Boeing7478i

I'm currently have a TG ROP Gold Status. I travel frequently with Thai in paid F & C, mainly long-haul flights. I've read the benefits of the ROP Platinum from Thai website, and like their perks. Does the program comparable to the US based airlines such us UA Global Services or AA Concierge Key?

For those who's a TG ROP Platinum member, do they give you a special treatment eg: ground, lounge, on-board? other than what they stated in the member pamphlets.
I was told that for example a flight from Europe to BKK on the A380, there might be 80 Star Gold (including TG*G / *G) vs 3 TG Platinum members, do you think this is a correct info?
For meal choice, I believe TG*G & Other Star Gold member has the same priority status?

Should I go for the Platinum?

Thank you!

BinSabai

the best benefits are:
F lounge access (incl. one guest), this is mainly important for BKK as it is the excellent F lounge versus the mediocre TG J lounges
one PUP for every 50k miles flown
ROP Platinum hotline (also per email); you really get fast answer and preferential treatment in particular also regarding award and seat availability. Forget about this if you are just one of the thousands of Gold members

often you get served first during meal service and you get frequently greeted by the purser if you consider this as a benefit.
some destination have escort service for Platinum but not in BKK!
check in also at dedicated counters or at F counter (sometimes there is a queue even at J check in counters)

boogey

yes, all true. for me, the best benefit the every-50k-PUP, especially when flying frequently and collecting many of miles and thus many PUPs.

Thaikwai

Another benefit that is very useful is the guaranteed seat in Economy Class 48 hours before a flight. I never used this until last week and now I have had to use it twice in two weeks to get on flights that were completely full, with waiting list closed. The Customer Service staff tried to fob me off with excuses that I could not use the guarantee on fully booked, closed flights but I insisted on being put through to the Supervisor on both occasions and they confirmed the seats for me.

BinSabai

so they had to kick out other passengers!
did you have to fly cattle (which fits actually perfectly to your Forum name) class or you got a last minute upgrade?

KenJohn

Is it possible to work your way to Platinum within one year from scratch or is it a 2 year exercise.

Looking through the requirements, I believe Platinum requires two years consecutive of 80,000 miles in each miles. Is this correct? There are a couple of strange terms used so I am not entirely sure of the requirement.

I am totally new to Thai and have not even taken out an ROP account yet. Currently British Airways Gold (OneWorld Emerald) with plans to fly between London and Kuala Lumpur about 5/6 times a year either in F or J). Looking at *Alliance Options

BinSabai

in addition all qualiflying flights must be on TG F or J; TG eco or other *A do not count.
it might be that they give you this Status ASAP if you exceed the 80k in first year significantly; i would at least ask

Thaikwai

When I first qualified for Platinum they were very rigid about meeting the criteria and there were no special deals to upgrade. I had also been a Gold member for 15 years before they introduced the Platinum level.

KenJohn, if you are already BA Gold and you can fly direct to KL in J/F with either Malaysia or BA, why would you want to introduce a stop over in BKK just to join a *A airline? Seems not to be a good use of your time, but that's only my opinion.

BinSabai

really?
I recall that Platinum Status was in the very beginning upon invitation without clear criteria and the two times 80k were introduced a bit later and that they were quite generous and flexible for those who did not fully meet requalification criteria the first time Status was due to requalify (not me as I was over 80k, but some fellow board members reported so).
How many years ago the Platinum Status was introduced?

Thaikwai

Hi BinSabai,

Thanks for keeping me honest......you are correct, the initial membership was by invitation and I should have said that when I came to renew my status, after the first two-year period, they had said the rules had to be adhered to rigidly. I cannot remember when they introduced Platinum, but I am almost half way through my third renewal period, so I guess it must have been four or five years ago? I can't remember, to be honest.

Interestingly, I had cause to have a conversation with the ROP Service team a while ago, regarding PUPs. My heaviest travel period is between January and April so, at the end of December I was way behind the run rate of travel to reach the first 80,000 miles of my two 80,000 mile renewal periods, and the service agent suggested that, if I did not achieve renewal, my existing PUPs would expire immediately upon loss of status, namely return to Gold.

It took a chat with the Supervisor to correct the agent, but I was surprised that some of the staff were using this interpretation of the rules.

A question then comes to mind. I assume that if one fails to reach the first 80,000 miles then the Platinum status will continue for the two-years of validity but will expire at the end of that period, no matter how many miles one achieves in the second year? Maybe a special dispensation would be given if 160,000 miles or more was achieved over the 2-year period? I have not heard of anyone doing this, have you?

KenJohn

I prefer comfort and service over time. All flights are leisure not work related.

You can get single window seats in J on Thai which you cannot get with MH or BA
MH J is 2-2-2
BA J is 2-3-2

MH F is just expensive
BA F 787-900 to KUL has 1 toilet for 8 F passengers and the flight crew (hardly a premium offering)!

BA is more expensive than Thai unless you start and end your journey in Europe.

All in all, I will fly enough on BA within Europe and to the US to maintain my BA Gold status. Benefits are limited on the Gold threshold has been achieved. Might as well look to add a Star Alliance Gold card to my wallet from my extra miles I fly.

EzzerBKK

Another suggestion would be for QR and their superior offering and pricing (think they fly the 787 DOH - KUL and a myriad of options LHR - DOH). But that would not net you another upper tier status on another alliance.

Who else flies to KUL? LX? LH? Or even SQ?

BinSabai

good question! have only heard that they were rather generous during first requalification; probably as final conditions were published relatively late.
Have not heard anything since and I myself was not at the mercy of ROP program manager.
Might be in future as I have to fly less for business. Would be interested to hear from fellow board members, how strictly those Limits are handled. Or maybe ask whether there is a Platinum for life...