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AZ to end AF/KL partnership from january 2017

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Old Jan 17, 2017, 11:43 pm
  #136  
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Summary of both AF and KL services published this morning on AirlineRoutes
http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/...om-march-2017/
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Old Jan 18, 2017, 1:34 am
  #137  
 
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AF will also increase its services to and from FCO - up to 7 daily flights commencing S17.

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Old Jan 18, 2017, 2:35 am
  #138  
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Originally Posted by brunos
Mods, I think that it would be a great idea to merge the two threads into this one.
I disagree.

While the move from LIN to MXP is caused by the breakdown in relations, and the topics are therefore linked, there is enough material to be discussed regarding the Milan aiport moves in its own thread, rather than having it lost in the wider "what the hell is up with AZ?" type discussion this thread can host...
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Old Jan 18, 2017, 2:50 am
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Originally Posted by irishguy28
I disagree.

While the move from LIN to MXP is caused by the breakdown in relations, and the topics are therefore linked, there is enough material to be discussed regarding the Milan aiport moves in its own thread, rather than having it lost in the wider "what the hell is up with AZ?" type discussion this thread can host...
Agreed, mostly because it is likely that the AF-KL-AZ partnership discussion will also host updates on the north Atlantic JV (still in place) and other arrangements, such as code-share agreements etc.

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Old Jan 19, 2017, 8:03 am
  #140  
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So the MIL airport changes got moved in here?

Originally Posted by RoutesOnline

Air France – KLM yesterday (17JAN17) yesterday announced planned service resumption at Milan Malpensa, scheduled to begin on 26MAR17. From the same date both carriers will reduce their operations at Milan Linate.

Planned adjustment as follow.

Amsterdam – Milan 3 of 4 daily Linate service moves to Malpensa (MXP). KLM last served Malpensa in Feb 2012
KL1619 AMS0825 – 1005LIN 73W D
KL1629 AMS1025 – 1205MXP EQV D
KL1633 AMS1700 – 1840MXP 73H D
KL1637 AMS2100 – 2240MXP 73W D

KL1628 MXP0645 – 0840AMS 73W D
KL1620 LIN1050 – 1245AMS 73W D
KL1630 MXP1255 – 1445AMS EQV D
KL1634 MXP1940 – 2130AMS 73H D

Paris CDG – Milan Linate service reduces from 6 to 2 daily, while Malpensa receives up to 5 daily flights. AF last served CDG – Malpensa in Oct 2011
AF1212 CDG0720 – 0850LIN 318 D
AF1830 CDG0900 – 1025MXP 318 D
AF1330 CDG0955 – 1120MXP 318 x67
AF1230 CDG1330 – 1500MXP EQV D
AF1730 CDG1515 – 1640MXP EQV D
AF1312 CDG1820 – 1945LIN 318 D
AF1630 CDG2025 – 2150MXP 318 D

AF1631 MXP0740 – 0910CDG 318 D
AF1213 LIN0955 – 1125CDG 318 D
AF1831 MXP1115 – 1245CDG 318 D
AF1331 MXP1210 – 1340CDG 318 x67
AF1231 MXP1550 – 1720CDG EQV D
AF1731 MXP1730 – 1900CDG EQV D
AF1313 LIN2040 – 2210CDG 318 D
Seems kind of strange to keep the 1/2 daily KL/AF flights at LIN...

Last edited by irishguy28; Jan 19, 2017 at 8:11 am
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Old Jan 19, 2017, 8:21 am
  #141  
 
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A little OT question. I suppose KLM will still handle AZ flights at AMS. Has anyone tried to use benefits when flying AZ with elite status from one of the Etihad Airways partners? E.g. will they let you enter the SkyPriority check-in area by showing an Air Berlin Silver card.
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Old Jan 19, 2017, 8:25 am
  #142  
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No. Skypriority is a Skyteam concept. At AMS, KL is only obliged to observe the "Skyteam" side of their partner's priorities. Airberlin or Etihad or Jet Airways or ANY other priority that would be observed by Alitalia - where Alitalia is running the show - cannot be forced onto a Skyteam handling partner in a Skyteam outstation.

At FCO/MIL or anywhere else where there is an Alitalia, Air Berlin, Etihad (etc) "ethos", this will work - but not in Fortress Skyteam (AMS)!!!! (Similarly, Skypriority via Flying Blue, Delta, etc, would be meaningless on an Alitalia ticket in Abu Dhabi, Delhi, etc etc..)

I'm not sure that it is a valid assumption that KL will still handle AZ. Not sure if KL does check-in for EY at AMS anymore, but EY decamped from the Crown Lounge to join Jet Airways over in the other lounge - so I am guessing that the other Etihad Airways partners have their own deal going on with some other ground handling partner. If it makes financial sense, I am pretty sure that AZ would decamp and join their other partners there. Given Skyteam rules you would stil probably have to be allowed into the Crown Lounge, but with AZ drifting away from Skyteam or AFKL, I would not assume that they won't seek a better check-in/ground-handling deal at AMS, especially with the combined "might" of 9W/EY to strengthen their negotiating power. Of course, EY/9W are in the non-Schengen part of the airport while AZ is in the Schengen part - but the lounge operators have a lounge in each side, and the ground handlers don't care which side of the airport the pax are in, so that shouldn't be a problem as regards AZ drifting over to EY/9W....

