New "Europe Classic Awards"
Oct 24, 2011, 8:01 am
#16
Moderator: Flying Blue (Air France & KLM), France and TravelBuzz!
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Paris, France, AF F+ Rouge pour toujours, Flying Blue whatever, LH FTL, HHonors Gold, formerly proud SCC Executive, now IC Ambassador, BA down to nobody, Grand Voyageur Le Club
Posts: 12,400
I see this as a huge advantage and real improvement compared to the situation we had before.
Last edited by JOUY31; Oct 24, 2011 at 8:07 am
Nov 22, 2011, 2:30 pm
#17
Moderator: Flying Blue (Air France & KLM)
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Rotterdam, NL
Programs: Flying Blue (AF/KL)
Posts: 4,711
I am a bit confused as I received the following e-mail today:
Short translation:
Europe Classic awards are available on AF and KLM according to this message. The website states that Europe Classic awards are only available on AF.
Have I missed something?
Geniet van verbeterde beschikbaarheid met de nieuwe Europe Classic Awards
Om het reserveren van een award-zitplaats in Economy Class op vluchten van KLM en Air France binnen Europa voor u te vergemakkelijken, introduceren we de Europe Classic Awards. Deze nieuwe awards zijn handig wanneer een regulier award ticket voor een specifieke vlucht niet beschikbaar is omdat u op het laatste moment boekt of in het hoogseizoen wilt reizen.
Voor meer informatie over het complete aanbod van award tickets voor Flying Blue-deelnemers, klik hier.
Om het reserveren van een award-zitplaats in Economy Class op vluchten van KLM en Air France binnen Europa voor u te vergemakkelijken, introduceren we de Europe Classic Awards. Deze nieuwe awards zijn handig wanneer een regulier award ticket voor een specifieke vlucht niet beschikbaar is omdat u op het laatste moment boekt of in het hoogseizoen wilt reizen.
Voor meer informatie over het complete aanbod van award tickets voor Flying Blue-deelnemers, klik hier.
Europe Classic awards are available on AF and KLM according to this message. The website states that Europe Classic awards are only available on AF.
Have I missed something?
Nov 22, 2011, 11:52 pm
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Paris, France
Programs: AF/KL Flying Blue Platinum for life/Club2000 Ultimate, Accor ALL Diamond
Posts: 21,904
FB web site still mentions AF only.
Nov 23, 2011, 4:50 am
#19
Moderator: Flying Blue (Air France & KLM)
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Rotterdam, NL
Programs: Flying Blue (AF/KL)
Posts: 4,711
Update from Flying Blue: KLM has also implemented Europe Classic Awards
I have received a reply from Flying Blue that KLM have also implemented Europe Classic Awards. They will change the website a.s.a.p.
Gajan
Gajan
Last edited by Gajan; Nov 23, 2011 at 8:15 am Reason: Typ-o
Nov 23, 2011, 9:23 am
#20
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: MEL
Programs: DL, QF, QR Gold, MR Lifetime Gold
Posts: 6,999
warning from a SM member
Wow... this reeks of DL. That is the same way DL presented its case when they introduced the 3 tier award scheme. This has the potential to be quite an "enhancement".
Some points:
This was a major blow to SM members and this FB "enhancement" has the potential to screw things up big time. First just AF. Now KL too. Soon, the other FB airlines (KQ, RO). First just intra-EU flights. At some point this will be rolled out to all flights and you end up with a 3 tier model like DL. If I were a FB member I would be worried...
Some points:
- SM had 2 tiers, just like FB. At one point instead of Low/High awards they introduced :-:Medium:-:.
- The introduction of a 3rd tier of awards sounded promising. They said that it would enhance availability. It hasn't. They said that only high-demand flights would have Med availability when Low won't be available, and only very few (around Xmas or during the Cannes festival, etc.) would be priced at High. This tuned out to be a lie.
- Only low DL awards are available to partner programs (sound familiar?), and only low partner awards are available to DL. Med and High awards can only be booked by SM members.
- Mileage requirements were subsequently increased for High awards.
- The end result: MAJOR devaluation of miles. Low awards are hard to come by; most awards are Med/High. Combining award levels (one segment Low + one segment Med) is a pain - the system ends up adding the segments instead of pricing O/D.
This was a major blow to SM members and this FB "enhancement" has the potential to screw things up big time. First just AF. Now KL too. Soon, the other FB airlines (KQ, RO). First just intra-EU flights. At some point this will be rolled out to all flights and you end up with a 3 tier model like DL. If I were a FB member I would be worried...
