WineCountryUA

Concerning the debate / feedback on companion benefit vs alternatives -- even on FT there was a many posters in earlier threads requesting the companion benefit -- there certainly has not been a monolithic position by UA/CO FTers.
Understand it may not work for you but especially among the PMCO folks and some PMUA folks the companion MM benefit was seen as a plus. Unfortunately it is nearly impossible to make a cost effective program that makes 100% happy 100% of the time. I'm sort of neutral on the change -- others wanted to retain the companion benefit and others wanted the annual two CR1s. Can not please everyone (without more complexity/costs).

MBS MillionMiler

Not true...We're talking about 2 CR-1s annually to a small group of flyers. (How many MMers are there, really? Are 1% of flyers MMers? I don't know, but I can't imagine it being that staggering of a number...Regardless, why does it have to be one or the other? We are talking about people who have flown with UA (or CO) for a LONG time. 2 CR-1s in January doesn't seem like that big of a deal from UA's perspective, and much bigger a deal to the flyers' perspective.

And if we're talking the 3MMers, we're REALLY getting down in numbers. I doubt I'll ever see 3MM...At least I don't hope to. But giving them 6 SWUs a year doesn't seem like much either, in the grand scheme of things.

To me, it seems like the new CO/UA is WAAAAAAY over-valuing these upgrade certs from their perspective, taking away a promised benefit from current UA MMers, dramatically reducing them to most PMUA 1Ks, etc. They're really only ever taking upgrade inventory away from upgraders...I doubt too many people trying to use a confirmable instrument would be paying for F anyway.

MrJBoy

I totally understand what you are saying.
I can still give them my feedback about what I think, and this is the place to share our opinions. That's all.

mtimmer

I called MP today and, as has been alluded to earlier in this thread, was unable to get my data purge that I was hoping to use to help me zero in on my lifetime miles. The agent specifically pointed out that they are getting lots of requests stemming from the new lifetime miles announcement.

As also has been alluded to here, I would love to know my total prior to December 31 as I think there is a (very) outside chance that I'm within striking distance of 2 MM and that would sure give me an incentive to fly UA this year.

That said, this was all a pleasant upside for me as I'm semi-retired and my flights are only leisure nowadays...so I'm going from straining to make 2P each year to 1 MM status so I happy that I won't have to think in terms of annual EQMs again. Even with 1P not what it used to be, this is a huge benefit for me.

PanAmWT

Why 2004? I thought UA has given partner miles before that.

cesco.g

What do exactly mean by heavy LAX,SYN fliers? Otherwise, fully agree with your asessment.

PanAmWT

+1

I am close to 3MM BIS without recalculation and my wife is a 1MM. I am an iron 1K flying on UA international routes, and she is a domestic flyer who has to abandon more direct routes to fly UA to reach 1K each year. We will end up big losers from the new system. The only sensible thing for us to do is for her to stop flying UA, since she will get my lifetime 1K status, and build her elite status on another airline that serves her destinations. That is, if UA does not have special provisions for double-MM and/or double-1K couples.

Kl34c

Just an example of domestic customers flying heavily between LA and Sydney. For that matter, San Francisco and Hong Kong.

cesco.g

The more I think about it, it seems outright stupid for UA to p/o international fliers including you, who represent the most profitable customer segment of UAs business.

WineCountryUA

Question would not complaints be just as bad if the companion benefit (which the CO folks had) had been replaced with just 2 annual RPUs?
Short of providing both benefits, was there a win here for UA?

mre5765

The win would have been to provide a choice of either and not both.

I expected 2P for life for my wife and I at 1MM. Instead I got 1.5P for life for my wife and I at 1MM.

ua1flyer

+1

How did this happen! I didn't say this!! As a matter of fact, what I was trying to say was business is business.What have you done for me lately. Ok you flew 1 million miles. Were you not taken care of along the way?Was there anything promised to you for lifetime upgrades! What if you got your million miles and jumped ship on a status match? Or quit flying altogether? The airline is a business with a difficult balance between making stockholders and passengers happy. Stockholders will always/should win at least 51/49.

cesco.g

My comment concerns the ditching of SWUs / GPUS and providing domestic stuff of little or no value to the UA international / overseas flier.

Exactly. At least offer a choice to elect such benefits. In today's world of customization and customer-specific solutions not a hard thing to do. Hotel loyalty programs are already doing it, as rightfully mentioned elsewhere.

Offering some GPUs would be highly valued by & motivating for overseas UA folks, which at least at the 3MM & 4MM level would be appropriate and a smart business decision on UAs part.

Karter

Do we know for definite that the EQM boost will include *A EQMs?

rob_flies_ua

yes