I left for Sky Team partners two years ago because of the dismal KLM product, pricing and service.
I kept my Flying Blue status because it was easy and I got treated well on ST partner airlines. I have now asked for a Status Match and will cancel my American Express FB card as soon as this goes through.
Me and my partner spend around 20,000 euro's a year flying, out of our own pocket. I guess KLM and the brilliant minds behind FB just do not want my money that bad.
I prefer *A and OW over ST, but have managed to build up enough miles to get status on CO and now FB (shift due to CO's leaving ST). However, with FB going down the drain, I might not even bother anymore trying maintaining ST status.
I will continue to fly them as much as possible to get miles until April/May (maybe March only, due to the reduction in miles earned starting April 1st), in order to get awards for this summer.
Then I will not consider the FFP as an element of choice. I have reactivated my Oneworld account last year, following the decline in service on AF (the 10 abreast 77W was the turning point for me), but until now used it only for flights where AFKL was not an option.
I am flying CDG to HKG with KL in J next week, and the price is 300 euros higher than CX, but I selected AFKL nevertheless. Obviously next time the choice will be different, especially since being Lifetime Plat I don't need to fly to keep the status.
I don't know if I will keep my FB Amex Gold in 2010. This year I had the annual fee waived, as I spent more than 20 000 euros in 2008, so no need to cancel, but for next year I will see.
I looked into the changes yesterday and, as far as I'm concerned, the conclusion is that after 7 continuous years as a PE, I doubt that I'll make it again. The reason is that I was usually achieving that due to the discounted business class long haul trips I was taking, which will now also be "discounted" as far as the level miles are concerned. Furthermore, I realized a few days ago that the very cheap LX fare (business upgrade or something similar), that still yields full business mileage can be secured, in terms of flexibility, with only 20€ travel insurance, bookable online along with the ticket. Thus, achieving FT (in my mind quite similar to GE for FB) seems to be extremely easy with a few 4-flights intra-European itins, each yielding 10,000 miles! Moreover, as I also have some 40 A3 flights per year, combined with the prospects of this airline joining M&M in the near future, my guess is that I'll opt for a soft landing and a rapid spending of my >650K FB miles. Pity, because I somehow did prefer AF to LX, and definitely to LH...
Programs: AF/FB outta the door Plat, NW Plat, bmi DC Gold, BA EC Gold, HHonors Diamond, SPG Plat
Posts: 1,759
I'm going to refocus on BA. I find they have a good product and program - where you can at least qualify for Gold quite easily - something which is not the case with FB's new Platinum requirements. BA have been consistent in upgrading me and the benefits of the program a real (lounge access regardless of who you are flying, true lounge facilities, etc...).
I've also been a Plat elite on DL/NW for 6 months now and have had 2 op-ups on transatlantic flights (never seen more than an op-up on GVA-AMS on KL and nothing on AF). Elite service line on NW is one of the best for sorting anything out (quite the opposite from FB).
These changes have made me realise FB had nothing going for it. No recognition, no additional benefits on two airlines with quite frankly horrible products both within Europe and Longhaul. The only thing worthwhile was platinum for life and upgrades on NW. Unfortunately, seeing that earning miles will become an impossible task I don't see myself continuing to be loyal to FB, in fact I will probably go out of my way not to fly with them as a sign of protest and I'll be sure to let everyone around me know.
Well, I've just re-qualified for 2010's PE level, having carried over 65,000 level miles into this year, so will definitely be switching my allegiance after this trip to Mexico, and build my star alliance status back up.
Only problem is, it means a longer drive to MAN rather than 27 miles to HUY to get a flight, but at 40p/ mile, it's not a big issue.
I intend to make exactly 60 KL/AF flights this year to reach my LTPE and then move all my travel to SN/LH/BD from Brussels. Permanently.
Whereas I always used to do this switch in September in recent years upon having reached 60 segments on KL/AF and used to fly with KL/AF again from January, I will now very likely stay with *A out of BRU.
Living in the south of NL, BRU is as close as AMS and the take-over of SN by LH plus the recent SN code-shares with BD on flights to the UK mean this is a no brainer - with or without BD status match.
Plus it will save my company and myself the ridiculous tax that the Dutch gov't introduced last year and that apparently is already costing KL/AF and AMS lots of pax.
