Again assuming that a segment based elite is of a lesser value than a mileage based elite. So if a segment based elite burns an SWU on a short haul flight, which to be honest, is likely to be a UX flight, wouldn't this be a good thing? I mean if they don't use it on a transcon, what does it matter when they get it? Heck, based on that segment based 1ks should get MORE since they're less likely to use it on long haul or transcons.

Of course they are not ... but they are also much higher cost and maintenance given the number of segments they fly. This is more a cost saving measure rather than valuing the elites.

As always with UA the last few years.

I just checked in for a UA flight at LHR and the check-in agent told me that next year it will be 120,000 EQM to qualify for 1K. I assume he confused this with the 120 EQS but he sounded quite confident. Please tell me that he's mistaken and not that UA has upped the EQM requirement too.

With no DEQM promo this year there should be a lot less 1Ks next year anyway, so can't we just wait and see how next year goes before we up the requirements?!

Still 100,000 EQM, but now 120 EQS. There is a link below to the new changes posted by unitedPR, mods please merge.


http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...elopments.html

Wow!!!! That a lot of segments to fly!!!!

As has already been stated, the requirement is still 100K, not 120K.

Your experience with the gate agent is just another example of certain United employees making up rules that do not exist.

He or she probably meant well but the answer was incorrect and could be alarming to some folks.
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Imagine so but, if it were true, maybe even more UA folks could understand why we EQS qualifiers are more than abit bummed with our recent qualification "enhancement".

Since most FTers know more about the various FFP than some front line airline employees I tend to disregard these sorts of casual comments as wholly unreliable. That's just MHO and YMMV.

I think a lot of us feel your pain, and also realize we could be next. Having talked to a number of road warriors who earn their status on segments, including time on RJs, I think UA's decision is unfortunate for more than one reason.

They must feel you folks are a captive audience.

Bill, I feel your and other pain who qualify under segments, I had 3 transpac or Sydney trip to help me for my 1K.

[QUOTE=tcook052]Since most FTers know more about the various FFP than some front line airline employees I tend to disregard these sorts of casual comments as wholly unreliable. That's just MHO and YMMV. [QUOTE]

Totally agree, They got their briefing once a month from monthly news bulletin.

Thanks to some help from ColoBill1 I made 1K on segments this year. It doesn't look promising for next year.

Once a day in a pre-shift meeting, once a week in a automated lesson. The once a day items might not cover this, but the once a week ones do. Also various emails sent daily.

And even I, made a typo and put 120k EQM on a post a week ago vs 120 EQS. I knew the difference, but made a typo...the agent, may or may not have done the same thing...he/she may or may not have known the correct thing, but clearly said the incorrect thing.

An employee for United deals with hundreds, perhaps thousands of situations and rules on a myrid of things. They are likely trained best and well-versed in the more-common ones, and may, from time to time, not recall or state incorrect information once in a while. The best agents are going to explain that they're not sure about something (but can find out), and the worst will make things up as they go along (fortunately not many of those). There could be a couple of superstars who have everything down perfectly every time.

But let's look at my "best agents" scenario. Even that person is going to suffer abuse here on FT because, my goodness, an FTer knows or understands a particular rule better than he or she does.

That's normal. In this, or any other business. You get customers who are well-versed in one specific thing, because that's what matters to them and they've researched it to death. Such customers (in my business) can be very intimidating for some sales people, because the salesperson believes they're there to help the customer, and the customer is telling them something they might not know, putting the salesperson in a defensive position that they may not have the skills to back out of. The better sales people recognize they can't know all things about everything, and that once in a while a customer will teach you something useful (if you're willing to listen).

But how often does that customer think, what an idiot, I know more than the salesperson (or FA) does? Too often. That salesperson or FA is in a position to help you, if you let them. Most, anyway.

We're real live nut-cases here. We live, eat, breathe and sleep the details of the MP program and UA policies & standards. We're not normal, and many people dealing with us are going to have a tough time. We need to cut the other side some slack and consider things from their perspective.

Sure, every business has its share of bad apples, but there are a lot in the middle that could go either way, and how we deal with those folk may make a difference in what direction they go, not to mention how helpful they are to us.

But I'm normal. It's all the rest of you who aren't normal.

Seriously, great post Mike! ^ ^

I saw a recommendation in another post that I really like. Why not increase the mileage requirement of 1Ks to 150,000 BIS miles per year. That seems reasonable. I'm tired of these light 1Ks who fly 100,000 miles for $2,500 a year sitting next to me when I spend $25,000+ flying about 100 segments a year. It downgrades the experience. Let's make 1K real and get rid of the 100K flyers, they can fall into that 75K bracket. And it will make the million milers happy (those who use to be 2nd level for life...now third best, soon to be fourth, fifth and then nothing... ).

Anyway, I'm settling into the idea of 125 segments for 1K, so let's heat it up a bit and ask the mileage runners to put some real skin in the game before they put their feet on that incredible red carpet we've all grown to fancy.