The New Membership Pack (Ugh!)
Nov 27, 2009, 10:21 am
#136
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Tampere
Programs: BA EC Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,237
And by the way, where are the main activities of a Help Desk if not at the 'customer interface end'???
cheers,
Henry
Last edited by henry999; Nov 27, 2009 at 10:28 am
Nov 27, 2009, 10:51 am
#137
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,899
My new BMI card has raised a few eyebrows today. First in the BMI DUB lounge. The girl said "oh the new cards, havnt seen one before , much nicer". I agreed and also commented on how the new GUV system is alot fairer.
Again in ZRH Senator lounge the girl was tapping away at the keyboard and looking confused at the black and gold card.
At least I got in .
Again in ZRH Senator lounge the girl was tapping away at the keyboard and looking confused at the black and gold card.
At least I got in .
Nov 27, 2009, 12:49 pm
#138
Join Date: Dec 2008
Programs: BD Diamond Club Gold
Posts: 108
Isn't it boring to have a card everybody knows
Nov 27, 2009, 1:22 pm
#139
Senior Moderator, Moderator: Community Buzz and Ambassador: Miles & More (Lufthansa, Austrian, Swiss, and other partners)
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: 150km from MAN
Programs: LH SEN** HH Diamond
Posts: 29,514
Nov 27, 2009, 1:53 pm
#140
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: SIN 5 days out of 7
Programs: BD*G, A3*G, BA-S, Accor Gold, IHG Amb
Posts: 5,505
IIRC, the *A contact office is located in Germany, so you can look at that as legitimation for indulging in Germanic cliches . That said, I very much doubt that the *A office has the resources to investigate those kinds of complaints. The whole "*A" infrastructure must be no more than a handful of persons and their main activities are not at the customer interface end. Ultimately, it is really the airlines themselves. My guess is that you are more likely to get results from contacting the airline whose lounge refused you entry (in all likelihood, it will have very limited impact but still a little more than other avenues).
. That said, I very much doubt that the *A office has the resources to investigate those kinds of complaints. The whole "*A" infrastructure must be no more than a handful of persons and their main activities are not at the customer interface end. Ultimately, it is really the airlines themselves. My guess is that you are more likely to get results from contacting the airline whose lounge refused you entry (in all likelihood, it will have very limited impact but still a little more than other avenues).I understand there are about 50 - 60 people working for StarAlliance GmbH.
They act partly as a brading company and partly to manage the 'alliance products and services' but as mentioned, not really a customer facing organisation. Actually I notice the website mentions 75 employees.
Last edited by jbfield; Nov 27, 2009 at 2:06 pm
Nov 28, 2009, 2:35 am
#141
Moderator, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles & Accor ALL
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: BRU
Programs: TK*G, Accor ALL Platinum
Posts: 7,588
Here is my new experience...
Tried to use the new gold/black card in LAX (UA lounge), no acceptance (lounge dragon thought it is a fake due to the crappy *A Gold logo). Also no success at HNL (CO lounge - they only have the 'old' colours on their accepance sheet). At YVR (AC lounge - same thing).
Glad I still had my real gold card with me to get in...
Tried to use the new gold/black card in LAX (UA lounge), no acceptance (lounge dragon thought it is a fake due to the crappy *A Gold logo). Also no success at HNL (CO lounge - they only have the 'old' colours on their accepance sheet). At YVR (AC lounge - same thing).
Glad I still had my real gold card with me to get in...
In other matters I just got my second card pack in a week.
Suits me fine as I needed more luggage tags anyway. I guess I won't get double iGUVs
Nov 28, 2009, 5:36 am
#142
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Cork or Amsterdam
Programs: HH Gold, GHA Titanium, Iprefer Elite, EI Concierge
Posts: 659
Here the adventure of my new black card.
DUB: How nice, 1st time I see one, welcome.
ZRH (Schengen): Confusion, quick chat between the ladies in German followed by the question, "oh I know BMI got purchased by LH, is this equivalent to our HON cards? If so, you might want to go over to the First lounge.". After I swapped to German all no problem and I was admitted to the Senator Lounge.
CDG (Check in Counter): Oh, I better give you an invitation card for the Star Lounge, because they might not know that card yet.
