First, load factors have nothing to do with whether an airline makes any money. You can fill a plane full of low-fares that don't cover the cost of transporting a pax, have 100% load-factor, and lose money...

I happen to agree with the original posters's points (though not his tone/emotion). Since both CO and KL plat-level flyers have access to lounges on international itineraries, and since KL was giving vouchers to their own elites for showers, why not to other SkyTeam elites, since their own showers are kaput? One would think that if someone was entitled to use the lounge, they would get all the benefits, no? Basically, if CO had to close all their shower rooms at the IAH E lounge, and gave vouchers ONLY to CO plats on international itins (and CO P'club members), I'd think we'd get the same complaints from NW/KL plats....

I'm not sure about the free internet access codes given only to KL plats (I don't know how its advertised, aSkyTeam Elite Plus perk or a KL Plat perk...). However, given that CO has free wireless, which doesn't cost much to provide to begin with (gee, all those cafes with free wireless must be losing money ), one would expect that if KL can give it to their own plats, they wouldn't have too much of a problem extending it to SkyTeam Elite+ flyers as well, IMHO.

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french military victories