Hadrian35

People are overly hostile on flyertalk and the internet in general. You make yourself an easy target suggesting that the punishing path to 1k and its dwindling benefits is worth less than $600 to the airline. I cannot fathom an airline mishap that didn't result in serious negligent harm that would grant you double your current status. Maybe if you were a twitter superstar worth courting, MAYBE.

This idea that your harrowing bag loss is worth 6gpus let alone 4rpus is pretty ludicrous, man.

northpole999

Hadrian35: Take a deep breath and smile, my friend! You'll be happier that way, and you know the whole shtick about more muscles to frown than to smile


The question here is not what a bag loss is worth to me, but what not paying over $600 is worth to UA. As I said, I wouldn't take that deal if I were the airline. But I was wondering what other FTers thought UA's reaction would be. I sure received it - you really gave it to me on this one! (yes, double entendre intended). Thanks, folks!

Oh, and the offer wouldn't be double my current status, but maintain it. I'm 1K now and have been for 5 of the last 6 year, using very few bottom-feeder fares.

TerryK

Take a look at this:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...-status-2.html

UA is well aware of the value of PQM. It does offer PQM buy-ups on a graduated scale where the more PQM you buy, the lower cost per PQM. Referring to thread above, UA offered someone 13K PQM for $2,399; OP needs 50K PQM; hence I think $6,000 for Gold to 1K is a possibility. Your offer of $600 is akin to 10% of what UA think PQM is worth.

The question is: based on what UA offered others in early 2014, will you take it if UA offers you $6,000, minus $600 bag credit, to buy-up from Gold to 1K?

DocTravel

You Sir (the OP) are out of your mind.

Thanks for the Laugh

Miles Ahead

I was offered 50K PQM for $11,000.

northpole999

That makes sense to me, however... I don't think we can directly compare potential revenue gain with a reduction in cash-out expenses They're apples and oranges. I think most executives would agree that there is often (though not always) a real difference between (a) the value of gaining revenue by selling a product, and (b) the value to the enterprise of avoiding an outlay of expenses. As well, there is always the customer relations aspect.

Reasons can be many and varied depending on the particular business line, but frequently it comes down to avoiding the visible, openly visible devaluation of the list price of a product, while sometimes being willing to part with the same product for much less than list under circumstances where the devaluation is not readily apparent. For example I once saw a cruise line offer free 1 week cruise in a premium cabin to a family of 4 as compensation after one of their employees stole from the guests' room. in that case the theft was of a couple pieces of jewelry worth only $400-500 at most. There is no question that the cruises were worth, , far, far more that the family's loss even at the absolute steepest discount the line offers. Nonetheless the cruise line offered a free ride instead of cash.

Once again, I agree with the sentiment of everyone here that it's not a smart deal at all for UA for only $600. However I think the point about the difference between equivalent amounts of rev-in vs. cash-out remains.

Some of the replies on this thread have been hilarious - many thanks for that folks!

TerryK

Looks like I was too optimistic.

TerryK

I do not disagree with your argument except that we are talking about a 90%+ discount. I really think $6,000 is doable. You may even be able to talk UA down to $4-5K range. But good luck with $600.

Boghopper

If there's 1K on offer for $600 (from Gold, which I am permanently as long at the MM benefit holds out) I'm a buyer. Would save me all the trouble of flying 100K and spending $10K. The idea that they would entertain this is absurd. you can argue all day about the marginal cost of doing it but they know full well that if it becomes some sort of policy that marginal cost will quickly become average revenue. And that's a complete non starter given the efforts they've made to restrict access to 1K with the requirements of PQDs and 016 ticket.

Boghopper

So in other words you won't be a 1K for much longer.

HeadInTheClouds

Because when everyone embraces this philosophy and always "tries everything", it causes companies to either start disregarding communication channels with customers due to overloads of ridiculous clutter like this, or it requires them to dedicate ever increasing resources to properly reply to such things in a professional manner. So while the individual may not have anything to lose, we all do in the long run.

garykung

Simple - people hate to see people sharing the perks for nothing.

In short - jealousy.

LaserSailor

Ridiculous. Who would get jealous over faux status?

By the way, UA accidentally scuffed my Tumi Spinner and gave me a year of GS as compensation.

drewguy

This point is entirely valid - indeed, they happily offer RDM as compensation for other inconveniences. Why not PQM as well, which are both more and less valuable (only valuable if they help you cross a threshold; not valuable otherwise, and they expire at end of year)?

Your problem is that your PQM-equivalent is much less than what you're looking for.

IAH-OIL-TRASH

The problem with giving every delayed-bag complainer 2 more levels of status than he/she deserves is the future costs, not just $600 bucks. Why would UA possibly want to give 4 RPUs, 6 GPUs, twice the RDMs he deserves, and displace/annoy real 1Ks, Plats, higher fare-paying Golds? There is absolutely no benefit to UA to do this. The $600 is a deduction, the rest are liabilities in one form or another.

A very bad precedent would be set and before you know it, every mistake UA makes (think thousands of affected passengers a day) would potentially generate another (definitely over-entitled) frequent flyer. The CPU waitlist would soon pretty much be the capacity of each flight, including 100 1Ks.

Bad precedents are hard to roll back - they become expectations. I, as a 1K earned with BIS miles and $, don't want to compete for benefits with lost bags, inoperable seats, non-working reading lights, filled-in crossword puzzles, a/c too hot, a/c too cold, or any of the myriad of annoyances of air travel. Give the whiners something (as UA has offered) but don't give out status like lollipops to a crying toddler. I want to compete for benefits with people who have earned status the same way I have.