Skift Take

American changed its AAdvantage loyalty program to a revenue-based model earlier this year and its members seem to be angrier than usual. But is the furor enough for American to act?

What to Know Now

Passengers cried bloody murder after both Delta and United changed their loyalty programs to revenue-based models, but it seems that after American’s transition the grumpiness is worse than usual.

On Flyertalk, there are 118 pages of American customers stewing over the new program, while in private groups on social media, elites are bemoaning the changes and promising to drop their loyalty to the airline. Even the diehards are losing steam.

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American isn’t doing anything above and beyond what its competitors did, but the recent merger with US Airways already has both employees and customers on edge and as many point out, unlike Delta and United, AAdvantage was one of the best things about the carrier.

If the angry mob doesn’t settle soon, American may soon have a pretty big problem with customer retention.

Social Quote of the Day

Oh weird. Turndown service tied my USB cables into decorative bundles.

@jetscott | Scott Stein, senior editor @CNET

 
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The BBC just pushed a mini documentary on the lost streets of Chicago — my home town. Check it out here.

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Can be sent to gm[at]skift[dot]com or to @grantkmartin

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Tags: american airlines, loyalty, skift business newsletter, skift business traveler

Photo credit: As the last major carrier to change its loyalty program, American could have been expected to do better than its peers. It has not. American Airlines

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