Received a CX Insights survey about "changes to The Marco Polo Club’s benefits offering" yesterday. First bunch of questions were pretty innocuous, about achieving and maintaing tiers. But then... the questions about changes to SL came.

First the suggested they were considering the following new benefits: lounge access vouchers (redeemable by companions), upgrade vouchers, mile/sector rollover (instead of reset to 0 at end of membership year), and extension of SL eligibility to 12 year olds and above (as opposed to current 18yo requirement).

Then, they dropped the bombshell! The survey indicated they were considering they were considering moving from the current open access to lounges for SL to a voucher system (only X vouchers a year). The first question on this topic suggested they would offer four vouchers a year, and asked if that would change my desire to achieve/maintain status (duh). The second asked what the minimum of vouchers per year I would expect in order for SL to be worth it.

Just a survey for now, but don't like to see this thinking coming from CX! Let's hope it doesn't come to fruition (although I suppose those of you who are GO or actually flying in J and think J lounges are already too packed might be wishing the opposite ).

I am DM, but my wife is SL. She usually flies PEY, and that will limit her desires to fly. So I don't like that.

The main reason I activated my MPO account was the lounge access for Silver individual members. I had been unhappy with the changes at AA (mainly disappearance of soft landings (from EXP) as well as experiencing an unsatisfactory customer relations incident).

I am pleased with the unwritten benefits of CX Silver (when added to existing statuses) but as my flying becomes (seriously) reduced I may just abide with the AA LTG and hope they retain the 30 day AC memberships as the CX Silver will have limited marginal benefits. But then it seems that all airlines are examining FF benefits.

Happy wandering ??

Fred

Surely it was only a matter of time. CX has been unusually generous to lower tiers compared to any other carrier, with priority check-in and boarding for GR and lounge access for SL.

Before everyone gets too worked up, a couple points: If you're SL, you're not necessarily at an airport that often in the grand scheme of things. If they're going to give out vouchers (which already is more generous than other oneworld programs at the ruby level) you may well be covered for many of your airport visits. And if you're a SL at 50,000 club miles, say, then some changes they appear to be considering could be to your benefit, including a rollover if that's really on the table. OP, did the survey suggest they're thinking of adding tier bonuses? If so, that would be worthwhile compensation for losing the lounge benefit.

+1

While on technical terms the change seem bad, I don't think it is such a material loss to be honest, as far as lounge access is concerned.

SL means the most you'd ever fly is still less than 60k miles a year, which means in long haul terms you are at the airport for less than 12 flights a year (thats assuming 5000 miles on average in Y). Remembering that this is the high end estimate, where on the other spectrum, if an SL is 'just' hitting the 30k each year that's just 6 flights each year at the airport with CX. If you have a habit of flying other OW carriers (where SLs don't get access in the first place I understand?), then this number of actual flights drops even further.

So with that in mind, I'd say its still pretty good if you are getting say 4 lounge vouchers out of the 6~12 flights each year and this is very generous compared to other OW carriers (not even looking at QR here).

The only people that will suffer a lot are the intra-asia flyers that maintain SL based on club sectors, where the amount of lounge passes will no where near match the 20~40 sectors required. However on the flipside, lounge access is less important for shorter flights as there's less of a need to 'freshen up' to enjoy two hours of flying vs. 12 hours.

Nope, the survey only indicated the potential benefits I mentioned above. They also solicited suggestions for benefits for GO/DM, but not for SL.

For most of my years in MPO, I've qualified via sectors, so four vouchers would be less than a fifth of my annual trips to the airport. I wouldn't complain, per se, as you're right that CX has been comparatively generous; however, it would definitely result in me making less of an effort to qualify. If those upgrade vouchers do come to fruition, it could reduce the blow somewhat – a couple upgrades are worth many lounge visits.

+1. I guess this is perhapse one of the ways CX is looking at to reduce lounge crowding? I personally (not being SL) think that 4 vouchers are quite generous compared to any other carriers. I remember back in my QF SL days I really cherished the one and only voucher I got each year.

However, another problem araise. Assuming that the vouchers aren't limited to the use of the member and is only valid when traveling on CX flights. There is no effective way of controlling the bartering or selling of those vouchers. If SLs end up getting vouchers, GOs and DMs would be at a disadvantage because those vouchers can be used by anyone without having to be traveling with the member, but GO and DM doesn't get that benefit.

When I was QF silver, I qualified to Gold within a month. I gave my voucher to a friend who doesn't travel very much.

