Xyzzy

Dwn, boy! What I was getting at was that PMUA gave the 50k level and the new program gives the same. Sure -- they can add levels at any PQM (I can't get used to that) number. They didn't, though. They simply filled in a logical hole at 75k.

Fredd

No, I won't argue that one aspect too strenuously.

It's UA's program and they're changing the T&C by inserting that additional tier, by halving our bonus miles, and by removing the annual upgrades.

In return, they're diluting the membership with non-BIS flyers, and diluting it still further by allowing MM flyers to designate a spouse or significant other as some sort of honorary MM flyer. Again, for at least some of us that is not a benefit at all.

The new chaos on those blue carpets as almost everybody seems to be "elite" is a sign of things to come.

Yes, it's a dog's life or a dog's breakfast IMHO.

dgcpaphd

That is what "grandfathering" is all about. It is to make up for inequities when there are changes to an existing program.

If the former Continental employees that are setting up the new Mileage Plus wanted to be fair to the original Mileage Plus members, they would realize that the rules to become a million miler on United were significantly different on United than they were on Continental. On United, mileage had to be all United to count toward the million miles. Again, a grandfathering of the original million milers is the only fair and ethical thing to do.
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GoingAway

The argument in return will be the recalculated balances address those perceived inequities, as many 1MM are now at or over 2MM with the adjustment and combination of lifetime miles between UA (realc) and then CO added in, as well. By earning the old way, you just got there sooner, and enjoyed the bennies in the interim.

Fredd

Your last sentence would read more accurately "for the interim," since we're either losing them completely or seeing them diminished.

Max 747400

I have 700K EQM on UA and 200K of Flight, Credit Card, Etc., miles on CO. Will the entire 200K miles count towards MM Status? If so, I shoud transfer the 150K Amex Points to CO tonight? Am I correct?

snod08

Only CO EQM will count to MM status.
Not credit card miles, shopping miles, etc.
(Unless you have Flex EQM from Pres Plus credit card)

DreamlinerI

I agree and that would be what any sensible corporation would do to show it does have honor and cares about the integrity of the company and it's relationship with loyal customers. However, CO has shown over and over again that it treates "loyalty" as a joke and nuisance. The new ambiguous check-in lanes and boarding process is a clear example of how it really does not care about creating a positive experience for it's customers.

mre5765

For a good laugh, read http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...-brouhaha.html .

I suggested to a friend of my wife that she post an ad to craiglist offering "benefits" in exchange for being designated the partner of a mmer.

Perhaps you could lobby your state to legalize polygamy. Or move to Saskatchewan where it is legal.
An excellent point and this marks the first bone coua has tossed to pmua elites.

Well they filled a logical hole created by the merger. It is ironic that many people on the pmua forum argued vehemently for a merger with CO. At any rate, there was no way CO was going to shaft its plats, and pmua has effectively had the new tier for all of 2011.

And who is to say UA is done with mergers? All it takes is one more trade treaty, and Air Canada is swallowed up. Then comes the 35k premier level.

Firewind

No. US is next. Just as soon as this one is digested. None of the Powers That Be ever said it was a bad idea, just that it was not the preferred one.....

Xyzzy

Grandfathering is when an old rule cntinues to apply in a new situation. That is not the case here. In this case, the 50k level was awarded in the past and the 50k level will be awarded in the future. The names have changed, but that's about it. Just because you were granted the 50k level in he past is n reason to feel entitled to the 75k level in the future. I'll be at the 50k lifetime level along with many of yu, but without the sense of entitlement.

Regarding the different earning methods for PMUA and PMCO, that's being addressed with the one-time fix in January. There will be no inequity. There may be things to complain about in the new prgram, but these items are not among them.

UA-NYC

When did CO instituute the COS bonus? And when did UA? I wonder how far back they are going to go to add PMUA COS bonii to lifetime status.

joel67

As a million miler myself, I fully expected that what I was given was the 50k mile elite level and that the benefits accorded to that level as well as its relative position in the elite hierarchy might be reduced in the future. The one thing that should arguably have been grandfathered is the annual award of two regional upgrades, especially since they did so at the two million level with the club membership. I'm happy that they're adding the SO status match, which I personally value, but they're still upsetting a lot of long-time PMUA people with their inconsistent treatment and it would take relatively little tweaking to fix the problem.

By the way, anyone remember when Premier Executive was the pinnacle of elite status? IIRC we got a 125% bonus back then and stacks of upgrade coupons that I never ran out of. Of course, you did need 75k miles per year to qualify.

Fredd

Remember that UA is touting this spouse / "significant other" business as a key benefit of the new program. As UA Insider wrote in Post 1:

Million milers will be able to designate a spouse or significant other to always have the same premier tier as them (this includes when the million miler member earns a higher tier). The spousal premier benefits will be identical as the member, except they will not include RPUs and GPUs. This spousal benefit will replace the one-time and annual upgrade gifts, and hopefully you’ll agree this is a better deal...

For some of us (whether we fly in pairs or whether we don't have a "significant other" in our lives - or maybe even we have a "significant other" who rarely if ever flies) it is clearly not a "better deal." In fact, it's completely useless.

UA could easily amend it by offering some sort of "elite choice." @:-)

dgcpaphd

With all due respect, you are not correctly interpreting the dictionary definition of "grandfathering." Therefore, your cited example is inaccurate.

Let me present a dictionary definition and example of using the word from the same dictionary:

"grand·fa·thered, grand·fa·ther·ing, grand·fa·thers

To exempt (one involved in an activity or business) from new regulations: The new ordinance restricts the size of billboards, but it grandfathers those erected before 1997."


Therefore, grandfathering the million miler members who earned their status before the merger of the two plans would be the right thing to do under the inequities presented by the new United.

There is no question, the new proposed rules for the United million mile members is a demotion. Considering the time and money members spent to earn that million mile status, demoting those members is a slap-in-the-face and a clear disregard for their long-term loyalty.
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