There is no guaranteed upgrade - there is a "top priority" upgrade (operational conditions permitting). So as a Platina Economy (plain) you win against all non-C Silvers and Golds who come in early. But you lose against any C - paying or not. That also triggered my question whether currently they give upgrades to Golds before they do to Silvers or not.

For all practical purposes Economy Premium Platinums are C after paying their fare - at least that is how I read it. To those who buy Economy Premium (at a 25% or so discount to Business rates) they basically offer C class for the traveller and a companion. But regular Economy trades at a 60% to 70% discount to C class - so basically on most routes Economy Premium is twice as expensive as regular Economy. So not really a big draw on European routes. Also - when are people traveling together? When they are on the same PNR? Or when they are in same plane? I think the first one - because otherwise what about those fellow passengers that are on the deeply discounted Value Special rates - who wouldn't qualify for an upgrade even if they had a Gold card themselves.

And how about Platinums on Value Special rates? It doesn't say.

Realising that even now as Gold you have an 99% upgrade success - the new Platinums would have no incentive anymore to pay for flying business at all (Premium Economy would always be good enough, including a requirement for flexibility) - they have now a few extra benefits for those Platinums who counter to all reason still would pay C rates. I really - really - wonder what the VIP service at Prague airport entails (your personal customs officer? or a bag carrier? or a free pickup from anywhere in the city by stretch limousine - that would be really tacky given the nature of stretched limousines in Prague - most that I see are really stretched and have the name of the strip club they assumedly belong to prominently displayed on their sides) - or to anywhere in the city on arrival? Your personal bottle of Czech champagne (Bohemia) in the lounge?) I mean there must be a reason to spend an average of EUR 200 extra for a European flight - but I assume I will find out come August - or more probable on this forum - whatever happens first. I will make sure that on hitting platinum I will fly C and see what happens ;-)

But I assume they will hammer out these issues when in April or so they publish the new Membership Guide and General Rules - something they had IMHO really sufficient time for.