Unfortunatly, dollars spent alone means nothing......it should but it doesn't.....However, when buying full fare premium class tickets on foreign carriers, you don't need status as a full fare first class passenger will always be treated better then any elite. (as it should be)

But what you are complaining about is quite common. I flew Air France twice this year for a total of just under $20,000 in air fare. That gets me nothing as far as Elite status in the AF/KLM program.....but who cares really. I took those 2 flights cuz the schedule was exactly what i wanted......Even though I have ZERO status in the AF (or any Sky Team) program I was still treated better on those flights then ANY Elite. You get what you pay for.

A Great example is first class on Jet Air. I do get credit on my MP account but since Jet Air is not a member of Star Alliance, it makes no difference what i spend on Jet, I get no Elite status. But they treat their first class passengers flying from BOM-LHR better then ANY airline I have experienced. They have a personal assistant waiting curb side for you, and she takes you fro the curb to check in to immigration to lounge (all within 15 min) and thats worth its weight in GOLD at an airport like BOM...they don't do this for Elites, just full F passengers and i would much rather be treated this way and get no status then get status and be treated like the other million gold passengers