Apr 14, 2020, 2:13 pm
Last edit by: Gajan
URL to information: https://www.flyingblue.nl/en/news/coronavirus-updates
Update 16/4/20
Update 15/4/20
From the Q&A that will be shared later today:
2. Will I keep my current level in my next qualification period?
In case your qualification period ends between March 2020 and February 2021, you will keep your current level even if you don’t reach the XP objective. Some examples:
A Silver member with a qualification period ending in April 2020:
· If you have gained 120 XP, your counter will be offset by 100 XP to maintain Silver and you keep a surplus of 20 XP.
· If you have gained 65 XP, we will credit the missing 35 XP and then offset your counter with 100 XP to reset your XP counter to 0 and maintain your Silver level.
A Gold member with a qualification period ending in April 2020:
· If you have gained 220 XP, your counter will be offset by 180 XP to maintain Gold and you keep a surplus of 40 XP.
· If you have gained 120 XP, we will credit the missing 60 XP and then offset your counter with 180 XP to reset your XP counter to 0 and maintain your Gold level.
A Platinum member with a qualification period ending in April 2020:
· If you have gained 450 XP, your counter will be offset by 300 XP to maintain Platinum and you keep a surplus of 150 XP.
· If you have gained 250 XP, we will credit the missing 50 XP and then offset your counter with 300 XP to reset your XP counter to 0 and maintain your Platinum level.
3. When will I see this XP measure in my online account?
Not until the first day in your new qualification period will you see in your online account that your current level is maintained. In your activity overview, you’ll find either ‘XP offered by Flying Blue’ with the number of XP that are credited to reach the XP objective, or ‘Counter offset’ with the XP objective deducted from your counter. A new card will be sent to you before your current card expires. The validity date of your digital card will be updated at the end of your current qualification period.
4. I want to upgrade to a higher level. Will I also be compensated?
Our measures enable Elite members to maintain their current level. It is not applicable for members who wish to upgrade to a higher level.
5. Will I keep my current XP balance in my next qualification period?
We will automatically offset the number of XP needed to maintain or upgrade a level. Any surplus XP will remain on your account. Some examples:
A Silver member with a qualification period ending in April 2020:
· If you have gained 120 XP, your counter will be offset by 100 XP to maintain Silver and you keep a surplus of 20 XP.
· If you have gained 65 XP, we will credit the missing 35 XP and then offset your counter with 100 XP to reset your XP counter to 0 and maintain your Silver level.
A Gold member with a qualification period ending in April 2020:
· If you have gained 220 XP, your counter will be offset by 180 XP to maintain Gold and you keep a surplus of 40 XP.
· If you have gained 120 XP, we will credit the missing 60 XP and then offset your counter with 180 XP to reset your XP counter to 0 and maintain your Gold level.
A Platinum member with a qualification period ending in April 2020:
· If you have gained 450 XP, your counter will be offset by 300 XP to maintain Platinum and you keep a surplus of 150 XP.
· If you have gained 250 XP, we will credit the missing 50 XP and then offset your counter with 300 XP to reset your XP counter to 0 and maintain your Platinum level.
6. What will happen to my years counting towards Platinum for life?
If you keep your current level during your next qualification period based on our special measures that membership year will count towards the 10 consecutive years needed to qualify for Platinum for life. For example:
· You have been a Platinum member for 9 consecutive years, and your current qualification period will end on 31 December 2020. Because of our measures, you will be maintained and reach 10 consecutive years of Platinum. On 1 January 2021, your new qualificaiton period starts and on 1 April 2021, we will change your level to Platinum for life.
· You have been a Platinum member for 7 consecutive years, and your current qualification period will end on 31 December 2020. Because of our measures, you will be maintained. On 1 January 2021, your 8th consecutive year of Platinum will start.
Update 16/4/20
At this stage measurements which have been taken are for status maintain only. We are well aware that customers can also be impacted by less chance for an upgrade and/or reduced opportunities to carry over XP to the next year. We are constantly monitoring the evolution of the situation and are adjusting our policies accordingly. Should there be additional measures to compensate those impacts too, we will let our Flying Blue members know as soon as possible.
In challenging times like today, travelling has become more difficult due to reasons beyond your control. In these trying times, we want to remove any uncertainty you may have about your Flying Blue Elite level.
We have put the following actions in place:
- We will maintain all Flying Blue Elite members with a qualification period ending between March 2020 and February 2021 for another 12 months.
