GadgetFreak

Been a CP since 97 or 98. Cant remember exactly. Flown 9 segments this year. Two 4 segment roundtrips and a roundtrip shuttle. Well yes, I know that is 10 segments but when I arrived at DCA for the return to LGA on the shuttle on a Friday afternoon it was such a cluster**** that I called my secretary and had her call the travel agent and switch me to Acela. On my last trip to DC just booked the RT on Acela.

All my other flights have been on UA and AA. At this point I doubt I will make silver. On the other hand, I said that last year and they did a damn double EQM promo and I went ahead and qualified as a CP. It may not happen this year even if I get the double miles promo. I realized that those miles would have qualified me as an EXP on AA. That probably would have been the way to go.

Wave1

Still mostly flying US due to the fact that they are the only non-stop on my primary route PIT-LAX and the rest of the west coast (and they still dominate PIT for that matter) I may make CP this yr.. Other than United, I have flown more on the LCC's this year than ever before (I pay for all my own biz travel). Air Tran (cheap F seats), WN (ugh), ATA (empty planes give you lots of room to spread out in coach) and America West (not good experiences so far). I flew JetBlue a couple of time last year and actually liked it except for no F. Its my favorite LCC.

I am thinking of trying for a status match on CO as a hedge. I think CO is the best legacy and I would take my business over there or to U if US folded.

TPA us ff

That would have been a good decision. You may want to go to your statement history in DM online, and print the best mileage statement and try sending that one to AA.

ExtrAAordinaire

Except under truly extraordinary circumstances, AA doesn't comp EXP. In fact, AA tends not to comp at all -- they'll offer you a GLD or PLT challenge.

GadgetFreak

I flew 50,000 + miles on AA last year. The miles I flew on US, if flown on AA would have made me an EXP. Thats what I meant, sorry for the confusion. Also, in early 2003 I called AA to ask about a comp. They said they wouldnt comp me at all for being a CP. They did however, immediately comp me to Platinum after I faxed them my UA 1K statement. I think they are not as generous with comps now, even for UA flyers.

dcmike

Used to be a Gold, now a silver dropping to nothing. Moved to UA and AA exclusively.

I used to really enjoy flying US - I met great people, both staff and Pax - its just not fun anymore. My last US flight last week (with miles to UA) was just awful - the flying bus ala SW.

Jumpgate

I've been Silver for a number of years. This year I'm going to make Gold, but the majority of my flying will have been on UA.

With the closure of the US SFO club, E+ on UA, Zone 1 boarding, and free hot food on transcons while still getting my 50% bonus + preferred miles, UA just beckons to me.

I'm moving to the EWR area in just a few months, so to whom I remain loyal once I'm there remains to be seen. I'm also just now completing the Gold challenge on AA.

steves

I still fly with 38,000 miles this year - but yesterday coming from LAS had stopover in PHL - I was sitting in 1st after a mediocre box meal (but was upgraded as gold so no big deal) - the well dressed lady who got on the plane and sat behind me for the 2nd leg to BDL had large piece of wet dirt or food on their seat belt and asked to move - I saw they had an A fare ticket when they got on (after sitting in those torn, dilapidated seats in the PHL waiting area). The FA (who was generally nice) said she would check (it turned out the plane was empty so no problem). She then commented that there was no "utility" anymore in PHL so the planes aren't cleaned between flights. I don't know if that is true are not - but instead of just apologizing and saying they would tell someone to make sure that it never happens again - the right PR thing to do - this type of commentary actually got me thinking that it may be time to try another carrier. I love the amenities I get as gold such as booking an exit row ahead of time, sometimes upgrades, using the preferred line at the airport. But I also am tired of the worn PHL airport and torn waiting area seats, the web site problems (I can only look at reservations made with USAirways.com - not tix bought elsewhere using my FF#). Last year I flew to NRT on AA and was able to manage my seat assignment right up to arriving at the airport using my FF# to access all my reservations. I have written U about this and just get back generic replies - I think my high school son could fix this software.
the comment by the FA that planes aren't cleaned anymore because there is noone to clean them was the last straw for me - I decided right then that after I make gold I will try another carrier to check it out for a few flights. Not switched over yet but at least a few flights this year will be on a new carrier. They need to make people feel they care - whether they really care or not this is a service industry and perception matters.

