Originally Posted by
PaulC852
We should ask the (still existing) Invitation members for the definitive answer - I think a couple post here occasionally. I don't have any record, but from memory I think it was something like 1M flight miles on CX, where J counted as 1.5 times and F as 2 times. Back in those days that was quite a lot. With the increase in CX's network and the amount people fly I can see that lifetime would have to be much more than that these days.
My memory is hazy. Perhaps Old China Hand or another can remember more clearly but I would say it was 2 million credit miles, with Y as x1, J as x1.25 and F as x1.5. In addition one had to have 10 consecutive years of active membership. There were no partners. One could not go away for a couple of years and then continue the route to 10 years. One had to start again.
I qualified in November 1998 which was the date that Cathay announced as the last one for qualification. I was not aware of the date being extended to later but perhaps that was done to assuage those who came so close.
We seem to be pretty rare birds these days. Many Chief Pursers (ISMs) tell me that they have not seen one of us for several months. Recently I was told that by one that she had had to explain what we are to new staff who had not been told or paid any attention during their training. Two of the crew asked to be able to come forward to take a look at me - something like being a rare specimen in a zoo.
Aside from that, one could qualify for Diamond membership by flying 80 sectors in J or F during a year to reward folk based in HK whose travel was almost all regional.