Feb 23, 2015, 6:35 am
Last edit by: NWIFlyer
With the evolution of the Miles&Bonus program, there are a number of threads on this forum that contain outdated information, plus a further set that - whilst describing the new program - contain conflicting information that has only been crystallised as we all discover how certain aspects of the program either work or are interpreted.
It is perhaps therefore unsurprising that many new members find searching through this myriad of threads a little daunting, and consequently they post a question in one of the FAQ threads.
This tends to irk those who've been around for a while who expect the new posters to at least do some basic searching before posting a question that has probably been asked many times before. This also causes the forums to become very congested and less easy to read through with the same question being asked and answered many times.
I am therefore creating a thread, which will be stickied, for anyone to ask any question they like about the M&B program where they are unsure or it's not obvious where they should be posting it.
There is no such thing in this thread as a stupid question, no issue with asking a repeat question, and any answers should be 100% flame-free. I will take a dim view of anyone that abuses a member or provides a less than helpful answer (such as 'do a search') to any question asked in here, because this is being created to benefit all of us so the other threads flow more cleanly. Thank you for your co-operation on this.
It might be that I move questions to more appropriate threads so they receive an answer more quickly, but if I do so I will always add a note to indicate where they originated, and ask that the flame-free answer principle be respected.
NWIFlyer
Moderator
Aegean M&B
It is perhaps therefore unsurprising that many new members find searching through this myriad of threads a little daunting, and consequently they post a question in one of the FAQ threads.
This tends to irk those who've been around for a while who expect the new posters to at least do some basic searching before posting a question that has probably been asked many times before. This also causes the forums to become very congested and less easy to read through with the same question being asked and answered many times.
I am therefore creating a thread, which will be stickied, for anyone to ask any question they like about the M&B program where they are unsure or it's not obvious where they should be posting it.
There is no such thing in this thread as a stupid question, no issue with asking a repeat question, and any answers should be 100% flame-free. I will take a dim view of anyone that abuses a member or provides a less than helpful answer (such as 'do a search') to any question asked in here, because this is being created to benefit all of us so the other threads flow more cleanly. Thank you for your co-operation on this.
It might be that I move questions to more appropriate threads so they receive an answer more quickly, but if I do so I will always add a note to indicate where they originated, and ask that the flame-free answer principle be respected.
NWIFlyer
Moderator
Aegean M&B
Flame-Free Questions on A3 - ask your newbie (and not so newbie) questions here
Sep 27, 2015, 7:33 am
#271
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,896
Confirmed. A3 flight number operated by LH posts as LH and DOES NOT count. However LH flight number operated by A3 DOES count. Personal experience.
Sep 27, 2015, 7:57 am
#272
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Seat 1L these days :)
Programs: AF Platinum/AY LUMO/SK EBG/baEC S/HYATT Globalist/MR LTP/A3 *G/HH Dia/IHG plat
Posts: 7,957
Sep 27, 2015, 9:17 am
#273
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: MAN,TLV
Programs: Silver:BA,VX,AB, QF. Gold:A3,RJ,AZ,GF, EY,SPG,Marriott,Choice, Carlson. Dia/Plat:HH,IHG,BW,Accor
Posts: 1,965
But what would A3 lose by putting a J class onto that flight (or any flight) ?
Sep 27, 2015, 9:47 am
#274
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Seat 1L these days :)
Programs: AF Platinum/AY LUMO/SK EBG/baEC S/HYATT Globalist/MR LTP/A3 *G/HH Dia/IHG plat
Posts: 7,957
AY also runs some flights to leisure destinations as all Y as I am sure many other airlines do too. All calculated by some fancy pencil pushers
just my 2 cents
Sep 27, 2015, 11:20 am
#275
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,896
Well if 2 rows then 12 Y class seats that may otherwise be full. If they could make money on offering J then they would. Its unfortunate for those that want to use their upgrades but again that does not make A3 money.
Sep 27, 2015, 12:10 pm
#276
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Gold, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,174
I am just curious - How will an airline ever know if there is demand for J if they are not offering it?
Sep 28, 2015, 9:39 am
#278
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Gold, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,174
Yes that is one tool that could be used. It would give an fictive answer: if we were to offer j, would you buy it?
It would be difficult to research pricepoints (I have participated in market research benching different airlines, service concepts and price points and it was a very looong questioneer). And once you actually enter the market with the new offering, you are distorting the market - competitors might counter offer, customers may reevaluate their previous "truths"
It would probably be easier to just offer J and closely evaluate and adjust supply than to research to find the fictive demand.
