Anyone jumping to DELTA or other yet?
Mar 13, 2012, 5:49 pm
#16
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Huntsville, AL
Programs: DL DM 1.929MM, Hilton Lifetime Diamond, IHG Platinum, Avis CHM, Marriott Titanium (lifetime gold)
Posts: 7,860
Well, Delta is turning up the knobs on First Class upsells.
They just redid the booking pages on Delta.com. For many coach fare searches, the page will now display the discounted First Class fare in a column next to the coach fare. That ain't gonna help upgrade rates.
Delta plainly intends to buy off their elites with Economy Comfort, essentially Economy Plus. And they instituted the notorious 72 hour award ticket rule (no cancels or changes within 72 hours of departure.) You just never know when you are going to get an e-mail from Jeff Robertson with an unfriendly change that is blamed on bad customers.
For most of your folks, I would honestly suggest that you give it a chance and see how it all works out unless you are completely at the end of your rope. Unless you are thinking of trying for Exec PlAAt, which still seems very attractive.
David
They just redid the booking pages on Delta.com. For many coach fare searches, the page will now display the discounted First Class fare in a column next to the coach fare. That ain't gonna help upgrade rates.
Delta plainly intends to buy off their elites with Economy Comfort, essentially Economy Plus. And they instituted the notorious 72 hour award ticket rule (no cancels or changes within 72 hours of departure.) You just never know when you are going to get an e-mail from Jeff Robertson with an unfriendly change that is blamed on bad customers.
For most of your folks, I would honestly suggest that you give it a chance and see how it all works out unless you are completely at the end of your rope. Unless you are thinking of trying for Exec PlAAt, which still seems very attractive.
David
Mar 13, 2012, 6:55 pm
#17
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Cypress, TX
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Platinum, Hertz Gold 1 Presidence Circle
Posts: 662
Well, Delta is turning up the knobs on First Class upsells.
They just redid the booking pages on Delta.com. For many coach fare searches, the page will now display the discounted First Class fare in a column next to the coach fare. That ain't gonna help upgrade rates.
Delta plainly intends to buy off their elites with Economy Comfort, essentially Economy Plus. And they instituted the notorious 72 hour award ticket rule (no cancels or changes within 72 hours of departure.) You just never know when you are going to get an e-mail from Jeff Robertson with an unfriendly change that is blamed on bad customers.
For most of your folks, I would honestly suggest that you give it a chance and see how it all works out unless you are completely at the end of your rope. Unless you are thinking of trying for Exec PlAAt, which still seems very attractive.
David
They just redid the booking pages on Delta.com. For many coach fare searches, the page will now display the discounted First Class fare in a column next to the coach fare. That ain't gonna help upgrade rates.
Delta plainly intends to buy off their elites with Economy Comfort, essentially Economy Plus. And they instituted the notorious 72 hour award ticket rule (no cancels or changes within 72 hours of departure.) You just never know when you are going to get an e-mail from Jeff Robertson with an unfriendly change that is blamed on bad customers.
For most of your folks, I would honestly suggest that you give it a chance and see how it all works out unless you are completely at the end of your rope. Unless you are thinking of trying for Exec PlAAt, which still seems very attractive.
David
Mar 13, 2012, 8:31 pm
#18
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: AA PLT
Posts: 534
I just did a sample search for a SFO - LHR flight on Delta. Yes, the First class fare shows up right next to the Economy fare .... but you're talking about a price differential of $4,000 or more for First. Your average Kayaker is not going to bite on that. Not even close.
Mar 15, 2012, 2:22 pm
#19
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Huntsville, AL
Programs: DL DM 1.929MM, Hilton Lifetime Diamond, IHG Platinum, Avis CHM, Marriott Titanium (lifetime gold)
Posts: 7,860
I just did a sample search for a SFO - LHR flight on Delta. Yes, the First class fare shows up right next to the Economy fare .... but you're talking about a price differential of $4,000 or more for First. Your average Kayaker is not going to bite on that. Not even close.
They have been there for a while, but were not displayed so prominently. (Previously you had to mouse over a link and a pop-up would show you the discounted FC fare.)
