Frequent Fliers Take Back Seat When Airlines Merge

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Being that the "Is United Merging with Continental or Delta" series has stretched the entire week, I thought i would wrap it up with what really matters, the people who fly the airlines that keep them in business.

Back in 2000, Air Canada, which was and is Canada's largest airline bought out the second largest airline, Canadian Airlines. My friend who had been a member of Canadian Airlines frequent flier program for 15 years lost his seniorty, but not his miles when the merger was completed. Something to keep in mind if or when an airline merges with another.
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"I Defect

Defect might be too strong a word for what I?m doing with the Star Alliance. Moving away from its oppression might be better. Being Canadian, it?s a difficult shift.

I never joined the Star Alliance. Rather, I had its membership thrust upon me. I got a letter. It was stern and uncompromising. A new regime had taken over and I was to be grateful that my OneWorld points were to be honoured. It was cold and unwelcoming, but with the demise of Canadian Airlines, in truth, I was happy to have frequent flyer miles at all.

I knew Canadian Airlines was in trouble. But I was hopeful. I was loyal to a fault. The first flight of my life was on a bright orange CP Air 737-200, then Pacific Western swallowed CP, then Wardair and consequently Canadian Airlines was born. I flew no one else. I traveled much of the world on Canadian Airlines and their partners and was always treated with respect and gratitude.

Before the letter, a few deals had been tabled without an outright takeover by Air Canada and I hoped, until the final hour, that this would be the case. Air Canada, rather unceremoniously, swallowed Canadian and bigger problems existed; fleet merging, crew amalgamation, union cooperation, and debt restructuring all took president over the frequent flyer. Those loyal to Canadian, like myself, were largely ignored. We were sent letters informing us of the news and by July 2000, Canadian Airlines was gone. Status and airline loyalty were the biggest casualties. While my miles flown were honoured, my OneWorld status and loyalty were not. My membership enrollment date changed from 1985 to 2000 in one letter. Fifteen years of flying largely erased."

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