CO_Nonrev_elite

For the most part I see a constant devalued experience within the Star Alliance. Even as a 1K or star gold, you don't get access to premium seats. I can understand not upgrades I suppose, but not even seats near front of cabin ?. Bags is usually an argument, lounge is an argument without the card (despite Star Gold all over the ticket etc).

azzurro

Now I get it... I attempted to use the most significant carrier rules for baggage allowance on a LH flight from the middle east through FRA onward via UA to IAH and they would not let me, saying LH rules apply. Now I know that is not so if ending in USA. Good to know! Thanks.

emcampbe

YMMV, I guess. But this is not my experience. I spent most of this year based in BOM, and so flew many *carriers - LH, TK, TG, SQ, LX, AC and even AI after they joined, in addition to UA. Seating is different with everyone I guess, but LH gave us seats near the front of Y and I'm not 100% sure but suspect they blocked the seat next to my wife and I since it was one of the few open seats MUC-BOM. TG definitely gave us seats near the front in advance that were blocked (not sure if it was status or fare class, though). I've never had to argue for baggage allowance (and brought 5 bags, most of which were 50-70 pounds on LH, though with an itin that started in the US with a UA TATL, then a stopover in LHR, so they were going on UA allowance). Certainly for the most part, I haven't been asked for a card for lounge access at all - I might have been asked at SIN with SQ once, but if, that was the only time. Even AI was on top of things when I flew them in August, barely a month after they joined. No matter who I flew, always proactively got priority bag tags and a lounge invitation at BOM - I never once even had to ask. I know this might not reflect everyone's experience, but the alliance has been excellent for me this year.

astroflyer

I have to say, I've found pretty consistent treatment as a *G across the network. Many airlines are in the process of monetizing seating to increase ancillary revenue. AC and LH are recently moving to the game with AC going all the way to installing a United E+ style product. I think what you're seeing is airlines devaluing their own memberships a bit.

Personally, I fly AC and LH rather frequently, and I've always been extended luggage and lounge benefits without hesitation. Seating has been a bit more complicated as these programs have been in flux, but I've at times been successful in getting nicer seats by asking nicely.

Sometimes my treatment on partners has been even better. LH is the only airline where a flight attendant has recognized *G in couch. It happened twice, and both times the purser came by, thanked me for being gold, and asked if she could get me anything. Pretty impressive!

mahasamatman

Sad to hear. I got front-of-the-cabin seating when I booked an award ticket about a month or so ago.

astroflyer

Actually what's completely infuriating is that you can't even select a free seat on the web if you didn't book on the Air Canada website. So United paid or award codeshares require calling in. Calling in to Air Canada without status requires 1-2 hours of time. The way there software is now, you can't even pay for a premium seat if you want to if you booked elsewhere.

Any time you think United IT is bad, AC is even worse.

emcampbe

To be fair, the AC can't select a seat on the website if booked anywhere else issue has been going on a long time. And isn't limited to UA purchases or codeshares - its anytime you book anywhere other than AC.com, including on AC-marketed and operated flights. In fact, I think even those booking Aeroplan awards can't select a seat on the AC site.

They were supposed to be fixing it so that you could do at least the free seat selections on the website when booked elsewhere. But even when booked as true AC flights, I could never get it to work.

astroflyer

Right, I'm very familiar with this issue having moved to Canada as a UA flyer

The ability to select seats online has been "coming soon" and supposedly going to implemented as soon as "Summer 2013" for a long time.

emcampbe

I understand. Which is why I mentioned it was supposed to be fixed, but I could never get it to work. I'll expect it to be fixed at about the time, when, as a non-elite on AC, I can get a hold time on ACs reservation line of say, less than 45 minutes (which, according to the AC forum, is another "coming soon" AC project).

mahasamatman

When the callback system is working, it's a good option. Otherwise, it really doesn't take that much physical time. If they say 35 to 45 minutes (which I find to be typical), I just leave the phone until about the 30 minute mark, then put on the speakerphone until they pick up. So the actual time investment is minimal.