Brussels traveller

Just got my new Platinum renewal pack for 2018. No gift. Just the usual nice box with letter, card and luggage tags but no gift. More cost-cutting?

I remember a time when you got to choose a gift even for Gold.

Flame3601

I am still waiting for my platinum pack , sent EK a email and said even thou I requested it on the 11/02 it only got officially sent a week ago in the mail. Now have to wait 6+/- weeks for it arrive , that is if it isn't stolen in the South African mail system .

m3red

I mentioned this a while ago....no gift.

skywardhunter

I'm in the same boat, requested around the same time (Gold though, not Plat ) and still not received, also to South Africa (must say SAPO has become a little more reliable recently though)

ioto1902

So, they are cutting 90 USD x 2000 members = 180 K USD (+ shipping ), for a turnover of 35-40K USD per member.
That's less than 0,3% on Platinum member turnover. Much less on total EK turnover.

On the other hand, they probably expect that no Platinum member will quit because there is no gift.

Anyway, what's the meaning of sending lousy plastic cards, while pax can print them at home ??

skywardhunter

I seriously doubt there are only 2k Plats these days

m3red

There's at least 5k probably more.

ioto1902

No problem, you know better than me.
In percentage, it doesn't change.

Anyway, if EK is reduced to cut 90USD from high revenue pax ... that's not a good news.
With all their A380, they should really keep those very loyal 5000 pax base.

I'm not saying that we'll go away because we won't get the 90USD gift.

This week I had to ask for each item (PJ, then amenity kit, then bag) because FA didn't bring everything together. I don't know if this is related to cost cutting instructions. (FYI, it was not a night flight)

eternaltransit

Although with last year's earnings changes and latest premium fares on the higher side maybe that will start to come down!

jonspencer

without question Emirates is cutting costs in many areas

I decided to go for the Qatar Plat rather than EK Plat which seemed to offer marginal value, the oneworld Emerald status has been awesome (+ dine on demand)

ghostwrita

I have never been able to get a card delivered to South Africa. I ship a lot of more valuable stuff to SA and it arrives, but never the pesky FF cards. So now I just get it shipped to Dubai and that arrives within days. Was never able to figure out why.

kitesurfer

A friend and I both travel back and forth from Canada to Africa for consulting. We are both platinum members. We fly every 6-8 weeks J tickets. We were just discussing the other night when i picked him up at the airport that we weren't seeing the benefits of Platinum besides using the FC lounge in DXB vs gold. Infact, we received upgrades in gold and none since reaching plat even though there are empty seats. The whole experience has just become so routine. We are thinking about moving to other airlines to see if the experience is any better or different. There are definitely noticeable cutbacks in service compared to last year. The hardest part is giving up the shopping in DXB through transit as DDF has some of the best selection ive seen in airports.

thijsseh

Both my wife and myself received our cards in the mail in CPT. But then they are only silver, so of less value then plat....

thijsseh

You need to understand that most airlines outside North America do NOT upgrade status passengers when there are 'empty seats'. Upgrades are given when operations require it (that's why they are called op-up's), typically when there is overbooking in the lower cabins.
It's a different business model from the NA operations. I personally like it, but YMMV.

kitesurfer

So are you say that last year when i was Gold there were more full flights, and this year the planes are not as full? indicating Emirates is losing business while they raise their prices....