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1. And vices versa for the Singapore Airlines customer that is comparing SQ with United and is living in Asia.

2. LH gives status bonus 10000 every 2 years to FTL and 30000 miles to Senator, which is euqivalent when comparing the re-qualification mileage level to a 20% extra mileage (taking it, as if you would exactly fly the required requalification mileage). If you take a United Premier execuitive and compare it to a LH Senator both will gain the same mileage in FClass for example :

UAL Mileage + 50% FClass + 100% Bonus = 300%
LH 3* Mileage for F class= 300%

...at the end the only difference is, that it takes more status miles on LH to qualify for Star Gold Status (3 times if you are member in Germany, twice for others)thats why you get the bonus as status miles. So, where is the diffenrence??

You are just affected by it, if you do compare the effects of third markets on the programs and thats where I think a common programme would be beneficial.