Just my two cents, I'm certainly no airline tycoon.
It would be difficult to research pricepoints (I have participated in market research benching different airlines, service concepts and price points and it was a very looong questioneer). And once you actually enter the market with the new offering, you are distorting the market - competitors might counter offer, customers may reevaluate their previous "truths"
It would probably be easier to just offer J and closely evaluate and adjust supply than to research to find the fictive demand.
Just my two cents, I'm certainly no airline tycoon.
Sep 28, 2015, 11:09 am
#279
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,896
The fact that A3 are making a profit in hard economic times in their local base would suggest they are at least competent to make such decisions.
Sep 28, 2015, 12:22 pm
#280
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Gold, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,174
I am not questioning their judhement. I am simply, out of curiosity, wondering how one can know the demand for product that isn't put on the market.
Sep 29, 2015, 5:22 am
#281
Moderator: Aegean Miles+Bonus
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: AMS / ATH
Programs: AFKL Plat, A3 Gold
Posts: 7,339
There should be easier ways. I know that they do have regular surveys at ATH - which will tell them for example:
- Average flights that *do* offer business class have xx percentage business, yy percentage leisure passengers
- Out of all business passengers only ZZ percent actually buy Business Class
So with those stats they could already determine that if MAN has a low percentage of business passengers, that the amount of business class seats sold would be too low to be profitable. Also they could include data from MAN airport which go beyond Aegean fliers - I am pretty sure the airports themselves also do surveys and offer/sell this kind of data to the airlines.
- Average flights that *do* offer business class have xx percentage business, yy percentage leisure passengers
- Out of all business passengers only ZZ percent actually buy Business Class
So with those stats they could already determine that if MAN has a low percentage of business passengers, that the amount of business class seats sold would be too low to be profitable. Also they could include data from MAN airport which go beyond Aegean fliers - I am pretty sure the airports themselves also do surveys and offer/sell this kind of data to the airlines.
Sep 29, 2015, 7:05 am
#282
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 81
Newbie question on M&B *G
I have followed the amazing advice here am currently already qualified for *G on Aegean/M&B for 2016. To be clear, I achieved gold status first in Nov 2014. This expires in Jan 2016. I just received an email from M&B that I have already accumulated enough miles to stay in Gold tier for the next year as well. Does it make sense to accumulate miles in the same M&B account after achieving gold status for the next year? Is it better to accumulate miles in M&B or should I accumulate in UA Mileage Plus now? I mainly am interested in Star Alliance travel awards. Thanks again!
Sep 29, 2015, 7:29 am
#283
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Gold, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,174
If you only care about retaining status with A3, ie you only care about collecting tier miles, then it does not make sense to accumulate more miles to A3 until your new membership year starts. This is because there is no roll-over of excess tier miles.
But in many other cases it makes sense to collect miles to only one program. This is because you will otherwise end up with 2 small stacks of award miles and it will be more difficult to redeem. Collecting all award miles to one FFP helps redeeming, even if some tier miles are lost.
Sep 29, 2015, 7:45 am
#284
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 81
It depends on your own preferences.
If you only care about retaining status with A3, ie you only care about collecting tier miles, then it does not make sense to accumulate more miles to A3 until your new membership year starts. This is because there is no roll-over of excess tier miles.
But in many other cases it makes sense to collect miles to only one program. This is because you will otherwise end up with 2 small stacks of award miles and it will be more difficult to redeem. Collecting all award miles to one FFP helps redeeming, even if some tier miles are lost.
If you only care about retaining status with A3, ie you only care about collecting tier miles, then it does not make sense to accumulate more miles to A3 until your new membership year starts. This is because there is no roll-over of excess tier miles.
But in many other cases it makes sense to collect miles to only one program. This is because you will otherwise end up with 2 small stacks of award miles and it will be more difficult to redeem. Collecting all award miles to one FFP helps redeeming, even if some tier miles are lost.
Sep 30, 2015, 12:52 am
#285
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: NW London and NW Sydney
Programs: BA Diamond, Hilton Bronze, A3 Diamond, IHG *G
Posts: 6,344
On the other side, it's a lot easier and cheaper to redeem with UA, which doesn't charge some of the taxes that M+B might. M+B also has a redemption fee. If you are looking to redeem in long-haul F, then obviously it will take longer to get the required number of miles in 2 schemes but if your redemptions tend to be 10000 miles for UA domestic flights or 12500 miles short-hauls, i.e. you have a specific UA redemption you want to make, then it might be worthwhile to temporarily collect a few miles in UA.