Here is my email to 1K voice:

Today, I am a very unhappy 1K and MM. Without even opening the message, simply by reading the subject line, I knew it was going to be trouble.

"Benefits?" You gotta be kidding me! Where are the benefits for UA 1Ks? This is a significant devaluation for us! You are punishing us to give a more-decent status to CO OnePass members.

Instead of 8 CR-1s for flying 100K EQM, now we'll get 4 for the same amount of travel. True, we can earn "unlimited" CR-1s by flying more...so that means to get the 8 we've gotten up to now, I need to fly 150K EQM???? Where's the benefit to your frequent fliers? It's a benefit to United, considering how few members actually fly 150,000 miles! 1K's have the potential to lose up to 4 CR-1's per year, and we gain NOTHING. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

Allocation only when reaching the 75K threshold also stinks. Instead of earning my 2 CR1s in the first quarter and 2 more in the second quarter, and then my 5th and 6th in the third quarter, I (probably like most 1K members) will earn our first 2 CR1s in either in the 3rd or 4th quarter. "Benefit?" Where? When?

A new requirement to fly 120 segments to qualify for 1K vs 100 segments. How is this a "benefit" for your customers?

Let's be honest -- what's in it for us, your customers and your most frequent fliers? How dare your PR people call it an enhancement -- let's be honest: for most of us, it is a devaluation--the benefits are to be realized by United. I'm probably one of many 1KMMs who now seriously will look at the dAArkside.....and that's something I never thought I'd say.

United gets a major major thumbs down! And in the gift bag from United, Santa has brought us nothing but coal this year.

Shame on you! Shame on your PR staff for trying to conceal this disappointment as "benefits" and "rewards." But that's what you pay big bucks for, right?

Let's see if I get anything more than a form-letter as reply.

kevinsac

Just thought I'd throw this out there.

This GS has received nothing from UA, but as a CO-nobody, I've received the email below today. The interesting thing to me is that GS replaces CO Pres Plat, with "top revenue" flyers being invited late next year. No indication of what that will mean.


Dear tnarg-lax,

In the coming year, you will begin to experience changes to your travel benefits and rewards as we integrate the Continental OnePassSM and United� Mileage Plus� programs. And while the two award�winning programs will continue to operate separately in 2011, we will be working hard to provide you with a single world�class frequent flyer program by Jan. 1, 2012.

One key change is that at the end of 2011, the Elite Qualifying Miles and Elite Qualifying Points you've earned in OnePass and Mileage Plus will be combined and count toward your 2012 status in the new program.

Below are some additional Elite program updates that may also be of interest. Details can also be found at continental.com.

Effective Jan. 1, 2011

* System�wide Upgrades: Elite members earning 100,000 Elite Qualification Miles (EQMs) or 120 Elite Qualification Points (EQPs) will earn six one�way, System�wide Upgrades. Two additional System�wide Upgrades will be issued every 50,000 EQMs or 60 EQPs earned thereafter. These upgrades are eligible for all fares except S, T, K, L and G in all BusinessFirst markets.
* Regional Upgrades: As a new benefit, Elite members will earn two Regional Upgrades after completing 75,000 EQMs or 90 EQPs . Two additional Regional Upgrades will be issued for every additional 25,000 EQMs or 30 EQPs. Regional Upgrades, valid for upgrades to First Class, can be confirmed as early as the time of booking.
* Presidential Platinum: Current and ongoing qualifiers of Presidential Platinum Elite will receive all benefits and services associated with the program through Jan. 31, 2012. The United Global ServicesSM program will replace the Presidential Platinum Elite program in 2012 and will be open to OnePass members. Top revenue qualifiers will be invited to Global Services in late 2011.
* The OnePass Elite program year will now be valid for thirteen months, beginning Jan. 1 and continue through Jan. 31 of the following year (instead of continuing through Feb.).

Effective 2012

* Elite members earning 100,000 EQMs or 120 Elite Qualification Points (EQPs) or more during 2011 will have upgrade priority over lower�earning members.

Learn more >

We want to keep you informed of all new Elite benefits so you can experience the comfort and rewards you deserve. Stay tuned for updates at continental.com/merger and by e�mail.

Thank you for your continued loyalty,

Your OnePass team

Yes, but what you fail to recognise is that it's not United you are dealing with. it's Smisek, and he's one tough little toe-cutter. The best strategy IMHO, is to just not fly UA. That'll get someone's attention.

Meanwhile, here I am in the HNL PC, sipping a nice cold Corona, and that's something else he is taking away. So I'm making the most of it... Suggest you all do before it's too late.

I'll admit, I do see the consistency "logic" in making your EQS levels 30, 60, 90, 120 ... EQMs 25k, 50k, 75k,100k. That's about it.

