So lhrsfo and raoulsch, what are your stories? Why dropping from 1K? Please enlighten us all.

2012 Plat
2013 Plat
2014 Silver
2015 Dirt

Couldn't take it any more.

Edited to expand on original post at mkr's request:

Three factors drive my disengagement from United Airlines.

1. Shattered faith in the airline to fly its timetable, keep its promises, or compensate for its mistakes. I and my family had a parade of cancellations, screwups, and other meltdowns in 2012-13 during which UA's apparent reflexive instinct was to deny responsibility, defend its own interests against mine, and fight me (at least until, on one occasion, I got the DOT involved). My service recovery experiences on AA, US, DL, and AS have been far better -- responsive and empathetic. Now I find the mere prospect of a UA flight stressful. I was forced to fly UA SFO-YVR this month because there was no post-dinnertime AC service and worried the whole week in advance, because I absolutely had to be in Vancouver by noon the next day. I looked up all the alternates and next-morning flights and SFO layover hotels in case UA cancelled. I don't have that level of tension flying Alaska or American and I do not need it, or United, in my travel life.

2. Quantitative inputs show United focuses on VFF HVFs, price-driven bargain hunters with no loyalty, but no customers in between -- where I fall. The MP modifications, TODs, all-but-extinct CPUs, unredeemable GPUs, and dilution of sub-GS elite tiers add up to what I call a "doughnut hole" problem for UA. A small free-spending top tier seems happy despite the operational / reliability mess; a large bottom cohort is happy because they got a cheap ticket and possibly a cheap upgrade offer; I am nowhere in this picture. For a flyer with my profile (75-100k BIS miles per annum, 70% business trips, mixed fare classes) the value proposition at AS and AA is flatly, inarguably superior. UA has become like a car dealership that sells Mercedes-Benzes and Kias, but sort of mocks the broad middle of moderately upscale buyers looking for Buicks, Acuras, Volvos, etc. I do not think this is sustainable in the long run but United will do what it will do.

3. A demonstrably dishonest, weasel-minded, adversarial corporate culture that I want nothing to do with. It goes all the way back to "changes I think you'll like" and continues to "flyer-friendly" and blaming weather for mechanicals and crew scheduling snafus so they don't have to kick out a food voucher. I believe the company at its core regards its customers as nuisances who need subjugating, and to be taught a thing or two. When Smisek said the new sheriff in town was going to run UAL "like a business," that was code for saying he owes customers nothing for their money -- not even basic honesty. (How should you regard a company that confirms F award seats, but downgrades you to Y at the gate because, apparently, there was a chance to sell your seat at the eleventh hour to a walk-up offering real money? Such stories, told repeatedly on FT, tell me this airline warrants no trust. None.) This is the only quantitative / subjective factor of my three, but it's how United has made me feel since 2012: angry, exhausted, repelled. So sue me.

Dropped from 5 years of 1K (lite) down to platinum. Used Chase $25,000 spending exception to get to platinum

As the initiator of this thread, when are you going to collate and wikify the results?

I am waiting breathlessly...

1K 2012
Platinum 2013
Platinum 2014
General 2015 0 flights 2014. Never heard a word from UA

still 1k since CO merged with UA.... anticipate to be 1k in 2016 but it will be my last year with status on UA unless something unexpected happens as I spend my own money.

1997-2014: 1K
2015: MM Gold

"Changes you will like"...yeah UA, you spoke time after time with forked tongue.

1K since 2003. Hoping to get to 2MM, but every interaction with UA leaves me unhappy for some reason or the other. Thinking a lot about jumping ship to AA.

Yes, well, wait a little longer. I thought up originally 3 threads, one for those who remained the same status, one for those who gained status, and one for those who lost status. I thought it would be easier for everyone to track what was going on with other posters' situations. Some complained that it was "too confusing" (for them to know their own situation and therefore post in the correct thread). Personally, I think 3 threads would have been helpful for all of us, but others' opinions prevailed.

I think we need to let this thread go on for a few months to gather more data to see if any trends establish. We have several persons who have posted who have not made any posts on FT in quite a while. Most who post on FT likely do not look at it daily. This is the type of thread that many people can post in because they know their own situations/needs as a flyer. Those who choose to post on FT are a small sample of the many MP members who do not read FT, much less post in the threads.

On the other hand, some persons who follow FT like a religion and post every day on various topics have yet to enter their data this thread.

So we will just wait a few months to see if any trends emerge, IMO. I started an initial WIKI with bare minimum info. Asking people to go back and edit their posts to enter reasons for their 2015 status.

If you are waiting "breathlessly", I hope you will take a breath.

2013 Silver
2014 Gold
2015 Gold
2016 expecting nothing or Silver

Easily retained Gold, could have attained Plat, but I chose to use my miles to buy an international ticket on a complex itinerary. Achieved PQD also, but have Chase card for CC waiver as backup.

Expect to retain Gold again as *Gold is great for international travel and no fees for standby. May have to use CC waiver as I may not meet PQD.

2013 Gold
2014 Gold
2015 Silver
2016 expecting Dirt since I have moved to other airlines where possible

Reasons:
- Moved most of my 2014 flying to AA and AS to maintain status there, since I plan to fly them instead of UA in 2015. This decision was made purely because of anticipated steep drop in mileage earning with UA as I almost exclusively fly cheap fares.
- Fell short of PQD threshold for 2015 Silver but was exempt thru credit card spend.
- Starting March 1 2015 I will avoid UA except occasionally if price/convenience is much better than alternatives.

United:

2010: Silver
2011: Platinum
2012: 1K
2013: 1K
2014: 1K
2015: Platinum (with $25K Chase Waiver)
2016: Silver / Gold (Hopefully)

American:
2014: None
2015: ExpPlat (Status Match from United)
2016: TBD

Was a loyal United flyer for many years growing up in Cleveland. Made the switch this year due to PQD. Was really disappointed to hear they were awarding 1K for 2015 for people who reached the mileage requirement but fell short of the PQD.

I have 700K Mileage Plus miles... so hoping to take my parents and brothers somewhere nice to burn thru them.

Here's to the next great adventure with American. Locked in that $500 RT YYZ-HKG Mileage run to hit my 25K mileage requirement for the match.

I had 2 GPUs extended as a courtesy through March 31, 2015 without requalifying a 1K next year after talking to a nice agent. Might be worth a call and a shot even if you only use them domestically.

2013 Platinum
2014 1k
2015 Platinum
2016 Gold (Only because of MM)

Moving more of the company's money to Delta. Because I haven't liked the changes