One Airline Listened to its Elites---

I am not saying that management operates that way (or should). What I am saying is that things people think make a difference many times do not because they customers are either not the decision maker or the other choices are even worse.

Think of AAs failed more legroom in coach. Anyone could create a super nice airline with super friendly rules and amenities but they always find that those things do not drive traffic like one would expect.
 
I'd be surprised if more than 1-2% of elites are required to use US by their company - remember that US management cut the corporate discount program way back after the merger ("We don't need to give all those discounts") and other companies said "No more" after the service failures of 2007.

It doesn't really matter who's paying for the ticket - the elite or the company they work for. It's the elite that's most often making the choice of who to fly, and more of them are choosing to fly someone else after the steady devaluation of the DM program.

Jim
 
I think that elite numbers for all airlines are going to go into a freefall. With the economy the way it is, even companies which are doing well are cutting back.

Case in point: My own company. We have been hugely profitable so far this year....yet they are following the lead which was started by some competitor companies in my industry, and they took a hatchet to the travel budget. Think Joan Crawford hacking up her rose garden the night she found out that she was "Box Office Poison" in MOMMIE DEAREST. :lol: No more conferences without CFO approval. No more premium travel for flights under 8 hours. No more flying private. :lol:

With less business travelers out there, and leisure travelers postponing travel until their economic situations improve, the competition to retain loyalty is bound be fierce.
 
The one thing everyone misses in all the analogies is this is not a 1st payer system. The vast majority (90+%) do not pay for their tickets and a large % have no choice (Either by company policy or geography), so the market doesn't work the same way with VFFs as does in most other businesses. This is much more akin to our current healthcare system rather then most customer service type businesses.

Not at all true. I have complete choice in who I fly on business. Some companies are locked in to a single airline, but not many, and there is always room for making a convenience argument in most companies.
 
Restoration of 500-mile minimum accrual for elite members

Our elite members are the cornerstone of the Mileage Plus program. To reward these members and allow them to requalify for their benefits more quickly, the 500-mile minimum accrual on United flights will be restored for elite members effective January 1, 2009.


The above is from an e-mail I received last night form United. The Bold is mine.

So another airline admits elites are important.

Also, in reply to other posts, my travel is actually up in this economy, and that is usual in our type of work. Also, at our company we choose who we fly on, the only exception is a HUGE fare difference, and as another poster said, you can always make the the time argument.
 
I had a really great customer service experience recently. It included a large comfortable seat, complimentary beverages and snacks and DirecTV programming (decided to do some work on my laptop instead). I also took full advantage of their loyalty program which gave me some significant value.

Guess where I was?


I'm guessing not US Airways?/

Perhaps Jet Blue?
Sorry to let my question go by the waist side, but actually it was not an airline flight. It was the service department of a car dealership. Just another example for those that think an airline ticket should be nothing more than a safe on-time arrival with your bags, and that loyalty programs are a liability.

They had recently redecorated the customer lounge with nice comfortable new chairs, even though the old ones were serviceable. Free beverages and snacks even though a vending machine would’ve made a nice little profit center. DirecTV even though a stack of People magazines would’ve been cheaper. Oh, and the loyalty program paid the labor cost of my service invoice.

So what this really shows is how successful businesses get and retain high-yield customers.
 
Sorry to let my question go by the waist side, but actually it was not an airline flight. It was the service department of a car dealership. Just another example for those that think an airline ticket should be nothing more than a safe on-time arrival with your bags, and that loyalty programs are a liability.

They had recently redecorated the customer lounge with nice comfortable new chairs, even though the old ones were serviceable. Free beverages and snacks even though a vending machine would’ve made a nice little profit center. DirecTV even though a stack of People magazines would’ve been cheaper. Oh, and the loyalty program paid the labor cost of my service invoice.

So what this really shows is how successful businesses get and retain high-yield customers.
Hmmm, that sounds like a CO President's Club. Last week, I was travelling with a co-worker, and we took CO to Newark NJ. I have a club membership, and I said, lets go to the club. Kurt was pretty excited because he doesnt travel much. He was hungry, so I told him to get something to eat, because there wouldnt be food in the club. I was totally wrong. CO had an entire Continental breakfast spread (no pun intended) with bagels, danish, muffins, other breakfast things, complete with a commercial toaster. Completely exceeded my expectations. I'll be back for sure.
 
Hmmm, that sounds like a CO President's Club. Last week, I was travelling with a co-worker, and we took CO to Newark NJ. I have a club membership, and I said, lets go to the club. Kurt was pretty excited because he doesnt travel much. He was hungry, so I told him to get something to eat, because there wouldnt be food in the club. I was totally wrong. CO had an entire Continental breakfast spread (no pun intended) with bagels, danish, muffins, other breakfast things, complete with a commercial toaster. Completely exceeded my expectations. I'll be back for sure.

MmmMmmMmm........sounds good. Please put the puppy back, I feel bad, the avatar was fine. :-D
 
I had a really great customer service experience recently. It included a large comfortable seat, complimentary beverages and snacks and DirecTV programming (decided to do some work on my laptop instead). I also took full advantage of their loyalty program which gave me some significant value.

Guess where I was?

Don't care
 
To use the grocery store analogy, which grocery store would you choose to shop at: The one who sells you bruised fruit for $2.99/pound, or the one who sells you beatiful, ripe, organic fruit for $2.99/pound, and throws in a free pound for every 12 pounds you buy?
I shop at the one with best prices and I don't buy bruised fruit.

I WOULD LOVE TO FIND ONE THAT THROWS IN A FREE POUND
 
Well I can show you one!

Acme Markets has a "Super Card" that gives you significant discounts if you present your card.

For Example I just bought this very day 10 six packs of Acme brand soda for $1.00 each! Regular price is nearly double. Seedless Red Grapes are $.99 per pound with the card and IIRC $2.49 per pound.

You may now apologize to the other posters.
This really bores me...
howd this get to supermarket prices?
I go out for a trip... and this thread goes to pot! LOL

If I want to talk prices at the market..
I would go to another place..

this is about LCC