Originally Posted by
intuition
Yes, this is a type of member that affects A3 negatively from lounge costs. What is really interesting is, why?
M&M only needs 32 segments in cheapest domestic (or same zone) economy for FTV tier, much less if there are any intercontinental flights and/or premium cabins. For someone flying regularly all year on LH-group I am thinking FTV-tier is easily earned.
Crediting the same 32 cheap LH-group shorthaul segments to A3 only earns 8000, or 2/3 of what was needed to requalify for gold until now, so keeping A3 Gold by mainly flying LH economy continentally requires more flying. It will also generate fewer redeemable miles.
So if flying mostly LH-group and it is the lounge people are after, it seems irrational with a strategy that requires more money/time/flying to achieve that goal.
Of course not all decisions are purely rational. And of course there can be other rationales (e.g. flying mostly routes where LH-group does not provide business lounge but there is a Star Gold lounge)
You wouldn't happen to know why this person values A3 Gold over M&M FTV?
If you fly LH Group then get an Amex Platinum card. This gives you LH Business Lounge when on an LHG Eco ticket and SEN lounge when on an LHG business ticket. No need for A3*G then. Indeed, despite having A3*G myself, I often enter the LH lounge using Amex, especially if on a P-class business ticket that credits zero to A3. I already credit those to UA, where redemptions are better, and use Amex for SEN lounge entry. The use-case of A3*G was already much reduced when flying LHG airlines in the lowest business class P fares.
Were the mileage thresholds for A3*G too low and unsustainable for the airline? Probably. But, but only a small mileage increase to 18,000 yet a tripling of the A3 flight requirement to 12 seems excessive, especially as the marginal revenue for that is questionable when you can buy Eco Light tickets for under €30 sometimes. I think this is just a way of "tilting" membership towards Greek residents, probably under pressure from the ever more greedy Lufthansa Group.