Originally Posted by
Flying Yazata
I don't think AY needs a three class service to match the competition, but do something else than just cater the corporate wage slaves that have Platinum status and use their hard earned (i.e. corporate policy dictates flights in Y) for the occasional J upgrades. It's all fine and dandy with those vouchers and I have no problem with them, but it doesn't stand up to the competition in the long run, if that's the real perk being Platinum. Sure, it probably works for the Finnish market until hell freezes, but there's those other markets as well and there you have competitors. I'd be interested in experiencing a year of Lumo (some wierd perversion of mine?
) as it's now executed and see does it really make any true difference for one.
BAEC Gold is nice, because you do get a dedicated level based phone number to call. Those with GGL get even better service than that. I know BA isn't superb in terms of BAEC or as a carrier, but their network is on a whole different level than AY and with the possibility of using Avios for AA and IB upgrades, there's a lot more one can do with Avios than AY's status miles (or should I say kilometres).
There are many things in this posts I fail to understand. AY will offer a three class service starting from 2021, which I don't think is needed, but will be there anyway. The upgrade vouchers have been chosen to be the most valuable perk for multiple years in a row, which I truly agree on. Longhaul vouchers are worth around 400 euros each, and SH vouchers around 80 euros. That's already over a 1000 EUR worth of vouchers for Plats. It indeed
is a valuable perk, which I believe no other airline offers for their frequent flyers. They are worth it for corporate flyers going on their holiday but even more so with us leisurely flyers, in my opinion.
I have trouble following your reasoning: you consider upgrade vouchers to be a poor benefit, but consider a dedicated phone number (which AY offers to their Golds, Plats, and Lumos, respectively) and complimentary seat selection (which AY similarly offers to their Golds, Plats and Lumos) to be valuable benefits?
If 4 BA flights are hard enough to do, why would a Northern European route their flights via IB hubs? BAEC perks are pretty much only offered if you fly BA, and otherwise you will get the same benefits with AY Plat. I understand that one's situation might be different if most of the flights are to the US but for Asian flights AY route network and AY+ benefits are great. I don't really think any frequent flyer program offers any amazing or imaginative perks to their frequent flyers that would be more than the "mediocre" benefits offered on AY+.