- We will prevent all Miles from expiring between now and the end of 2020 for all our Explorer members.
We have put the following actions in place:
- We will maintain all Flying Blue Elite members with a qualification period ending between March 2020 and February 2021 for another 12 months.
- We will prevent all Miles from expiring between now and the end of 2020 for all our Explorer members.
2. Will I keep my current level in my next qualification period?
In case your qualification period ends between March 2020 and February 2021, you will keep your current level even if you don’t reach the XP objective. Some examples:
A Silver member with a qualification period ending in April 2020:
· If you have gained 120 XP, your counter will be offset by 100 XP to maintain Silver and you keep a surplus of 20 XP.
· If you have gained 65 XP, we will credit the missing 35 XP and then offset your counter with 100 XP to reset your XP counter to 0 and maintain your Silver level.
A Gold member with a qualification period ending in April 2020:
· If you have gained 220 XP, your counter will be offset by 180 XP to maintain Gold and you keep a surplus of 40 XP.
· If you have gained 120 XP, we will credit the missing 60 XP and then offset your counter with 180 XP to reset your XP counter to 0 and maintain your Gold level.
A Platinum member with a qualification period ending in April 2020:
· If you have gained 450 XP, your counter will be offset by 300 XP to maintain Platinum and you keep a surplus of 150 XP.
· If you have gained 250 XP, we will credit the missing 50 XP and then offset your counter with 300 XP to reset your XP counter to 0 and maintain your Platinum level.
3. When will I see this XP measure in my online account?
Not until the first day in your new qualification period will you see in your online account that your current level is maintained. In your activity overview, you’ll find either ‘XP offered by Flying Blue’ with the number of XP that are credited to reach the XP objective, or ‘Counter offset’ with the XP objective deducted from your counter. A new card will be sent to you before your current card expires. The validity date of your digital card will be updated at the end of your current qualification period.
4. I want to upgrade to a higher level. Will I also be compensated?
Our measures enable Elite members to maintain their current level. It is not applicable for members who wish to upgrade to a higher level.
5. Will I keep my current XP balance in my next qualification period?
We will automatically offset the number of XP needed to maintain or upgrade a level. Any surplus XP will remain on your account. Some examples:
A Silver member with a qualification period ending in April 2020:
· If you have gained 120 XP, your counter will be offset by 100 XP to maintain Silver and you keep a surplus of 20 XP.
· If you have gained 65 XP, we will credit the missing 35 XP and then offset your counter with 100 XP to reset your XP counter to 0 and maintain your Silver level.
A Gold member with a qualification period ending in April 2020:
· If you have gained 220 XP, your counter will be offset by 180 XP to maintain Gold and you keep a surplus of 40 XP.
· If you have gained 120 XP, we will credit the missing 60 XP and then offset your counter with 180 XP to reset your XP counter to 0 and maintain your Gold level.
A Platinum member with a qualification period ending in April 2020:
· If you have gained 450 XP, your counter will be offset by 300 XP to maintain Platinum and you keep a surplus of 150 XP.
· If you have gained 250 XP, we will credit the missing 50 XP and then offset your counter with 300 XP to reset your XP counter to 0 and maintain your Platinum level.
6. What will happen to my years counting towards Platinum for life?
If you keep your current level during your next qualification period based on our special measures that membership year will count towards the 10 consecutive years needed to qualify for Platinum for life. For example:
· You have been a Platinum member for 9 consecutive years, and your current qualification period will end on 31 December 2020. Because of our measures, you will be maintained and reach 10 consecutive years of Platinum. On 1 January 2021, your new qualificaiton period starts and on 1 April 2021, we will change your level to Platinum for life.
· You have been a Platinum member for 7 consecutive years, and your current qualification period will end on 31 December 2020. Because of our measures, you will be maintained. On 1 January 2021, your 8th consecutive year of Platinum will start.
COVID-19: status extensions confirmed
Apr 15, 2020, 5:42 am
#136
Moderator: Flying Blue (Air France & KLM)
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Rotterdam, NL
Programs: Flying Blue (AF/KL)
Posts: 4,711
“A Platinum member with a qualification period ending in April 2020:
If you have gained 450 XP, your counter will be offset by 300 XP to maintain Platinum and you keep a surplus of 150 XP.
