@:-) Here's an idea @:-)

Why don't we gather a bunch of 1Ks who are willing to switch our business to AA exclusively if they match us to executive platinum? Or at least let us do an Executive Platinum challenge?

The other Bliss and I are both 1Ks and were actually thinking about writing to AA to see if they would match us, or at least do an exec-plat challenge. We knew that AA didn't match to ex-plat but figured we'd give it a shot since there are 2 of us giving them ~250,000 miles of flying.

If there are more FT 1Ks who are willing to do the same, we might actually have a shot, because if we have enough people, it'd almost be like a small business and AA has been known to grant ex-plats to certain small businesses. @:-)

These enhancements are meant to thin out the elite travelers. Just wait for certain fares to not be eligible for mileage credit, certain booking channels that won't qualify, and any other certain items to be left out. I see further "enhancements" coming. Read this as the UA ways as known are slowly disappearing. Wow, what an enhancement!

I got downgraded last week from IAD to ORD for no apparent reason. I had seat 2A, but when I checked in I got a Departure Management card. The gate agent told me that the fare I was on wasn't upgradeable and gave me seat 12A. There was no irregular operation to speak of. I contacted Customer Relations, will receive the $250.00 voucher, and am still wondering why UDUG isn't working like it is supposed to. I have had bad luck with that enhancement, especially when an irregular operation has taken place on other trips.

Discussed in more detail in this separate thread:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/conti...presplats.html

I join.

This is the tip of the iceberg. It amazes me that so many apparently can't see that. 1k agents with no prodding have told me "a lot more changes coming". Those are the front line employees who can see the tsunami of infuriated 1k's about to hit them.

75k EQM's to get any CR1's? In my case that would be October. That is a huge devaluation. Why the silence on E+? It can only be because the CO bean counters are busy with their spreadsheets and plan on doing something cute like making E+ a separate cabin on intl routes.


We have been best in classed by CO and it will only get worse.

I for one welcome our new Continental Overlords :)

One of the reasons I switched from Mileage Plus to OnePass a couple of years back is because 75K is a lot more attainable for me than 100K. I eked out 1K for a couple of years but that was with a lot of DEQM and much more business travel than nowadays.

This gives me more as a 75K flyer than I would have gotten as a old-UA or old-CO 75K flyer. If I can't keep up even that level, I don't see it taking anything away.

If I were routinely a 1K for ages, then yeah, it blows.

Given the dropoff in business travel and discretionary international travel from the Great Recession, I think this change makes a lot of sense by giving more to the folks nearer to the middle of the bell curve.

It's posturing
 

It's posturing. Folk here are desperately worried about E+, among other things, and feel that if they don't over-react to changes announced so far, it will embolden management to seek a path toward equivalency with other airline programs. What makes E+ so important is that it's a physical manifestation of the differences (between UA and others), not something that can be so easily eliminated or reinstated. It's that thing we must hold onto, symbolic of UA being better than the rest.

In the spirit of the "Best of Both Worlds" post, The line must be drawn here, no farther!

I can't wait they are going to "re-introduce" only ticket book through .bomb get 100% EQM, everywhere else 50%

Unless it is an award ticket or opaque fare (priceline name your own price), I don't think there are any fare wasn't eligible for upgrade on domestic segments. I would not be happy in that case.

+1

I feel very bad for the 1Ks that fly from some of the UX only routes from DEN or SFO..

You may be a bit paranoid. I'll re-read the email I got from UA, but I don't recall anything about UDU only working after you fly 25K..

Well i am dissapointed about the CR-1s and will miss them. I would intentionally make sure I have 10k a quarter in the past to make CR-1s so I guess that is no longer a priority.

I don't think its worth really switching to AA for me as I am out of WAS, but Mrs. Mbenz is loosing 1K for 2011 and making Exec Plat on AA so may be an interesting transition year for us. If the international upgrades work out well for her I guess I should look at switching...

I think 1P+ is a stop-gap for 2011, I wouldn't expect it to survive under the new combined program in 2012. They didn't even bother to give it a name :D

+1
I read about "elite changes" on UA site this morning & have to recieve email...but hey, we have FT to keep us updated on the breaking news! Just glad I don't fly by segments - would be pretty unhappy having to log additional 20 (+100) in 2011 to keep 1K status.

I'm in! Was going to do the AA Challenge next year anyway, so maybe start a separate thread to enroll more 1K's?

And it'll be called an 'exciting new enhancement offering greater value' :rolleyes:;)

I am with you.

Expect more cuts. Or more "enhancements", CO loves that word.

Just like DL/NW merger.

CO bean counters are busy with spreadsheets regarding E+, 3 class int'l, NC/XC/NF/XF availability, and upgrade buy-ups, such as offering $69 to take the last F seat.

To them, today's short term gain is everything. They used to run an airline based at IAH, EWR and CLE. You know.

The worst has yet to come. Call me pessimists.