Another downgrade of benefits for FB Silver

Old Jul 26, 2018, 7:14 am
  #76  
 
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I only reached Gold a few months ago after many years as Silver. In my experience the treatment you get as Silver (premium check-in lines, priority boarding, etc.) really depends on how you address the staff. If you are nice to them and look sure of what you are doing, you will get everything. If they see you hesitant or you don't treat them well, then they will make you do the walk of shame out of the SkyPriority boarding line. I guess this doesn't only apply to airline staff, but being kind always opens many doors.
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Old Jul 26, 2018, 3:37 pm
  #77  
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I don't think it's anything to do with being kind or knowing what you are doing. In each case, they looked at my boarding pass and said, yes, I was entitled to use the Sky Priority line. That was when I asked about it, the first few times, then I stopped asking. Always worked.

One useful thing that I found as Silver is that when you are travelling other SkyTeam airlines they treat you simply as elite, no matter whether you're Gold, Silver or Platinum (except for lounge access). So that gives you a good placing when it comes to upgrades on overbooked flights, which happened to me on quite a few China Southern flights. Aeroflot don't seem to care one tiny little bit about it, although to get Silver with SU you need 25 flights or 50,000 miles if I remember correctly. No wonder there isn't a humming Aeroflot forum here.
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Old Jul 27, 2018, 1:09 am
  #78  
 
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Originally Posted by Concerto
I don't think it's anything to do with being kind or knowing what you are doing. In each case, they looked at my boarding pass and said, yes, I was entitled to use the Sky Priority line. That was when I asked about it, the first few times, then I stopped asking. Always worked.

One useful thing that I found as Silver is that when you are travelling other SkyTeam airlines they treat you simply as elite, no matter whether you're Gold, Silver or Platinum (except for lounge access). So that gives you a good placing when it comes to upgrades on overbooked flights, which happened to me on quite a few China Southern flights. Aeroflot don't seem to care one tiny little bit about it, although to get Silver with SU you need 25 flights or 50,000 miles if I remember correctly. No wonder there isn't a humming Aeroflot forum here.
Any chance regarding upgrades on AF medium-haul flights being a ST Elite (and Elite plus) instead of FB?

Last edited by catsniper75; Jul 27, 2018 at 1:17 am
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Old Jul 27, 2018, 1:10 am
  #79  
 
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Duplicity - error

Last edited by catsniper75; Jul 27, 2018 at 1:17 am
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Old Jul 27, 2018, 1:16 am
  #80  
 
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Originally Posted by Marambio
I only reached Gold a few months ago after many years as Silver. In my experience the treatment you get as Silver (premium check-in lines, priority boarding, etc.) really depends on how you address the staff. If you are nice to them and look sure of what you are doing, you will get everything. If they see you hesitant or you don't treat them well, then they will make you do the walk of shame out of the SkyPriority boarding line. I guess this doesn't only apply to airline staff, but being kind always opens many doors.
I think, the harder is to manage to be scanned. Beyond this point, they will hardly make you the walk of shame back the hell out of the Sky lane I think (or maybe step aside) as it would mean removing someone from the boarded Pax list.

Last edited by catsniper75; Jul 27, 2018 at 8:12 am
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Old Jul 27, 2018, 4:44 am
  #81  
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Originally Posted by catsniper75


Any chance regarding upgrades on AF medium-haul flights being a ST Elite (and Elite plus) instead of FB?
I've had virtually nothing with AF while being at various levels of elite status. From what I can gather on other threads, they are too busy taking care of their friends and families rather than worrying about their own elite flyers. Had upgrades a couple of times on short flights with KLM in Europe.
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Old Aug 9, 2018, 9:00 am
  #82  
 
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Afternoon folks. A question about a benefit I think I'm entitled to under Skyteam but which KL are telling me I'm not entitled to. Here's the detail:Now correct me if I'm wrong, and I'm no Skyteam expert, but if a benefit is offered to someone with status in one FFP, doesn't it have to be offered to all those with equivalent status? That's certainly the way it works in OneWorld - the benefits I enjoy as (for example) BA Bronze are replicated across all carriers and vice-versa. Are KL keeping the benefits for *their* members only?
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Old Aug 9, 2018, 9:12 am
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Originally Posted by OxfordBlue
Now correct me if I'm wrong, and I'm no Skyteam expert, but if a benefit is offered to someone with status in one FFP, doesn't it have to be offered to all those with equivalent status?
Certainly not.

Are KL keeping the benefits for *their* members only?
Some of them, yes. Others, for instance the extra free bag, are universal.

Basically SkyTeam dicates some perks for FFP members at the two Elite levels, and airlines are free to add whatever they want to that above it, whether for their own members only, all skyteam elite(+), or a combination of such (as in fact, KL extends the same privileges to DL Elites as its own).
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Old Mar 19, 2019, 3:38 am
  #84  
 
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The downgrades depend on the airport these days. In Schipol (Amsterdam) and most other European and smaller airports, FB sIlver will use the sky priority queue or Zone 2. In some larger airports like Heathrow (London) and Charles de Gaulle (Paris) we are designated Zone 3. However they usually just merge zone 3 with the economy ones so we are stuck in the normal queue. Like all of FB, Silver can take a guest with them in the priority queue even if they are not FB. My information is from asking the staff every time i get to the gate. Some of the info is conflicting but the info i posted is consistent from all of them.

