2016 Freddie Awards will be April 28, 2016 in Las Vegas just before FTU Vegas!

Flightglobal has announced the Loyalty@Freddie Awards schedule and as well as the date for this year’s Freddie awards.

Conveniently, it is just before the FTU Vegas event so if you are planning on going you may want to come a day early (if you can get tickets for the award event that is).

I am looking forward to this year’s event as much as other years. Oh I am under no illusion that Delta has any kind of chance of winning anything this year and my guess is, as in years past, they would be unhappy to win anything. In fact, look at the opening keynote talk from Karen Zachary, Managing Director, SkyMiles Global Program Management, Delta Air Lines at the event before the Freddies:

Opening keynote: Revenue-based programs – a first review

Implementing a revenue-based program – what has changed for Delta?
Ensuring customer reactions are managed effectively through program changes
Reviewing internal change management issues
Lessons learned

I will not attend that event nor do I think I could hold my tongue if I did. Delta has deceived, misled and misdirected loyal flyers in every move of the changes to revenue-based awards (even hiding the award charts). They have managed to effectively get flyers to all but give up on the value of SkyMiles. As far as lessons learned? Stop trusting Delta is my advice for 2016! Look out for yourself.

I and others think 2016 will be a pivotal year for Delta and loyalty. I can promise you 16MAY16 will be a disaster for Delta. When a top elite who flies Delta each week learns they cannot bring their family into coach C+ seats for free they will cut ties and move on. Delta has made many bold moves that folks have taken again and again but this one is that “step too far”. Delta will either soften this or it will cost them. – Rene