Seeking to shore up frayed relations with some of its most important customers, United Airlines said this week that it is lowering requirements for Premier status for its Mileage Plus frequent-flier program.
“Your travel on United is deeply appreciated and we’d like to see you reach the level of recognition and reward in the Mileage Plus program you deserve,” the airline said in letters and e-mails being sent to its customers.
Under the lowered requirements, customers seeking 1K status will only have to have flown 84,000 miles or 90 paid segments during this year, rather than the normal 100,000 miles or 100 paid segments.
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Similar reductions were announced for the two other levels in the Mileage Plus program. The lowered requirements for Premier Executive status are 42,000 miles or 54 paid segments, instead of 50,000 miles or 60 paid segments, while the lowered requirements for Premier status are 21,000 miles or 27 paid segments, instead of 25,000 miles or 30 paid segments.
Customers seeking to achieve the lowered requirements have until the end of the year to complete their trips.
The reduced requirements are only for program membership in 2001.
“This is important for these customers,” said United spokesman Matt Triaca, noting that in many cases customers who normally qualify for one of the levels are complaining that the airline’s summer service problems were preventing them from achieving the status.
More than 1 million travelers, many of whom are members of the elite Premier Club, flew on other airlines this summer rather than Elk Grove Township-based United, which was forced to cancel more than 25,000 flights when the airline’s pilots, frustrated with the lack of progress on a new contract, refused to fly overtime. In addition to the lost customers, the company said it lost $116 million in the third quarter–its first plunge into the red in five years.
Premier members are provided private phone numbers for contacting United when seeking to book or change a flight, priority check-in and seating. In addition, 1K and Premier Executive members receive a 100 percent bonus on the miles they earn while flying United or code share flights on Lufthansa German Airlines. Premier members receive 25 percent mileage bonuses on those flights.
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