FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - FB members on ITA [ITA leaves SkyTeam on Feb 3rd-benefits could apply until Apr 30th]
Old Feb 4, 2025 | 2:10 am
  #188  
irishguy28
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Originally Posted by gojko88
I think you're jumping to conclusions here a bit. AZ said they would gradually end bilateral agreements by 30/04, and the FB page which you posted a screenshot of had exactly the same wording before today's announcement (as is usual for ST members).

I would be extremely surprised if FB didn't grant XP for AZ flights taken in February & March at the very least.
Yeah, I know we were all caught off-guard by the suddenness of ITA's departure, and no doubt Flying Blue were surprised by it, too. But as you rightly draw attention to, by stating that FB has not updated the wording of the ITA page - unless and until Flying Blue implements a specific workaround, ITA Airways flights as of yesterday can only earn Flying Blue miles (as a Flying Blue partner) but not XPs (as they are no longer a Skyteam member). I wasn't jumping to conclusions - just applying Flying Blue's own rules.

(Since 01APR2024, being a Flying Blue partner airline isn't enough for earning XPs (and Elite Bonuses) - these are reserved only for Skyteam members XP and Elite bonuses are changing - What's new | Flying Blue)

Now again, I know how much of a disappointment that is to those FB flyers who had XP runs booked for the coming months; I, personally, had thought that flights up to the new IATA season would have been OK. But ultimately it was ITA/LHG that dropped this bombshell, not Flying Blue. And we all knew this was coming, although I accept and agree we were caught out by the speed with which it happened (I had a trip on ITA this past weekend, and did not think I was cutting things so fine). If we don't hear any official news from Flying Blue regarding some one-off time-limited exception for ITA, I think we have to assume that Flying Blue will operate the rules that were in place last week.

(ITA Airways was a Skyteam member for over 2 years - from 29 October 2021 until 20 November 2023 - before Flying Blue even started giving miles/XP for AZ flights - SkyTeam welcomes ITA Airways on board; ITA Airways – a new partner of Flying Blue - What's new | Flying Blue I think it unlikely they will now make any effort to "retain" XP earning on AZ)

Last edited by irishguy28; Feb 4, 2025 at 2:22 am
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