Turning award miles into status miles is pure madness! Especially considering the endless possibilities you have with booking premium cabin awards, and the fact that TK Elite is so easily attainable. I met the TK head of corporate sales at the ITB in Berlin this year, and from what he told the turks really seem to have some crazed obsession about lounges. They even re-named the TK Corporate club card into "The Lounge Card" for holders in Turkey.

But yes I also think TK strict the acquirement of status. It should be earned by flying, not by spending money on your credit card…