=20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SFGate. The original article can be found on SFGate.com here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/c/a/2008/11/13/DD9P1426OH= .DTL --------------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday, November 13, 2008 (SF Chronicle) United changes its frequent-flier program Ed Perkins United just unveiled revisions to its frequent-flier program for 2009, a= nd the industry is buzzing about Ryanair's proposal for very low-cost transatlantic air service. Both are a bit of a surprise: United's because the changes are less than I expected, and Ryanair's because the change - if it happens - would be big. Here are the details: Changes to United's basic Saver awards for travel in coach/economy, effective Jan. 1, are modest. Here are the figures for a round-trip award ticket for the three most popular destinations (award patterns to other destinations follow the same pattern): -- Continental United States and Canada: 25,000; no change. -- Hawaii: Old 35,000; new 40,000. -- Europe: Old 50,000; new 55,000. Saver awards in the next class - first-class domestic, business overseas= - are up a bit more domestically, a lot more to Europe: -- Continental United States and Canada: Old 45,000; new 50,000. -- Hawaii: Old 75,000; new 80,000. -- Europe: Old 80,000; new 105,000. United's new upgrade formula, effective July 1, shows a major shift: The addition of cash co-payments for upgrades from the cheaper coach/economy tickets. Here are figures for one-way upgrade awards to same three destinations: -- Continental United States and Canada: The mileage, 15,000, remains the same, but with a $50 co-pay. -- Hawaii: The mileage, 15,000, remains the same, but with a $250 to $500 co-pay. -- Europe: The new mileage, at 20,000, is actually lower than the current 30,000, but the co-pay is $250 to $500. The co-pay amounts depend, says United, on a combination of the route and the class of your economy ticket. But the net effect is that anyone seeking to upgrade the least-expensive economy ticket to Hawaii, Europe or other long-haul destination, will have to buy the ticket and add a co-pay of $1,000, round trip. United, incidentally, isn't the first airline to add a co-pay; Continental has had it for some time on some awards. As with frequent-flier programs generally, whether United's new award schedule will be good for travelers depends entirely on how many seats on popular routes it makes available at Saver award levels. And that's impossible to predict. United's new award system comes as a bit of a surprise. I had really expected it to follow Delta's move to a three-tier system. Given this divergence, it's anyone's guess which way American, Continental and US Airways will go when they update their programs. Ryanair, the big low-fare line based in Ireland, created quite a stir among the industry's mavens with an announcement that it planned to fly from Ireland and other big European cities to Boston, Florida (probably Orlando), Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco for rates starting at 10 euros (about $12.55) each way. That's not a misprint - it's really 10 euros. But don't pack your bags quite yet: -- Service won't start until late 2009 or early 2010. -- Only a few seats will sell for as little as 10 euros - nobody could make money doing that - the average economy fare will have to be at least 100 to 150 euros each way. -- Economy seating will be really, really cramped, and you'll pay extra for virtually everything beyond just the seat. Ryanair also said it would have a "very expensive" business class. That idea strikes me as a nonstarter: It's hard to see how Ryanair could compete with the giants in offering an opulent and expensive business class. What the market really needs is a low-priced business or premium economy option, not a me-too business class. The mavens have largely been negative, concentrating on all the reasons Ryanair couldn't make the plan work. And, to be sure, earlier low-fare attempts to crack the transatlantic market - most notably People Express, Laker and World Airways - didn't survive long. But Ryanair has a history of piling up nice profits while undercutting the dinosaur lines by a wide margin, and it could use those skills to survive and prosper in the competitive transatlantic market. Tribune Media Services ----------------------------------------------------= ------------------ Copyright 2008 SF Chronicle <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> If you wish to unsubscribe from the AIRLINE List, please send an E-mail to: "listserv@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx". Within the body of the text, only write the following:"SIGNOFF AIRLINE".