<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">posted by Seachain:
aj, i don't think i've followed the plot completely and i wonder if you could elucidate some more.
KLM's network doesn't overlap hardly with BD's, except perhaps for LHR to AMS, and certainly not for anything eminating out of EDI. so that being the case, a switch from one programme to another would surely only be to utilise just one route that someone was flying?
Did you switch when KLM pulled out of STN? or are there other routes that i've not figured out yet?</font>
Bingo! That was the catalyst, when KL/UK foolishly killed off the domestic routes. STN wasn't much use (although I used it regularly for London trips) but they could have kept EDI/GLA-LGW and run a profitable point-to-point service for business traffic and feeder service to NW flights. So I went to try the competition instead. BA doesn't have a frequent flyer program (premium flyers only) and so BD it was. The best decision I ever made.
As for the route network...well, the Star Alliance provides a much bigger range of destinations than KL could ever manage, with or without Skyteam. BD has direct flights from EDI to *A hubs in BRU, CPH and MAN as well as FRA on LH. KL can only offer AMS; besides, most attempts to reach AMS during the winter months seem to end in a diversion to NWI.
Although AMS is a great airport, I'm prepared to tolerate using LHR to get better airline service and MAN is actually the most convenient hub of all for transatlantic from EDI.