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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:Frequent flier programs are also quite expensive for the airline to run. But not because of your flying, rather all those miles you get from your credit card, hotel transfers, rental cars, flowers, .etc were purchased from the airline. Redemption values are tied to the probability the airline can sell that seat, and a portion of the airline miles expire anyway. Small White Dragon fucked around with this message at 07:34 on Jun 6, 2014 |
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Jun 6, 2014 07:09
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Small White Dragon posted:Actually, frequent flier programs are extremely profitable, and have probably kept companies afloat when they would have otherwise gone under. Yep, selling miles to banks and other marketing partners is wildly profitable for most US-based airlines. It's like crack to them. Most loyalty programs have their own P&L responsibility, with some going so far as to spin off separate companies to manage it.
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Jun 6, 2014 13:35
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Small White Dragon posted:Actually, frequent flier programs are extremely profitable, and have probably kept companies afloat when they would have otherwise gone under. Good point, I had forgotten about that. Still, the more they cut down on actual redemption benefits, and status perks, the lower cost they have associated with the program.
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Jun 6, 2014 15:24
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Belldandy posted:El Al Air does this already, but it worked for me and I got upgraded to biz from TLV > LHR for like $75. I'm actually not entirely opposed to changes like this. Our corporate policy does not allow buying first class unless it is the only seats available for a flight (for domestic, we can buy business for international but I never fly international for work) and there are definitely times when I've got a close to full fare economy ticket that I'd love the chance to pay a few bucks to get into first.
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Jun 6, 2014 15:47
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I just had to book a car. Avis' got a few decent Aeroplan promo going right now... But then Budget comes in at ~40% of the price  Woo, 90 points, I guess.
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Jun 6, 2014 19:06
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Mackieman posted:Yep, selling miles to banks and other marketing partners is wildly profitable for most US-based airlines. It's like crack to them. Most loyalty programs have their own P&L responsibility, with some going so far as to spin off separate companies to manage it. It also gives them a nice source of cash injections when they need it. Citibank pre-purchased $1b worth of miles from AMR in 2009 to use for the AAdvantage credit cards, for example. However, according to their SEC filing, it was more like a loan, and the miles weren't "payable" to AAdvantage/Citi customers until 2012.
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Jun 6, 2014 20:53
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The shoulder strap on my little 16"x9"x9" PADI bag that I got as a free gift and have been using for years has finally broken and I need a replacement, any suggestions? I love that bag because while business guys are holding up the line bitching about gate checking on the little planes I normally fly on, I can chuck my bag in the smallest of overhead bins. The Air Boss looks rad, but it is too big.
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Jun 8, 2014 00:40
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MickeyFinn posted:The shoulder strap on my little 16"x9"x9" PADI bag that I got as a free gift and have been using for years has finally broken and I need a replacement, any suggestions? I love that bag because while business guys are holding up the line bitching about gate checking on the little planes I normally fly on, I can chuck my bag in the smallest of overhead bins. The Air Boss looks rad, but it is too big. I just bought the small version of the Timbuk2 Command messenger bag and I love it so far.
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Jun 8, 2014 01:36
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Seconded the Timbuk2 command. I have the medium. Best bag I've ever owned
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Jun 9, 2014 13:50
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air- posted:How do you politely tell a client not to try and plan your travel for you? I had a PM respond to my travel estimate saying they saw lower prices on Orbitz, yet I'm betting they saw cheapshit fares on Spirit Airlines and that's a nightmare I'd really rather not deal with. Orbitz is cool and all, but probably can't top that. That doesn't even take into account travel insurance requirements, etc.
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Jun 9, 2014 14:45
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And now 
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Jun 10, 2014 14:10
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Mackieman posted:And now Fixed that for you.
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Jun 10, 2014 20:56
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drat, I just finished a trip where I would have earned about 60,000 starwood points, but since the room was booked at a corporate package rate they won't issue points.
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Jun 10, 2014 21:20
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Ouch, that's like a grand.
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Jun 11, 2014 00:55
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Mackieman posted:And now I'm planning on switching over to American if I can as soon as I hit Platinum on Delta for this year (so I can go for a status match). I really hope I don't make the switch and then have AA pull this next year. I'm still really annoyed by these changes, it turns the programs into a pure rebate program instead of a loyalty program.
