erik123

Are there any elite benefits on 9W?

Cupart

Are there any on AF/KL?

NB00

No there are not; Jet Airways is not a Skyteam partner.

cityflyer369

This is not a sufficient point. The old FB partner site listed some selected status benefits on non-ST airlines.

KQ321

According to FlyingBlue.com, you can earn (Award miles only, in a limited number of fare-classes) and burn on 9W - but it doesn't mention any status benefits.

Sieto

I have more or less the same question, as I'll be booking a ticket to KTM on KLM.com in the near future, which includes a segment on 9W. The AMS-DEL segment will be KL coded & metal, the DEL-KTM segment will be 9W coded & metal. I'm not expecting lounge access in DEL (because I won't be on a connecting international skyteam flight), but I am expecting my luggage benefits (extra bag) to transfer to 9W, because I'm not claiming my bags until i'm in KTM.
Is this expectation realistic?

Egor

In case of multiple carriers rules of the most significant carrier apply

KQ321

Do you know how 'most significant carrier' is defined? And is there a reference for this rule somewhere?

The baggage section of KLM.com says:
However, it's not clear in which cases these different baggage rules may apply (eg: KL codeshares operated by other airlines?; non KL-coded flights on tickets sold by KL (as in Sieto's question)?; etc, etc). IIRC, in the past klm.com was more explicit in saying that the operating carrier's baggage rules applied, even for codeshare flights - but I might be wrong.

Of course, what actually happens at check-in may be a different matter - but I don't have recent experience of through-checking bags onto a non-ST coded or operated flight...

mrahul

Most significant carrier is the carrier who takes you the most number of miles in that itin

ranskis

I don't think this is true, it is more complex: it is about IATA areas and subareas and has nothing to do with the longest flown itinerary.

JAL explains it quite good
http://www.jal.co.jp/en/other/info2011_0304iata.html

Example: If you fly PK from Karachi (area 3) to Dubai (Area 2) and then BA from Dubai to London (Area 2), the most significant carrier is PK. It also holds true in the reverse direction.

If you fly AF on NCE CDG, SN on CDG BRU and AY on BRU HEL, the most significant carrier is then SN (first international carrier for a trip within one subarea = Europe). On the reverse flight however, it would then be AY rules that matter.

So for the OP, as KLM is the carrier between Area 2 and Area 3, that's their allowance and charges that matter for the whole trip from AMS to KTM.

Don't worry, airlines don't know these rules either! Once flying on RO from TSR to OTP (domestic Romania) and then SU from OTP to SVO, with 2 heavy luggages, RO tried to charge me for excess luggage as first carrier (they allow 3*23 kg in C) whereas SU allows 2*32 kg. They said they would let me go without paying but that it was a favor. I told them it is not a favor but my rights, went to their ticket office but they were unable to find IATA resolution information... checked afterwards and I was right. If I was not in C or had not skyteam status, they would have made me pay for sure, according to RO rules and not according to SU rules... and here, when take off time approaches, there is not other alternatives, and then fight the charge later with their silent customer service or with your credit card company.

erik123

FYI - I did check in at the business desk at DEL (mentioning my gold) but they seem to let many non status pax do that as well.