AA Status Match underway

Trust me. The insuing comedy show will be coupon connection circa Dec 12 Jan 13 Feb 13. The treads will read H: 8 AA SWU W: Anything!

You would not give these away, there will be a new found glut in the market. Just wait.

AA is giving SWUs and EXP like candy.

Personally, AA does not fly to any place (internationally) that I go to, so I have no use for it. Domestically, I fly ps JFK-LAX most often. I'd take a 100 seater plane with plenty of overhead space and fewer pax than the chaos that is American's Suckyship 767-200, often falling apart.

Have no fear the p.s. planes will be configured with more seats in short order.

And since EXPs can upgrade 100 hours out on the SFO/LAX to JFK routes, you'll be better off flying AA than using the diminished number of CR1s that 1Ks get under the new United.

Just like we saw at the end of last year (depending on the date they hit 100K) with UA's SWU's. And I promise that we will see the exact same thing this year. Problem attributing to this is R availability.

Not sure if AA UG inventory is going to be the same or not, but agree we will see a lot of AA's eVips Jan/Feb.

Have you seen the 767-200s? (Circa 1987). No thanks. Since JFK-LAX is more than 5 hours, I would be in Business anyway ( if a client expensed trip)

UA is not giving these away like candy. Go on FT, add all the matches and multiply by 8 per match. LOL. AA must have added 100 new EXPs, and assuming all of them (i know some) got the SWU's, thats 800 swus that got issued, on top of people who qualified with DEQM.

If we assume that UA and AA have roughly the same number of 1K and EXP members (which was guestimated to be 46,000 for UA), 100 new members doesn't seem more than a drop in the bucket. (Ref: http://www.insideflyer.com/articles/article.php?key=3466)

Good point, and I expect that not everyone that matches will use the status that much. Though, I would expect teh number is well more than 100, but even if it is say 1000, it is still ~2% of the total number of EXPs out there.

True.

That said... 100+ top flyers do likely represent a good chunk of revenue and profit for UA. Maybe a drop in the bucket in the big picture of the overall squillion dollar company. But what UA is likely going to lose is, I think, more than it would have cost to do

- more QA
- more communication
- more investigation into reported issues

And merger issues that pi$$ off 1Ks and GSes on FT and driving them to AA are also impacting non-FTers. They may not get a status match out of AA (because they don't know), but they may still cost UA revenue and profit when they fly less or another airline.

The SWUs are not for free flights but only for upgrades. Money has to be spent in order to use them and much money will have to be spent if the new EXPs and others want to retain their status. This is a limited time "hit" for AA with much potential benefit. Not sure why it is necessary to insult AA and those who choose to participate in this promotion in order to make your point that you prefer to fly UA premium services.

It looks like you do not need to call.
Just email:
aadvantage_customer_svc@wwwmail.aa.com
Subject line heading:
"Re: Send UA documentation"

Glen is indeed a good guy... but he does see the world through his own very personal perspective on various issues that will may times rub a lot of folks the wrong way.

And this story has reached the mainstream media (CNBC in this case):

American Luring Frustrated United Flyers With Status Match
http://www.cnbc.com/id/47247524?

Back to the topic, if you were SMI/J and the marketing people at United, how would you respond?

I think "giving away" EXP and Concierge Key + EXP with 8 SWU for esentially nothing basically giving away the store. A desperAAte move.

United doesn't need to give away the store.

I am surprised they give away SWUs. The EXP status itself doesn't cost them much if the recipient doesn't actually use it. If I was a pre-existing AA EXP, I'd not be too thrilled about the SWU giveaway. Not because of the competition (100 new EXP are a drop in the bucket), but because I presumably worked hard for mine.

Not sure if UA needs to give away the store. But they are certainly facing a PR crisis. Credible stories like this one will cause damage and so far their head remains firmly stuck in the sand. And so the echo chamber continues to do its work.