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Jun 11, 2014 01:48
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Checked my numbers for this year so far Under 2014 Skymiles: MQM: 33,484 (about 3k rollover) MQS: 27 MQD: $3,285 RDM: 55,902 Under 2015 Skymiles: RDM: 26,280 So a little more than a 50% reduction in miles thus far this year. And I am on pace to hit the MQD requirements with no problem, so it isn't like I'm only traveling on super cheap fares. Thoguh fucked around with this message at 02:11 on Jun 11, 2014 |
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Jun 11, 2014 02:07
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Thoguh posted:I really hope I don't make the switch and then have AA pull this next year. I hate to burst your bubble...
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Jun 11, 2014 04:02
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Frequent travel by car doesn't get you any mileage. Ugh, 20 hours in the last 4 days.
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Jun 11, 2014 04:06
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Thoguh posted:I'm planning on switching over to American if I can as soon as I hit Platinum on Delta for this year (so I can go for a status match). I really hope I don't make the switch and then have AA pull this next year.
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Jun 11, 2014 06:19
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Uncle Jam posted:Frequent travel by car doesn't get you any mileage. Ugh, 20 hours in the last 4 days.
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Jun 11, 2014 13:56
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Thoguh posted:I'm planning on switching over to American if I can as soon as I hit Platinum on Delta for this year (so I can go for a status match). I really hope I don't make the switch and then have AA pull this next year. AA is absolutely going to do the same thing. Jumping from a merger dumpster fire into a merger dumpster fire doesn't seem like a winning strategy to me. I'm strongly considering a status match/challenge over to Delta next year since I will likely not qualify for 1K again. My primary motivation, because I'm 6'8", is extra legroom seats. Delta has some, not as nice as United's, but it'll work for a while. We'll see what happens after that.
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Jun 11, 2014 16:07
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Small White Dragon posted:Unfortunately, it's very likely the chances of something better died when AA management got replaced with US Airways management. If you think AA management wasn't going to do something similar, I have a bridge to sell you.
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Jun 11, 2014 16:17
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Small White Dragon posted:Unfortunately, it's very likely the chances of something better died when AA management got replaced with US Airways management. I know its a vain hope. But gotta hope for something. Basically I just want an airline where after a year's worth of travel I have enough miles to cover the flights for two people to a vacation somewhere decent. I have to think that there is a huge chunk of domestic business travelers are in a situation similar to mine, flying a mix of cheap and expensive tickets and doing their best to stick with one airline because they don't fly enough to have status on multiple programs. People who make the airlines money but aren't super lucrative. I am just crossing my fingers that AA decides that group is worth keeping around since the other airlines are chasing them off. Airline business is cyclical so if they can attract those mid level travelers now they'll keep us around at the bottom of the cycle. And yes, I know that isn't what they are going to do. That's just what I wish they would do. Thoguh fucked around with this message at 16:50 on Jun 11, 2014 |
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Jun 11, 2014 16:46
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I'm not entirely following you as loyalty is rewarded by status. No airline is going to offer you easy free trips for flying with them any more, all programs are or will be almost the same, and biz pax are motivated by loyalty perks not RDM. There's still great benefit to consistently flying the same airline. Hoping for what you're hoping for now is like hoping for Santa as an adult. You just gotta wrap your head around the world of air travel rewards won't ever be like it was even 3 years ago.
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Jun 11, 2014 16:56
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:If you think AA management wasn't going to do something similar, I have a bridge to sell you.
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Jun 11, 2014 19:48
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Who proposed gutting the ff plan overnight with no notice
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Jun 11, 2014 23:10
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smackfu posted:They like us to use a rental car if it's cheaper, and at a $0.56 per mile rate, it's very often cheaper. And that gets you rental car points at least. The company car I have beats the socks off any rental car, plus it was partially international. It was just the guy that was riding with me wasn't really tune/jam friendly.
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Jun 11, 2014 23:14
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sellouts posted:Who proposed gutting the ff plan overnight with no notice The entire airline industry.
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Jun 12, 2014 18:46
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Exactly. What management is in charge is largely irrelevant. It's a race to the bottom.
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Jun 13, 2014 02:45
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Management can actually matter a lot. You're probably going to get screwed in some fashion, but there are definitely varying degrees of how badly.
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Jun 13, 2014 06:30
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As an employee of an airline? Sure. As a customer today, with comparison shopping easier than ever, advertising blitzes for anything that differentiates (bags fly free, etc) and the herd mentality of legacy air carriers, I very much disagree. One lowers the bar and if it'll make them money it's a matter of scheduling until the others follow suit.
