Alice11

http://www.skyteam.com/en/About-us/P...Top-Customers/

nomad1974

Love the marketing-spiel. To me this looks like a streamlining of existing services pretty much offered by all airlines to their Elite and F/C customers. DL, as you all know, already even uses the term SkyPriority (http://www.delta.com/traveling_check...rity/index.jsp).

Still, harmonisation is welcome and might indeed lead to improved clarity over the services offered.

KQ321

I was actually quite pleased / impressed to see this announcement.

Yes, a lot of these benefits may already exist, but at the moment details can vary depending on airline and FFP - and application can be inconsistent. I've appreciated using Delta's SkyPriority service, as it seems to manage to apply priority services consistently, at most (not all!) of the points during a journey where they are needed. As it is very clearly branded, premium pax can easily see where to go and what to expect, and because it's printed on the boarding card, handling staff can easily check who is entitled to it. The press release recognises that "Delta Air Lines created the SkyPriority brand", and due to its success, it is now being rolled out across the alliance.

To look at the points in detail:

• Priority check-in areas: this already seems to work well, in general;
• Priority baggage drop-off: not sure I've seen this in many airports (it often seems to be combined with premium check-in);
• Priority service at airport ticket offices: where available (eg: AMS, GVA, LHR) this seems to work, but quite a few ticket offices (eg: NBO) don't have it yet.
• Priority service at transfer desks: again, this exists in some hubs (eg: AMS, SVO/D), but not others (I think NBO used to have it, but took it away!) - it would be good to see it everywhere;
• Priority lines at security, where available: this is an important point, given the length of security queues in some airports these days. Unfortunately, many airports either don't seem to have priority queues for security, or the benefit is restricted to pax in J, not Elite+ in Y (eg: LHR/T4). Would be great to see this available in more airports.
• Priority boarding: this generally already exists in theory, but application can be very inconsistent. It would be great to see it more consistently applied.
• Priority baggage handling: again, this generally exists in theory, but check-in staff often seem to forget to apply the priority tags (especially if it involves contracted staff at outstations, Elite+ pax flying in Y, or pax from one FFP flying on a different airline). And even if the tags are applied, it often seems to have little impact on the order in which bags arrive on the conveyor. It would be really great to get this benefit provided more consistently.

And one benefit which isn't listed, but they will hopefully consider adding:

• Priority lines at immigration: in some airports this de facto exists, especially for departures if it is linked to security (and there are priority lines for security). However, I haven't often seen priority queues for immigration upon arrival (and where it does exist, in some cases it is only for J-class pax (eg: KQ at LHR/T4)). Given the extremely lengthy queues that can be found in Immigration in some airports/countries, it would be great to have more priority queues for Skyteam premium pax.

tff

Good news without any doubt.

However, I hope this doesn't amount to only make those services visible and "branded", but to actually expand them. In particular, I have in mind the following one:

At LIS, there is a priority line for security called 'green way'. Unlike other airlines (such as TP, IB or LX), AF/KL/UX have chosen not to pay the extra €2/pax for its premium pax (be it C or Y+, or STE+). I'm curious to know whether the implementation of the SkyPriority initiative will mean that this will change.

cityflyer369

What I like about it is that, hopefully, there will be no discussion with DL staff anymore as to whether SkyPriority also applies to FB customers.

GuillaumeD

I just hope we will not see an accelerated devaluation of the Elite (not +) status!
We are just Flying Often but some perks are really valuable: priority check-in, priority at transfer desks and some gratitude from the staff.

davedior

Definitely agree with GuillaumeD, read in the Delta forum Silver Medallions were affected by the Skypriority big time. Elite and Elite Plus are both Elites, why call Elites (not +), Elites if you might be taking things away that they have the right o have? IMO, this Skypriority Skyteam should be adding more services to Elite+ but not affect Elites in any way!

KLflyerRalph

+1. But I assume that with example KLM, their own Silver Elites can continue to make use of priority baggage/security/check-in.

GuillaumeD

At DL counters in Europe and in US airports, you find big posters with SKYPRIORITY and sometimes, at the bottom, you see; Silver Medallion.
There is only two SkyPriority benefits Elite members are not entitled to: Fast security and priority bagage handling.
(For security, it depends on the airport as I have it @ CDG and AMS).
Would have been a nice gesture to give them to Elite members as the most valuable perks IMO are for Elite+: lounge access and free premium seating.

davedior

In this paragraph they are basically saying, Elite Members will NOT experience commen and consistent service standard for priority airport services, even though they are entitled too around the world.

I am not at all sure, why they only decided too serve consistent priority service for Elite Plus in the future which they are kinda also doing now including Elites, but for the future they are deciding to improve this service and drop Elites? Mind is spinning, I don't get it.

KQ321

Indeed. It seems that Elites are currently entitled to most of these benefits - so I would agree that it would be very unfortunate if the introduction of SkyPriority (which, as mentioned below, seems to be a positive thing for Elites+) resulted in the service for regular Elite being downgraded.

KQ321

Indeed. It seems that Elites are currently entitled to most of these benefits - so I would agree that it would be very unfortunate if the introduction of SkyPriority (which, as mentioned below, seems to be a positive thing for Elites+) resulted in the service for regular Elites being downgraded.

JOUY31

Works for both departures and arrivals at CDG, for Elite+ as well as J passengers (P passengers have their own specific process).

At LHR, it is not available IIRC for EU passport holders upon arrival.

Cupart

The free premium seating (or Economy Plus) is only available on AF for FBG and FBP but on KLM FBG get's a discount whereas FBP don't have to pat anything.

I'd say that the lounge access in itself is not a winner IMO based on how much time, money and energy it takes to reach E+ and don't get me wrong, it is nice to have access to these for sure ^

The real winner is the fast track at security and emigration/immigration ^^^

Cupart

When I did the A380 flight from CDG to LHR some time back we did in deed go through the Fast Track upon our arrival at LHR.

Don't know if this was a one off thing, but I know that other fellow travelers with E+ status did the same (I sneaked-a-naughty-peak at their BP's ) The person checking the BP's did seem a little reluctant to begin with but finally gave in...