Originally Posted by
Chiller3333
The big question is, how does Aegean handle changes to existing award tickets?
Will simple date changes (on the same route) be accompanied by an additional mileage-charge now (for tickets issued under the old chart)?
I would be surprised if it it isn't according to the new chart. It's like fare prices going up: rebooking an existing ticket prices according to the new price.
Originally Posted by
hydrogen
Well if only they could have at least given a day or two's notice...
That is not very nice, I was going to book an intra-Far East award
Originally Posted by
GUWonder
Scummy move. Giving even a few weeks advance notice would have been the decent thing to do.
This kind of move without any advance notice before implementation is not a good indicator for the future of this program for its customers. It also makes me wonder what economic pressures Aegean felt now that they needed to rush this change in now just a few weeks before the calendar end and do so with no advance notice to its customers.
This kind of airline move most intensely punishes the airline’s most loyal customers that accumulated and maintained the biggest balances of points in the program.
Perfectly agreed, it's not the most honest behavior towards one's loyalty base. Yet I don't blame A3 for that. Giving heads up about an imminent devaluation would by large beat the very purpose of it. One can see miles as a form of currency, and if a currency depreciation is announced beforehand, it won't be as effective. About a year ago SK also changed their *A award chart to the worse without any warning whatsoever.
Originally Posted by
747jetter
Seems like my redemption last week on NH F LAX-HND-LHR was well timed. Increasing is bad but it has been for years the best program to use miles with. Agree they could give some notice in advance. Ugh...will need to count if this is still the most generous FFP then.
Originally Posted by
Cookoovaya
I fixed it for you.
Yes, in sheer mileage terms it is very generous, especially compared to SK's Eurobonus. In the very end however it's not. Too many restrictions, excessively high YQs.
RedChili sums it up in excellently:
Originally Posted by
RedChili
M&B has been a great program for status, but for a long time it's been a terrible program for awards due to:
1. Low earnings in many classes.
2. The ridiculous rule of maximum two flights per one-way award.
3. The even worse rule about no mixed classes.
4. Low availability for award seats for several airlines.
5. Often very high fuel surcharges.
With this sudden raise in award mileage, M&B is now a horrible program for award redemptions. Maybe it's time to move away from M&B to some other program.
If these factors are taken into account, it's very far from being the most generous. Plus that LH P which I fly a lot earns no miles (although I understand that this is personal, and not many people care about that).
When I switched to M&B I intended it to be my major FFP, and kept my EB account as a mileage bank (and for crediting LH P fares, and certain UA fares). Yet I since last year I have been gradually shifting back to EB, mainly for redemption purposes. Although I plan to keep my A3*G, it won't be my focus FFP anymore, as it has lost a lot of its past attractiveness
Just to sum up all enhancements in M&B since 2017:
1. Discount voucher for partner's ticket on domestic routes evaporated into thin air.
2. Free ASR for A3*S/A3*Gs enhanced into a 50% discount.
3. Mixed class redemptions no longer available.
4. Award chart devaluation.
Am I forgetting something? Anyway for some reason I am pretty confident that the above list will expand in 2020...