Last edited by irishguy28; Jan 19, 2017 at 8:32 am
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Old Jan 19, 2017, 8:35 am
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Originally Posted by irishguy28
No. Skypriority is a Skyteam concept. At AMS, KL is only obliged to observe the "Skyteam" side of their partner's priorities. Airberlin or Etihad or Jet Airways or ANY other priority that would be observed by Alitalia - where Alitalia is running the show - cannot be forced onto a Skyteam handling partner in a Skyteam outstation.

At FCO/MIL or anywhere else where there is an Alitalia, Air Berlin, Etihad (etc) "ethos", this will work - but not in Fortress Skyteam (AMS)!!!! (Similarly, Skypriority via Flying Blue, Delta, etc, would be meaningless on an Alitalia ticket in Abu Dhabi, Delhi, etc etc..)
However they should grant a extra/free bag based on EAP status, right? I am hesistant to assume KL's groundstaf is familiar with these benefits.
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Old Jan 19, 2017, 8:56 am
  #144  
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Originally Posted by KLflyerRalph
However they should grant a extra/free bag based on EAP status, right? I am hesistant to assume KL's groundstaf is familiar with these benefits.
They should, but given the problems I've encountered having KL assign seats or acknowledge baggage allowances when it's a "simple" full-Skyteam ticket, then I shudder to think what they would make of an EAP status on an AZ ticket...

On my last AZ ticket, I should have tried obtaining free luggage on the strength of my Eithad Gold card, for a laugh, keeping my AZ FA card in my back pocket if it proved an insurmountable task for KL...

Maybe someone else with EAP status will be along to tell us, but I don't think there will be many people posting here that have EAP status and fly AZ regularly from AMS...

Maybe it would be better if AZ get a different check-in/ground handling agent at AMS!!!
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Old Jan 19, 2017, 10:01 am
  #145  
 
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Originally Posted by irishguy28
They should, but given the problems I've encountered having KL assign seats or acknowledge baggage allowances when it's a "simple" full-Skyteam ticket, then I shudder to think what they would make of an EAP status on an AZ ticket...

On my last AZ ticket, I should have tried obtaining free luggage on the strength of my Eithad Gold card, for a laugh, keeping my AZ FA card in my back pocket if it proved an insurmountable task for KL...

Maybe someone else with EAP status will be along to tell us, but I don't think there will be many people posting here that have EAP status and fly AZ regularly from AMS...

Maybe it would be better if AZ get a different check-in/ground handling agent at AMS!!!
I am considering flying AZ from AMS next week so I might bother them with EY Gold, AB Silver and finally AZ Gold.
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Old Jan 19, 2017, 10:14 am
  #146  
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Hi,

EY is now handled by a 3rd party @ AMS. And indeed if you don't have a 074 ticket stock you cannot use the Crown Lounge (I tried it but got rejected). It uses the Aspire lounge (not as good as the KLM lounge in my opinion).

As for KL-AZ, from my experience, even before this break in relationship, KL had very little control over AZ ticket stock. I tried before this months ago to try and change a changeable ticket, but the poor KL agent (very helpful) could not get things to work out. In the end I still had to call AZ. I believe that KL only has full control if it is on a flight operating on that day - e.g. if the flight is cancelled or overbook etc..but still I have noticed that there is always an AZ rep present on the codeshare flights at the gate.

These are at least my experiences between these two..(I think AF has a more closer relationship vs KL).

Cheers!
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Old Jan 19, 2017, 10:20 am
  #147  
 
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Originally Posted by nldogbert
I tried before this months ago to try and change a changeable ticket, but the poor KL agent (very helpful) could not get things to work out. In the end I still had to call AZ.
Where did you try to make the change? from my experience, the KL ticket desk in AMS has no issues changing AZ tickets, I did it twice, once for a fully-flex ticket and once for a semi-flex ticket, in both cases it was a breeze.
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Old Jan 19, 2017, 2:44 pm
  #148  
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Originally Posted by KLflyerRalph
I am considering flying AZ from AMS next week so I might bother them with EY Gold, AB Silver and finally AZ Gold.
Please - do just that!!!
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Old Jan 20, 2017, 12:08 am
  #149  
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Originally Posted by Ditto
Where did you try to make the change? from my experience, the KL ticket desk in AMS has no issues changing AZ tickets, I did it twice, once for a fully-flex ticket and once for a semi-flex ticket, in both cases it was a breeze.
At the ticket counter itself... The agent managed to find the spaces available, but she was not able to reissue the ticket originally issued in the 055 stock...I remembered since I was already there for close to half an hour she trying, she told me the best was myself to call AZ to get it changed as she could not re-issue it. (I called AZ couple of days later and this was done with no issue). This lead me to believe that KL does not have power over these things when issued on 055 stock.
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Old Jan 20, 2017, 1:01 am
  #150  
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AZ moved to Sabre late last year and their systems are still behaving erratically.

It is no surprise that the partners face new issues when trying to interface with AZ's faulty systems
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