To add something else to this topic (not OP's comment). Here is my two cents about the voucher system:
1>, CX has to do something about lounge capacity control. A 4 voucher per year system is a reasonable system.
2>, For those members qualify on sectors, tough. I quite understand their concern. However, let us analyse the current CX/KA lounge network. I think besides CDG, LHR, HKG, TPE, PVG, BKK, HND, LAX...lounges, majority of CX/KA lounge is not up to average standard. Especially contract lounges in outstations like CKG, WUH and CTU to name a few. So I can see if the 4 voucher system is implemented, the member could adjust their habit. It means less visits to the less desirable locations.
3>, On an average basis, my guess if it takes a member 2 long haul returns or 4-5 short haul returns to qualify for silver. A 4 voucher system is plenty. Especially if you travel through Hong Kong and often only has less than 2 hours transit time, your need for lounge can be reduced accordingly. No more reason to rush for the transit in HKG and go to the lounge for 30 minutes before rush again for boarding...Take it easy I say.
4>, However, I think it is fundamentally unfair to those silver members. I strongly believe if the 4 voucher system is to implemented, CX must change its way how Gold/Diamond members can be achieved. Instead of moving up tier every incrementally, CX should change their system to a 12 month membership year system (either the way BA way of 12 months or AA way of annual system). So it takes less time for the currently silver members to achieve Gold.

Well, in my case if I wasn't enjoying lounge privileges when I gotten my SL, I would probably stayed with AA and fly their metal. I don't know, 10 flights a year at average of $2000 per ticket for the last 6 years, that's $120,000 USD more CX made from me because of SL lounge benefit. And I'm sure I'm not alone in this. Say 1000 people had the same experiences I had, that's $120 million.

Taking away lounge benefit for SL would be a big mistake in my opinion.

Same amount of flying on CX (30k club miles) can almost qualify for AA Saphire level (whatever they call it there... Platinum?) last i checked with creative routing/planning/AA challenge... So it's not a direct ruby-ruby comparion in my view

if they want to address over-crowding they can limit Oneworld partners to G16 lounge and keep Wing open just for CX members... isn't that what other airlines do?

But hey CX management are fool. So god knows.

AA Plat(sapphire) requires 50kEQM or EQP. And keep in mind the most economy fares earn 0 with AA

I think CX should also consider what others have suggested, at least for their "Super Hub" in HKG.

Since they have quite a number of lounges, they can limit oneworld Elites to two of the 5 lounges, while reserving the remaining lounges for CX Elites. Something like this would be interesting though possibly complicated and may help to distribute the customers more effectively without outright limit of benefits:

G16 - Silver/Gold/Diamond/CX J/CX F
The Wing J - OWS/OWE/Gold/Diamond/CX J/CX F
The Wing F - OWE/Diamond/CX F
The Cabin - Silver/Gold/Diamond/CX J/CX F
The Bridge - OWS/OWE/Gold/Diamond/CX J/CX F
The Pier - Silver/Gold/Diamond/CX J/CX F

I can easily say that the lounge benefit for Silver was the only reason I gave CX 30k worth of flying when I moved to HK. For about four years I kept straddling CX and AC (now OZ), since non-stop on CX is great but for a lot of my flying, Star Alliance carriers are cheaper (and had better mileage earning rates on lower fares).

However I have since come to appreciate non-stop more so that I am paying a premium to fly direct. Gradually I progressed to Gold and now, since qualifying for Diamond I will give Star Alliance less and less business. So this is one case where lounge benefits for Silver has given CX additional business.

My two cents.

Yes, the lounges do get crowded with all the Silver folk, but if MPC didn't offer lounge access for SL, I probably would have gone with another program with lower requirements like AA. I do the fly a couple sectors a year on AA metal to qualify for their program.

Anyways I appreciate the lounge access offered in Silver and would think other members would like it even if they only fly a few flights a year. My main routing was PVG-SIN, so if there was lounge access, it probably would have been easier for me if I wanted to pay a little extra to fly the direct routing and just keep credited to my CA account (and maintain my *G status).

I'm willing to bet the behavior changes resulting from any reduction in SL lounge access are not going to be nearly as great as this thread would have you believe.

If you're a SL routinely flying in J, you're not affected by any reduction in lounge access as a SL benefit.

If you're a SL routinely flying in Y, where else are you going to go? No other program is going to give you lounge access at that level, either. If you're a hub captive to CX, no other oneworld program is going to earn you miles on most discounted fares. And pace those saying they'd switch to AA nonstops to China, CX is banking on you preferring frequency and better customer service all around when push comes to shove, and they're not wrong about that for many pax.

If you're a hub-captive SL who always flies PEY, CX still isn't worried about you. Maybe you book on BA or QF if those options suit, but otherwise you'll continue flying CX but will bank the miles elsewhere, leaving some other carrier to deal with the cost of reimbursing carriers for your reward travel.

I have just joined following the surveys I have had as a DM these last few days. Got to say I am so tired of the lounges being too crowded by people who are either from other airlines and not using their own lounges or as the front desks have told me the huge amount of silver card holders. I also understand that so many people have lounge access due to american express free cards as well. I am referring to HKG lounges now not the out stations. With only one F lounge available this year in HKG its has become a serious joke. I think lounge access for silver is too generous and anyone on the way up will soon make gold and by other airline programmes they would not get in before hitting the same level that gold offers.