dba/Air Berlin - Strategy for Frequent Flyers
 

While it is to early for speculation, I´m very sure that Air Berlin and dba need to create a frequent flyer programm that will have to be competitive to Miles & More. Air Berlin already has a very nice and popular program (Top Bonus) in place while dba, despite planning it for some time now, has nothing. It might be a good idea to get Status (Silver or Gold) on Air Berlin very soon, especially since it is possible to get even gold without ever flying.

IIRC, I think I get Gold automatically as a journalist, so the perks can't be that amazing.

Perks are not that bad:
- special hotline for Gold Member
- more luggage allowance
- rebooking without fee
- more miles
- award availibilty up to the last seat
- no taxes and surcharges for award ticket (which can save quite some money nowadays)
- awards can be booked up until the last minute
- perks from partners like free gold status from Radisson SAS hotels
....

I thought that it is not only for golds but for all members?

Since journalists get a 50% discount on all fares, they cannot accrue miles. At least that's what my Berlin associate just told me. So no awards. Then again, 50% off is award enough, methinks. :)

Hi guys,

I do have a press-card with AirBerlin and it has just been great all the time.
You can reserve seats, bring more luggage, cue in preferred lines etc.

I do not need to earn air miles if the service is that great.

You pay 50% less during shoulder season and you still get 25% off during holidays.

Happy Landings.

Considering that the length of the qeues of Air Berlin check in positions can easily be compared to Southwest, the perk to use the priority check in positions is well worth it...

The concept of AB is pretty amazing:

Free catering
Fixed miles for all public fares
Low redemption thresholds
One way awards
All seats available for rewards
NO TAXES OR FEES for award travel (not to speak of those dreadful fuel charges LH charges for instance)
Silver status for just 50€
etc etc

How is it possible the legacy airlines don't do anything to improve?

I don't even worry about any status with them for the reasons:
- I have always use the Preferred Check In (Doing mostly early morning fligts to Stansted in a Suit since it is business and have NEVER had an issue in DUS!) :D
- Free drink and snack on board
- Free newspaper and Magazines (Bunte, Focus, etc) which I only get in C-Class on LH
- Always had an emergency exit seat or bulkhead row!
- WONDERFUL Check In Staff and Cabin crew
- Prices around € 100,- for same day return flight DUS-STN - LH in Eco is around 600,-!!!!

So basically I love AirBerlin on that route (which is my most often used route with them) and think I am being treated better then with LH!!

However, never tried other routes but can amagine the Tourist-Routes might be very different!

A year ago I got a voucher for 1 year free Air Berlin Silver Card. Used it and loving it! So I'm thinking about paying the 50 Euro to keep my "status". How do I get the Gold Card without flying?

The check in staff is outsourced to handling agents.Ironically I thought that Air Berlin is relatively expensive on the route from DUS to London and used it as an example a couple of times already. Fuel surcharge is € 18 one way on Air Berlin and the LH base fare is also close to nada, so if you book months in advance you can get there really cheap on both carriers, probably € 20-30 more expensive on LH.

Agree a 100 % though, that Air Berlin beats LH easily from an inflight service perspective, I guess the Wolf saw it the same way and added the Mini Twix as his ultimate weapon...

I asked myself the same thing and only found this:
http://www.airberlin.com/site/topbon...type=gold&RMT=

Thats what I thought too, and it seems as if the only difference between Silver and Gold ist the Gold Hotline and the 25% mileage bonus.

A combined AB/DBA might introduce airline lounge access for Golds.

Actually, the new carrier looks very interesting for me as a journalist flying ex MUC. I might switch over some of my domestic travel (which doesn't generate any M&M miles, anyway, forget about the 125 miles per segment).

Since this isnt about LH Miles & More, I'll move it to Other European FFPs

Kiwi Flyer
LH moderator