USAir wants your vote for the Freddies
Feb 15, 2007, 3:58 pm
#1
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 12,242
USAir wants your vote for the Freddies
I got the following this evening from US. All I can say is that I don't think they will get my vote.
They take care of you. Time to return the favor.
Upgrades are nice, but people make a frequent flyer program great. You're constantly telling us how much you appreciate your Preferred Reservations Team. Now you have the chance to put those words to action.
The Freddie Awards are the industry’s way of recognizing outstanding frequent flyer programs. A vote for Dividend Miles is a message of thanks to the Preferred Desk agents who worked hard for you all year. Whether making your reservations, upgrading you to First Class or helping you navigate the merger, they were there for you when it mattered most. Now it’s your chance to do something nice for them and all 35,000 US Airways employees.
Please take five minutes to vote for Dividend Miles at freddieawards.com. Along with the program features listed here, there are 35,000 reasons why Dividend Miles deserves your vote. And if you choose US, we’ll pass your appreciation along to the employees with a nice incentive.
Voting ends February 28, so please take a moment to vote today.
More reasons to vote for US
Best Bonus Promotion
Our unprecedented Everything Counts promotion gave you Preferred-qualifying miles for all your car rentals, hotel stays and much more.
Best Elite Program
Four levels of status. More opportunities to upgrade than any other carrier. We won Best Elite Program three years in a row. Help us do it again this year with your vote.
Best Credit Card Program
More ways to earn unlimited miles on everyday purchases with two credit cards to choose from. And don’t forget the 10,000 Preferred-qualifying miles.
Best Program
Earn and redeem to 850 destinations worldwide with our 25 airline partners, including the Star Alliance network.
Upgrades are nice, but people make a frequent flyer program great. You're constantly telling us how much you appreciate your Preferred Reservations Team. Now you have the chance to put those words to action.
The Freddie Awards are the industry’s way of recognizing outstanding frequent flyer programs. A vote for Dividend Miles is a message of thanks to the Preferred Desk agents who worked hard for you all year. Whether making your reservations, upgrading you to First Class or helping you navigate the merger, they were there for you when it mattered most. Now it’s your chance to do something nice for them and all 35,000 US Airways employees.
Please take five minutes to vote for Dividend Miles at freddieawards.com. Along with the program features listed here, there are 35,000 reasons why Dividend Miles deserves your vote. And if you choose US, we’ll pass your appreciation along to the employees with a nice incentive.
Voting ends February 28, so please take a moment to vote today.
More reasons to vote for US
Best Bonus Promotion
Our unprecedented Everything Counts promotion gave you Preferred-qualifying miles for all your car rentals, hotel stays and much more.
Best Elite Program
Four levels of status. More opportunities to upgrade than any other carrier. We won Best Elite Program three years in a row. Help us do it again this year with your vote.
Best Credit Card Program
More ways to earn unlimited miles on everyday purchases with two credit cards to choose from. And don’t forget the 10,000 Preferred-qualifying miles.
Best Program
Earn and redeem to 850 destinations worldwide with our 25 airline partners, including the Star Alliance network.
Last edited by wr_schwab; Feb 15, 2007 at 4:01 pm Reason: Formatting
Feb 15, 2007, 4:20 pm
#2
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: PHL
Programs: Former long-time US GP; now AA dirt
Posts: 4,904
Just got that, too. It's quite manipulative. As I read it, it sounds like I'd be showing appreciation for hard-working US employees -- specifically Preferred Desk agents -- if I give the US FF program good marks. But the survey has nine questions, and only one question deals directly with customer service. Here are the nine questions:
(1) Which of the following awards offered the best value and was the most rewarding for the number of miles and points required?
(2) Which of the following frequent traveler bonus promotions was most rewarding?
(3) Which affinity credit or debit card offers the best benefits and opportunities to earn bonus miles or points?
(4) Which frequent traveler program communicates most effectively with its members through such outlets as newsletters, mileage statements, membership guides, direct mail, e-mail or welcome kits?
(5) Which individual program has the best Internet Web site and the best online program information?
(6) Which individual program offers the best combination of benefits and bonuses for elite members?