David
Mar 16, 2012, 6:53 pm
#20
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: CLT
Programs: AA EP, AA AC
Posts: 4,268
There is no way in the world that I would ever return to DL. If folks want to leave United because they want a better hard product, one can make an argument for DL (not giving my opinion one way or another). BUT, for all the 1Ks that believe that they will get better treatment through SM than in MP, truly that is not the case.
Safe Travels.
Safe Travels.
Mar 16, 2012, 8:53 pm
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2006
Location: SEA or BGR, Lower Earth Orbit
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 17,217
I dunno. Sounds like a solid business decision to me. We've been saying for a long time "if you want to sit in first buy it". I guess this would eliminate (for me anyway) checking discounted F fares to see if the cost is negligible. Most people won't bit but some will depending on the fares.
Mar 16, 2012, 9:38 pm
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: LAX
Posts: 10,908
There is no way in the world that I would ever return to DL. If folks want to leave United because they want a better hard product, one can make an argument for DL (not giving my opinion one way or another). BUT, for all the 1Ks that believe that they will get better treatment through SM than in MP, truly that is not the case.
Safe Travels.
Safe Travels.
You've got to be utterly nuts to switch to customer fleecing constantly lying and cheating world of DL. And if you do - you truly deserve what you will get.
Mar 17, 2012, 8:39 pm
#23
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Nashville, TN
Programs: UA MM
Posts: 237
I returned Friday from Manila, Business First on DL (company preferred vendor). I wasn't impressed. I need 39K more miles for Million Miler on UA, I'll stick with it and be happy. No more airline hopping for me.
Mar 18, 2012, 12:14 am
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: ZOA, SFO, HKG
Programs: UA 1K 0.9MM, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, Hertz PC, SBux Gold, TSA Pre✓
Posts: 13,811
Mar 18, 2012, 9:14 am
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Portland
Posts: 11,571
I'm considering AA for this very same reason. I'm also considering it because of the terrible service being provided by the PMUA employees these days. I left UA twice because of this, and it does not appear to have gotten any better. The merger forced me to give these employees another chance, but, despite what one might read on FT, there are still too many "I hate my job" FAs and GAs out there.
Mar 18, 2012, 9:35 am
#27
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: LFT
Programs: AA Plat, lots of AA, AS, DL, UA miles, former top level CO Elite (sigh...)
Posts: 10,795
Our next trip will be on AA for several reasons.....
I am tired of the repeated delays experienced by Colgan Air/UAEx when I have to fly on either the Q400 or Saab 340 LFT-IAH. We have less UAEx ERJ service now LFT-IAH as UA has been replacing RJ flights with Colgan-operated turboprops. This is not my idea of a fun way to travel to and from the hub.
AA Eagle on the other hand has four ERJ flights a day LFT-DFW. So we are going to try them as we've not flown AA in awhile. I have virtually no AAdvantage miles but I do have a substantial number of BA Avios so that's where my miles earned on AA will accumulate.
We will be heading to the Grenadines to go sailing so our itinerary will be LFT-DFW-MIA-GND on AA. I looked at flying UA LFT-IAH-SJU or LFT-IAH-POS with connecting service to/from GND on another carrier and the fares were much higher. Award availability was not the best, either. AA also operates a 738 into GND from MIA, so we will not have to deal with connecting turboprop service on another airline into GND as well......and I will be able to upgrade us to the front cabin on all AA mainline flights on our itinerary.
I am tired of the repeated delays experienced by Colgan Air/UAEx when I have to fly on either the Q400 or Saab 340 LFT-IAH. We have less UAEx ERJ service now LFT-IAH as UA has been replacing RJ flights with Colgan-operated turboprops. This is not my idea of a fun way to travel to and from the hub.
AA Eagle on the other hand has four ERJ flights a day LFT-DFW. So we are going to try them as we've not flown AA in awhile. I have virtually no AAdvantage miles but I do have a substantial number of BA Avios so that's where my miles earned on AA will accumulate.
We will be heading to the Grenadines to go sailing so our itinerary will be LFT-DFW-MIA-GND on AA. I looked at flying UA LFT-IAH-SJU or LFT-IAH-POS with connecting service to/from GND on another carrier and the fares were much higher. Award availability was not the best, either. AA also operates a 738 into GND from MIA, so we will not have to deal with connecting turboprop service on another airline into GND as well......and I will be able to upgrade us to the front cabin on all AA mainline flights on our itinerary.