AA is giving away SWU's to any 1K/GS who wants it. From Flyertalk

United always had problems with this PR, even before the merger.. Remember United Breaks Guitars?

I wonder if Edelman is still running the external show?. Those people need to put up some kind image campaign post system integration, beyond "United Hub"

Edelman is not a cheap nor small PR shop. I'm surprised nothing has been done.

Oh, I know. I have read parts of that thread. I wasn't surprised to hear it from you here, but rather surprised when I first heard on FT that AA did that. It seems.... too generous.

Wow. Sadly, I'm probably not alone in identifying with that poor guy. While my stories (yes, plural) are different, the feelings are the same. Maybe even more intense because of the repetition.

AA isn't the answer, however. They are just desperate right now. Yeah... I thought about moving back to them, but they wouldn't take my Platinum status by the time I heard about it. Part of me is relieved. I'm old enough to have learned from previous attempts to jump from the frying pan into the fire.

Frankly, acceptance appears to be the only sane option at this point. I'm done with worrying about upgrades. I'll just buy my front cabin tickets when I plan far enough in advance, and learn to love my exit row seat when I can't. Competition is an amazing thing. Someone will come along sooner or later who will want and appreciate my business. Forget MM status. That requires too much willful torture endurance for today's "what have you done for me lately" airline attitudes.

From now on the decision will be made strictly on what is in my own best interest for every particular flight. Loyalty is a two way street, and UA has joined AA in their drive down the wrong side of the road.

This move by AA will definitely garner some of my business. I too am of the mindset that loyalty is a two way street, and AA just equalized the playing field for me in that I can basically get the same treatment at two different airlines now UA/AA. Someone has come along who apparently appreciates my business lol, AA! I don't really care what color the paint on the plane is..upgrades, decent customer service, free bags, comp food/bev, route network...and whoever will treat me best in the process. Simple.

Some flyers are a little bit more discerning.

If you fly internationally, you'll find the slated seats, and the "International Flagship Service", leaves more to be desired. At least I did.

I fly almost exclusively (by percentage) internationally. I have never flown AA internationally, not in 8 years at least. I think in 2004 I flew them to London and back.

For the record, I consider myself to have the most discerning of tastes My discernment starts with the fact that there is not a US carrier that is in the top tier of competitors for international service. The best you can hope for is the basic list of things I stated IMHO. Beyond the obvious (I hope we get there safely!), with a US carrier I am only hoping for my upgrade to clear, that the FA's are at least courteous, that the food is edible, and that the seats/AVOD work and the interior isn't too filthy. I've flown too many miles and been disappointed too many times to set myself up for any expectation much beyond that with a US based carrier. It's just not worth the grief to be stressed about and bat .300 on. Although this post may seem to indicate otherwise, I am a cheerful flyer. I am nice to the FA's, I enjoy travel, and I rarely complain to them or CS desks. Why fight it? They are who they are and as Ghandi said, I can only try and BE the change I want to see. All I am saying is, next time I book a flight and AA is direct and cheaper, I will not be blindly booking UA as I might have a year ago. I'll still make 1K, and I might even requal for ExecPlat too. Who knows. Just saying there is another airline in play and I'll definitely be flying them some. Not out of spite or bitterness, but because I can now fly them and get their "best" treatment versus paying bag fees, getting bypassed for upgrades and sitting by the lav lol.

Just a little update:
It is now reported on FT that AA has switched the match mid-week and not giving the 8 SWU's with the match. Instead, they are saying that to qualify for the SWU's you must first fly 30K.
Personally, this is a deal breaker for me and also feels like the old bait and switch or deception tactics that I'm wanting to escape.
Might as well learn now before it's too late what AA is about also.

I have never flown AA.

Before anyone gets too excited, only one individual has reported this (so far).

True, but that was a GS matching also which has a lot more $ and miles going for him then me

I have no horse in this race, but I think SWUs after showing some commitment would have been a better / fairer offering to begin with (from the perspective of pre-existing AA elites).