SAS EuroBonus - Ready to jump the sinking SAS ship? You will after this news

Well, folks, we all know that SAS Eurobonus has gone down hill since 2003 and after getting Mette Ostergaard as the new VP it has gotten even worse. Mette and her close colleagues obviously has no clue whatsoever running a LOYALTY program and choose to look at Eurobonus as an expense when the rest of the planets airline look at their loyalty program as an asset.

So we have fuel surcharges and now V class will earn 25% from November 1st.

We have tried to lobby to get W to be a 100% booking class and this is the reward.

http://www.flysas.com/en/EuroBonus/Spend-earn-EuroBonus/Airlines/SAS-Group/SAS/Chart/

Best of luck, Mette. It's time for you to step down and let someone that wants to keep customers to take over.

:td: http://rolleye.com/...block.jpg http://rolleye.com/sickgreen.jpg

Does this mean that IC connection flights in V-class will be rewarded with 25%? It also kills the last hope of any great deals for the upcoming Xmas calendar. Sas.se's V-class offers has been the only positive Economy Class offers from SAS for the past year, now we're left with deals that Norwegian/Ryanair will beat any day.

I'm glad I have secured my EBG status until Oct 2011. Now I just have to decide which programme I want to join in the meantime.

I don't really know what else to say. It just makes me feel "oppgitt" as we say in Norway. EuroBonus has so much potential, but SAS don't make use of it. What will be next? 25% for Q-class? Anyone up for paying 300 USD for a Norway-Germany return when Norwegian offers the same trip for 75?

Norwegian Boss, Bjøn Kjos, better order some new planes - fast!

This is so stupied, V-class is not cheap on SAS, from now on all my trips to Bangkok will be on any other Star member, you name them: Thai, Lufthansa, Austrian, all of them gives me better service for my money. Maybe I even change to MM or something else.
For me this will be the last nail in the coffin.

Oh now I see the change is only in Europe and have not seen a V-fare from Denmark to Europe in a long time
"100% af grundsatsen i bookingklasserne E, M, H, Q
25% af grundsatsen i bookingklasserne W, U, K, L, T"

I don't really know what else to say. It just makes me feel "oppgitt" as we say in Norway. EuroBonus has so much potential, but SAS don't make use of it. What will be next? 25% for Q-class?

I agree 100 %. EuroBonus and SAS would have so much potential. SAS is a very strong brand but with the 25 % earning on most classes and the introduction of the snowflingclass I skipped SAS and EB for some years ago. Even tough I like Kastrup I am very comfortable with changing planes in MUC and FRA instead when I usually earns 100 % even on a low economy ticket.

It also seems like SAS almost has surrender in Finland. There are now 8 daily LH flights to Germany and when KL also added a 4th flight earlier this year it seems like people more and more have stopped flying SAS via Kastrup, especially when LH, KL seems to have quite high loads.

Ex-Helsinki we allthough don't have as many options as from ex-ARN. Would we have Swiss from Helsinki, Swiss would have all my business. :)

For crying out loud. They have definitely lost it.

SAS getting worse and worse :( :td:

I will also be flying more and more with *A partners in Economy everywhere if it means I will earn more points with them at the same price level of SAS who want to punish instead of reward their own customer base. I already fly more with LH, TK, BD, etc than SK but this will make my choice of choosing them (or even DY and FR) over SK even easier.

They should re-classify EuroBonus from being a "loyalty program" to "a punishment program" - pay more or even the same as other airlines but get less points (or points that are now worth less because of fuel surcharge on award tickets)!! :mad:

Ex.DK the change in point earning for V class makes no differnce. V class ex. DK has been non-existing for years. Anyway, it only concerns European flights.

Could be worse...

I have changed to BD and LH long time ago. Have given up requalifying for EBG already

Ex.DK the change in point earning for V class makes no differnce. V class ex. DK has been non-existing for years.

Actually, the youth tickets intra-Scandinavia books into V-class and these are also available from Denmark. But if you don´t qualify for these then I agree that it does not make any difference to DK based EB members.

Personally, I don´t think it´s because SK doesn´t know these changes are devaluations and hurt the EB programme. They are just so strapped for cash that they need to reduce costs for the EB programme - the only thing that can actually save SK in the long run.

Svante

SK has lost the plot.

After all efforts to change W to 100%, this is unbelieveable.

When buying tickets ex china, I often buy V class, also V class CPH - OSL or ARN - OSL, so V class intra europe do exist.