(7) Which individual program makes award redemption the most "flyer friendly" -- can you get the award you want when you want it?
(8) Which program offers the best customer service?
(9) Which individual frequent traveler program offers the best overall combination of service, bonuses, awards, benefits and opportunities?
(1) Which of the following awards offered the best value and was the most rewarding for the number of miles and points required?
(2) Which of the following frequent traveler bonus promotions was most rewarding?
(3) Which affinity credit or debit card offers the best benefits and opportunities to earn bonus miles or points?
(4) Which frequent traveler program communicates most effectively with its members through such outlets as newsletters, mileage statements, membership guides, direct mail, e-mail or welcome kits?
(5) Which individual program has the best Internet Web site and the best online program information?
(6) Which individual program offers the best combination of benefits and bonuses for elite members?
(7) Which individual program makes award redemption the most "flyer friendly" -- can you get the award you want when you want it?
(8) Which program offers the best customer service?
(9) Which individual frequent traveler program offers the best overall combination of service, bonuses, awards, benefits and opportunities?
Feb 15, 2007, 4:32 pm
#3
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Charleston, SC
Programs: UA 1P, CO Plat, MR Plat, SPG Plat, US Dirt
Posts: 1,506
im sorry i just cant.....
There are very few good things about the new DM right now t hat I just cannot give them a ^ up. Let's hope 2007 brings better redemption options, quicker postings, and more sensibility to the program.
Feb 15, 2007, 4:36 pm
#4
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Athens, WV, USA; a US cockroach long before it was in FFOCUS; now a lowly US5 for only the 2nd time in 20 years.
Programs: US5
Posts: 3,050
How about dangling a carrot to entice us to vote? 500 DM would be a nice start.
Feb 15, 2007, 5:09 pm
#5
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: FLL & PIT
Programs: Marriott Platinum for Life.
Posts: 1,235
Feb 15, 2007, 6:49 pm
#6
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Athens, WV, USA; a US cockroach long before it was in FFOCUS; now a lowly US5 for only the 2nd time in 20 years.
Programs: US5
Posts: 3,050
Feb 15, 2007, 7:18 pm
#7
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Liverpool, England
Posts: 1,080
It's easy to criticise, and a cheap option.
Feb 15, 2007, 7:40 pm
#8
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Pittsburgh
Posts: 965
If US is best, I'd hate to see the worst. They take out 25% of the first class seats in the A320, reducing from 16 to 12. Meanwhile, a Northwest old DC-9 has 16 seats. A NW 757 has 22 first class seats, Delta 24 seats, US 8 seats. Then those who get the remaining first class seats have no room for their bags because they filled the overheads with equipment. They reduced the bonus miles for silver from 50% to 25% (I get 50% with Northwest silver). Can you list where they are better than other airlines? I've been asking myself that alot lately.
Feb 15, 2007, 7:49 pm
#9
Join Date: Sep 2004
Programs: USAir
Posts: 429
OK I'm an employee, so shoot me down if you want to, but the feedback I get from both DM members, and other Star alliance members, is that Dividend Miles still ranks among the best in the business in terms of benefits. That's why the DM programme has won many recent awards.
It's easy to criticise, and a cheap option.
It's easy to criticise, and a cheap option.
USAir got the awards in the PAST because it WAS what it deserved.
But in the PRESENT I do not see how I can get upgrades when the number of seats was cut drastically. I have no chance of getting into the row 1 on A330 even if the whole row is empty. And Singapore Airline will not let my family fly their 1st class because it just reciprocates USAir inability. And USAir reservation agents do not know how to make properly the reservation and do not know their own rules. And the new DM program expires miles even those that I was promissed "will never expire".
Feb 16, 2007, 6:47 am
#10
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: FLL & PIT
Programs: Marriott Platinum for Life.
Posts: 1,235
OK I'm an employee, so shoot me down if you want to, but the feedback I get from both DM members, and other Star alliance members, is that Dividend Miles still ranks among the best in the business in terms of benefits. That's why the DM programme has won many recent awards.
It's easy to criticise, and a cheap option.
It's easy to criticise, and a cheap option.