Your priority status depends on the airport, so to get the most out of silver, it is best to fly to and from smaller airports and Sky Team airlines where possible. e.g. Use KLM instead of Air France and Delta. Fly from Schipol airport rather than Paris. etc.
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Old Mar 20, 2019, 3:50 am
  #85  
 
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I'm a relative newb to the world of status, but as a Silver I've had no trouble using the Skypriority queues for check-in and boarding at Frankfurt, CDG, BCN, and recently Montpellier. In fact, on my last flight from MPL my baggage was tagged with the Priority tag. At Frankfurt I had to remind the check-in agent that I was entitled to an extra checked bag but that's been the only hiccup so far.

The small touches are enough to keep me trying to hold onto Silver and fly AF......
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Old Mar 20, 2019, 4:56 am
  #86  
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Originally Posted by mlin32
I'm a relative newb to the world of status,
welcome !

Originally Posted by mlin32
but as a Silver I've had no trouble using the Skypriority queues for check-in and boarding at Frankfurt, CDG, BCN, and recently Montpellier
For checkin no problem because its allowed

however officially for boarding its more complicated story , but it usually work in this order
.
  1. disabled passengers and passengers travelling with infants under 3years old
  2. skypriority , skyteam elite plus and business class passengers
  3. skyteam elite like as silver from flying blue or other skyteam programs
  4. general boarding for economy passengers (for flights operated by larger aircrafts , there are groups divided by arrays of rows)
Delta is even worst , they had 6 groups but since january there are 8 (while doing simple when you can create a mess)

See this link for more details (https://news.delta.com/boarding-simp...tte-tie-it-all)

This rule should be enforced and applied but it depends on the airport you fly from , and also agents at gates are mostly concerned about boarding all passengers as soon as possible , so you will often see skypriority boarding starting the same time as general boarding

Originally Posted by mlin32
In fact, on my last flight from MPL my baggage was tagged with the Priority tag. At Frankfurt I had to remind the check-in agent that I was entitled to an extra checked bag but that's been the only hiccup so far.
its because agents at check-in desks are not always aware of these rules
.
  1. silvers are not supposed to have this skypriority tag since 2014 (not sure exactly when)
  2. the extra check bag is still in place ,so you were right (maybe the software didnt displayed correctly the luggage allowance or you didnt add your FB id during booking or when you bought ticket the airline didnt add your status into your booking)
Originally Posted by mlin32
The small touches are enough to keep me trying to hold onto Silver and fly AF......
again, as i said , it depends to/from which airports you fly mostly , like airports which are not main bases of skyteam airlines such as Frankfurt or Barcelona where they dont really care or dont know much about skypriority

In my case i mostly fly from Warsaw and transit in paris , amsterdam or moscow , so these changes didnt affect too me when i was silver

It also depends how you play and engage with agents during the whole process = Smile , be nice , be polite , pretend to be ignorant but do not force your luck too much

Many cases as silver i received skypriorty tags when flying with Airfrance or other skyteam airlines or even was able to access 3rd party lounges , but its all thanks to luckiness and poor trainings delivered to agents

Last edited by fifty_two; Mar 20, 2019 at 5:31 am
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Old Mar 20, 2019, 5:19 pm
  #87  
 
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Oh, I know the rules about boarding and the order (technically one step behind SkyPriority), but in France they don't have really a third queue for Schengen flights for Silver/Skyteam Elites so they let me board with the SkyPriority queue. I realise in theory I could be asked to redirect to the general boarding queue but......

The Hop ! flights out of Frankfurt are annoying since people just get bussed to the Embraer jets so there isn't priority boarding.
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Old Mar 21, 2019, 6:55 am
  #88  
 
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Two of the three Delta internal flights I took in the states last year asked for serving military personnel to board first, which despite being a raging left wing pacifist myself, was really great to see.

What I found really weird was last year I flew 94 segments in Europe and only witnessed 2 people who needed special assistance boarding. The 3 US flights I took had a total of over 30 people that required assistance!!!
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Old Mar 21, 2019, 5:17 pm
  #89  
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Originally Posted by Dougy Giro
What I found really weird was last year I flew 94 segments in Europe and only witnessed 2 people who needed special assistance boarding. The 3 US flights I took had a total of over 30 people that required assistance!!!
Yes, often witness the same. And observe a flight to/from India and its almost half of the plane
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Old Mar 24, 2019, 4:18 pm
  #90  
 
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SP boarding in TLS experience

Originally Posted by mlin32
Oh, I know the rules about boarding and the order (technically one step behind SkyPriority), but in France they don't have really a third queue for Schengen flights for Silver/Skyteam Elites so they let me board with the SkyPriority queue. I realise in theory I could be asked to redirect to the general boarding queue but......

The Hop ! flights out of Frankfurt are annoying since people just get bussed to the Embraer jets so there isn't priority boarding.
I recently got the Flying Blue Silver. Today, on my first flight as a Silver from TLS to AMS, they called for Sky Priority passengers for boarding. As I didn't have SP printed on my boarding pass I waited to board later. I then asked the agent if as a Silver I was entitled to board with SP pax and she said yes, so I guess it really depends on the agent.

Last edited by to25sw; Mar 24, 2019 at 4:49 pm
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