Wonder if EB will change other programs earning as well, what about LH V class?

Actually, the youth tickets intra-Scandinavia books into V-class and these are also available from Denmark. But if you don´t qualify for these then I agree that it does not make any difference to DK based EB members.

Personally, I don´t think it´s because SK doesn´t know these changes are devaluations and hurt the EB programme. They are just so strapped for cash that they need to reduce costs for the EB programme - the only thing that can actually save SK in the long run.

Svante

Cost-cutting your way into profitable revenue growth? With SAS, I'll only believe it when I see it.

These kind of adjustments just validate my standing decision to avoid EuroBonus when I can help it.

Ex-Helsinki we allthough don't have as many options as from ex-ARN.heh heh

And here in Tampere the choices are even fewer. It's aggravating as hell but, at least for the moment, the thought of a Paunu bus from Vantaa, especially in the winter, after a long IC flight coming home is even worse than the huge disappointment that is SAS/Blue1.

I have changed to BD and LH long time ago. Have given up requalifying for EBG alreadyLikewise. This year I somehow managed to requalify as EBS completely by accident (double points promo).

cheers,

Henry

I did not requalify for EBG this year, so I'll have to change my status next week to EBS. With V-class disappearing as a viable booking class, I can forget about requalifying for EBG again.

I'm still a weekly traveller on SK domestically, but I guess I'll see little enough of the insides of an IC SK plane again (if they do exist anymore). My last international trips have been on Lufthansa in any case

Scary !

It's not a healthy sign that SAS while running constant Double Qualifying Basic Points promos to generate more EBS and EBG member, continue to reduce the fundamental value of the Eurobonus program.

As a DK based member the pratical effects of the new V class earnings are limited, but following in the heels of the attempt to raise upgrade prices and the Fuel Surcharges, this is proves that they've completely lost the plot when it comes to understanding their customers.

And at the same time EB officials give out vague promises of increased benefits for EBG's that are to come "soon".

Good thing I'm not a shareholder -oh no wait, my government is ....

LH has gone the other way: earlier W and V used to be the campaign fares, now it has been changed to W&S across the pond and W&U everywhere else. V has been 'upgraded' to a lighter/cheaper version of a rebookable Q or H. ^

I can only laugh. I gave up on SK and EB when they introduced P-class and 25% earnings for too many classes. Still, I have flown them intra-Scandinavia where there aren't many choices and gotten points from my DC. However, with the fuel surcharges on award trips that is a route lost as well. If there was any LCC Denmark-Finland I'd be happy to fly it.

Cost-cutting your way into profitable revenue growth? With SAS, I'll only believe it when I see it.

These kind of adjustments just validate my standing decision to avoid EuroBonus when I can help it.

Yep, the numbers don't lie:

SAS looses 20% of their customers last quarter, Norwegian wins 15% new customers.

FFP also EARNs money for airlines, often more than from their actual business. Delta just received another billion USD from Amex for their points deal, the deal is worth 1 billion a year for Delta. Don't see any downside for SAS at all: They have a 70% load factor, so 30% of their seats go out empty. They charge ridiculous fuel charges on award tickets, often award tickets are more expensive than revenue tickets.

Cost-cutting your way into profitable revenue growth? With SAS, I'll only believe it when I see it.

These kind of adjustments just validate my standing decision to avoid EuroBonus when I can help it.

I actually ment that SK is so strapped for funds that they are forced to make these cost cutting devaluations to the EB programme even though they know it hurts SK in the long run - the long run just doesn't matter if you do not survive the short run.

In my oppinion a strong EB programme is the only thing that can save SK against competition from LCCs.

Svante

Once again SAS management prove they have absolutely NO touch with the real world and their customers.

Glad I'm not personally owning any shares.

Maybe if SAS stopped being *reactive* - spending millions of pennies on the ridiculous "Please believe us - we really are cheaper than LCCs" campaigns or constantly cutting down on services - and started being *proactive* and treating their customers as #1 asset, things would have a different outlook.

If I wasn't EBG I would try avoid flying SAS at all times...!

I actually ment that SK is so strapped for funds that they are forced to make these cost cutting devaluations to the EB programme even though they know it hurts SK in the long run - the long run just doesn't matter if you do not survive the short run.

In my oppinion a strong EB programme is the only thing that can save SK against competition from LCCs.

Svante

Yes, but they don't seem to be helping themselves in the short-run either with these moves. :eek:

Scary !