Honestly, the DM program has changed too much. And it can be more difficult to find an award seat(s) when YOU want to fly and not when the AIRLINE wants you to fly. As I stated in another thread, it was extremely easy to book an award ticket for a friend of mine on the NW website than it was on the US website, which also required me to have to call the CP desk for help.
They've taken away the low mileage awards as well. And the shoker is NW just sent me an email this morning allowing me to book 2 award tickets for only 19,000 miles each. Do you think US is going to follow this? Not likely.
Plus remember I've been flying US for 20 years now. So I am going to relate my past experiences. And it was easier even just 2 to 3 years ago to make award travel than it is now.
US doesn't deserve a FREDDIE until they've completed the merger and honestly quit screwing things up on this airline.
Feb 16, 2007, 7:52 am
#11
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Commuting around the mid-atlantic and rust-belt on any number of RJs
Programs: TSA Random Selectee Platinum, * Gold, SPG/HH/MR mid-tier, and a tiny bag of pretzels.
Posts: 9,255
OK I'm an employee, so shoot me down if you want to, but the feedback I get from both DM members, and other Star alliance members, is that Dividend Miles still ranks among the best in the business in terms of benefits. That's why the DM programme has won many recent awards.
It's easy to criticise, and a cheap option.
It's easy to criticise, and a cheap option.
DM is better than, say, BMI. But that's due to the paradigm difference between USA based FFP programs and the rest of the world.
In comparison to it's peers, US does not fare well at all.
Feb 16, 2007, 8:00 am
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR/SPG LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus
Posts: 31,009
OK I'm an employee, so shoot me down if you want to, but the feedback I get from both DM members, and other Star alliance members, is that Dividend Miles still ranks among the best in the business in terms of benefits. That's why the DM programme has won many recent awards.
And consider this feedback that the DM program is not "among the best in the business". Along with the hundreds of other posts here.
Feb 16, 2007, 8:34 am
#13
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: ATL
Programs: UA 3.6 MM, Marriott Lifetime Plat
Posts: 2,582
From First to Worst
For me, US has gone from First to Worst. Taking away all other negative factors like F class cabin size and reconfigurations and just focus on the DM program. There has been enough devaluation in DM whether it is the removal of Y/B high revenue fare bonuses OR the increase in imileage redemptions OR unusable transatlatic envoy upgrades and toss in the restriction on Row1 for CPs and I think you have a pretty good case that DM blows! 
Feb 16, 2007, 8:48 am
#14
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Programs: DL Silver, UA Silver, Marriott Lifetime Silver, IHG Plat, Hilton Silver
Posts: 5,695
This is just my own personal opinion, but DM has declined for the following reasons (if I think of any others, I will add to the list. These are just the ones that are at the forefront of my mind.)
1. Irregular upgrade process and fewer upgrade opportunities for Preferred members.
2. No more super, off-season saver awards (i.e. 20k domestic, 40k Europe awards.) In fact, it is much more difficult to book the current coach saver awards. And at one time, you could book a premium/unrestricted coach award and get upgraded on that award as soon as it was booked, if available.
3. Four levels of Preferred and a great increase in the mileage/segment requirements for Chairman's Preferred.
4. The current Gold Preferred "giveaway" for no apparent reason, while at the same time, they are selling status upgrades based on mileage or segments needed.
1. Irregular upgrade process and fewer upgrade opportunities for Preferred members.
2. No more super, off-season saver awards (i.e. 20k domestic, 40k Europe awards.) In fact, it is much more difficult to book the current coach saver awards. And at one time, you could book a premium/unrestricted coach award and get upgraded on that award as soon as it was booked, if available.
3. Four levels of Preferred and a great increase in the mileage/segment requirements for Chairman's Preferred.
4. The current Gold Preferred "giveaway" for no apparent reason, while at the same time, they are selling status upgrades based on mileage or segments needed.
Feb 16, 2007, 5:43 pm
#15
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Sunny Florida
Programs: SPG Platinum
Posts: 759
=tommyleo;7231926]Just got that, too. It's quite manipulative. As I read it, it sounds like I'd be showing appreciation for hard-working US employees -- specifically Preferred Desk agents -- if I give the US FF program good marks. But the survey has nine questions, and only one question deals directly with customer service. Here are the nine questions