pbuntrock

My orginal email to Chairman's email.

Subject: Useless Chairman's Benefit

For the first time I've tried to use my US (BOS) to UK(LHR) Chairman's
upgrade certificate. My travel date are relatively flexible. I can leave
anywhere from 3 - 9 to 3-12 and can return anywhere from 3 - 23 to 3-25.
It's the winter, not vacation season; nothing. On the 12th there is even
low award availability, still nothing.

So, please answer this question; why I do I want to do a connection on
US (PHL) to sit in coach? When I can take a nonstop out of Boston and
still sit in coach? And by the way the nonstop is $150 cheaper.

I don't see how this is a great benefit of the Chairman's program.

Reply

Thank you for contacting US Airways.

We apologize that you were not able to locate availability of upgrades
for your potential reservations using your Chairman's Preferred
e-certificates. The number of first class seats allocated for
complimentary upgrades are capacity controlled.

However, for your convenience we are currently offering a new process in
which based on Preferred level (Chairman will be offered the seats
first), we are sending out an email to our members if J class is
available on selected flights. It's based on availability and is granted
on a first come, first served basis and you must call in to process the
upgrade. In providing this benefit to our Chairman's members, we also
try to ensure the right balance of Envoy seats for purchase to remain
profitable.

Please be advised, we are reviewing a possible waitlist option in the
future and will communicate this new enhancement to our members once
this option is available.

Thank you for being a member of our Dividend Miles program. We look
forward to assisting you with any future needs.

So, they know there is a big problem. You think you're getting a major benefit, but in reality it can't be used.

By the way I booked on Icelandair in Economy Comfort (premium economy) still $100 cheaper.

ellinj

I am not sure I understand this supposed enhancement.

pbuntrock

I agree I'm not sure what they mean either. I do know that airlines have made a lot of promises to their top tier FF's that they are not keeping. Just go over to the UA forum and look at the SWU issue. UA requires a higher coach fair class to use a SWU, but with no guarantee that the upgrade will clear. And a lot of them are not clearing, no refund on the additional cost.

I think the airlines are playing with fire. I don't see this economy getting better really soon. As a matter of fact I wouldn't be suprised to see another recession after the election. I think the airlines would be well served to lock in their loyal customer.

dcpatti

I can't tell if the line about "balance of Envoy seats to remain profitable" is just a reminder that upgrades are inventory-controlled, or if it's a signal that the inventory control is tightening down.

About the rest, though, wow,
Ok so an email alert that J is open is better than having to make a daily call, but really I can't say that I trust US' IT department to rely on an email alert actually being delivered; if it IS delivered, it then becomes a free-for-all with the prize going to the fastest dialer.

Not the highest status. Not the longest on the list. And if a non-elite calls randomly on the same day, if J is there, they'll get it.

It's a cheap way to shut up the CP's who want an automated system to manage upgrades and on paper it would seem likely to decrease call volume, but it's a really amateurish attempt to solve the problem, most likely because the project wasn't properly funded. But since there's now a system in place, the project is a done deal and we'll be stuck with this "system" for years.

So yeah, this pretty much sucks and personally I'd rather have waited longer for something fully functional.

LowlyDLsilver

Ahhh - but since no one from FT has even seen this new kludge yet - can we say it's even fully functional??

apeortdz

It sounds like this is in place now. But there are unanswered questions. Do they send the email to all CPs booked on TATL flights? Hmmm...

bwiadca

What emails to CP? I have been calling US every other day inquiring about use of my cert on FRA-PHL flight. I didn't get any email. I'm confused.

OverThereTooMuch

Regarding your email You expect way too much.

A 3 day window on either side is not what most people would refer to as "relatively flexible". Certainly not by anyone that's ever tried to book award travel.

This window overlaps spring break at a large number of schools. That is actually a busy time for air travel.
http://www.studentcity.com/blog/when...-spring-break/

And your window actually overlaps the first days of spring.

DCAorBust

I agree totally. When I saw "for your convenience" in the response from DM, I immediately translated it to "in a short-sighted attempt to partially reduce our call volume and thereby appease those who don't know any better..."

I'd be content if they just reverted to publishing J availability in the GDS.

Often1

US' most loyal customers are large corporate contracts and that's where the premium seats are going. It's probably true that a CP from a small company doesn't do nearly as well (and yet pays more for his ticket) than a CP from a large company contracted to US.

jerseyfinn

Sounds logical to me.

Let's be honest here. The Envoy UGs have always been capacity controlled. No sleight of hand here at all. Travel on routes or seasons where competition for Envoy seats are soft, and you stand a good chance at the UG. But like all UGs, the early bird gets the worm and there has never been any assurances by US about being able to utilize your UG certs . . . but it is also in the airline's interest that CPs have success redeeming their certs.

So why might one have a problem? Well, check out this weeks WSJ which notes that US is posting profits and reports that traffic/demand is up and cabins fuller as business travel picks up a bit in what is still a laggard economy. Then recall that the new lay-flat Envoy product ( a definite ^^^ improvement ) also reduces the numbers of Envoy seats in the A330 configuration = less seat availibility. . So you're more likely to encounter competition for those UG Envoy seats on more of these TATL flights, but it is is not a scheme or subtrafuge by US. It's what flying becomes on all of the airlines as capacity shrinks and folks slowly return to flying.

LHR is a popular route with lots of business travelers flying it, so given less capacity, you're more likely to find competition on the so-called off season or off days. It's not a meaningless gesture by US to offer to advise elites of J availibility. Though as noted, I'd really hope that US is going to assidiously advise elites when inventory does pop up. I'd like to think that US does value their elites. Hoepfully they do have a structured notification scheme in place which might help some elites grad an UG when it pops up as flying is indeed an arduous grind at times and perks help to make it better.

Barry

pbuntrock

I'm not buying any of this. Sure US needs to make a profit; great - good for them. Sure, nothing is guaranteed; I get it. Howerver, don't market to me that I get a major benefit for 100k loyalty (which by the is 1 per year, unlike a UA which gives multiple), when the once per year benefit can't generally be used.

jfinsocal

There is an advantage to the current system if you are willing/able to monitor the loads and call in frequently. Only takes a few minutes a day to check KVS and call. The early bird gets the worm per se.

pbuntrock

So, the business traveler like me who is on planes all of the time, and then spends the rest of the day working with clients is locked out. As I type this I'm on a con call with UK, Germany and China. My next call is 2 am EST. I can't book business travel more than 30 to 45 days out. And with my schedule I don't have time spend my entire day on the phone with US for days on end. So, there is a possibility if I was booking vacations where my schedule is totaly open, or I have a job that allows me to spend hours a day on the phone, I could actually use these. So, my comment stands, these are not a major benefit of the program.

geo1005

Where on KVS are seeing Envoy upgrade inventory (besides TLV)???