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I agree. Allowing these mega mergers and the Aeroflot convergence was anti-competitive at its core.Originally Posted by username
I think looking back, people should have protested more during the merger approval process for all the airlines. The lack of competition seems to be the problem to me.
But many more people like this than they are willing to admit.
The protest comes very, very late and the resolve of management cannot be moderate easily.
With the current leadership a concession would also be meaningless. They would just keep lying about it and either make faux concessions or outright ignore their promises. So I just watch and see ....
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The airlines use capacity controls already to allow space for paying flyers over those using award travel.
To be fair, the overwhelming majority of cases of involuntary downgrades of those purchasing confirmed (as opposed to waitlisted) award tickets tend to be issues due to last minute equipment changes or an unexpected overbooking problem. Downgraded customers are eligible for compensation in addition to getting their miles and/or dollars refunded.
And also as a side note they start at the bottom of the list for status and work there way up for downgrades on an oversold cabin/plane. Originally Posted by georgewall42
+1.The airlines use capacity controls already to allow space for paying flyers over those using award travel.
To be fair, the overwhelming majority of cases of involuntary downgrades of those purchasing confirmed (as opposed to waitlisted) award tickets tend to be issues due to last minute equipment changes or an unexpected overbooking problem. Downgraded customers are eligible for compensation in addition to getting their miles and/or dollars refunded.
Remember that GS/1k/and I think PLT/GLD can buy a full fare ticket and bump another customer off the plane/cabin. It happens. I have done it. This year in fact. I bought a full fare y ticket because my grand mother just had a stroke and was not expected to make it much longer. When I got to the gate they were asking for a volunteer to take a different flight and untimately I think one person got bumped.
It is a sucky thing to happen/do but as others have stated you are not guaranteed a seat on the plane. But have a better shot of not being downgraded or bumped on a oversold/equipment change when you have status.
The old "guaranteed" seat thing was always smoke and mirrors. Other than in truly massive IRROPS, UA (and the other legacies) will all overbook by one more on a paid full Y ticket because even if that results in an oversale, the cost of a VDB is likely not that much and the risk of an IDB pretty slim.
Worth noting that VDB credits likely cost the carrier 70-75% of their face value and some industry analysts suggest that less than 50% of credits are ever used. That may mean a cost of $0.35 on the dollar. Or, a $600 VDB averages 210.
Worth noting that VDB credits likely cost the carrier 70-75% of their face value and some industry analysts suggest that less than 50% of credits are ever used. That may mean a cost of $0.35 on the dollar. Or, a $600 VDB averages 210.
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These are scarily low numbers. But then I recall how hard those vouchers were to be redeemed Originally Posted by Often1
..Worth noting that VDB credits likely cost the carrier 70-75% of their face value and some industry analysts suggest that less than 50% of credits are ever used. That may mean a cost of $0.35 on the dollar. Or, a $600 VDB averages 210.
.UA has always refused me cash compensation even once for a flight originating in Europe. Of course still being greedy for upgrades and the likes, I did not push it further than several angry emails to CS.