Comments on: Upgrades and Downgrades — Gravel roads, fingerprinting, insulting policies, and more http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2009/06/16/upgrades-and-downgrades-gravel-roads-fingerprinting-insulting-policies-and-more/ Living the first class life -- at coach prices Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:55:54 -0700 hourly 1 By: Antonio http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2009/06/16/upgrades-and-downgrades-gravel-roads-fingerprinting-insulting-policies-and-more/#comment-28430 Antonio Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:41:31 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/?p=3215#comment-28430 It looks like United postponed their co-pay upgrade program until January now, with some modifications from customer feedback: http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6722,53079,00.html It looks like United postponed their co-pay upgrade program until January now, with some modifications from customer feedback:
http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6722,53079,00.html

]]> By: Brian http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2009/06/16/upgrades-and-downgrades-gravel-roads-fingerprinting-insulting-policies-and-more/#comment-28335 Brian Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:58:53 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/?p=3215#comment-28335 United has to be the poster child for frequent flyer program ineptness. I fly mostly internationally and switched my Star Alliance miles to Lufthansa Miles & More five years ago. It is a really great program and almost what I would consider a "gold standard". The only thing that irks me is that there is no type of "automatic upgrade" from economy to business class on internal-EU flights, similar to what US airlines have on domestic flights. Really sucks when you are sitting in economy and can see that there are 9 seats open in business class (which admittedly isn't all that great within Europe, but the food is better and the middle seat is converted to a table). On the other hand - * once you achieve *Silver (Frequent Traveler - 35K miles) or *Gold status (100K miles - Senator), you keep it for two years * Short a few miles for an award? No problem if you are a Senator - you are allowed to overdraw (but if you lose Senator status and haven't replaced those miles, there is a fixed rate you must pay per overdrawn mile). * Senators get companion and child award tickets at reduced award levels. * Frequent Travelers and Senators get complimentary access to Lufthansa lounges (only Senators get access at all Star Alliance lounges) * Award ticket availability at desired rates seems to be pretty good If UAL goes under, we can only hope that the Obama administration would somehow allow Lufthansa to buy them (hey, Fiat did it - why not?) United has to be the poster child for frequent flyer program ineptness. I fly mostly internationally and switched my Star Alliance miles to Lufthansa Miles & More five years ago. It is a really great program and almost what I would consider a “gold standard”. The only thing that irks me is that there is no type of “automatic upgrade” from economy to business class on internal-EU flights, similar to what US airlines have on domestic flights. Really sucks when you are sitting in economy and can see that there are 9 seats open in business class (which admittedly isn’t all that great within Europe, but the food is better and the middle seat is converted to a table).

On the other hand -
* once you achieve *Silver (Frequent Traveler – 35K miles) or *Gold status (100K miles – Senator), you keep it for two years
* Short a few miles for an award? No problem if you are a Senator – you are allowed to overdraw (but if you lose Senator status and haven’t replaced those miles, there is a fixed rate you must pay per overdrawn mile).
* Senators get companion and child award tickets at reduced award levels.
* Frequent Travelers and Senators get complimentary access to Lufthansa lounges (only Senators get access at all Star Alliance lounges)
* Award ticket availability at desired rates seems to be pretty good

If UAL goes under, we can only hope that the Obama administration would somehow allow Lufthansa to buy them (hey, Fiat did it – why not?)

]]> By: Embarcadero http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2009/06/16/upgrades-and-downgrades-gravel-roads-fingerprinting-insulting-policies-and-more/#comment-28333 Embarcadero Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:51:13 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/?p=3215#comment-28333 It seems that Michigan and United have something in common: they're circling the drain economically. At least Michigan has decided to prioritize its expenditures in a sensible way. United, on the other hands, is actively encouraging its members to purchase "Award Accelerator" to double their mileage take on trips, so that they can arrive and the non-existent award much faster. United: the prize is to fly other carriers and not have to put up with surly treatment from your disgruntled staff or your inferior in-flight product. United's MP staff told me today that the reason I can't have a seat on a partner carrier is that "they haven't made them available to United," a blatant lie. Is this really how they feel they should treat someone who has been a 1k customer for 5 years? It seems that Michigan and United have something in common: they’re circling the drain economically.

At least Michigan has decided to prioritize its expenditures in a sensible way. United, on the other hands, is actively encouraging its members to purchase “Award Accelerator” to double their mileage take on trips, so that they can arrive and the non-existent award much faster.

United: the prize is to fly other carriers and not have to put up with surly treatment from your disgruntled staff or your inferior in-flight product.

United’s MP staff told me today that the reason I can’t have a seat on a partner carrier is that “they haven’t made them available to United,” a blatant lie. Is this really how they feel they should treat someone who has been a 1k customer for 5 years?

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