RDU-Man

I have tended to ignore all the alarmist, gloom and doom threads on the impending demise of US Airways, but I have to admit that this thread has me kind of depressed. Many long-time loyal DM FFs seem to be slipping away, and I can understand why. USAirways still has the best schedule for the places I go out of RDU, and I like getting to sit in a wider seat up front (most of the time), but other than that, there is not much to distinguish them.

signed,

Still hanging in there by my finger tips

ibrandsguest

I'm done with US. I had simply asked US for an in-person apology from the ticket agent who treated me like dirt a few weeks ago. I thought that US airport management would just tell her, "When NYCommuter comes by the ticket counter, just say that we're sorry" and that I would get the apology I had asked for. Then I would forget having been treated like dirt by her and would continue to shell out five figures a year on US tickets. Instead, I got a vague email that didn't indicate that any action had been taken on my complaint. US, forget it; you've lost a Chairman's Preferred customer.

GadgetFreak

Last year I was in business on a UA flight from JFK-SFO. As I sat down I noticed there was some food debris in the seat back pocket. I told one of the FAs who passed by. She looked at it and didnt say anything and walked away. I was a little suprrised. Then she came back a couple minutes later with gloves on and an trash bag. She apologized for the mess and cleaned it up. She asked if it was adequately cleaned and I told her it was. A few minutes later the purser shows up and asks if I was the person who had food in the seat back pocket. I told her I was and she apologized also. Neither of them told me how tough it was in the industry or such.

I have on US heard of more than one occassions of stories like the one above. I have seen them happen on more than one occassion. I saw one person with crap in his seatback on a US flight get an entire dissertation on the industry and cutbacks. He was paid envoy in row 1 from CLT-LGW. After listening to the FA he said he just wanted the mess cleaned up. Im sorry, I am sympathetic but complaining to passengers in situations like these doesnt do anything constructive for US or for its employees. That isnt to say that I havent had discussions with say UA employees about industry issues. Ive had plenty. But it is standing around in the galley or at the RCC just talking. It isnt being used as an excuse for a problem.

gnaget

The alliance between UA and US was the first step that led to my punting US as I consolidated with UA. I had been at least silver and gold for 1 year on US since 2000. UA offers a much better product, a better FF program for international travel, so I really only fly US on the odd shuttle flight. Over the past year UA's incentives at IAD (directed at Indy Air) made me fly UA to BOS and NYC as well. The downgrading of the Shuttle to filthy 737s also made flying UA more attractive. UA's E+ is better than a 737 F class on US.

I burned my last miles in the fall when things looked quite ugly.

noah

If I could get UA to comp my status, I'd be gone in a second. Instead, they offered me a challenge -- fly 12K miles, get Premier status. No thanks, as a US GP, I'll just keep flying UA and using my US status. Of the 22K miles I've flown so far this year, the vast majority has been on UA.

IF US was competitive from SFO -- still had a club, offered decent fares, and I had a decent shot at an upgrade -- then maybe I wouldn't be so bitter. But on almost every trip this year, UA has been cheaper and the service is so much better (not to mention E+ and Ch. 9) that there is no real choice.

hscottm

I have cut back pretty significantly. I live in PIT so they have me between a rock and a hard place.

Last summer, they really screwed my family and a friend on the way to BCN. Ended up spending the night in PHL at my expense, then things got worse on the way home. I still havent heard back from my letter. In the letter I made them two promises - I wouldnt fly through PHL again, and would only choose them when they were the lowest priced alternative.

I have taken 2 flights on them this year: SAN and BDL. Have taken several PIT-IAD trips on UA and Flyi.

I havent broken my promise yet - mostly over a $200 hotel room they not only didnt pay for, but havent even replied to my letter about.

CPRich

Someone should forward this URL to the CCY execs. Or print it out and mail it - they may not have figured this whole 'inter net" thing out yet.