It comes as no surprise that the airline business is a competitive one and that carriers are aggressive about pursuing reliable customers.
When one of them stumbles, the others waste no time attempting to take advantage however possible.
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Delta Air Lines (DAL) -) encountered some customer turbulence in September when it announced changes to its SkyMiles loyalty program.
One of the unpopular changes it announced was reduced access to its SkyClub airport lounges. This included the removal of lounge privileges as a reward for using the SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card.
This was followed by an immediate backlash reported in the news and on social media.
The objections were strong enough that Delta CEO Ed Bastian told the Rotary Club of Atlanta on Sept. 25 that "modifications and changes" were coming to the new policies.
Alaska Airlines (ALK) -) had already moved in by offering SkyMiles customers a status match one level higher than their current status.
"We've always believed that loyalty is about more than just revenue and that earning elite status shouldn’t require a second mortgage," said Brett Catlin, Alaska Airlines' vice president of loyalty, according to a press release. "We've designed Mileage Plan to reward loyalty in its many forms which is why we offer guests the fastest track to elite status with no spend requirements."
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JetBlue is now making phone calls to SkyMiles members
Then JetBlue (JBLU) -) began offering its benefits to Delta elites, which included business class upgrades.
But JetBlue took its aggressive pursuit of Delta's customers to another level. It began calling those who received status matches on the phone.
A post by X (formerly Twitter) user @PointsToPointB expressed surprise at receiving one of the calls.
"Wow, Delta status match to JetBlue came with a phone call from a Mosaic agent welcoming me to the status and asking if I had any questions. B6 is serious about poaching customers!" the user wrote.
The use of "B6" refers to JetBlue's airline code.
Wow, Delta status match to JetBlue came with a phone call from a Mosaic agent welcoming me to the status and asking if I had any questions. B6 is serious about poaching customers!
— Amol (@PointsToPointB) October 5, 2023
Another X user, Richard Kerr, posted a transcript of a voicemail from JetBlue customer support congratulating him on a status match.
"Wow. Now that's impressive," he wrote.
Wow. Now that’s impressive @JetBlue pic.twitter.com/qfzmrrYpdK
— Richard Kerr (@KerrPoints) October 5, 2023
The value of a status match campaign
Gary Leff, writing for View From the Wing, discussed why these status match efforts are effective.
"This not only provides information to the customer, it makes them feel welcome and valued. And it does this at a time the customer has at least considered shifting their loyalty, precisely because Delta made them feel unwelcome and unvalued," he wrote.
"A status match campaign that only offers a match, and processes the match is ... ok. But it's also a wasted opportunity," Leff continued. "The match needs to be as fast and seamless as possible, and then needs to follow up with the customer to help them understand and use their benefits and see why their choice to shift their business is a good one for them."
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