brahms77

So, besides reporting this to status match general thread in Milesbuzz, I thought it has a merit for a separate thread.

It took me a full month before LANPASS actually replied back to me... but the patience and all the waiting was worth it.

I heard about LANPASS' status match from AA EXP etc. to Premier Silver level but saw one thread that vaguely mentions about possibility of Comodoro status match.

I emailed my documents (scans of my UA 1K card, PDF of 23 months of mileage activity from united.com - flight only) to <[email protected]> on December 26th, but only got replies saying that it will be serviced in 5 business days etc, an automated response. After lots of waiting, with five new emails reminding them (once a week or so) - with my last email including my purchased itinerary with LAN (had six or so LA and LA coded flights in business) - and today I finally received an email from a real person at LANPASS!

The result was quite unexpected - LANPASS Comodoro status granted!! Though I had requested to be matched to Comodoro, I did not think this would actually happen as according to reports on FT, there were no actual evidence on Comodoro status match (only to Premier Silver).

At any rate, this came in just at the right time... as I have six LA and LA coded flights - SYD-EZE-LIM-SCL-IPC-SCL-MAD in business class.

I might actually change SCL-MAD flight to actual LA flight since it may be possible to select old first class seats as Comodoro. Now I can get my seats assigned on BA flights as well.

At any rate, I just wanted to report that status match is successful from UA 1K to Comodoro.

FLLUAFlyer

About 4 years ago, I was granted Comodoro from AA EXP (it also took about 1.5 months to get done). LAN is one of the only airlines that will match to top-tier (NWA being another I know of).

I even got them to almost do it twice! I sent them my credentials last July, and they replied that they would give me Comodoro status. However, the next day I got an email saying that they had already done this once, and it was a once in a lifetime deal.

zabes64

I too got my Comodoro status match, turns out I was matched Jan 4 but took until Feb 6 to find out when I received the packet, shame I had just gotten back from an Iberia trip where I could have used the lounge access and had just used my CX Silver for the flight

boar

I hate to interrupt the party but does comodoro really offer much
other than emerald status at one world.

The minimum fares for upgrades are far too high. I was considering
qualifying for comodoro last year until they introduced these requirements.

I am still Premium Silver but decided to concentrate on qualifying for EP
at American which seems to offer far more.

brahms77

No, on the surface, I don't think it does provide much beyond Premium Silver... and having flown four segments now on LAN, I don't think it does improve one's experience in the air either (meal orders are taken based on row numbers - today, I was seated the last row and didn't even get to choose... as they ran out of the meals). :tb:

But it's one thing to qualify from nothing and another thing to be granted such top tier status via status match. So for me, I am happy, for now.

shockman

I think next time you should complain. Once I saw one guy arguing with the FA, because this guy wanted meat, and there were just chicken and fish available. The girl told the guy she was sorry, but people on the first rows already had taken those dishes..... well, after discussing for a while, the girl went to the galley and came with meat for the guy.

The point is that crew usually choose dishes first, before the 1A guy. Surely, that is not the best approach to customer service.

hardiwv

In fact, you do not need to fly a single flight with LAN to become Premium Silver because LAN is now offering a Credit Card which provides the same status as Premium Silver. This was the reason for the increase of the upgrade fare...

http://plane.lan.com/lanpass/acumule...ina_CL_interno

Rgs,

atakam

Just got status match to Comodoro! (from no status at all). Next week flying on a DONE4 to SCL & IPC, perfect timing.
Thank you brahms77! I followed the tips on your post and after 3 weeks got the status match. Of course the most important part for LAN is the future biz and flights you are planning to do with them.

I have a question, I made the reservation for the DONE4 as no status. Should I contact the OW airlines to reinput the LAN #? or is it automatically updated to OW emerald?
Also, is it possible to use F lounge in HKG (CX) and JFK without the LANPASS Comodoro card? only showing the BP?

Thank you

brahms77

I am happy to find that my report on LAN status match was useful to you! According to an old thread in the oneworld forum, it was speculated that there are only around 1000 Comodoro within the LANPASS program. But then again, LANPASS may have much less # of people enrolled to the program.

My status match also just came in at the right time (the staff who emailed me with the status match info told me that my status will be activated in about 10 business days - it was indeed the case although my Comodoro status was reflected immediately online). All of my LA flights posted with 100% bonus km!!! ^ plus there is a promotion going on for the 10th anniversary of OW (gave me 15K km after having flown three OW carriers - JL, LA, and QF). My first flights (DEL-NRT-SYD-SCL-LIM) on OW carriers as status matched Comodoro was only 3 days after the email came... and despite having had AA (my original DONE4 issuer) update my FF#, they weren't able to see my Emerald status.

At NRT I was able to gain access to JL F lounge by taking out my laptop and showing the lounge attendant my online account - this was quite exceptional of JL to allow me the access in this manner.

In SYD, I was given access to QF F lounge as in the LAN system (I flew LA for SYD-SCL-LIM) I was Comodoro. ^ But the BP did not show my OW Emerald status.

