airberlin topbonus - How would you like to have the basic info on AB structured in our forum?

I'm in the process to gather the relevant information about AB, topbonus and related topics to have the one or other sticky thread in the forum for everybody to find the basics quick and easy.

So far the idea is as follows:

STICKY "AB Links" Quick Links to Routes, Seatmaps, Lounges...

STICKY "topbonus basics" with earn/burn tables, current rules, topbonus OW-integration, topbonus Etihad-Partnership and so on

STICKY "current topbonus promos"

We shouldn't have more than about 4 stickies on top of the page IMO.

Any wishes, ideas, additions? Or anybody volunteering to write up some basics for the threads...?

Yours,
Ralf
ralfkrippner, forum moderator

No ideas at the moment :( but anyone who writes it should wait until details of OW membership are out (lounges, tiers in topbonus/OW, etc.). I'd be happy to contribute, but I'm afraid my English isn't good enough (I can try though).

That looks good to me, and I would volunteer to write the sticky about topbonus, if you want. I have sort of the opposite problem of the810, however. English is my first language and I speak basically no German. So I can write up as much as is on the English site but I am always worried that maybe there is something on the German side that I am missing.

Please PM me if you want me to write a sticky.

Additional suggested info to include in "AB Links" - Niki, their iphone app, & seasonal routes.

Thanks for your hard work in moderating this new forum!

Hi!

I will also try my best to contribute to the new forum.

S.

IMHO 2 stickies would be sufficient for the moment:

All the AB & topbonus basic information including one posting with the quick links. Topics in the basic information thread should be nicely structured in various postings such that they can be split into seperate threads later on if it turns out that there is too much information in there. But I guess this will take a while...
topbonus promos.

Air Berlin Topbonus "SERVICECARD (http://www.airberlin.com/site/tb/program/cardoverview.php?cardType=service&LANG=eng)"

For people who travel regulary with AB on domestic, european or intercontinental flights the purchase of this card can be interesting. The following advantages are in addition to the perks of your Topbonus status (http://www.airberlin.com/site/tb/program/cardoverview.php?LANG=eng&cardType=tbcards-overview).



Annual fee 79 EUR
Free seat reservations for you and an adult travelling companion, as well as children (under the age of 12) travelling with you
Free Check-in the evening before departure for you and an adult travelling companion including accompanying children under the age of 12 (depending on the airport)
Discount of € 10 medium-haul/ € 15 long-haul on Exit row seats (called XL-Seats) for you and an adult travelling companion
Increased baggage allowance (http://www.airberlin.com/site/tb/program/advantages.php?LANG=eng&show=freeBaggage)
One additional item of sports baggage/ equipment up to 32 kg with prior registration free of charge (e.g. bicycle or surfboard)


Especially the higher baggage allowance can be interesting. It is much cheaper to purchase the SERVICECARD than to pay for overweight luggage. The moment you reach a status some of the advantages are redundant.

It is important to have your Servicecard always available while you are traveling to receive the advantages. When using the Hotline and the Check-in they will ask for it.

Air Berlin Topbonus "SERVICECARD (http://www.airberlin.com/site/tb/program/cardoverview.php?cardType=service&LANG=eng)"


Thanks, Monty_GER!

I will add a few thoughts for the Service Card for anyone who is thinking of getting it. I had it for all of 2011, although I did not renew for 2012.

The main benefits to me were the additional oversized bag (prior benefit, no longer in place) and the free piece of sports equipment (which is in addition to the bag benefit). I sent sports equipment twice from the US to Europe - once was a snowboard with boots, the other was a heavy sports bag stuffed with a few sport things and a lot of books. No problem either time. You must call ahead of time to reserve the sports equipment piece, and they will ask questions about the size and shape of the item.

The evening check-in is great, and something I will pay for (5 Euro) even without the Service Card.

It was also convenient to be able to choose seats ahead of time at no charge. When I booked over the phone (US call center), apparently they could not see my Service Card in their system right away and asked at first how I wished to pay. This also happened at the airport, they had to see the physical card before they allowed any of the Service Card benefits.

Note, it looks like the increased baggage allowance for long-haul US-EU in economy will go away after May 1, 2012, and Service Card holders are back to one bag. See here for more details (http://www.airberlin.com/site/tb/program/advantages.php?LANG=eng&show=freeBaggage).

Good morning.

Thanks, Monty_GER!

I will add a few thoughts for the Service Card for anyone who is thinking of getting it. I had it for all of 2011, although I did not renew for 2012.



Great! I will add it and we can integrate it later when the other topics are written.


The evening check-in is great, and something I will pay for (5 Euro) even without the Service Card.

I didn't use this service, yet. It is interesting for people living near the airport.


It was also convenient to be able to choose seats ahead of time at no charge. When I booked over the phone (US call center), apparently they could not see my Service Card in their system right away and asked at first how I wished to pay. This also happened at the airport, they had to see the physical card before they allowed any of the Service Card benefits.

This is my experience, too. Strange, because if you log in on the website you can see that you own a service card.


Note, it looks like the increased baggage allowance for long-haul US-EU in economy will go away after May 1, 2012, and Service Card holders are back to one bag. See here for more details (http://www.airberlin.com/site/tb/program/advantages.php?LANG=eng&show=freeBaggage).

Was there ever a different rule? When I had this card in 2010 I was allowed only one bag of 32kg. Two bags were only allowed for business class and travelers with a status.

S.