the time.

When do cards go out so I can get some status matches going?

It's the frequent flyer version of death by a thousand cuts. What's next?

From the Head in the Azz Press:

Behind closed doors, on a slow Friday afternoon at the DL HQ (the version of the W.H.) in ATL. The president aka CEO sign the "Change Bill" regarding to the value of DL/NW Elites.

At first the person in charge of the FFP agreed on having a TV pool news reporter. However, a few decisions later it was decided not to have a reporter to record the 'important news' of change in the FFP. It is reported that every DL/NW flyer is really excited of the 'Change' and 'Hope' for more.



There is some additional sources reporting there is a new 'Bill' called "Yes We Can", in the works. This Bill will affect all DL and NW Plats, in which DL can and will put PLATS in middle seats while sitting in coach.


-BondAir007

(All the info is not true. Bottom line, I am not too happy. But I am trying to have some fun with this.)

Can someone point out what does DL expect people to get by gaining Platinum Status? To me, there is nothing left in the program that makes it attractive.

Even the domestic upgrades to FC is a PITA since I cannot do online checkin or kiosk checkin, need the elusive agent to issue the boarding pass.

I am glad I only have 250K miles (from a total of 2M) left with NWA. Need to burn that ASAP.