It's not a healthy sign that SAS while running constant Double Qualifying Basic Points promos to generate more EBS and EBG member, continue to reduce the fundamental value of the Eurobonus program.

As a DK based member the pratical effects of the new V class earnings are limited, but following in the heels of the attempt to raise upgrade prices and the Fuel Surcharges, this is proves that they've completely lost the plot when it comes to understanding their customers.

And at the same time EB officials give out vague promises of increased benefits for EBG's that are to come "soon".

Good thing I'm not a shareholder -oh no wait, my government is ....

This is clown management at work, which is working at cross-purposes so that A counters B and B counters A. The result is that we have: a circus with no real winners from this; and just more waste and wasted opportunity.

First of all, I think I have managed to get a V or Q ticket in europe once in the last 2 years. That was OSL-MXP paying 5000 NOK, that gave me 100% one of the directions, go figure, to get 100% earnings both ways I probably would have to hit 7000 NOK R/T. So I see it as a lost cause anyway.

Only way to remain EBG is a couple if Long Haul *A in C per year, then you requalify easy. If not, you would have to live in a SK 737 earning 25%

I almost always get more miles on *A long haul in Economy.

Biggest pity with SK these days is that they dont fly anywhere, and if they do it´s via CPH. I think they are drastically pulling back from OSL exept for the air-bridge to CPH and big domestic routes

Just stepped off TG in BKK Direct from OSL, and I must say it was a pleasure to see Oslo disappear behind the clouds from my C seat on an IC widebody for once (A340-600). Flight was packed to the hilt so they must be doing something right. Hardly any destinations, bad earnings is not good for SK. i have started to fly US and CO to the US because they always give me 100% earnings in Economy. 757 Blows but the miles and Non stop makes up for it. Sk should have had a bus from OSL to BKK and EWR years ago, Now it´s to late:( It´s a pity because I actually really like to fly SAS

Of course I don't like this and think SAS are moving the entirely wrong way (again) with EuroBonus.

However, V fares are seldom published and used for campaigns, youth tickets and senior tickets with low fares but high availability. As for this the loss could be worse. The annoying part will obviously be connecting to longhaul in V where the connecting segment most likely will be earning 25% only.

I think SAS should move the above mentioned fares to U or T or whatever and let V be what it is and even use it for published fares earning 100%. The greatest loss for me will be that the only (?) MR opportunity with SAS is now lost. :(

When browsing through sales info today I, however, saw something more scary. Quite a few airlines have updated their earning tables and now even more fare classes are excluded from earning EB points. As I don't recall the exact situation before it is hard to tell exactly what this mean, but for example AC sells several fares that does not earn a single point on EB.

I think this is a result of *A growing bigger and bigger causing more and more points to be earned which adds up as liabilities for the airlines (in the bean counters eyes).

More and more exceptions are applied concerning code shares etc. and no one can figure out how much you earn on a single ticket.

In my opinion it is time that *A gets a grip on this and prove that the alliance is about quality not just about quantity.

In my opinion it is time that *A gets a grip on this and prove that the alliance is about quality not just about quantity.Unfortunately, the alliance has never been about quality, in the sense that you mean. It is primarily a trade group by and for the member carriers, who just happen to be in a business that involves passengers. There are dozens of ways that *A as an umbrella organisation could make things better for pax -- first example: insisting / enforcing that members follow all alliance rules! -- but the track record shows that they are not interested in that. *A exists above all else to promote marketing of the members' product.

cheers,

Henry

I guess i you fly a lot within Scandinavia you might need SAS but i gave it up already 2-3 years ago and switched to KLM /Air France. Even if they are giving less miles for low eco fares you still reach a higher level thanks to the number of flight segments, thus being gold with Flying Blue if you live in Scandinavia is far more easier than with EB. Secondly i find service much better both in Europe, and on the trips to Africa/Asia/South America, you´re pretty much stuck with LH and i prefer AF much more, especially in C-class

Well, folks, we all know that SAS Eurobonus has gone down hill since 2003 and after getting Mette Ostergaard as the new VP it has gotten even worse. Mette and her close colleagues obviously has no clue whatsoever running a LOYALTY program and choose to look at Eurobonus as an expense when the rest of the planets airline look at their loyalty program as an asset.

So we have fuel surcharges and now V class will earn 25% from November 1st.

We have tried to lobby to get W to be a 100% booking class and this is the reward.

http://www.flysas.com/en/EuroBonus/Spend-earn-EuroBonus/Airlines/SAS-Group/SAS/Chart/

Best of luck, Mette. It's time for you to step down and let someone that wants to keep customers to take over.

