AF/FB Member : Relocating - Searching new flight tips/habits
 

Dear Friends,

I will be based in Vienna , Austria in the coming weeks for work relocation for an undetermined/long duration (years).

I just wanted to make sure to keep/maximise my Flying Blue activity (FB Plat currently), as much as i can, with this new relocation.
I will keep my long hauls (from Vienna or Bratislava for instance a really close airport) "via CDG" as much as i can.

Currently AirFrance/FB PLAT.
Qualifying via miles until now (long hauls in Business Premium mainly) but now on a new region with --not only, but probably--- more frequent but shorter flights.

However, i wanted to start on a good base for all the "smaller" european flights i will have to do for work or leisure in the GERMAN, AUSTRIAN/ITALIAN & EASTERN EUROPEAN region i am due to cover.

I am still pretty newby on the flyertalk and would like to get used to wise flying ;-)

Can someone confirm :
1 / All flight made with neighboring companies (mainly in eco) : aka CZECH AIRLINES, TAROM or so... will give me BOTH :
STATUS MILES and STATUS FLIGHTS ?

2 / Which other or additional airlines/codeshare could i use or should i consider using to get status flights/status miles?
For instance, I will keep using/buying AIRFRANCE flight operated w/ Austrian Airlines (codeshare) i was told this would also assure me status miles/flights.

Maybe it is wise to use on of the "region" HUB or a Skyteam company as much as i can ? Czech Airlines / Prague ? Or Hungary/Budapest ?

3 / Any tips, usual deals/routes, airline i should favor in ADDITION to AF ? Which could boost up easily or cheaply miles/flight in the region ?

4 / For instance I will have to go to HUNGARY at DEBRECEN Airport (seems a small town/airport) in MAY 2012 for 1 week.
It is 500km from Vienna so most likely to go there via train/car, unless i manage to find somekinda route....
Would there be a flight to consider ? Including via another city even if not exactly on "track"?

Thousand thanks for your kind help and patience,
Alex

Congrats. I'd say enjoy the coffee house and the Strudel.


I do not know about your future flying pattern but you might want to look into shifting requalification to segments. Much easier, especially if flying via CDG or AMS or another ST HUB.

All flights operated by SkyTeam member airlines will give you status miles and count as a status flight. Interesting operators for you should be AF, KL, CZ and RO. AZ could be interesting for you as they do have some quite segment-heavy flights to southern/eastern Europe. Something like XXX-MXP-FCO-ZZZ and return.

Depends. This codeshare is only operated on the CDG<>VIE and the LYS<>VIE route. As Austrian is not a SkyTeam but a StarAlliance partner you will only get miles for this flight if you buy the ticket under the AF flightnumber. If you buy it under OS, no miles for you.

Czech Airlines is always a good choice. I found their food decent and they do have some interesting fares from time to time. Not always though... :(
But flying from their hub might not be a good idea, segmentwise. Fly _to_ their hub and _then_ to your final destination...

See above: KL, CZ, AZ, RO.

For DEB there are no scheduled flights. BUD is the nearest one. What I find always helpful is to look at the Wikipedia page for third-class airports to see what's operating there. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debrece...tional_Airport is pretty empty...
Fly to DUB and take a rental car...

Hi Alexander

Congrats on your new role/position!

Being originally an Air France FB card holder, as I had to use partner airlines during the past year (Delta,Vietnam Airlines), I checked before hand how i could reclaim miles thru AF/FB. The nice woman I talked to @ FB customer care line told me i should keep ALL boarding passes and printout tickets to reclaim miles laters.
I didn't have any problem getting my status miles + flights for the Delta segments, but for the Vietnam Airlines flights, I had to send my actual boarding passes.

Dear IXS and OlivierATW and Members

A huge THANK YOU for your contribution and help/clarification !!

IXS :
Thanks for the coffee/pastries welcome !!!
Yes Segment qualification will certainly be the way (unless 3-4 PremiumVoyageur long hauls fit in nicely)

Interesting for Alitalia AZ pattern (segment-heavy) good to know.
Ok for other airlines to "follow".

Ok for CDG-VIE and Returns always to be piurchase via "AF" (which i will do so)

Many thanks and looking forward to further smart tips :D
Thanks.
A.