I can't believe that KL/AF haven't recognized the *A threat at BRU - but then, they will probably all blame it on the tax, not on their FB changes.
I left a (much) better airline (BA) when their FFP took a turn for the worst, I won't hesitate to do it again with FB, especially with CO joining Star.
I will qualify for Plat for life this year, and then avoid them wherever I can. When my employer forces me to fly KLM (which happens often), I will earn miles in CZ or some other program I still need to evaluate, und use the plat card for lounge access and upgrade status. (Switching FFP nr at gate).
They are totally insane. They feel that they are profitable now and can get away with it. They are wrong wrong wrong, this will impact their competitiveness, and if they are watching FT they better start thinking hard and act quickly to prevent severe damage to their customer base.
Regardless of a Status Match or not, I for one am:
1. Sending a letter to FB;
2. Cancelling my FB American Express;
3. In the process of burning the rest of my 275K miles;
4. Have re-booked the one business trip I had for February on a *A carrier;
As soon as my partner and I have worked out and confirmed our Award travel, then I will formally cancel my FB membership.
All my travel will now be exclusively on *A (and future *A carriers = CO).
I did the math this weekend. My partner and I fly +/- 5 times a year from AMS to the US, plus intra-euro routes here and there for business. We fly around 50,000 miles a year and cannot afford to pay for any class above basic Economy.
With the changes being implemented in order for us to remain Gold on 25% earning we would have to make 16 trips from AMS to IAH in one year to remain Gold.
This is unacceptable and the reason for our withdrawl from this program.
I urge everyone to make their voices heard.
It is absurd to think that FB is not interested in keeping us as customers, but ever since the conversion from FD to FB it has been one slap in the face after the other.
So where to go? BMI Diamond Club obviously is excellent. I wonder if they would comp my newly earned Gold status, even now. I believe that Lufthansa's M&M, while not perfect, is quite a good programme. For other Star Alliance programmes, I have no idea.
What about oneworld? I gave up on Asia Miles long ago, because you really need to be living in the Far East to get anything out of that one. Plus, they tightened their rules likes a duck's rear end, so that upgrades are limited like on FB along with limited accumulation on lower booking classes. I joined Iberia Plus and am completely uninspired, and I really do not like IB.
What about Skyteam? would the reformed Alitalia be worth considering? Who knows, maybe it has a future now. For Skyteam I am dependent on your advice.
Programs: BA Gold, BD Gold, VS Silver, AF/KL Plat, HH Gold, Marriott Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 370
Quote:
Originally Posted by Concerto
So where to go? BMI Diamond Club obviously is excellent. I wonder if they would comp my newly earned Gold status, even now. I believe that Lufthansa's M&M, while not perfect, is quite a good programme. For other Star Alliance programmes, I have no idea.
BMI is definitely a great programme, whether they will give you Silver or Gold with your FB Gold, as I know a lot of *A carriers when trying to convince me to move over via Status Match have provided charts for which status they would give and FB Gold often only gave *A Silver, with Platinum comping to *A Gold. Not sure about BMI though as Joanna comped me using my BA Gold rather than my FB Platinum status.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Concerto
What about oneworld? I gave up on Asia Miles long ago, because you really need to be living in the Far East to get anything out of that one. Plus, they tightened their rules likes a duck's rear end, so that upgrades are limited like on FB along with limited accumulation on lower booking classes. I joined Iberia Plus and am completely uninspired, and I really do not like IB.
I used to have IB+ before living in the UK and when I was travelling a lot to Latin America, but IB are quite honestly awful and IB+ is far from great. There are better choices in OW, however remember that OW FFP require you to fly 4 segments per year with the carrier that the FFP is associated with to actually earn status. So you can't just choose a random FFP if you will never fly that airline as you won't earn any status that way.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Concerto
What about Skyteam? would the reformed Alitalia be worth considering? Who knows, maybe it has a future now. For Skyteam I am dependent on your advice.
The alitalia saga is far from over. By the looks of it will continue to be a political shambles for quite some time. I'd personally not want to get involved with that kettle of fish quite yet
![changes on 4/1/09: Who is leaving and when [merged]](/forum/iconimages/flying-blue-air-france-klm/changes-4-1-09-who-leaving-when-merged_ltr.gif)
) of Flying Blue, I am happy to have matched Diamond Club status with bmi 
