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United Prevails in Million-Miler Lawsuit

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A Chicago-based frequent flyer who had accumulated more than a million miles in United Airlines’ frequent flyer program lost in his bid to file a class action suit against the airline accusing it of improperly and “immorally” rescinding program benefits for “Million Milers.” (www.frequentbusinesstraveler.com) More...

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Moviela
Ric Wernicke 5
The whole Star Alliance program has gone from bad to worse. Frequent traveler programs at best are like getting ice in the wintertime. There are so many ways to collect points it dilutes the value of miles from a paid ticket. The percentage difference between coach and premium travel has not been adjusted as the differential increased. The mileage required has been ratcheted up, and available award seat inventory severely restricted. Fees to obtain "free" ticket have grown to hundreds of dollars. I recently had to use 25K miles plus $500 cash for an upgrade that formally was 15K miles and no cash. A free ticket that used to be 70K miles is now a whopping 320,000 miles, and $250. The routes are often not direct with longer journeys requiring upwards of 35 hours start to finish.

As a million-miler I would rather have a cash discount rather than the rather niggardly rewards now on offer.
PhotoFinish
PhotoFinish 4
Any airline that promises 'lifetime benefits' for any passenger that attains whatever milestone of the airline's choosing (such as 1 million miles flown) such honor such benefits for as long as the airline exists and the passenger is alive to exercise his or her benefits.

In extreme cases, the airline could reduce perpetual liabilities such as these in bankruptcy, but it might still not be a smart business move to fail to honor promises made.

In this case, the judge ruled in the airline's favor bcause the fine print of their FF program likely stipulates that the airline can change the terms and conditions of their program at any time for any reason or for no reason

That still doesn't make it right. Nor does it seem like a brilliant move. Upsetting your best customers is the easiest way to get them to switch their business to one of your competitors.
yr2012
matt jensen 0
Whenever I was faced with two airlines merging their ff programs, I immediately used all the miles.
PhotoFinish
PhotoFinish 2
So not the same thing. The plaintiff was concerned about lifetime benefits that had already been attained.
WALLACE24
WALLACE24 -2
It's Chicago and Illinois. United is pretty big there to say the least. I rest my case.
CamDownUnder2012
Cameron Smith 0
(Duplicate Squawk Submitted)

Lawsuit Dismissed: Million Miler Loses to United Airlines

A US judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought by George Lagen, a 'million miler' member of United Airlines' MileagePlus frequent flier program, against UA claiming that United removed some of the benefits it promised, thereby breaching its contract with them. To add insult to injury, the judgment also demands that Lagen pay costs incurred by United Airlines.



http://www.flyertalk.com/the-gate/blog/26585-lawsuit-dismissed-million-miler-loses-to-united-airlines.html

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