If you have gained 250 XP, we will credit the missing 50 XP and then offset your counter with 300 XP to reset your XP counter to 0 and maintain your Platinum level”
So basically the good customer who flew a lot and had 450 XP already gets no free XP while the platinum client who did not fly any segments during its qualification period gets 300 free XP! Incredibly unfair for the best clients!
Any recommendation for a good status match option for a less stingy airline such as Delta:
“Rollover for all 2020 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) earned on flight spend or your eligible Delta SkyMiles American Express Card. All 2020 MQMs will be rolled over to 2021 for qualification towards 2022”
If you have gained 450 XP, your counter will be offset by 300 XP to maintain Platinum and you keep a surplus of 150 XP.
If you have gained 250 XP, we will credit the missing 50 XP and then offset your counter with 300 XP to reset your XP counter to 0 and maintain your Platinum level”
So basically the good customer who flew a lot and had 450 XP already gets no free XP while the platinum client who did not fly any segments during its qualification period gets 300 free XP! Incredibly unfair for the best clients!
Any recommendation for a good status match option for a less stingy airline such as Delta:
“Rollover for all 2020 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) earned on flight spend or your eligible Delta SkyMiles American Express Card. All 2020 MQMs will be rolled over to 2021 for qualification towards 2022”
Apr 15, 2020, 5:49 am
#137
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: UK/FR
Programs: FlyingBlue Platinum, Hertz PC
Posts: 886
Apr 15, 2020, 5:49 am
#138
Join Date: Dec 2006
Programs: LH SEN, FB Plat., HH D.
Posts: 5,050
Not everybody will like the idea but few Plat members will stop flying on AF/KL because of this.
Apr 15, 2020, 5:56 am
#139
Join Date: Feb 2008
Programs: Flying Blue Platinum / Marriott Gold / Hilton Gold / IHG Platinum ... A former AA Platinum
Posts: 106
So this year, I too have a deficit of earned XPs -- just like everybody else. I Had 'extra' loyalty, that I built up overtime, and instead of acknowledging that everyone will have a deficit (wherever they were in the overall scale), it's resetting 'extra' frequent flyers and 'regular' frequent flyers on the same line for _next_ year. That's the big distinction.
But here's the thing where perhaps this wasn't very well thought out for them: Ok, this year, I -- and everybody else -- don't risk to lose my status. But maybe next year I will since my nest of XPs will be gone. If I don't requalify _next year_, then I'll reevaluate my loyalty next year.
So in fact, specifically for 'extra' frequent flyers, there are negative incentives to the approach that AF puts in place.
Pity ...
Apr 15, 2020, 5:58 am
#140
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: UK/FR
Programs: FlyingBlue Platinum, Hertz PC
Posts: 886
Had I not moved flights over to AF/KL in the last few years, I would be granted all those XPs for free and be at the same point at the end of the year.
Lesson learned.
Apr 15, 2020, 6:11 am
#141
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold
Posts: 28,731
So far I wasn't worried thinking they would lower the threshold or gift some XP and I was happy to reschedule my flights or take a voucher to help the airline with its cash flow but since I'm being left on my own to weather the storm, I'm going to start thinking more about myself and less about the airline.
Had I not moved flights over to AF/KL in the last few years, I would be granted all those XPs for free and be at the same point at the end of the year.
Lesson learned.
Had I not moved flights over to AF/KL in the last few years, I would be granted all those XPs for free and be at the same point at the end of the year.
Lesson learned.
And if so, why?
Apr 15, 2020, 6:29 am
#142
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: UK/FR
Programs: FlyingBlue Platinum, Hertz PC
Posts: 886
What I meant there was that right now, I was happy to basically give 0% interest loans to the airline instead of chasing a refund. I also occasionally use my PriorityPass card that comes with my Amex instead of using elite status to get into third party lounges.
Not a big deal and will be more selfish in the future I guess.
Apr 15, 2020, 6:56 am
#143
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold
Posts: 28,731
*amount - it's also difficult to know what amount everyone should get, if it is not chosen, as in this scheme, to be the amount that it is just enough to maintain status. I'm sure you might come with a figure that you would find acceptable or fair, based solely on your circumstances - but imagine if they then added that same fixed amount to everyone's account. That would have all sorts of different outcomes - rather than, as in the current scheme, ensuring that everyone who currently holds status will, at the very least, retain that status for another year.
Therefore, they would have given you the same number of XPs as you had accumulated last year.
And for those Platinums carrying large rollover balances, it would have restored them back to their total of 12 months previously, if they had had a "fallow" year.
