jgsx

And we wonder why UA doesn't listen to our community often? This thread is ridiculous. SWU rules have not changed, and I don't think that they should work on the lower fares w/ copay. If that's what you want to do, use your miles.

iwebslinger

I do agree with this statement but I don't think I agree with relaxing the rules of the SWU. I think they should do away with this new policy. It makes no business sense. The old structure was a point that differentiated UA from the other carriers. A point that was worthwhile enough even with a hard and soft product that were inferior to other carriers. But when you start becoming like the other carriers in your practices and but maintain an inferior soft product then you lose.

United if you are reading this. Your nickle and diming is finally crossed the line. Time to look for another carrier to do business with.

TechBoy

Yes, you are a very good customer. No, you are not a typical 1K. Many 1Ks buy higher fares (and some are UGS) and provide premium revenue for UA. But many 1Ks (and it would seem that the OP falls into this category) fly a smaller number of very long flights in low fare categories to reach 1K. They are not UA's best customers.

A personal example. I am a 1K. I tend to barely top 100K EQMs via a large number of transcons (typically Q/V with occasional M) and a couple of transatlantics in V/W. My partner is a 1P. He barely tops 50KEQMs via a much larger number of short haul flights in higher fare classes (usually H or M). Who is the better customer? I burn more fuel and provide less revenue, yet I am the one who gets the SWUs.

So while I would benefit from the OP's proposal, I don't have a lot of sympathy for it.

Tor Viking

I plead guilty.

elCheapoDeluxe

I am afraid that we must be careful what we ask for. If we ask for SWU's to be valid on all fares, they may "investigate ways to address the demands of their customers". Specifically, I'm worried they would make them valid on all fares, but start requiring a copay w/ SWU.

the_happiness_store

Maybe UA should add a new category.

1K for the people who don't pay full fares

Super1K for those who do.

It will partition the clean 1K from the diseased 1K.

mahasamatman

Or 1k and 1K.

treyrox

Wirelessly posted (xx: BlackBerry8100/4.5.0.55 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100 UP.Browser/5.0.3.3)

All of the SWU's I have used in the last 2 years were on the cheapest available fares on .bomb. They were mostly W and one V. The flights were mostly to EU and one to NZ via SYD. I think there was once briefly an S available that would have saved me $60. As long as my ability to upgrade is not altered much by the new miles + co-pay system I would prefer for the current SWU system not to be messed with.

mcgahat

Doesnt AA do the co-pay thing? Their elites dont seem to get shafted as far as I know on their evip upgrades (or whatever they are called). To me, it is really about how they clear the upgrades that matters the most.

kb1992

+1

Glen, I know where you come from, i.e. W/V fare is $1000 more than S.

But, in the routes I fly, I hardly see any W fare, let alone S/T/L/K. Mostly I book in V. Or, I just go for B. Very rarely, there is S fare on sale, which would save me $120 or so.

I worry that once we mess up the current system with SWU, something worse may happen i.e. co-pay

BDL-FRA

I'm still of the mindset that SWUs will become more valuable rather than less valuable. Why?

Most people with a low cost mindset (buying low fares) would never pay the $$$ necessary to co-pay the upgrade.

Also, most business people sucking from the company trough will also not do this, as this would mean they would have to lay out their own $$$, rather than the company's cash (unless the company will start allowing this sort of behavior to be reimbursed, which for 99% out there will not be the case).

Finally, 99% out there traveling are not as obsessive about this as the people here (I know, I was one of those until a couple of months ago.) They do not know the ins and outs of the system. They will only be confronted with the fact that they cannot upgrade. Maybe they'll start looking around to see if other FF programs are different.

I summary, this will mean LESS will upgrade with miles.

I say leave the SWU rules the way they are. As we learned with the 500mile mins, for every 'give' there is an even greater 'take'.

tom911

On mileage upgrades from discounted economy fares, yes. That's been in place for a few years. There are some higher fares that they only take miles and do not charge a co-pay. LINK TO AA CHART

True. They're generally good on the cheapest fares, so you don't need to buy up to a higher fare. I'll be using a set for a $378+ Ireland trip this week.

jgsx

I thought they already did this? It's GS

npei

+1. UA must balance revenue management with keeping most customers happy. I advocate keeping SWU (and CR-1, e500) without copay for any fare, is more valuable than getting UA to change SWU applicable to all fares but would likely induce UA to force copay with SWU.


+1. It seems counter-intuitive, but net effect for majority of SWU situation (except a few routes where v/w/q fares >$1000 vs. deep discount s/t/k prices), is that SWU will be more valued for their non-copay requirement and no additional miles.

If swu becomes applicable to all fares, UA must balance revenue management perspective. It is highly probable UA will ask for copay for SWU, in exchange for SWU applicable to all fares. The net result is bigger loss of SWU benefit (e.g. without copay). And once SWU needs copay, CR-1 and e500 needing copay will very likely happen !

Travelwithpet

COPAY is a COPAY. You guys are very lucky that still don't have to pay for copay using SWU's.

Look at me I do travel with my dog almost 100% of the time now and have to pay $250 roundtrip (so far since October 2008 spent $1,500/6 roundtrip onboard pet cabin fee because they made me pay but...) First,I was upset like most of you but get use to it now.

If we love UA why don't we help them bring more revenue!

___________________________________________
Do we love the Airlines we fly?
OR
Do we love the SWU's?