M+B Zero Miles for Lufthansa "Business Basic" fares?
Jul 19, 2016, 2:21 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2007
Programs: A3*G
Posts: 147
M+B Zero Miles for Lufthansa "Business Basic" fares?
I don't really understand the logic for M+B to give zero miles for Lufthansa "Business Basic" fares (discounted Business, LH "P" booking class).
Yes, I get that it is a discounted fare, but it earns ZERO even though it costs much more than LH economy and even discounted economy fares that do earn M+B.
Is this an Aegean marketing decision, or a Lufthansa marketing decision?
Yes, I get that it is a discounted fare, but it earns ZERO even though it costs much more than LH economy and even discounted economy fares that do earn M+B.
Is this an Aegean marketing decision, or a Lufthansa marketing decision?
Jul 19, 2016, 2:26 pm
#2
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: YYZ, HKG, MFM
Programs: AC35K, AS MVP, WS Gold, ITA EP, Marriott Plat, Hyatt-Explorist, IHG Diamond
Posts: 2,019
I don't really understand the logic for M+B to give zero miles for Lufthansa "Business Basic" fares (discounted Business, LH "P" booking class).
Yes, I get that it is a discounted fare, but it earns ZERO even though it costs much more than LH economy and even discounted economy fares that do earn M+B.
Is this an Aegean marketing decision, or a Lufthansa marketing decision?
Yes, I get that it is a discounted fare, but it earns ZERO even though it costs much more than LH economy and even discounted economy fares that do earn M+B.
Is this an Aegean marketing decision, or a Lufthansa marketing decision?
Jul 19, 2016, 4:23 pm
#6
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Munich, Algarve, Sussex or S.F Bay Area
Programs: Mucci, BA Gold, A3*Gold, AA Plat, HH Gold, IHG Plat Amb, Marriott Plat
Posts: 4,163
Lufthansa has had a number of world firsts. None of the recent ones have been positive. If I must fly them, then Economy exit row instead of business P. If they gave M+B it would be different.
Jul 19, 2016, 4:29 pm
#7
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: MAN,TLV
Programs: Silver:BA,VX,AB, QF. Gold:A3,RJ,AZ,GF, EY,SPG,Marriott,Choice, Carlson. Dia/Plat:HH,IHG,BW,Accor
Posts: 1,965
Giving miles for taking a flight is part of the airline's way to get you to fly with them. However when the airline is selling you a cheap economy or business fare they understand that you will buy the ticket even with no miles offered due to the low fare for the class of service offered, either cheap economy because it's just cheap, or business, because you get a cheap flat bed or a cheap business class in general. So no enticement is needed.
Jul 20, 2016, 2:59 pm
#9
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Cyprus
Programs: LH SEN, A3*G, TK*G E+, ALL/Accor Plat
Posts: 644
The most common use of P class by Lufthansa is in paid business upgrades of low fare bucket economy tickets. What is pure dumb is that S and W class are included among the fares that upgrade into P (as opposed to Z). These fares normally earn 500 miles on intra-European flights, but Aegean M&B cardholders get nothing when they pay to be upgraded.
Jul 20, 2016, 4:02 pm
#10
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Seat 1L these days :)
Programs: AF Platinum/AY LUMO/SK EBG/baEC S/HYATT Globalist/MR LTP/A3 *G/HH Dia/IHG plat
Posts: 7,957
Giving miles for taking a flight is part of the airline's way to get you to fly with them. However when the airline is selling you a cheap economy or business fare they understand that you will buy the ticket even with no miles offered due to the low fare for the class of service offered, either cheap economy because it's just cheap, or business, because you get a cheap flat bed or a cheap business class in general. So no enticement is needed.
its not that cheap and I for one stopped flying LH completely due to these types of fares I just choose similar priced flights with better airlines that give points
that entice me 
Granted some will play LH's games but some will not...
No different then AAs decision to move QRs discount Js to only 100% earning...
But this is one of the reasons star alliance lost most of my business 3 years ago, just too many non earning fares out there. I dont expect full earnings on discount fares but zero just doesnt work for me!
Jul 22, 2016, 4:27 am
#13
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 257
This is a very effective way to weaken more competetive frequent flyer programs like M&B or TK M&S. LH is simply not paying these other programs for these booking classes (there is a whole list in Economy too btw: K, L, T, etc). That way frequent travellers that are budget minded and not wasting their employer's money on expensive tickets have only one way to use Miles&More to credit miles and segments - and that in return kills the competing programs over time. Very clever to protect a market dominant position.
Jul 22, 2016, 6:27 am
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2014
Programs: Top Tier with all 3 alliances
Posts: 11,668
This is a very effective way to weaken more competetive frequent flyer programs like M&B or TK M&S. LH is simply not paying these other programs for these booking classes (there is a whole list in Economy too btw: K, L, T, etc). That way frequent travellers that are budget minded and not wasting their employer's money on expensive tickets have only one way to use Miles&More to credit miles and segments - and that in return kills the competing programs over time. Very clever to protect a market dominant position.