GUWonder

I doubt that some sorts of government regulation generate equal outcomes with other sorts of government regulation. Mandating operational and financial detail disclosure for interstate "loyalty" programs operated by airlines is quite distinct from legislating the elimination or regulatory taking of private sector currencies (e.g. say that issued by an airline "loyalty" program).

Voting with others' purses/wallets is even more effective than voting with just one's own purse/wallet. In other words, spread the news.

cesco.g

Interesting link. I just don't quite get, how Lucky arrived at these 1086 F-seats allegedly booked over the 127 days.
Did he indeed look at the load of 254 flights (r/t = 2 flights daily)?

WineCountryUA

appears so

UASPG

If there was a regulation (it does not have to be a heavy-handed regulation, but one that requires some basic rules, to get a decent behavior from the airlines), I would like a one year notice, if a airline is going to change something in its program. It would give some time to spend miles that have been purchased or to complete the accumulation of miles to acquire a ticket.

This being said, I don't think that anybody will ask my opinion on the subject.

Mileage programs are too valuable for the airlines, for them to cancel that brilliant concept, in case of a regulation.

rankourabu

He fails to account for the fact that some seats were booked with other Star miles. Although a bulk I am sure were booked using UA MP, there were bookings using AE, LifeMiles, and probably even M&M.

Also, I would suspect most people booked it as a part of a longer trip (why wouldnt you, if you could add two segments on TG F for 2500 more miles)?

Inevitably, some seats will get cancelled as well as people tend to jump on a "deal", but will realize later for whatever reason, they cant fly, etc.

pdx1M

I don't see regulation as an answer. What I would like to see, though is a more activist posture by the government/courts on the contract/consumer protection front here. What I don't see as reasonable is an airline advertising in bold font apparent promises of certain benefits that are then changed in some fine print. Fixing this doesn't require special regulation - it just requires aggressive enforcement of consumer fraud/protection laws. Having an airline advertise to buy miles, for example, with an implied value in existing award charts only to change the value a very short time after they make the sale is consciously misleading the public. Simple truth in advertising applied aggressively would go a long way toward fixing the worst abuses by the airlines. Right now it seems airlines can promise whatever they like to try to attract the sale (which to a naďve consumer would seem to be part of the contract they are entering into when they purchase a ticket) only to soon thereafter alter the promise. In most other areas of commerce this wouldn't be acceptable. It shouldn't be here either - fine print notwithstanding.

penner42

Because most sane non-FT people would prefer to get to their destination as quickly as possible, not add segments and more fights just because they happen to be TG or LH F. And in fact, most people pick where the want to go and then figure out how to get there, not pick their destination based on first class award availability.

rankourabu

sorry, gimme Asia over Munich anytime, especially at the same price.

FlyWorld

Excellent point. If the courts were to become more actively involved in protecting consumers from this kind of devaluation, and setting case law that puts boundaries on what's acceptable, it could be almost functionally equivalent to regulation. Ultimately, I'd like for the government, whether it's at the federal regulatory level or through the courts, to set some boundaries on what is and is not acceptable behavior in regards to selling miles that have implied value and then changing terms and conditions to reduce the value after they've sold the miles.

eponymous_coward

Right, because most people do 275K+ of leisure travel over two years like you claim you do in your signature?

I think you are pretty much not "most people", or even "most people who fly over 100,000 miles a year" (since a lot of those people aren't doing it all on leisure travel).

The argument's not about you- it's how people book. And yes, a lot of people don't want extra segments just for the sake of spending time in a pressurized aluminum tube- they quite possibly want to go to Europe (hugely popular overseas destination from the US).

kb1992

I think Delta is the worst offender. The Evil Empire against frequent flyers.

SMI/J only knows to be a copycat.

I have great sympathy for the Delta flyers. One cut after another. Often no warning.

How much more suffering will they take?

+1

From US east coast, I can handle Y to Europe.

For the same price F/J, definitely it's Asia.

eponymous_coward

Some people don't want to spend 10-20 hours flying to get to their vacation, even if they get caviar and Krug en route. Some people think they spend quite enough time flying to start with, so more time flying is just a waste. Some people think redeeming some miles to go to Vegas or to take the family to Disneyworld, or giving their miles to loved ones, is just fine, instead of hyper-luxuious aspirational travel. None of these people would think they are "suffering"- if they view Delta as a way to get from Point a to Point B and the miles are strictly an extra, and Delta works for them when that happens, and they are satisfied when they fly, who's to say they are?

rankourabu

Really? so why is this thread full of people who are originating in the USA, yet flying via YYZ to Europe. Its not for our beautiful facilities in YYZ. Its because this is an opportunity to do something that is not always available, and timely, just before a giant devaluation of points. By your logic, why wouldnt they simply take a non-stop flight to Europe?


I only booked one one-way ticket. Need to get home from Asia from a vacation in August. Worked out perfect.

Whatever people booked, 1000+ people did jump on it in two days, because it was LH F - and have decided to take an extra stop, and detour via Canada to do so.

I do understand your point though - if I was stuck flying for work 100k+ a year, and worse, doing so domestically in the USA - I'd be a pretty grumpy flyer too.

LarkSFO

For those in the 'Let's start a class action' crowd:

http://boardingarea.com/viewfromthew...going-forward/

Class Action Fuel Surcharge Lawsuit Against British Airways Going Forward

"Last summer I wrote that a law firm was preparing a class action suit against British Airways over fuel surcharges. The case was filed and a federal judge has refused to dismiss it."

HT: gleff

wco81

Doesn't the FTC have some kind of consumer affairs division?

Maybe a complaint should be raised about bait and switch nature of this devaluation.