It probably would have been the fairest way of selecting an XP target for each status holder - given that it was determined entirely by that person's most recent Corona-free year of travel.
Apr 15, 2020, 7:01 am
#144
Moderator: Aegean Miles+Bonus
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: AMS / ATH
Programs: AFKL Plat, A3 Gold
Posts: 7,339
While it is good to see that FB has decided to ease the requirements as to keeping status, I too agree that this is not a great way of doing it.
Many people that fly often will already have some sort of a buffer of rollover XPs, to make sure that they do not lose status in case a difficult year comes along. Those people will likely partially/fully requalify based on their rollover miles only and not receive anything from FB. They will start next year without their buffer as that buffer would be 'used up' this year.
While people who have not been building a buffer of rollover XP's, in the end, will get comped by FB and also start next year at exactly the same point: With no rollover XPs.
So yes, pretty much everybody will start next year in the same way. Without buffer. But I do consider that a bit unfair to the people who have been building their buffer, myself included, as basically that work is now lost...or at least it has become useless. Even without it one would have been comped by FB and end up with the same result.
It would have been much fairer, in my opinion, if AF would have just credited 100/180/300XP's to everyones account. Or a part of that ...assuming that we have flown the first few months, and will fly the last few months this year. Crediting everyone 50/90/150XP would have been fine as well.
Many people that fly often will already have some sort of a buffer of rollover XPs, to make sure that they do not lose status in case a difficult year comes along. Those people will likely partially/fully requalify based on their rollover miles only and not receive anything from FB. They will start next year without their buffer as that buffer would be 'used up' this year.
While people who have not been building a buffer of rollover XP's, in the end, will get comped by FB and also start next year at exactly the same point: With no rollover XPs.
So yes, pretty much everybody will start next year in the same way. Without buffer. But I do consider that a bit unfair to the people who have been building their buffer, myself included, as basically that work is now lost...or at least it has become useless. Even without it one would have been comped by FB and end up with the same result.
It would have been much fairer, in my opinion, if AF would have just credited 100/180/300XP's to everyones account. Or a part of that ...assuming that we have flown the first few months, and will fly the last few months this year. Crediting everyone 50/90/150XP would have been fine as well.
Last edited by Xandrios; Apr 15, 2020 at 7:04 am Reason: Whats with the 'undefined' URL's appearing in the posts?!
Apr 15, 2020, 7:10 am
#146
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold
Posts: 28,731
It would have been much fairer, in my opinion, if AF would have just credited 100/180/300XP's to everyones account. Or a part of that ...assuming that we have flown the first few months, and will fly the last few months this year. Crediting everyone 50/90/150XP would have been fine as well.
The more I think about it, the more elegant and simple it seems.
And yes, i was just going to point out about the proliferation of those random "undefined" URLs in many posts in this thread!
Apr 15, 2020, 7:14 am
#147
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold
Posts: 28,731
Dear Gajan,
Is there any chance that the information was released in this manner in order to gauge our reaction? And is FB reading this thread?
I think we have, between us, crowdsourced a better solution that would be more acceptable and equitable rather than their proposed workaround (although I personally have no particular objection to the proposed solution).
A simple addition of 100 to each Silver account, 180 to each Gold account, and 300 to each Platinum account, would allow each status member to start their next membership year in at least as good a position as they started the current year (which for most will be a total write-off)
It may even assist some Silvers and Golds to climb in status, but that shouldn't be seen as a bad thing, surely? It may even more strongly foster loyalty in those members.
A bit of a gesture isn't a bad thing, given that AFKL has taken interest-free loans from most of us...
Is there any chance that the information was released in this manner in order to gauge our reaction? And is FB reading this thread?
I think we have, between us, crowdsourced a better solution that would be more acceptable and equitable rather than their proposed workaround (although I personally have no particular objection to the proposed solution).
A simple addition of 100 to each Silver account, 180 to each Gold account, and 300 to each Platinum account, would allow each status member to start their next membership year in at least as good a position as they started the current year (which for most will be a total write-off)
It may even assist some Silvers and Golds to climb in status, but that shouldn't be seen as a bad thing, surely? It may even more strongly foster loyalty in those members.
A bit of a gesture isn't a bad thing, given that AFKL has taken interest-free loans from most of us...
Apr 15, 2020, 7:29 am
#148
Join Date: May 2009
Location: EDI
Programs: FB Plat, BA Bronze, Hotels.com
Posts: 400