There are many conflicting signs on the economy these days when it comes to unemployment. But, for the airlines, planes are full, and they are making record profits.
Whether it means things are looking up for our country in general or that the rich are just getting richer, many travelers are going to find that even though they flew as much or more in 2010 than 2009, they will end up with a lower United frequent flier status.
This isn’t just the lowly Premiers either (Regular Premier is United’s lowest level elites). Even regular Global Services — i.e. “next to God” fliers are looking like they will be cut off.
A few of my Global Services clients shared with me emails that United sent them in the middle of the year, whereby the airline said they were “paying attention” to the amount of flying the person was doing.
And while the email was positive in tone, there was also the clearly implied “you had better keep it up.”
While there is no official standard for Global Services, 50,000 miles a year on unrestricted coach or discount business class has historically been enough. (United has put that in some emails.)
This year, however, a client recently received an email saying that the threshold would be 75,000 miles and the airline wanted to let him know he was close. Unfortunately,he is not quite close enough, as he will be about 15,000 miles short.
A similar result will befall 1ks, Executive Premiers and Premiers, especially those who made the status in 2009, because the double elite qualifying miles promotions many frequent fliers have come to expect never happened.
Unfortunately too, because there was the expectation of double miles, especially in the fall quarter before December 15, many travelers assumed they would have some way to get the necessary miles, and now it is too late.
Of course, no one is entitled to elite status or bonus miles, so it’s hardly a “get out the violins” situation. It seems to speak well for the strength of United’s load factors and profitability that they don’t need to bribe passengers.
(For that matter, I haven’t seen any great promotions with other carriers on bonus miles, so it appears to be industry-wide.)
On the other hand, when the airline mails out those little cards in January showing passenger status, a lot of frequent travelers aren’t going to be feeling like they’re exactly going to be flying the “friendly skies.”
Janice Hough is a California-based travel agent a travel blogger and a part-time comedy writer. A frequent flier herself, she’s been doing battle with airlines, hotels, and other travel companies for over three decades. Besides writing for Travelers United, Janice has a humor blog at Leftcoastsportsbabe.com (Warning, the political and sports humor therein does not represent the views of anyone but herself.)
