For eight years, I was a very frequent traveler, racking up hundreds of thousands of miles and points and qualifying segments with all of the major airlines. I enjoyed all of the perks that come with elite status, free upgrades, free trips, early boarding privileges and priority scheduling options when delays interrupted one of my trips.
But then my work assignment took me off the road for two years. My frequent flying activity dwindled down to next to nothing. In January, work responsibilities changed again and I was sent back out on the road and my very frequent flying schedule resumed.
I was quite delighted when on my very first trip, I got a first class upgrade. I thought to myself, “This is great! The airlines really appreciate me. Going back on the road won’t be so bad after all!”
Throughout January and February I enjoyed free upgrades, early boarding privileges and priority scheduling options when delays interrupted one of my trips. That was exceptionally nice during the many winter blizzards that disrupted travel across the country in this winter.
Then on March 3rd, I needed to make a change to my itinerary. My work was done in a market and I had the opportunity to catch an earlier flight and get home at a reasonable hour, in time for dinner in fact. As the agent made my new arrangements, I made the customary request, “would you put me on the upgrade list please?” I was shocked when the agent said that I didn’t qualify for an upgrade. I asked her what she meant and she said the only Medallion members qualified for upgrades. I told her I was a Medallion member. She said it didn’t indicate so in her records. I asked her how could that be.
As the agent checked my frequent flyer records she was able to determine that my Medallion status had expired in mid trip on February 28. So the first half of my trip, I was a Medallion member enjoying the perks of their loyalty program.
On March 3, I wasn’t special any more. Not only did I not get any perks, I was now relegated to ZONE FOUR, the last group of passengers to board the plane. Zone Four has got to be the worst part of flying for a business traveler. You’re one of the last people to board the plane. You have to struggle to find some overhead space for your bag that is near your assigned seat. It takes you longer to get off the plane at your layover airport.
See, my Medallion status from two years ago was still valid until February 28 of this year. When I started traveling again, I was riding on the last 60 days of my eligibility that I earned two years ago.
When I found out that my Medallion status had expired, I asked the agent if there was anyone I could speak to and see if I could get an exception, an extension to regain my status. One of the other airlines I fly offers you a challenge period to regain your status if you don’t make enough flights in the prescribe period of time. I was told my only option was to submit a request through the airline’s web site.
On the long flight home, sitting in the middle seat at the back of the plane, I used their new in-flight WI-FI service to post a message on the airline’s web site. I explained my circumstances. I estimated that based on my current flying plans, I would re-qualify for Medallion status in mid April. Most of my flights are already booked. I asked them if they would consider extending me the Medallion status for a couple of months.
I got an answer back in about four days explaining that to be fair to the other passengers and their requests for exceptions, they don’t grant any exceptions. Needless to say, I was very disappointed.
I know the airline is just following their rules. I understand that my qualifications expired. But I’m writing today about how I felt when my elite status expired and they wouldn’t do anything about it. My status expired in the middle of a trip for crying out loud. On the outbound leg of my trip, I was treated with elite status. On the way home, I was not. It really bothered me.
I guess it’s my own fault for thinking that the airline had any real feeling for me as a customer. In the end, I’m just a number and the loyalty program is simply a point system for earning rewards and perks. It doesn’t matter to anyone at the airline that your perks expire in the middle of trip. You’re expected to start all over at square one.
Talk to you soon.
