How your flying patterns changed after DC disappeared ?
 

I think LH made a big mistake by selling BD - my flying patterns changed considerably because of that, and I'm curious if others feel the same effect ?

With DC, majority of my flights been on *A.

Almost all intra-European ones been in C, mostly on LX.

85% of long-haul ( and I fly mostly paid F, sometimes C ) has been on A*, with a considerable chunk in LH and LX F. Rest on EK that I really like.

After LH dropped BD and DC :

all intra-European are in Y on the carrier that cost less. Seat is the same, food is crap, Priority Pass takes care of lounges - why pay more ?

Long-haul - 100% on EK, SQ and some other middle-eastern carriers.

A big fat 0 in revenue classes on LH and LX. If with DC I was choosing LH F over SQ F for the simple reason of getting 635% miles instead of 325% - now it's SQ F all the way. Service, food and drink are infinitely better, price is about the same. Miles are going into US, but are not a factor anymore when I decide who I fly with. How I choose the airlines I enjoy flying with - and it's mostly EK and SQ

So I think that LH made a huge mistake - they can't compete with middle-eastern carriers in hardware ( EK showers/bar anyone ? ), can't compete with Asian carriers service levels.. the only place where they had competitive advantage was FF programme ( DC ) - how that it's gone, they reduced themselves to a level where they have to price their flights significantly lower then competition to even be considered.

What's your experience ?

Regards,

El Puerco Volante

I've switched mostly to Oneworld traffic (and yes, mostly BA Traffic).

Why? Fare cost. Oneworld tickets are coming in lower than the equivalents on Star Alliance metal (especially on the Joint-Business Venture routes)

Star has its uses within Europe (and dread the thought, long haul when the price is right), but for now - I'm happy with Oneworld.

LH/LX have lost me as well
 

The majority of my flights have gone to oneworld and BA as I am based out of London. If BA hadn't recognised DC as equivalent my custom would have gone to the cheapest carrier! LH have definitely lost me but I will miss LX more.

At the moment I'm still using *A as I got matched to LH SEN when they offered the Flying Blue match. I'll requalify for SEN this year, but after that will probably go back to Sky Team.

I moved from Sky Team after the devalued the earning and benefits, but everyone else seems to be in a race to the bottom now, so there's hardly any difference between programs.

If DC still existed, I wouldn't consider moving from *A.

I think you are a particular case, as you had a relevant number of long-haul tickets in F or C. 625% would have been indeed a no-brainer to use DC, it's like flying "buy-one-get-one-free" in F/C. hard to believe that any FFP will ever match that in the future.

In my case *A is still tough to beat in terms of price and network, so I will keep flying them. In last 4 months I only had a long-haul ticket in Z with US where miles are going to TK to maintain *G, and I have an upcoming one in J with QR, miles probably staying with their FFP. Intra-europe flights are with LO/LH, and crediting them to any other program outside M&M does not make sense to me.

Moving forward, everything will start to head towards Lifemiles, as the next best *A FFP program.

Now I have BA Gold for the next year and a bit followed by Silver I don't need to worry about status on oneworld.

Now I have TK/A3 gold for years then I don't need to worry about status on *A.

I'm not interested in Skyteam.

So, yes my flying patterns have changed as I am redeeming now and flying LCC's into convenient airports.

Flying Patters?

Is this referring to Galley FM? :D

What's the point of having status if you don't then fly with those airlines, so that you can enjoy the status?

As somebody who is primarily flying Y, and not flying as frequently as I once did, I'm happy with BA for now. Getting at least 100% Avios on all fares is greatly appreciated, when most non-US programmes offer 50% at best for discount Y, or even just 25% (Flying Blue, I'm looking at you). The 100% bonus for Silver and Gold is also great. Plus BAEC offers several avenues for earning miles within the UK, including, yes, Tesco. ;) I can book cheap tickets within Europe using Avios, and there are some routes outside Europe that are reasonable for the miles, particularly if combined with MFU.

There's no way I'm going to be able to requalify for BA Gold (unless I change jobs and my new job features lots of premium travel!), but I can at least enjoy a couple of years of status with BA, and while I do, most of my travel will be going towards BA, unless another carrier is substantially cheaper or more convenient. I do have TK*G and A3*G, so Star is still an option if it's more convenient, but I do value my miles, and I can get much more value, overall, out of them with BA than any other programme that I've seen so far.

DC hasn't actually disappeared. Yet. [/pedant]

Forgot to mention that I have PP to so STN using PP gets you into the No 1 lounges and fast track security which basically makes the experience considerably better than flying on a 'full service' airline domestically.

My PP card gets more use than any other. I'll also be enjoying my upcomfing F and J redemptions as well.

My last job was based near LHR. My current employer is much easier to get to from STN so I fly there now so have my OW/*A status as backup. My plans in 12 months may change again and who knows where I will be flying to at which point my status will be useful again.

It did, unfortunately. It may look like DC, but it's just a sad shadow of once greatest FFP

Regards,

El Puerco Volante

Direct swap to BA for me. My flying patterns were mostly on BD - domestic flights interspersed with the occasional exotic adventure to somewhere in C class for Y mileage - so it's an easy switch.

The only change in my patterns will be in my foreign leisure trips: the loss of C-class-for-Y-mileage and the gain of many more direct European routes with reasonable Y prices mean it's probably goodbye to the likes TBS, BEY, DME and CAI and hello to some 'new' places - possibly LIS, DBV, ALC or PMI.

Nobody except BA has made any attempt to capture my business (and even if they did, the mileage thievery of M&M and Flying Blue would put me off considering a switch to eg LH/LX for Europe or Cityjet for Edinburgh).

Mostly shifted to BA/OW due to the BA status match (especially with BA now back in Dublin properly as opposed to the EI codeshare).

The A3 *G status match will come in useful as a sale fare on United was too good to pass up, and I see it handy for those times when *A will suit me more than OW.

BA are currently doing the best, albeit on limited flying. When I need to book a TATL flight, it will be BA or UA (for a direct flight from MAN) depending on price. Otherwise, OW have gained from *A for me.