Silver Benefit?
Mar 24, 2013 | 5:15 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX SL, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton HHonors Diamond
Posts: 319
Silver Benefit?
Sometimes I just don't understand CX. The lounges in Hong Kong are already crowded as it is. Why do CX still provide lounge access benefits to Silver members when the general industry norm these days should be only for 50,000 miles per year flyers? I know, I know....I'm a silver as well but still I think maybe CX could instead provide 1/2 lounge access coupons like they do with Asiana? Or is that something totally unfeasible?
Mar 25, 2013 | 3:49 am
#3
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 6,978
As for lounge, I am still in the camp that CX should try to enforce "capacity control" on OW members to solve capacity issues. CX has does its best to try to increase lounges but that only go so far.
Mar 25, 2013 | 4:43 am
#4
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: LHR
Programs: BA Gold/owe, CX AsiaMiles (not even GR anymore!) missing my GO days
Posts: 1,583
By design, the oneworld rule limiting access to sapphire/emerald is supposed to serve as a form of capacity control. But I think we suffer for the fact that there is a huge difference in quality between the CX lounges at HKG and any other oneworld option. I gather the BA/QF lounge is nothing to write home about, although I'll give it a try later this week just to see for myself.
Mar 25, 2013 | 6:16 am
#5
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,188
I guess its due to the $50 dollars that MPC charges its initial members, as well as the higher fare that it charges its pax to reach 30,000 miles before using the lounge. I know...now days many people can get that silver status without paying the 50
Mar 25, 2013 | 11:03 am
#8
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX Diamond / SQ Gold / Bonvoy Platinum / Hyatt Globalist / Hilton Gold
Posts: 1,100
i guess CX needs to offer some benefits to each category - if SL doesn't offer lounge access (when flying on CX/KA economy), then it's really not that much different from GR apart from 10 kg baggage and priority baggage.
keeping lounge access for SL is quite fair. i was lured from GR to SL because of lounge access. then got lured to GO (don't really know how that happened) ... and now to DM!
keeping lounge access for SL is quite fair. i was lured from GR to SL because of lounge access. then got lured to GO (don't really know how that happened) ... and now to DM!
Mar 25, 2013 | 11:33 am
#9
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 8,120
As a SL I too am glad that CX maintains the lounge access benefit. I agree that it is generous for an entry-level elite level, but I also agree that it does provide some form of differentiation from GR. Furthermore, us SLs only fly at most 60K miles/40 sectors per year (on average I'd say 40K/30 sectors), so I don't think we'e adding much to the crowding. 
Mar 25, 2013 | 3:35 pm
#10
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 2,377
Mar 25, 2013 | 4:31 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: ZOA, SFO, HKG
Programs: UA 1K 0.9MM, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, Hertz PC, SBux Gold, TSA Pre✓
Posts: 13,807
Mar 25, 2013 | 6:10 pm
#12
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP/2MM, IHG Platinum, Marriott Silver
Posts: 1,199
I rather like the BA/QF F lounge. The food offerings aren't as substantial as The Wing, but there are a few nibblies of decent quality. The wine is a step above the CX F lounges. After the redesign I've rarely seen it crowded. I'll often go even before a CX flight.
Mar 25, 2013 | 6:20 pm
#14
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 6,978
i guess CX needs to offer some benefits to each category - if SL doesn't offer lounge access (when flying on CX/KA economy), then it's really not that much different from GR apart from 10 kg baggage and priority baggage.
keeping lounge access for SL is quite fair. i was lured from GR to SL because of lounge access. then got lured to GO (don't really know how that happened) ... and now to DM!
keeping lounge access for SL is quite fair. i was lured from GR to SL because of lounge access. then got lured to GO (don't really know how that happened) ... and now to DM!
Mar 25, 2013 | 6:45 pm
#15
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: LHR
Programs: BA Gold/owe, CX AsiaMiles (not even GR anymore!) missing my GO days
Posts: 1,583
i guess CX needs to offer some benefits to each category - if SL doesn't offer lounge access (when flying on CX/KA economy), then it's really not that much different from GR apart from 10 kg baggage and priority baggage.
keeping lounge access for SL is quite fair. i was lured from GR to SL because of lounge access. then got lured to GO (don't really know how that happened) ... and now to DM!
keeping lounge access for SL is quite fair. i was lured from GR to SL because of lounge access. then got lured to GO (don't really know how that happened) ... and now to DM!
I agree with Cathay Boy and others who don't want to see a devaluation in elite status. But would a trade be acceptable? I'd probably forgo lounge access at SL if instead we got RDM tier bonuses. A guy can dream, anyway.