Nov 23, 2011, 10:04 am
#22
Moderator: Flying Blue (Air France & KLM)
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Rotterdam, NL
Programs: Flying Blue (AF/KL)
Posts: 4,711
Unless I am mistaken there is no European programme that has that the number of miles needed for an award are divided into various zones unlike US programmes where it is more common.
I doubt they can make a significant change like that unless more competitors follow.
I doubt they can make a significant change like that unless more competitors follow.
Nov 24, 2011, 8:54 am
#23
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: MEL
Programs: DL, QF, QR Gold, MR Lifetime Gold
Posts: 6,999
ETA: When DL introduced the 3-tier scheme, nobody had that in the US either (...and still, nobody else has it.)
Mar 26, 2012, 9:02 pm
#25
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: AF/KL FB Plat ; A3 Gold ; HH Gold ; IHG Plat Amb
Posts: 2,375
Mar 26, 2012, 11:11 pm
#26
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Paris, France
Programs: Flying Blue (LTPE) All (Gold)
Posts: 1,519
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/flyin...-upgrades.html
Mar 27, 2012, 12:06 am
#27
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Worldwide
Posts: 12,949
Well, it definitely also applies to KL Y:
[KVS Availability Tool 6.9.8/Diamond - Amadeus: Awards/SkyTeam/FR-AF]
[KVS Availability Tool 6.9.8/Diamond - Amadeus: Awards/SkyTeam/FR-AF]
[KVS Availability Tool 6.9.8/Diamond - Amadeus: Awards/SkyTeam/FR-AF]
Code:
PAR Paris Metro FR = CDG ORY BVA XPG XJY
AMS Amsterdam Schiphol NL [EHAM]
WED 15 Aug 2012
Carrier Flight From Depart To Arrive St Availability
--------- ------ ---- -------- ---- -------- --- -- ------------
AF 1240 CDG 07:25 AMS 08:40 CX0 YA9
AF 1340 CDG 07:55 AMS 09:10 CX0 YA9
KL 1224 CDG 09:00 AMS 10:15 CS9 YS9
KL 1228 CDG 09:35 AMS 11:00 CS9 YS9
KL 1230 CDG 10:20 AMS 11:40 CX0 YM9
AF 1640 CDG 11:40 AMS 12:55 CX0 YM9
AF 1740 CDG 12:50 AMS 14:05 CX0 YM9
KL 1234 CDG 14:40 AMS 15:55 CS1 YS9
AF 2040 CDG 16:20 AMS 17:35 CS1 YM9
AF 2240 CDG 17:45 AMS 19:00 CX0 YA9
KL 1244 CDG 18:40 AMS 19:50 CS9 YS9
KL 1246 CDG 20:15 AMS 21:25 CS9 YS9
Code:
CDG Paris Charles De Gaulle FR [LFPG]
AMS Amsterdam Schiphol NL [EHAM]
WED 15 Aug 2012
Carrier Flight From Depart To Arrive St Information
--------- ------ ---- -------- ---- -------- --- -- ------------------------------------
AF 1240 CDG 07:25 AMS 08:40 Dur: 01:15 | FB: NA/20K+71 EUR
AF 1340 CDG 07:55 AMS 09:10 Dur: 01:15 | FB: NA/20K+71 EUR
KL 1224 CDG 09:00 AMS 10:15 Dur: 01:15 | FB: 20K+71/10K+71 EUR
KL 1228 CDG 09:35 AMS 11:00 Dur: 01:25 | FB: 20K+71/10K+71 EUR
KL 1230 CDG 10:20 AMS 11:40 Dur: 01:20 | FB: NA/12.5K+71 EUR
AF 1640 CDG 11:40 AMS 12:55 Dur: 01:15 | FB: NA/12.5K+71 EUR
AF 1740 CDG 12:50 AMS 14:05 Dur: 01:15 | FB: NA/12.5K+71 EUR
KL 1234 CDG 14:40 AMS 15:55 Dur: 01:15 | FB: 20K+71/10K+71 EUR
AF 2040 CDG 16:20 AMS 17:35 Dur: 01:15 | FB: 20K+80/12.5K+71 EUR
AF 2240 CDG 17:45 AMS 19:00 Dur: 01:15 | FB: NA/20K+71 EUR
KL 1244 CDG 18:40 AMS 19:50 Dur: 01:10 | FB: 20K+71/10K+71 EUR
KL 1246 CDG 20:15 AMS 21:25 Dur: 01:10 | FB: 20K+71/10K+71 EUR
