NewbieRunner

Do you mean since the programme started?

TheKipper

I can accept Prock Schauer being the bean counter who re-positions the company. But they need a natural leader to focus growth, ideas and ownership. This isn't about money. It's about taking the staff and customers on the journey down the hill and back up the other side so what comes out the other side is worth having for all parties. I haven't seen any evidence of this whatsoever.

We'll just keep dreaming then eh!

Saracenn

Forgive me for coming out of the woodwork; I've been absent for a while. I recently moved to Singapore and was just yesterday debating switching FFPs. I just managed to requalify for BD*G with my rollover due next month The difficulty I've had is that given I only travel just enough to qualify, I've been holding off burning, since I can't afford not to earn on long flights. The lack of upgrade awards has seen me build up a 280k stash, which I've barely eaten into. In some ways, those miles moving over to M&M might be great since I can then use them to upgrade on SQ flights.

Main question here is whether it is worth continuing to credit flights to BD. From previous experience with mergers into M&M, will they only status match those who have requalified for the following year, or anyone currently on the tier? I'll be BD*G through to Jul 2011 at the moment. If the merger happens before that, can I expect to be matched to SEN even if I have 0 status miles for that year? Will they work of the number of status miles against M&M requirements? I know we can't predict, but surely the SN and other experiences should tell us? I'm also realising that my rollover month is at the wrong time

NewbieRunner

The first post in this thread may answer your question.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles...25-2009-a.html

When SN Privilege was integrated into M&M, the status on the last day of the SN programme (5 months after the official announcement) was converted to the corresponding M&M status.

This should work if the status expires on the same day for all members (e.g. M&M status expires at the end of February each year) but DC's rolling membership year could result in anomalies and problems.

I hope they will come up with a solution which is as fair as possible to everybody affected.

RAPC

I would hope so as well. Sadly for those involved with the first wave of migrations in NL, Israel etc, I don't believe that they were as fair as they could have been.

Efrem

It's not just the right thing. It's the smart thing.

Intelligent travelers realize that the only reason not to share this information would be if they fear sharing it would hurt business. (Good news, after all, would be shouted from the rooftops.) Silence sends this message as clearly as sharing any possible bad news could. In fact, because silence puts no limit on how bad the news could be, not saying anything is worse than coming out with whatever it is.

Many companies, most recently BP, have learned that sitting on bad news - no matter how bad - is worse than being open about it. Hopefully this lesson will come through without their having to learn it by experiencing it themselves. Sadly, though, most companies find it hard to learn from the experiences of others. Everyone thinks they're different. Sorry, bmi. You're not.

NewbieRunner

I get the feeling that the majority of DC members (or those who frequent this forum) were so relieved to find the forced migration was a false alarm they may not have paid much attention to the plight of members in the Netherlands, Israel and Ukraine.

I still hope that LH/M&M will treat status members in BD's home country as favourably as they treated SN Privilege members who I believe received two calendar years' matched status.

Instead of just complaining on FT why not send email via Diamond Club or by using M&M's email form. A Miles & More membership number is not mandatory and the subject category "Criticism/Encouragement for M&M" might be the most appropriate.

netd

Those of us waiting for the next round of transfers can only hope everyone involved in the beta phase so far complains as loudly as possible! Even then I suspect not much will change. LH's stance seems to be that M&M is a more elite FF programme than DC, the transfer "benefits" appear to reflect this.

zkzkz

So we agree except on the terminology. I think I have the right of it though according to an online dictionary:

3.
a. A means of protection or defense, especially against financial loss: a hedge against inflation.
b. A securities transaction that reduces the risk on an existing investment position.

It's not unrelated to the original meaning of the word of a defensive wall (hence it's meaning as a wall of shrubbery).

BristolTraveller

As someone with a foot in both camps (BD*G and LH SEN), it'll be an interesting transition. Best case scenario, they might offer to extend my SEN status by a year, but I suspect not. (Will have to go and look in the SN forum).

IIRC, there are subtle differences between the SEN status on each airline. I wonder if I'll get a choice of migrating my LH SEN to BD SEN instead of the other way around? I'd rather have a BD logo on my card than an LH one, honestly, if there's no big penalty.

The big thing I'll miss is C+M redemptions. Maybe, just maybe, LH will add this to M&M.....

zkzkz

So I happen to have BD Silver for strange reasons. I normally credit all my miles to AP and was planning to let the BD Silver lapse this year. I can't afford to lose any status miles this year.

Do we have any feedback on how quickly this will happen? Is there any chance it'll happen before the end of 2010? If it does, is LH Silver worth anything? I have *G with AP so I mean does it get you anything special with LH that *G with another programme doesn't?

In retrospect perhaps I should have put more miles into BD. Getting LH *G out of it would have been a lucky break.

Raffles

BD Silver is actually worth a lot more after the merger, because at present you only get BD lounge access. After the merger, you will have M&M Silver which will get you into BD, LOT, Austrian, Swiss, LH, Adria, SN and probably some others lounges.

In general, though, you want a *G card because *S does not give you full alliance-wide privileges, unlike OneWorld.

David-A

No.

You are suggesting that an airline that is described as 'not hedging' is exposed to a cost price volatility at the time of service delivery.
[After revenue already recieved and fixed.]

See:
What I am pointing out is that this is interpretation is deeply flawed and wrong.

Saying you are not fuel hedging (even as a categorical statment) does not mean you are subject to fuel price variations at the time of service delivery. Inded, at the time of service selling you can have your fuel price totally locked in and still say you are NOT hedging.

Hedging is about going beyond that time frame and looking to make/save money over the longer term by discretionary fuel buying in the market based upon trading conditions.

Do you see the difference and why the interpretation is flawed?

NewbieRunner

This is what SN members were told:

Presumably any Privilege Platinum whose existing SEN status expired before October 2011 had their status extended till October 2011?

I don't know of any substantial difference between the SEN status of different M&M airlines or countries. The only differences I know of are LH magazine distribution, credit card availability and miles for mobile phone subscriptions.

Dream on...

zkzkz

When were they told this? Ie, how long was the gap between the announcement and this October 24th date? If they announced the same thing tomorrow for BD what would the corresponding date be if they have the same lag-time?

And how long did they take between first telegraphing it was coming and the announcement? Did it take them years before they implemented it or did it happen quickly?

Am I dreaming to think this might happen before November 2010?