KLflyerRalph

Quitting with priority security for Silvers at AMS will be a big blow, considering the looooooong lines at times.

irishguy28

The status bonus applies only to Award Miles! The status bonus does not apply to Level Miles!

NickB

You could do it the way US airlines do it though, i.e. by distinguishing between several boarding groups so as to have different degrees of priority. That would be a cultural changes for European airlines, though, who often struggle with even a simple system with just two categories.

johan rebel

Don't worry, the egalitarian security agents at AMS will strive to equalize the lines by packing the priority checkpoints with as many of the Ivory hoi polloi as they possibly can.

Johan

San Gottardo

I agree. And that is what I understood AFKL will be doing: Silvers can board after Elite+ and before the non-elites. De facto US-style with several boarding groups.

vexorg

Well duh!!!, Read what I say rather than spout the corporate line. It's a second stage at killing those that are not super business class, that work for normal companies.

They've forced people to lower levels over the years, now taking away from those lower levels

irishguy28

It wasn't clear to me that you knew this (you admitted that you did not know that Silver and Gold entitled you to use priority queues in the past!). Afterall, you were talking about the difficulty in (re-)qualifying for status, which now seems that you are referring to the infamous "April Fools" devaluation of many years ago, about which much has been written on here over the years.

I just wanted to make sure you - and anyone else reading this thread - realise that nothing has changed as regards earning miles, or the requalification process, as a result of the recent announcement of diminished Silver benefits.

Given that this thread was for the discussion of a downgrade to Silver benefits, one doesn't necessarily expect to read other, unrelated gripes in this thread - so I wanted to make sure that no-one incorrectly deduces from this tangent that something had changed as regards mileage earning.

(And FB is really one of the easier programmes in Europe in which to gain status. Requalifying actually got easier at the same time as this change - cheap segment runs are now possible on UX!)

AlicorporateUK

Chapeau.

G

RigpigMalta

Classic but unfortunately true!

skyhighlander

Oh well... not much left for FB Silver now, less with each passing year. But hey ho, folks have a point, with just 15 segments needed to achieve first level you're ending up on flights where a half of pax are elite!

For me personally as long as they don't charge us for checked bags and we can still use designated check-in/baggage drop off counters it's all right. Making me wait in those sometimes ridiculously long lines would be a deal breaker.

ahopkins767

I can see much of the effects of the downgrade being discussed are for AF-KL hubs. I am stationed in China where skysteam have a huge presence (KE, CI MU, MF, CZ, VN...). And then KL and AF fly to more regional airports from Europe than anyone else I know. And there are always Promo offers to China...

Upon a relocation, I realised that I would do a lot of flying with CZ I chose FB as it is easier to qualify on segments (previously I used CX -oneworld).

I actually noticed the signs got redone last year to exclude SkyTeam Elite from the priority check-in - but I still used them as a silver. I don't see this 'downgrade' being enforced where I fly to personally.

The real benefits to me is the extra luggage. I use that extra bag almost every time, and rarely has it had the yellow stripe applied (and even rarer, observed). Priority boarding is nice, especially during the rat-run during boarding in China. As is the priority check in (which is always empty...I use regional and small airports mostly...). But not important to me. I think it even scored me an upgrade on an overbooked flight once...

Looking at this, I think the whole point of FFP is to modify our buying and flying habits to those that are more profitable. I have upgraded flights just to make sure I make qualifying segments, and chosen SkyTeam partners over more preferable carriers...so I can see it adjusts my travel plans. If this change persuades anyone to change their travel plans to go Elite+ then it's a winner for SkyTeam (I made 50+flights this year, of which only about 35 were skyteam, so I also changed my flying patterns a little to attain gold this year...)

As for silver members, I can see that FB will value them if it keeps them flying with AF-KL and not European LCCs. I see FB's 15 qualifying segment tally as a way to keep some trade from going to competitors, so it does make sense to make it achievable.

A little off topic - are there many FB members stationed in Asia?

mandatory

Yes, based in Hong Kong, travelling through Asia. FB Plat, Oneworld Gold.

mfkne

KLM has informed one Twitter user that Silver members no longer have access to priority check-in and drop-off, despite their updated website and the FB communication stating that:

https://twitter.com/KLM/status/684397002340306944

CMK10

I was able to use the Priority Check In desk for Tarom at OTP last week. I was glad for that too as the Economy check-in line was at least 100 people long. I'm going to miss that benefit

mfkne

The benefits only changed today, so no wonder you were able to use priority check-in last week.