Originally Posted by sailingfun (Post 3751177)

Can someone explain the actual complaint with United. Are they denying status that has been earned via their FF program? If so I would think a lawsuit might be in order!

Originally Posted by sailingfun (Post 3751177)

Can someone explain the actual complaint with United. Are they denying status that has been earned via their FF program? If so I would think a lawsuit might be in order!

Originally Posted by Rock (Post 3751206)

What ugleeual said. Typically the threshold for an invitation is about $50k spend on United tickets in a year. For years and years, FedEx pilots have been invited into the program if they meet or exceed that threshold. This year, it appears no FedEx pilot was invited. At a minimum, 100 qualified with an average spend of over $75k. Meanwhile, non-FedEx pilots were invited to join with even less than $50k spend.
It’s purely a business decision in both directions. United has decided it doesn’t care about the revenue generated by a contingent high spending FedEx pilots. At a minimum, roughly $7.5 million dollars in 2023. Those FedEx pilots are asking “do you really want to do that?” If United says “Yeah, F you”, the next move is on each FedEx pilot who cares. American and Delta both have similar programs for roughly the same amount of money. So far, they continue to welcome FedEx pilots into their invitation only programs. So each pilot can make their own decision on whether they continue to fly on United, or take their travel bank elsewhere.

Originally Posted by sailingfun (Post 3751210)

Thanks for the explanation. I suspect in the end picking a FF program will come down to where someone lives.

Originally Posted by Rock (Post 3750726)

I was 1k for years before becoming GS. There is a very significant difference between the two with the most important being how you are handled during irregular operations. For us, that’s job security. As a GS, I’ve had my reservations reworked before I was even aware there was a problem. Weather, maintenance, ATC problems, doesn’t matter. If they identify you might not make a connection, they start working a solution. Either a different flight, or they meet you at the gate and drive you across the ramp, or through the terminal to your next flight. Since it also comes with lounge access, you also gain the benefit of a United agent in the lounge who can help work issues. Can’t count how many times I’ve walked past lines of a thousand people in IAH or ORD waiting for customer service, and I’ve walked into the lounge to an agent with no line. 1k comes with none of that. Really the 1k benefits for the kind of travel we do are essentially useless. We’re flying in business class for most international flights anyway. That means you’re boarding in group 1 no matter what your status. The 1k “hotline” can take 45 minutes to get someone on the phone. You get your first choice of meal, but the food isn’t that good anyway, so it doesn’t really matter. And when the sh*t hits the fan in a commute or deviation, you’re mostly on your own to find a solution.
To each his own, but once you experienced the difference, it’s pretty easy to see the difference.

Originally Posted by Stan446 (Post 3751367)

So why is this relevent to anything? "Hits keep coming"? What hits?

Originally Posted by Rock (Post 3751371)

If you don't understand why a major US airline deciding to deny its highest status level to FedEx pilots who spend a lot of time commuting and deadheading as part of their FedEx careers is "relevant" to an internet site where FedEx pilots discuss issues that impact their work environment, it's not worth trying to explain it to you. Find another thread.
If you aren't aware that there have been several rather significant disruptions recently in our happy little FedEx existence...read just about any thread posted on this site in the last 6 months. Maybe start with the one titled "Worth staying?"
Or better yet, let me know what you've been drinking.