...

Hmmm... Maybe Mette should change places with the laid off manager from the Chicago station Kyle, he was able to figure out that .. oh maybe, just maybe you should see if it was possible to accommodate a fair request from a frequent flyer... hmm, not the same kind of logic that seem to stick with the upper mgmt. team there these days...:p

As V is not used for intra european tickets this is not much of an issue. Guess they wanted to continue to use V for youth tickets and campaigns and that it should be concidered low economy for that reason.
For connecting fares it is a different story and I guess some nego fares are V.
Some might want to jump ship, but this is not the reason IMHO.

AFAIK there are no published, regular V-fares within Europe. However, they do show up as campaign offers, youth tickets and nego fares as others have mentioned. Furthermore, you might be booked in V-class when you are interlining to another carrier.

SAS do publish a lot of intercontinental fares in V-class though. For example CPH-PEK in V-class (VHDKECO) has a base fare of €864 + fuel surcharge of about €230 + government taxes. But apparently SK doesn't consider €1094 in their pocket enough to give 100% (granted cost per mile is not that high). [removed as V will still earn 100% intercontinental]

The past 12 months, V-fares have been used as:
- Youth tickets within Scandinavia
- Connecting flights for IC-flights booked in V-class
- Certain campaign tickets from SAS Sweden (Christmas calendar, National Day-campaign, "end of season" one-way offers, and also certain group and senior citizen offers.

IMO, the worst part of the change is that it affects V-class tickets which include intra-scandinavian connections. All Norwegians who want to fly IC with SAS, have to connect through Sweden or Denmark. If they want full earnings on Economy tickets from Nov 1st, they'll have to book Q-fares. They will typically be between 2-4000 kr (350-700 USD) more than the V-class tickets on i.e. LH to the same destinations.

Also, the Christmas calendar is now officially a waste of time. All though the Norwegian and Danish version was a joke last year too, Sweden rose to the occation and offered V-class earnings. Previously, it used to be a great deal in all countries in regards to price and mileage earnings, but now it's just like any other LCC-offer - except LCC will offer cheaper fares.

I'm already looking forward to Norwegian's New Year's sale ;)

I always pay the prem to fly V so that I get 100% miles (EWR-CPH), with this news I will fly Continental or Delta (new route JFK-CPH) starting next year.

25% Miles is a joke :confused:

SAS... this class is being used by your most loyal customers!!! All non-loyal aka leisure fliers don't even know the fare codes, nor do they care about EB.

Once again this is a direct hit to your most loyal customers. :td: :td: :td:

No thanks!!! :mad:

This must be a joke!!!!
Im flying V class CPH-ARN-CPH around 4-6 times a month with SAS. Im booking the youth class since im only 21 and a BBG member. But this will end now. The youth price is cheap but never the less I can always find it cheaper but prefered to book the sas ticket since I got 100% points. So this it over now, well so is my CPH-ARN flights with sas. what a shame. But SAS, what did you expect after this???

Im sad on your behalf. Hope you will see your mixtakes before its toolate...

I always pay the prem to fly V so that I get 100% miles (EWR-CPH), with this news I will fly Continental or Delta (new route JFK-CPH) starting next year.



You will still get 100% on intercontinental flight in V. It's just the European one that will give 25%

You will still get 100% on intercontinental flight in V. It's just the European one that will give 25%

Phew... and thanks for the info

No denial, this is a set back. But to be honest I can not see the big deal. It is "only" European flights - and from Denmark it is practically only Youth tickets for tickets that is issued in V class.

I know quite a few of the Christmas and other offers ex ARN has been V, and onwards this is of course a devaluation in point earning. But to be honest given the 25% rule, we would expect that these offers also would fall in the 25% bucket.

I see the lack of status recognition, the "fuel" surcharges on award tickets, and the long term viability of EB to name just a few, as far bigger reasons to jump ship - which I have already done, down to EBS this year - and likely EBB next year.

I for one have voiced my negative opinion regarding this change through the "Comments" section at the SAS website, if enough of us do it might be hearde, although I do not think we'll have the same impact as tommy777's petition earlier this year...

Thisw year's promotions and Christmas Calendar will apparently book in O-class.....:mad:

Great timing..my next v-flight is 1 Nov..what the heck!

I agree to some part that V-klass 25% is not more than fair if you see to the price but the problem is that EB and SK never delivers any news to be happy about...fuel charges, 25% earnings on to many tickets and so on...a couple of years ago there where some great news, now only bad news all the time.