I've got the same email from CO. It seems it makes sense to become CO PR PL to get into GS easier
Count 1 more 1k against CR1s being lost

Math check: if you remain a 1K with exactly 100,000 EQM, you get 4 CR1s, so your loss is "just" 4 CR1s. That's assuming that your "distribution" of travel and the metal you used would have actually let you earn 2 CR1s each quarter (I didn't this year).

Not saying that I like the changes or the way they were presented to us.

+1
This early expiration of SWUs is a big penalty for those who fly more, achieving 100K eqm earlier in the year. It has little effect for those hitting 1K on 12/31. So the more you fly UA, the worse off comapred to current program.

While I 100% empathize with all the US based 1K members (ie the majority) and especially those road warriors who qualify via EQS, I have to honestly say that these "enhancements" don't affect me too greatly (being based in SIN).

I've always qualified on EQM's and the loss of CR-1's is not an issue - as I never use the ones I am given.

"System-wide upgrades will be deposited mid-year 2011 and at the time they are earned thereafter."

Does this mean we won't get our SWUs next year until the middle of the year, rather than in January? I'm confused.

Is it? Maybe I am missing something, but if you typically reach 100K in, say, August, your SWUs will be valid from August to August. If you reach it on December, they'll be valid until Dec 31 the next year. One way or another you have a 12 month window to use them. The problem (only) arises when you sometimes reach 1K early in the year and in subsequent years later as it then takes you longer to earn new ones. But then, if you're like me, you sometimes use them early and sometimes late, depending on when your vacations/trips are. So really, it doesn't seem to be a big deal to me. Just look at how excited many people here get when UA offers early deposit of SWUs in October or so...

You do need to look at AA's network, though, as there are many places, particularly UA destinations in Asia and Australia, where they just don't fly. I redeem miles in that direction (upcoming tickets on Qantas to Darwin and Cathay to Shanghai), but if you are looking to buy tickets and upgrade you don't have the wealth of destinations UA gives you.

Note that AA has traditionally had a soft landing, so you won't bounce all the way down to general member there unless they change the rules.

Tom at SFO

Keep in mind all is not rosy over at AA, either. You have at least one union (F/As) that's waiting for the National Mediation Board to release them from negotiations so they can give a 30 day strike notice. The pilots have been in negotiations for 4 years now and still don't have a contract. I'm trying not to book too far out until I get a better handle on labor issues heading into 2011 there.

Because if you fly out of SFO/LAX to JFK, the ONLY upgrade instruments you can use are SWUs and CR1s. And I'm not sure that flying to JFK is a "best use" of a SWU.

I can understand it making a difference the first year it's implemented. Let's assume that 2011 SWU are still deposited in January and that they implement the instant deposit at 100k that year. If one achieves 100k in say, March without using up all of the 2011 SWU, then they're stuck with a ton of SWU that expire at about the same time. The following year, if they qualify at or near the same time of year, I agree there's little difference.

well since I live in the NYC area, I'm pissed that I will loose 4 CR1's, since all of my travel is on my own dime there is no way I'll be hitting 150k eqm to get my other 4... Maybe I should check out AA...

I just wanted to write to thank you for devaluing the MP program for me today. As I have flown enough miles to keep my 1K status for next year, I�ll try out competitor airlines for the rest of the year (go ahead� check it out� I am not booking on UA again this year). Now, don�t worry� me booking elsewhere for the next few weeks will only cost you a few hundred bucks. And if no other changes are made to MP then I�ll probably stay with UA, so tell the snot-nosed MBA that thought of the recent changes that he won this round. Because lucky for you frequent flier customers are sticky� but only to a point.

Now for the really, really simple part. The part that even the self-proclaimed geniuses now running MP can understand. If you take away E+ then I am gone. Goodbye. Adios.

I realize I�m small potatoes to you, as I only spend maybe $20k a year on your airline. But I wager there�s a lot of guys like me, and dumping E+ will chase many away. I think you�ll find that after awhile, losing $20k here and $20k there adds up. But hey, it�s your airline. Run your airline into the ground for all I care. Just don�t say I didn�t warn you.

Oh, and tell Smisek or whatever his name is that his customers are not stupid. He cut our program today and called it a �benefit�. Nice. Does he teach his children to lie with a smile too? Way to be a good dad.

Sincerely,
Awerdna2002

PS- I tried really hard to keep things civil here. Twice I wrote �you suck� and deleted it as I didn�t want you to think I was just some mile-happy ranting lunatic. But, and I am serious� take away E+ and the phrase �you suck� will seem like a compliment compared to what I will say about you.