DELLAS

AER LINGUS CHIEF executive Stephen Kavanagh has said the airline is “working hard” to fix problems that some customers have experienced with its controversial new frequent flyer programme.

The initiative, called Aerclub, was rolled out in November 2016 to replace the carrier’s 30-year-old Gold Circle loyalty programme, which Kavanagh said earlier this year was “over rewarding” some customers.

http://www.thejournal.ie/stephen-kav...72070-Jul2017/

Dambus

Sounds like Stephen has been attending the Alex Cruz School of Public Relations.

Wonder what creative accounting drives the claim that there are now 500,000 active FFers vs 70,000 under GC?

Plenty of vitriol in the comments section of the article also...

pat jordan

Aer Lingus have done exactly what most of the hotel chains have done: reworked their Loyalty programme to give the most rewards to the highest spenders.

Not being one of these high spenders, I have had to take the hit on some hotel rewards. Not my favourite outcome, but that's life. Looks like the airline FFPs are taking the same route (pardon the pun).

trustno1

Hi Pat.

If only what you said was true regarding AerClub and the biggest spenders but unfortunately the opposite is the case. My experience as a Concierge (and previously Elite) is that the new AerClub is much much worse. For example;

1. You cannot speak to anyone in the AerClub office anymore. I am told to send an email.
2. In the GC days I could ring up and get flights credited there and then in instances where certain flight legs had been omitted. Now this no longer possible and I am still waiting for flights to post from March 2017 and only yesterday told, we are working on it (for the 3rd time) and they cannot say when it will be fixed.
3. Avios are nowhere near the value the GC points were.
4. As recently as April I used GC points and Elite upgrades to travel to NY for €237 (booked last November). I tried 2 weeks ago to do something similar but told Concierge upgrades now can only be applied to revenue bookings. Initially Avios was blamed for the change because "it was in the T&Cs" but when I asked for a copy of same I was told to bugger off. I note that BA gold card holders can use upgrade vouchers they receive on both Avios and revenue flights.
5. Still not being awarded Tier Points for flights ex Frankfurt
6. 94 flights travelled with EI in the last 12 months and not once have I felt that they value my custom.
7. The Dublin lounges are mediocre (including 51st and Green). The GC lounge in Dublin is a glorified waiting room. Some EI European destinations don't even have a lounge.

If anyway here feels that Concierge members are treated better under Aer Club than they did when Gold Circle was in place I would love to hear their experience.

My most frequent route travelled is DUB-FRA and I hear that Ryanair might serve that route from late 2017 or Q1, 2018. If they do and the flight times suit (and the cost similar) I will be saying goodbye to EI.

irishguy28

I have to correct this.

BA Golds don't get any upgrade vouchers simply for reaching Gold. There is no equivalent of the complimentary upgrade benefit Aer Lingus gives to both Platinums and Concierges, merely for reaching a certain status level. (BA Gold is reached with 1500 Tier Points).

Anyone who goes on to achieve 2500 Tier Points in their membership year - the equivalent of 9 return journeys in longhaul business - will receive a "GUF1" voucher - allowing a booking for one person to be upgraded; anyone who goes on to acheive 3500 Tier Points in their membership year - the equivalent of a further 3.5 longhaul return journeys in business - will receive a "GUF2" voucher, allowing two people to be ugpraded.

https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb.../gold-benefits

trustno1

Correct. But the vouchers you are given can be used on both redemption and revenue bookings. That was the point I was trying to make. You can combine an Avios booking with the GUF upgrade vouchers.

irishguy28

Yes you can - but the GUF vouchers are not comparable to EI's Platinum and Concierge upgrades in the first place.

BA doesn't give any status-based upgrade certs, unlike Aer Lingus. To link the two in this way is therefore misleading.

trustno1

I did not intend to link the two. I stated that in the old GC scheme you could combine points with upgrade vouchers. Now this is no longer available under AerClub. Secondly I stated that I was told the Avios T&Cs don't allow the upgrading of redemption bookings with upgrade vouchers. All I said was that the GUF upgrade vouchers can be used in that way.

Mikejj

This is very interesting as I phoned the aerclub help desk just this morning to ask this very question about applying upgrades to avios reward tickets and was told it is possible, and that there are no restrictions on the ticket types they can be used on....they even checked with the supervisor. Did you get a link to the relevant Ts and Cs in the end?
I am planning to use my upgrades on a family holiday and was going to book avios seats on the advice I got, but don't want to then find they're not upgradeable 🙃

trustno1

I would love it if you were right as it's the one big perk that I value. My email correspondence with EI on this matter is from 2 weeks ago so perhaps they have had a change of heart. Let me know how you get on and please PM me who you were dealing with. I was not provided with the T&Cs despite 2 requests.

By the way, I see that this was your first ever post on Flyertalk. Welcome aboard.

Mikejj

Thanks - will let you know where I get to. I'll only be looking to book in a couple of weeks' time as I have an upcoming trip to NYC that I need to complete to have enough Avios. Hopefully I'll get the same response at that point in time - I'll drop you a line either way.

I suppose a related question is if they would give you a Concierge companion ticket for an Avios business class redemption ticket....in line with the above discussion I have previously used BA companion tickets received via spend on their Amex card to 'double up' EC reward bookings...very handy.

Mikejj

Well, after some backwards and forwards and changes of opinion they have concluded that I can't apply upgrades to the avios award tickets (as you have also found, and had previously advised).


Fairly frustrating as I had planned to use them for a family (of 4) holiday to upgrade one way. But anyway, I went with 1 paid economy booking with a companion award for another, and then 2 avios economy tickets. Basically worked out as half price economy tickets overall.


I'm now unlikely to get an opportunity to use the 4 upgrades before they expire (I'm assuming they do expire each year?).


One idea that had occurred to me is that I could 'sell' them to someone to get some cash value (or give them to family or friends), but I'm assuming that this is prevented by me having to be on the flight / using one of the upgrades to be allowed to use them for others?

trustno1

First of all, you can give your upgrade vouchers to anyone you want and you don't have to be on the flight. I have given some rewards to friends with no issue.

In relation to selling upgrade vouchers, I think if you were to do this and EI found out, they would be pretty annoyed and might prompt action to restrict the upgrade vouchers as per my point above. Certainly, you might get away with it via a private arrangement with a "friend" but I wouldn't be posting anything on Done Deal or EBAY.

ROKNA

I was clearly asked for whom the voucher was to be used, not an issue provided its a EI sold revenue ticket they don't care. Quite generous of them

Avios issued tickets not valid

Its the Aer Club card holder who has to make the request