ZRH (Non Schengen): No confusion at all, a quick entering of my details into their check in tool and a friendly please use the left side (Senator) unless you need a PC.
Let's see what happens next week in strange places like YYZ/ORD.
DUB: How nice, 1st time I see one, welcome.
ZRH (Schengen): Confusion, quick chat between the ladies in German followed by the question, "oh I know BMI got purchased by LH, is this equivalent to our HON cards? If so, you might want to go over to the First lounge.". After I swapped to German all no problem and I was admitted to the Senator Lounge.
CDG (Check in Counter): Oh, I better give you an invitation card for the Star Lounge, because they might not know that card yet.
ZRH (Non Schengen): No confusion at all, a quick entering of my details into their check in tool and a friendly please use the left side (Senator) unless you need a PC.
Let's see what happens next week in strange places like YYZ/ORD.
Nov 28, 2009, 5:54 am
#143
Moderator, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles & Accor ALL
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: BRU
Programs: TK*G, Accor ALL Platinum
Posts: 7,588
ZRH (Schengen): Confusion, quick chat between the ladies in German followed by the question, "oh I know BMI got purchased by LH, is this equivalent to our HON cards? If so, you might want to go over to the First lounge.". After I swapped to German all no problem and I was admitted to the Senator Lounge.
Nov 28, 2009, 8:52 pm
#144
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Asia-EU
Programs: DL Plat, JL Diamond, TK Elite, A3 Gold, IHG Plat Ambassador, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 140
Kit arrived...
Well, I think the new BD*G card is not as bad as it looks like on the photos.
But I still feel the star gold logo a bit small.
Just arrived my new CO*G card too, where the *G logo is about triple bigger.
So, may be better to use my CO or NH*G cards at the lounges
until the new BD card become famous
Well, I think the new BD*G card is not as bad as it looks like on the photos.
But I still feel the star gold logo a bit small.
Just arrived my new CO*G card too, where the *G logo is about triple bigger.
So, may be better to use my CO or NH*G cards at the loungesuntil the new BD card become famous
Nov 29, 2009, 12:55 am
#146
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Asia-EU
Programs: DL Plat, JL Diamond, TK Elite, A3 Gold, IHG Plat Ambassador, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 140
Nov 29, 2009, 11:16 pm
#147
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: BCN-BUE-PSA-GRU
Programs: BA Gold - A3 Gold - FB Gold - IHG Plat - SPG Gold -Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 1,581
Last nigh I flew Swiss BCN-ZRH-GRU in C and F. I went to the Business/First/Gold check in at BCN new terminal 1 and gave my new black card to the agent. -"I'm sorry sir, but we don't work with this airline" I said that it was actually BMI new gold card and show her the BMI logo at the back of the card. And again: "I don't know what Diamond Club means sir, we don't work with this program"
She try to swipe the card on the computer and was not recognised
Once again... thank god that I still have my old one
She try to swipe the card on the computer and was not recognised
Once again... thank god that I still have my old one
Nov 29, 2009, 11:22 pm
#148
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Melbourne/Bangkok
Programs: A3*G, QF PLATINUM, BA GOLD, VA GOLD, HH DIAMOND
Posts: 2,245
Last nigh I flew Swiss BCN-ZRH-GRU in C and F. I went to the Business/First/Gold check in at BCN new terminal 1 and gave my new black card to the agent. -"I'm sorry sir, but we don't work with this airline" I said that it was actually BMI new gold card and show her the BMI logo at the back of the card. And again: "I don't know what Diamond Club means sir, we don't work with this program"
She try to swipe the card on the computer and was not recognised
Once again... thank god that I still have my old one
She try to swipe the card on the computer and was not recognised
Once again... thank god that I still have my old one
Nov 30, 2009, 12:13 am
#149
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Central London
Programs: BA Gold Guest List, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 512
i'm guessing it worked when swiped.
Nov 30, 2009, 7:35 am
#150
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: BCN-BUE-PSA-GRU
Programs: BA Gold - A3 Gold - FB Gold - IHG Plat - SPG Gold -Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 1,581
Yes, it worked when swiped plus she was more familiar with the colour and the fact that says BMI instead of Diamond Club in the front.
She said something like: "Oh, this one is ok!"
She said something like: "Oh, this one is ok!"