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Jun 13, 2014 08:04
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I also don't feel like devaluations are "screwing" customers. I dislike the devaluations, but fundamentally a loyalty program is a bonus to loyal customers, not an inherent part of air travel.
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Jun 13, 2014 18:05
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:I also don't feel like devaluations are "screwing" customers. I dislike the devaluations, but fundamentally a loyalty program is a bonus to loyal customers, not an inherent part of air travel. sellouts posted:As an employee of an airline? Sure. I was talking about frequent fliers, which is who I assume this thread is for. Not everything would change (see above), but some things can. For instance, US management is going to have fewer F seats and a lot fewer Y+ seats on some upcoming aircraft than former AA management proposed. I would guess that's the sort of thing some people definitely care about, even if you do not.
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Jun 13, 2014 19:45
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Are you talking about the 319 and 321? The 319 is definitely short in terms of F seats, even compared to the USAir configuration.
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Jun 13, 2014 22:18
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:Are you talking about the 319 and 321? The 319 is definitely short in terms of F seats, even compared to the USAir configuration. Short isn't a good way to put it, even. AA was very 737 heavy and you would have 16 F seats, the 319 only has 4, which means any of those lines are almost certainly not going to be open to upgrade. poo poo, even the CR7 has more F seats. Hopefully the 319 sticks to shorter/regional routes. But I am sure with my luck they'll do JFK > SFO soon or something and throw away the 767/321Ts.
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Jun 14, 2014 16:23
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:Are you talking about the 319 and 321? The 319 is definitely short in terms of F seats, even compared to the USAir configuration. I do my best to avoid Delta's 319s but I don't have a lot of luck with that due to the routes I tend to fly. Only 12 seats in first to 114 in coach, so even if I have a full Y ticket I never even sniff an upgrade, no in seat power anywhere on the plane, and no in flight entertainment system. The only positive they've got going for them is that the bulkhead is just a curtain, so if I can get into the bulkhead row there is a huge amount of leg room and you don't have to store everything in the overhead bins for takeoff/landing. Delta's doing some upgrades this year to fix the lack of power and entertainment. But that still won't fix the low percentage of seats in First. I'll take a CRJ 900 over a 319 any day. They fly a lot of the same routes and the 900 has the same number of F seats but only half as many coach seats. Even when I was just starting out flying for work as a Silver I almost always got upgraded on a 900. And I actually really like the first class seats on the RJ700/900s.
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Jun 14, 2014 17:02
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Thoguh posted:I do my best to avoid Delta's 319s but I don't have a lot of luck with that due to the routes I tend to fly. Only 12 seats in first to 114 in coach, so even if I have a full Y ticket I never even sniff an upgrade, no in seat power anywhere on the plane, and no in flight entertainment system. The only positive they've got going for them is that the bulkhead is just a curtain, so if I can get into the bulkhead row there is a huge amount of leg room and you don't have to store everything in the overhead bins for takeoff/landing. Delta's doing some upgrades this year to fix the lack of power and entertainment. But that still won't fix the low percentage of seats in First. I also fly Delta and I am pleased when my routes include a CRJ cause it is upgrade time. Also, good lord does JFK suck. Is LGA any better?
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Jun 14, 2014 18:01
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MickeyFinn posted:I also fly Delta and I am pleased when my routes include a CRJ cause it is upgrade time. Also, good lord does JFK suck. Is LGA any better? HAHAAHHAAHHAHAAH no. LGA is probably the worst Airport in the US, but I like it because I can get to the airport in like 15 minutes. I actually like JFK, but AA has a pretty good terminal (8) there. It just sucks getting there.
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Jun 14, 2014 18:15
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MickeyFinn posted:I also fly Delta and I am pleased when my routes include a CRJ cause it is upgrade time. Also, good lord does JFK suck. Is LGA any better? Only the 700s and 900s. Almost all the flights out of my home airport are in CRJ100/200 aircraft and I hate those sardine cans.
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Jun 14, 2014 20:03
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Thoguh posted:Only the 700s and 900s. Almost all the flights out of my home airport are in CRJ100/200 aircraft and I hate those sardine cans. I totally forgot about those. I think the last time I encountered one of those was on LAX to SAN and that was purely for the novelty.
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Jun 14, 2014 20:48
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