CMV

Link for subscribers here: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1134...s_inside_today

In sum, article discusses various credit card/airline promotions that offer EQMs. Most airlines expect a small increase in elite ranks for 2006.

Nothing in the article will come as a surprise to anyone here.

kcvt750

Agreed that there's nothing in the article that FTers would not know.

Selfish note:

I just wish Scott McCartney had held this article until after the UA Double EQM promo had ended this week. That being said, it's not likely that a lot of previously oblivious pax will be swarming the UA counters in the next two days to take advantage of the offer.

CMV

What the article does not mention, but has been mentioned here, is that the swelling of the elite ranks does not mean a whole lot if these people do not fly that much anyway.

You're not going to have to compete for upgrades, to board, etc. all that often with someone who picks up 10,000 EQMs from promotions and flies 15,000 miles to get 2P status. They may now be 2P but they still only fly 15,000 miles a year.

shazbot

This topic has been hashed/rehashed in the 2x EQM thread I think. Personally, this giving away of status works out well for me. I'm gona be 1K legit, and my dads gona be 1K lite. Since he flies int'l and I'm domestic, it'll be nice to swap his CR1's for my SWU's.

I think there'll come a point when its too diluted and you have a dozen 1K's on any given flight trying to upgrade, but I don't think that point has been reached.

Viking547

I wouldn't be surprised to see more competition among flights for upgrading, etc.

Taking a flight from IAD-ATL on Monday morning (CRJ), EVERYONE boarded with priority boarding. I thought that maybe people were cheating the system, so I snuck a peek at most of the boarding passes as they were putting them in the machine, and they were all goldies. Most of the plane filled up, and then about 10 non-status pax boarded late in the game after 30 or so had loaded in.

It's getting crazier and crazier!! But maybe this was a rare case. Probably a lot of commuting consultants like myself who do this route week in and week out.

jwalkabout

I think most people really don't get it with all of this dilution talk. I am going to state the obvious. The upgrades are only competitive as they are available. In other words if UA can "SELL" seats in premium class then there is nothing to compete for regardless of ones' status. As the economy improves and business travel increases, premium seats will be paid for and not available for upgrades.

I think the real competition for elites is for priority boarding and check-in. It may get to the point where the benefits of 2p status will have to lowered to bonus mileage accrual(maybe up it to 35%) and E+ seat selection.

I know in certain airports with limited check-in reps the F/C,1K, UGS, *G and premier line is a heck of alot longer than the regular econ line.

AlanInDC

Yes, twice I've bailed from the elite line for that reason. Now I take a quick look before getting in line.

ElementK

I get on rare occasions in the DEN security line. I think of it as "negative status". Haven't quite settled on the appropriate metal designation though -- there's star alliance silver and gold -- so perhaps those situations warrant something like *A Tin? Lead?

CVO 1K 2 Million

I respectfully disagree. I've looked over the GA's shoulder on occasion when they are clearing the upgrade list and many times that thing is full of nothing but 1K MM, 1Ks, and 1Ps..there is probably more but it's scrolled off the screen.

I was on another flight (ORD-PDX I think) where they suspended elite boarding to board by row numbers (with a nice announcement up-front) because 2/3 of the plane (319) was 2P or above..

Old NFO

You've got that right now in SAN, at LAX, SFO and NRT to name at least 4 that I know of... I've been told at all four locations multiple times the top 10 for upgrades were ALL 1K's. The last NRT-ORD I did, I was number 8 on the upgrade list as MM1K...

wimpypipsqueak

Gee....I hope I make UGS again for next year.

Tenacious

http://online.wsj.com/public/article...l?mod=rss_free

wimpypipsqueak

A United spokeswoman says that over the past two years, the carrier has increased the number of preferable seats offered to elite-level fliers, despite its capacity reductions. Premium customers get access to "Economy Plus" seats in coach, which have additional legroom, and the airline has added premium seating on transcontinental routes as well as a number of 70-seat regional jets with first-class cabins.

Now if that isn't misleading. There has been an increase in preferable seats offered - E+

WindFlyer

Maybe she is right... ~2 years ago there were still a number of 777s without E+, 762s still plied the p.s. routes, and there was not a single non-mainline aircraft with E+... so I can see how, as % of capacity, E+seats may have increased.

But yes, it's a suspect statement--similar to those that trumpet "record traffic" when the details reveal that the only "record" is in the load factors but actual carried traffic has decreased.

Fox Trot

Flights recently November and December out of

SFO-D.C. (all airports)
SAN -IAD

Have had up to 10 1ks waitlisted for upgrade. Not sure what that tells anyone.

The nice place for upgrades for all levels in November and December to date have been SIN-HKG-NRT (that will change due to holidays I'm sure) However I've noticed the obvious; when flying the 747's upgrades have greater availability.