My LIM-SCL-IPC-SCL-MAD-GVA flight this past week all showed my OW Emerald status and I was able to select seats on my BA flights (via ba.com - which you can't do unless your FF# is recognized as OW elite) for next week
so I suggest that you call your ticketing airline to update your FF after the 10 business day period since your status match email. This will allow your entire itinerary to reflect your new status... otherwise I think the system automatically updates this information periodically (someone said it's done every two weeks).

I was told by CX experts that as long as your Emerald status is reflected on the BP, you don't need the card to enter the lounges in HKG (F lounge). This is the case with QF lounges as well. It's BA that is a bit stingy with having to present a card, in addition to your BP. So as long as your flights are about 2 weeks after the initial status match date, you should be fine.

hardiwv

In the case of the status match, do they provide the full benefits of Comodoro and or just the the status (without the upgrade vouchers, etc).

Btw, if you have not flown IB operated SCL-MAD my tip for you is to select the first row, this in my opinion is the only row where the seats recline fully flat (ie 180 degrees).

Rgs,

brahms77

Full Comodoro benefits. I have to wait till March 31st to see if they actually provided this status match till next year... as my upgrade instruments given at the time of status match shows expiring on March 31st 09.

Not a big deal since I will requalify anyway... just shortly after March 31st.

I have just flown IB flight SCL-MAD (under LA codeshare ) and the plane was empty (A346) in business class - 10 people, but completely full in Y. I set in row 1 window (middle row 1 seats were available) and I was quite disappointed with the seats not being flat (the middle row ones seems to be). Talk about false advertising! I should have flown LA (as I would still get old F seats as compliments to my status on non-reconfigured A340s) but the scheduling did not work.

hardiwv

Well, but at least you get your bonus miles...

Interesting your point about IB. It seems some aircraft have fully flat seats (my experience) while others dont. I still think that IB new seats are far better than LA old F seats. LAN old seats are very, very old, some are broken, IFE horrible, etc. Anyway, LA is now refurbishing the A340s with the new seats.

Rgs,

atakam

Brahms77, Thank you for the detailed info! Actually same happened here. I got the Comodoro status match (on-line) about 3 days before getting the e-mail. It stated exactly the same info as yours, for ex that the new status takes 10 days to be active and my Comodoro welcome package will arrive in 1 month. Hopefully I can get the Emerald status on the OW system. Got the status match on Feb 19 and start my flights on Feb 25 on CX-LA-JL (NRT-HKG-JFK-SCL-IPC-SCL-FRA-NRT), so I guess no access at HKG FCL, but the rest of the trip should be ok. Also looking fwd to get the 15K additional OW bonus for flying 3 carriers.

brahms77

Yea, I don't think your emerald status will be shown throughout the OW network by your first flight (but you never know - one day before the flight, try to call your ticketing carrier to update your FF by asking them to re-enter your FF number and see if they see your status... if that's the case, you will be recognized as Emerald and will be able to enter HKG F lounge). Another option you could do is what I did at the NRT JL F lounge but it requires some generous gesture of the lounge attendant. If you have a laptop, show your online account that shows your Comodoro status and also show LANPASS OW categories for Comodoro. JL staff was kind enough to let me in - it really helped as I had 12+ hour layover in NRT.

By the way, your DONE4 seems to be way in-efficient... You could have done better... but I guess you are on a tight schedule.

I was able to maximize my DONE4 within my business trip scheduling... ^

1. ICN-NRT-DEL (work stop 4 weeks)
2. DEL-NRT-SYD (technical transit, one day)
3. SYD-SCL-LIM (work stop 2 weeks)
4. LIM-SCL-IPC (fun 2 day stop)
5. IPC-SCL-MAD-GVA (work stop 8 days)
6. GVA-LHR (work stop 2 days)
7. LHR-DXB (fun stop for 4 days)
8. DXB-LHR-HKG (work stop 7 days)
9. HKG-ICN (home at last!)

This routing was about 20 miles shy of 50K mile mark.... and I had six LA segments built in, which qualifies for short cut (re)qualification for Comodoro at 90K km with 6 business class mid-long haul segments on LA). I think I would be just 400 km short for 90K km required for re-qualification, but I have rest of the year to get that... Not bad for a single DONE4 trip that I ticketed at 7,300,000 KRW (approximately 5K USD at the time of ticketing). ^ I have lined up another DONE3... but this time no LA flights since I won't be visiting S.America. Should I go for another status QF or keep my km/miles on LA?

atakam

Yes, I agree with you...my DONE4 is quite inefficient. Actually I have a couple of mtgs in SCL and must be back to NRT (very tight schedule this time), but I have at least 2 more DONE4 to SCL this year, so then I might lock up some holidays + biz trip. Thank you for the advice on reinputting the FFA#. Maybe next time I will start the DONE4 from ICN since the $ is much lower than NRT and I have to fly to ICN every month for biz mtgs.
I will report after coming back from SCL.