And with the fuelcharge domestic redemption is now a joke..Ill rather book a flight and pay for it...differs like 200:- sek for me on a roundtrip with another airline on my hometown-route...and I dont even have to give away 12000 points. Fuelcharge is like 520:- on my route and the other airline has oneway-tickets for 308:-

Really..it is getting bad..if there were no hotel-redemptions possible for EBB i would seek other options and lose my CA/EB-card..

I don't understand why they just dont change the youth, senior and other offers in V into U, T or whatever.
In Europe they could then keep V for connecting IC flights.
I have a feeling there is a fight between Norway, Denmark and Sweeden (always given great deals in V) and the Eurobonus part of SAS.

please dl. double post

I don't understand why they just dont change the youth, senior and other offers in V into U, T or whatever.
In Europe they could then keep V for connecting IC flights.
I have a feeling there is a fight between Norway, Denmark and Sweeden (always given great deals in V) and the Eurobonus part of SAS.

Could that and the other negative changes be related to SK's organizational structure and how unit/subunit profit centers or cost centers are designated and PNLs set up? It could be that EB/marketing management aren't organizationally savvy enough to have the finance/revenue-related department(s) "pay" them adequately for the business that comes in.

But Eurobonus remains the ft programme within Star Aliance with the easiest to reach Gold Level. With two long-haul roundtrips in C you can qualify for gold. At Miles&More you need at least 100000 miles (130000 if you are living in Germany). So even if you are not satisfied with the sas product (unfortunatley I cannot avoid SK and OV) it still make sense to use Eurobonus since Star Aliance offers by far the best network and plenty of airlines to chose...

But Eurobonus remains the ft programme within Star Aliance with the easiest to reach Gold Level. With two long-haul roundtrips in C you can qualify for gold. At Miles&More you need at least 100000 miles (130000 if you are living in Germany). So even if you are not satisfied with the sas product (unfortunatley I cannot avoid SK and OV) it still make sense to use Eurobonus since Star Aliance offers by far the best network and plenty of airlines to chose...

I thought AC was the easiest by far, or try BD's status match policy?

I thought AC was the easiest by far, or try BD's status match policy?

TK and Asiana is also easy. Or UA which gives 100% points on most cheap booking classes, not on SK but on LH, TK, UA, TG ...

BD will not match SK status.

I wonder how they will do it for their overseas sales offices/websites. On the HK site you can find prices and EB earning for trips to Europe. They will have to change that, to not include V class in the 100%. This will make it more difficult to sell trips, as 100% earning the whole way will get more expensive.
I assume the HK and China offices don't know about the change yet.
Was this what they intended with the V class change, to higher 100% earning prices from overseas?

I wonder how they will do it for their overseas sales offices/websites. On the HK site you can find prices and EB earning for trips to Europe. They will have to change that, to not include V class in the 100%. This will make it more difficult to sell trips, as 100% earning the whole way will get more expensive.
I assume the HK and China offices don't know about the change yet.
Was this what they intended with the V class change, to higher 100% earning prices from overseas?

As mentioned aboput 3 times so far in this thread. Intercontinental trips with SAS in V still earns 100%. It's just the intra-european that will give 25%

Yes, but they still can't sell tickets which they claim earn 100% when only one leg earns 100%. So my point is this makes it more difficult for those sales offices.

From now and on, I suggest we call the FFP to EuroBogus.:mad:

From now and on, I suggest we call the FFP to EuroBogus.:mad:



That is simply hilarious! :p

TK and Asiana is also easy. Or UA which gives 100% points on most cheap booking classes, not on SK but on LH, TK, UA, TG ...

BD will not match SK status.

The problem is no SK metal to Baltic States. For travellers originating from TLL, EuroBogus is the only choise of *A programmes, as they are the only one who crediting miles and +25% bonus on OV operated flights.
The only *A carrier serving TLL at the moment is LH with just one daily flight. Compare that to 3x daily CPH and 3x daily ARN on OV and you understand why we have to stick to EB even we hate it.

It is good bye for sure... my honeymoon took the EB balance down to 4K points, and I have no status points this year (May-Apr).

On the good side, I am well on track to have M&M SEN extended through 2012.
Flying from SZG/MUC EB simply made no sense anymore; flying LH I have to be flying 500+ EUR tickets before I see 100% earning. Makes it much easier to reach M&M SEN than EBG...