Obituary for Standard Awards
May 17, 2016, 2:15 pm
#1
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,624
Obituary for Standard Awards
The last few surviving members of the Standard Award species, genus Rapid Rewards, died May 13, 2016, resulting in complete extinction of the species.
The Standard Award species first appeared on June 22, 1987. For 19 years it ranged freely: far, wide, and fast. Then in 2006 its range was reduced when new constraints on its movement appeared. However its agility remained unmatched among competitive species.
On March 1, 2011 a successor species called Points appeared. Standard Awards were fated to die within two years. Then, almost miraculously, a land bridge appeared allowing cross-breeding with the AirTran genus. Cross-breeding created hardy hybrids which had the potential to survive until October 2016. However a May 4, 2015 earthquake split the landscape prematurely, forcing a decision to move the young to the safe territory of Points or let them remain in the doomed land of Credits as Standard Awards.
While it lasted, the Standard Award species was agile, ideally adapted to efficient, immediate movement. The surviving Points species is able to range as far and wide as the very first Standard Awards, but it's lethargic, moving efficiently only after many days of planning. If the Points species tries to move too quickly it will burn up, providing a tasty meal for predators.
Perhaps some day scientists will be able to extra genetic material from an expired Standard Award and re-create the species. We can only hope.
The Standard Award species first appeared on June 22, 1987. For 19 years it ranged freely: far, wide, and fast. Then in 2006 its range was reduced when new constraints on its movement appeared. However its agility remained unmatched among competitive species.
On March 1, 2011 a successor species called Points appeared. Standard Awards were fated to die within two years. Then, almost miraculously, a land bridge appeared allowing cross-breeding with the AirTran genus. Cross-breeding created hardy hybrids which had the potential to survive until October 2016. However a May 4, 2015 earthquake split the landscape prematurely, forcing a decision to move the young to the safe territory of Points or let them remain in the doomed land of Credits as Standard Awards.
While it lasted, the Standard Award species was agile, ideally adapted to efficient, immediate movement. The surviving Points species is able to range as far and wide as the very first Standard Awards, but it's lethargic, moving efficiently only after many days of planning. If the Points species tries to move too quickly it will burn up, providing a tasty meal for predators.
Perhaps some day scientists will be able to extra genetic material from an expired Standard Award and re-create the species. We can only hope.
Last edited by nsx; May 17, 2016 at 3:07 pm Reason: added history of the species
May 21, 2016, 6:54 am
#5
Join Date: May 2003
Location: VA
Programs: Marriott: LTP
Posts: 387
It was an awesome program. I remember one time during RR1 when I was able to make a last minute change to our booked award flights around Thanksgiving time which got us home to our family a few days earlier. I was amazed that we could do that!