Tonin

Thanks for your answer !
The situation you described is interesting indeed, never thought about that before. However I don't think you are PLAT the 1st of january if you failed to reach the target the 31st of decmber N-1, the card is valid but you don't have the status anymore... (not 100% sure of that)
So it becomes quite clear now To be LT PLAT you need to be PLAT the day of the 10 years anniversary ^

I'm sure it will also clarify for a lot or people !

Many thanks

Tonin

Tonin

Just to be clear for other people interested in that topic, my first assumption was actually wrong. I need to qualify for 2019-2020 (meaning reach Plat level the 31st of December 2018). That way I'll be PLAT the day of the 10th anniversary (in my case the 9th of Dec 2019)

Thanks all for your answers !

ranskis

Just thinking about someone who qualifies in February for the first time, does he need to qualify 10 times in a row or 9 is enough, since its nineth qualification will keep his platinum status until end of March?

bodory

10 times in a row on 10 consecutive years is the rule.

Zembla

It is indeed the simplest way to explain it: To obtain platinum for life you need to be platinum on the 10th anniversary of the date you've reached platinum for the first time. ^

carnarvon

Hello,

I have been Plat since 1st August 2007 and have re-qualified in 2016 for 2017.

I will therefore have been Plat for 10 years on 1st August 2017.

I will be flying in 2017, but assume that I do not need qualify again; is that correct?

Would someone who is Plat for Life share his/her experience on when they actually formalise the Plat for life status?

Thank you and best wishes to all.

Tonin

Hi Carnarvon,

Assuming all the above is valid (we never know...), you should be ok. You are Plat for 2017 and therefore will be Plat in August. In April (2017) you should have a message on AF/KL/FB web site saying "you need 0 year to reach Plat4Life". Currently (before April) the message should be " you need 1 year....". I guess the official status will be displayed in April 2018, just my gut feeling...

Even if I have now enough status miles for the next 3 years, I need to wait 2019 for that :-)

Hope it helps !

Tonin

mike turnbull

Why is it so difficult to understand,

10 times in a row on 10 consecutive years is the rule.

carnarvon

Hi Tonin,

In the meantime, I spoke with FB (twice).

I got conflicting information, but tend to trust the last one I got from Plat line who gave me an answer after putting me on hold and checking with FB.

As you rightly guess, right now it say "one more year for Plat for life (same as last year)".

The lady at Plat line said that "Plat for life" will appear on 1st April 2017, when they check on the account and "see" that I will be Plat in August.

We'll see....

Zembla

That's right! You can count the number of times you've qualified and the number of years you have been platinum each separately on 2 hands. If you count to 10 in both cases: bingo!

Tonin

Good to know Carnarvon ! You'll then get the plastic Plat4Life card next year. Keep it safe, has to last the rest of your life

Tonin

Actually another good way of seeing it: you need to qualify Plat 10 times in row, easy ^ Knowing "qualification" happens the 31 of December.

carnarvon

Not quite.

You qualify for Plat as soon as you reach the required number of miles/segments and do not have to wait till 31st December to qualify.

The rule is :"And when you keep your Flying Blue Platinum level for 10 consecutive years, you become a lifetime Platinum member!"

San Gottardo

There is a reason why this thread is so long... it's not that straightforward.

Although I am not directly concerned anymore, the ambiguity of the rule still puzzles me.

What does "10 consecutive years" mean?

Someone qualifies August 1, 2015. This qualifies him for the year 2016. Does that count as one year (2016) or two years (2015)?

And then "keep it for ten years" - does that mean that one is PFL already in that tenth year (whichever that is) or in the eleventh year?

Would the rule be simply expressed as "ten subsequent calendar years in which you have a Platinum card in your wallet" - in which case the above example would count 2015 and 2016 as two years for qualification, and the qualification time line would be:

2015 - year 1 of having a Platinum card in your wallet
2016 - year 2 of having a Platinum card in your wallet
2017 - year 3 of having a Platinum card in your wallet
...
2023 - year 9 of having a Platinum card in your wallet
2024 - year 10 of having a Platinum card in your wallet

Would one then have a Platinum for life status already in 2024? Or only once one qualifies for 2025?

carnarvon

I woudl say 1 year and 1/2.

From the answers I got at Plat line, one would need to be Platinum in August 2025 in your example in order to be considered as having kept Plat status for 10 consecutive years:

- 1st August 2015 to 31st July 2016 : 1 year
- 1st August 2016 to 31st July 2017 : 2 years
etc.
- 1st August 2024 to 31st July 2025: 10 years

Meaning that if you do not qualify in 2024 (for 2025), you will not be Plat on 1st August 2025 and therefore miss the 10th year.

But as you say, the wording is imprecise enough, that we all need to discuss it at length.