To All US1,US2,US3

[StillFishing]

To start I would like to say THANK YOU for your loyal support of our Airline.Please do not let today''s new''s get to you...this is just the start of MAJOR thing''s to come.(Status changes Go into effect Jan03)I work at the ATO in MCO and have explained the new''s to all the US1,US2,US3''s that I checked in today,IMHO don''t be surprised that the company will tweak the current policy and include the H booking code or even go a bit lower....IMHO I think that an H fare in the furture would even be Full-Refundable...I think in the coming day''s U will announce a NEW fare Structure...(The fare''s could go lower on the full-refundable''s)one piece of advise ...is to tell your local travel dept. to don''t be surprised if all E-Tickets must be changed by Reservation''s ONLY....The changes take effect today on All ticket''s issued 08-27-02 and on...If you do need to change your ticket !!!!!!Please do before the Flight leave''s.....Our hand''s are now tied at the ATO''S.....
Thank once again ....StillFishing...
P.S...Inter-line ticketing with UAL starts the month of Oct....No paper upgrades start in the month of DEC....

 

[tadjr]

I think that is the other part of the equation. They should have waited to announce and change this part until the new fare structure is hopefully announced too. If they do not adjust the fare structure, then I think this will be ugly. If they keep their promise to adjust the current fare structure, this might not be so bad in the end. Either way, write or call Dave and Consumer Affairs. The agents at the counter and rez can not change the policies. Please be sure to direct your opinions where they can be heard AND duly noted. Thank you for hanging in there with us.

 

[StillFishing]

[😉] [😉]

The P.S should have been Inter-line E-Ticket's and Electronic Upgrade's...

Sorry

 

[USFlyer]

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On 8/27/2002 1114 PM

I think that is the other part of the equation. They should have waited to announce and change this part until the new fare structure is hopefully announced too. If they do not adjust the fare structure, then I think this
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Agreed!! Everyone knows the fare structure needs to change. I just wonder which major carrier is going to blink first.

 

[Art at ISP]

To my friends Tad and Still Fishing, Hi!

Unless the fare structures are seriously redone, this is corporate suicide. They will be punishing their best customers (myself included). What incentive is there to go out of my way to stay if I am forced to take a non refundable fare to not change airlines?

I have to tell you--if this is in fact the case and the fares don't change, it may be the end of the line...the company is going to lose some serious business...and way before January 1!

Best wishes my friends, the road ahead just got alot more bumpy.

 

[Hope777]

I hope you have all sent EMails to a fine leadership. PLEASE let them know how you feel. THANK YOU for your past business and hopefully future business as well. ED

 

[geo1004]

StillFishing and Hope777:

Thanks for your kind words. I do believe this first announcement will be followed by a major re-alligning of the fare structure. Right now I'm in a "wait and see" stance with US Airways. I had dinner last night with a friend who is a US1 and he has already shifted all his business travel to AA so he will obtain elite status with them before year's end. He's not taking any chances.

Let's hope the rest of the year brings announcements that re-allign the Div. Miles Program with the realities of today's travel market and economy.

 

[ChairPrefRes]

If you look at our sister(he he) UAL on their board they just started policy changes for 1k er's... Hold on tight...Till Airlines start showing a profit I think the bennies are going to be reduced...for a while...[😉]

 

[dfw79]

I think what the company is trying to shoot for here is that: If you are wanting all the extra perks -- free upgrades, bonus milage, club access, etc -- you should be willing to pay more. Chairman Preferred will become just that...and elite status of flyers wanting the extra perks and willing to pay a little more for them. It doesn't make much sense when you can have a 18 year old flying around on cut throat fares...and then attain elite status and get the perks that a businessman is getting from flying an equal number of routes but paying a much higher fare.

I firmly believe this is just the beginning of the tweaking process for the frequent flyer programs nationwide. They are costly programs and the airlines that are doing the best right now don't have them (at least as complex). U will be a completely differnet carrier in a year...and once all the pieces fall in, we will probably see a very sound and effecient airline.

 

[TomBascom]

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... Chairman Preferred will become just that...an elite status of flyers wanting the extra perks and willing to pay a little more for them.

We aren't talking about a little bit more -- I could buy into a little bit more. We're talking about the difference between a $200 ticket and a $2,000 ticket.

If it was an extra 10% that would be "tweaking" and it would be palatable. But it's not even close. And they aren't just playing with the FF program -- "use it or lose it" applies to everyone.

It doesn't make much sense when you can have a 18 year old flying around on cut throat fares...and then attain elite status and get the perks that a businessman is getting from flying an equal number of routes but paying a much higher fare.

Where are all these "businessmen" who pay all these high fares? Anyone got any numbers? What % of pax are paying "high fares"?

My butt sits in a lot of seats -- I've occasionally paid full Y. But I'm guessing it's fewer than 5% of passengers.

And for what it's worth -- I see nothing wrong with anyone that flies 100k miles a year being CP whether that person is a "businessman" or a student.

 

[dinosaur]

I agree the fares need to be restructered, as well as corporate discounts. Government fares are a different ball game.

Our government contract fares are booked in -Y- (fare basis is YCA). This means they can upgrade at anytime, change their reservations at anytime,
get -F- mileage credit for every flight, and alot of the fares are as cheap as non-refundables. Go figure. Sorry corporate business travelers, looks like most of the US1, US2, and US3's will be government employees.

--
Dino ATO

 

[atc]

For the most part, US Airways has dropped out of the competition for government contract fares. The last time I checked, true YCA fares were only offered out of a few airports (CLT, and to a lesser extent, DCA come to mind).

 

[geo1004]

dfw79, you say that FF programs are costly?

Aside from the obvious benefits of customer loyalty, let us not forget that US and other airlines add $ MILLIONS to their books each year by selling their FF miles to vendors.

This is not a case where the FF Program is costing the airline money. This IS a case where the airlines are trying find ways to get people to buy more of the big dollar full fare Y and F tickets. Unfortunately, with fare pricing the way it is, the current economy will not support it so the airlines are trying to find ways to force the high dollar ticket puchases on the business travellers.

All the BS being spouted by US spokespeople about this being an attempt to "preserve benefits" for full fare passengers is bunk. And we all know it. What really is astounding is that SOMEONE at CCY thought this was a good idea and that the current travel economy would buy this smoke-mirror and dog and pony act and support it financially.

 

[wheels]

where did you hear this?...thx

 

[Schatzee]

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On 8/28/2002 11:43:03 AM

StillFishing and Hope777:

Thanks for your kind words. I do believe this first announcement will be followed by a major re-alligning of the fare structure. Right now I'm in a "wait and see" stance with US Airways. I had dinner last night with a friend who is a US1 and he has already shifted all his business travel to AA so he will obtain elite status with them before year's end. He's not taking any chances.

Let's hope the rest of the year brings announcements that re-allign the Div. Miles Program with the realities of today's travel market and economy.
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Is your US1 friend aware that AA is reducing their first class seating on domestic AND intl flights? You friend may have jumped ship a little early as most major airlines are trimming the frills. I too agree that the announcement this week is only the beginning of several changes but understand the lack of patience. Given the fact that I am a CWA member and would love to have an informative update before Christmas. [🙁(]