Let me be one of the first to call for the resignation of the new Head of United/Continental Airlines.

Reason: Lack of Vision

Randy, I can see a Job opening!

My guess is it's to give MP members something similar to OP Plt and will probably go away in 2012 as suggested.

Now I wonder what other airlines are going to do to promote stealing elites away after this news. Biggest disappointment they didn't answer was about million miler. Since we know accounts will merge together I wonder how the MM will work as if I should worry about keeping to UA metal.

Just my luck...I figured 75,000 miles would be a milestone with the merger so I made sure I hit over it this year. Actually took a mileage run to do so. And now I find out that it means nothing until January of 2012.
Just my luck.....

Could be interesting to see whether Smisek's smiling face will get any reaction out of passengers when he does his recorded talk at the start of flights from now on. I tend to doubt it--FTers and similarly informed MP members are after all just a small slice of the passenger pie--but we'll see...

I am making that assumption because they haven't said anything. Of course they might change MMF - I even said that in my post - but none of those possible changes matter until they are announced.


This is what is so surprising by those who say, "the changes could have been worse". What, you think the changes are done??

It's obvious that the vast majority of 1Ks are going to have a severe reduction in CR1s. Everyone knows this, whether it's FTers or UA/CO. Personally, I see the reduction in CR1s as simply a step towards eliminating them... again. I look at the action also as UA/CO trying to gauge the reactions of its elites when these benefit reductions occur. We'll see more soon.

I am very unhappy that my CR-1s will be cut from 8 per year to probably 6. Aside from these tangible changes it is disturbing in that it is another piece to the pattern of sticking it to UA 1Ks.

I would be willing to join AA with a status match being that I am an ORD based flyer. The real problem for me would be the loss of E+ as it is a huge deal for me being 6"2. If UA cuts E+ and AA did an exec. plat. status match I would be happy to hand them my 120K miles per year. And doesn't AA give 8 SWU's per year vs the 6 UA gives us now?

UA needs to do something to balance out all of these negative decisions towards us. I hope AA realizes the opportunity they have, especially in this huge ORD market, that if they will just show us a bit of love, it could cause a big swing.

This was a regular fare and the agents had no idea or customer service skills, so they just made up an answer. The ticket wasn't an award ticket or bought through an opaque channel. I wasn't too thrilled at all.

Let me ask a question for the 1K's. Excluding PS, do CR-1's really make that much different for upgrades? I mean aside from GS you're already at the head of the UDU queue. So if the CR-1 would clear, wouldn't the UDU probably clear as well? I mean I realize it allows you to prioritize some flights versus other flights marginally, but what's the real value here?

Just for the record, I'm not terribly happy about the changes, but I would like to know why people are so upset about CR-1s'.

Sorry, beat you to it several months ago.

It certainly seems to justify my decision not to put any more money "United's" way. I did warn people about Smisek, and trust me, this won't be the last time you all complain about him. This is only the beginning.

However, as a self-funded flyer, I can put my money wherever I choose...

:rolleyes:

I'm in TOO! I spent the last hour reading the AA forum while in the RCC.

My biggest worry
 

The loss of CR1's is terrible, and I'm not happy about this announcement; however, my biggest worry is that this is just the tip of the iceberg. The culture and values that the Tulip represented are gone. It was a HUGE symbolic loss to the UA community. And now the evidence is in - Jeff will chip away at the frequent flier benefits over time. Some spreadsheet guru is looking for that optimal marginal revenue/marginal cost point, and the only way to find it is to devalue until the number of folks leaving your program is measurable.

Here's my suggestions...either:
A) Make SWU's good on all fares
B) Compromise and give 4 CR1's @ 75k (and 2/25k after that)

I'm glad I have EXP on AA still. I've only flown them twice this year, but if I need to re-jump ship, I'm ready to go.

Depending on route/aircraft type they can be ALL the difference.

+1

They will only match up to Platinum unless you get high enough in the organization. Delta only to Gold, BTW, unless you find the right person. I am in. I am GS, 1.5MM, and bring 35 1k's/GS's with me with an annual spend of over $1M in addition to my measly $35-$40K spend this year. UA was on my bad side since the GS renewal process unfolded this summer and today the trend continues. Honestly, why wait, an airline that does this to its loyal customers is headed for bankruptcy again anyway and this time I doubt they will recover.

PS....still don't see anything offering assurances that UDU's will continue.

In my case, they are for my family, if you are a solo traveler, UDU will take care of it in most cases. But if you are travel with family, there is almost 0 chance you will get upgrade under the same PNR. With CR1s you can split your PNR and upgrade the ones with no status ahead of time and UDU to upgrade yourself. US-HNL is a good way to use CR1s for your non-status family member if you can find NF space at booking.