roberino

This actually brings me neatly onto what I logged on to FT to ask today. My original intention to was to get BD*G renewed (which I did in Feb '12) and then start using my LH card (currently Blue) with the hope of using BD for lounge access and pre-boarding while racking up SEN status. Obviously I can't do that now that BD has left *A, but in the last week I have been matched to NZ and TK *G.

So what is the best use of *G cards and miles now? I feel like I owe it to NZ and TK to travel with them (both good airlines by all accounts) but it sounds like a SEN card has more "punch" outside of the home airline. I will never reach HON status, so that doesn't feature in my thoughts here. I do about 50% of my travel into Europe but also go to the Far East and North America regularly for work, and I have family living in NZ so anticipate one trip every 12-18 months down there, and I'm most likely to try and redeem on the LHR-AKL route.

Thoughts anyone?

El Puerco Volante

Excellent,thank you. I sent my status match request to this address.

Already booked 4 flights with A3 in meantime

Regards,

El Puerco Volante.

El Puerco Volante

TK C is actually very good ( as long as you are on airplane with new C ) and the IST C passengers handling is also excellent ( priority security/passport controls, great C lounge ).

Service can be hit or miss, food is DO&CO - enough said

I highly recommend TK new C - beats anything except SQ and NZ 747 C IMHO.

Regards,

El Puerco Volante.

rangerss75

An important question to ask is, 'how easy is it to redeem miles for awards?'. In some FF schemes (TG, for example), you need to call, or even go into an office, in another country (Thailand, in that case). I doubt that is the case with NZ and I have no idea about TK. But do find out before deciding where to put your *Alliance miles.

Richelieu

I also think TK's C product is excellent and IST a very nice aiport to connect in. But it has been confirmed in this forum, despite my initial thought that it was something left over from the paper ticket era, that one must go to a TK ticketing office to get an award ticket. If you must add to an award redemption the price of a trip, it can be a huge drawback. In the UK, they are London, Birmingham and Manchester.

roberino

Wow! In this day and age that's fairly appalling. So not TK then...

That leaves me with LH or NZ. Thoughts?

starflyergold

I assume in the Dublin case their handling agent at the airport serves as ticketing office?

colmc

Yes, there is a ticket desk at DUB

DELLAS

No need to worry TK just closed their Downtown ticket office and has opened it at Dublin Airport instead.

Richelieu

Indeed. For any other case, here is the complete list by country and city.

Culture Guru

Even TK's economy comfort is great - wonderful food

dazerc

Is there any time limit to collect your ticket before a flight?
Or can you collect them from Heathrow airport just before you checkin?

jamesmax

BEST READ FROM THE BOTTOM UPWARDS... computer says no...



Hello,

Thank you for writing back to us at the Star Alliance Help Desk.

We are sorry to say that all member airlines will take you as a new member, means no connection with your old account (BMI) with Star Alliance.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Regards,
Star Alliance Help Desk
STAR ALLIANCE
THE WAY THE EARTH CONNECTS
www.staralliance.com
________________________________________
From: XXXXXXXXXXX
Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2012 8:36 PM
To: Star Alliance Helpdesk
Subject: RE: Frequent Flyer Programmes XXXXXXXXXX

Thanks for your message. I am not sure that you understood my question completely.

I am currently a BMI Diamond Club member. BMI is leaving Star Alliance, and as such BMI Diamond Club members will no longer be able to participate in Star Alliance programmes or redeem their miles on Star Alliance airlines.

I would have thought that it might be in other Star Alliance member airlines' interest to offer a status match facility to BMI Diamond Club members, if only to retain them as members of a Star Alliance programme. I would have thought Star Alliance would encourage its members to do this. Certainly it has done so in the past where a member (such as Varig or SpanAir) has gone out of business.

I would have thought this would be even more the case given that the departure of BMI means there is no longer a UK based member of Star Alliance.

For the record, my BMI Diamond club membership was the only Star Alliance programme I participated in. British Airways is a oneworld alliance member.

Thanks,

XXXXXXXX

-----Original Message-----
From: Star Alliance Helpdesk [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: 08 May 2012 14:02
To:
Subject: Frequent Flyer Programmes

Hello,

Thank you for writing to us at the Star Alliance Help Desk.

Loyalty Programmes are individually operated by the member airlines, rather than combined under the Star Alliance brand.

At this time, it is not possible to combine miles from your separate accounts with different Star Alliance member airline programmes to book one award ticket. Once you have earned miles on one programme, you are not able to transfer that balance to another programme. Each programme is structured differently with different rules and requirements.

If you wish to claim an award on a member airline, you must contact your loyalty programme service centre. They will handle the booking for you. It is worth noting that you only need to be a member of one loyalty programme to accumulate and redeem miles on other Star Alliance member airlines.

Since you have multiple membership accounts we recommend that you discontinue registering your miles with some of the loyalty programmes. This way you will not split your miles from future flights. We suggest continuing with the airline you travel most with.

We hope this information is of help. Thanks again for contacting us.

Regards,
Star Alliance Help Desk
STAR ALLIANCE
THE WAY THE EARTH CONNECTS
www.staralliance.com
________________________________________
From:
Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2012 6:14 PM
To: Star Alliance Helpdesk
Subject: Frequent Flyer Programmes

Customer Information
---------------------------------------------------------------

E-mail Address: XXXXXXXXXXX
First Name:
Last name:
FrequentFlyerProgramme:
Airline :

Customer message
---------------------------------------------------------------

I am a member of BMI diamond club with Silver Status and a thousands of miles accumulated. I do not want to transfer these to British Airways' programme, but would prefer another Star Alliance member to status match, preferably United since that's where I travel most often. Can you help?

Jetstreamer

I think the wording of your initial question to them didn't help but after that you have no chance to recover the situation, they only ever remember the first question!

Anyway they are correct in that you need to contact the individual member airlines that you want to match you. Sure *A could do what they did with JK and formally announce a status match campaign but why not just try your luck with UA and see what happens?

Furthermore if you have trouble getting your bmi silver status matched, perhaps the likes of UA would be more happy to match BA silver which is worth a lot more than bmi silver (they may even match it at a higher level if they are familiar with the BA programme).

GavB

Just approach star FFPs individually A3, TK and SAS certainly are matching at the moment with scan of gold card and statement without any quibbles