StefanNYC

... Three years later ...

The only class that will now (since 1 March) earn 100% SkyMiles on SU is J.
C, D, I (discounted business), 75%.
Y, 75%.
All other economy fares (except S, the second highest), 50%.
Un<censored>believable.

And you thought this is bad?

I used to fly JFK-SVO-KBP with them fairly frequently, and was unhappy to be earning 75%; still, I ended up picking them over AF/KL more than once or twice, as the schedule+price came out "just right" for my purposes.

Now I was just preparing to be even more unhappy earning 50% ....

... until I looked for my next JFK-KBP for mid-February. OK, at least I'll grab 75% one last time, I thought.

Right.

The cheapest ticket now books into N. That would yield a whopping 25% -- except... as per delta.com, "N only eligible [for SkyMiles accrual] in Aeroflot domestic markets". Neither KBP nor JFK are in Russia just yet, IIRC...

I went ahead and looked at similar tickets for March, to KBP and to SVO. The former books into E, the latter into R. Neither class is even mentioned on delta.com. But it is of course mentioned that "If a class is not listed, no miles are earned."

Do svidaniya, SU. It was nice doing business with you for the last 5 years.

a7m

Don't blame SU. It is a new trend in SkyTeam. Individual airlines show less and less respect for each other. And <censored> Delta is setting that trend, as it is evident in the elite status changes for 2014. So let's all be happy that we earn even 50% on SU flights. After 2014, ST will be on the way to out.

NewYorkMoscowFlyer64

I think Skyteam is way past "on the way to out" already in Jan 2013. Within the last week, a friend of mine who is an Aeroflot Elite Plus flyer was taking the Delta flight out of SVO (the flight was much cheaper than Aeroflot's flight on the same day). The Delta rep at the Sky Priority check in said that Delta may no longer issue invitations to the lounge for any Sky Team Elite Pluses. This seems to me to be in direct violation of one of Sky Team's big published benefits (I am pretty sure if you are Sky Team Elite Plus flying on Sky Team metal internationally, you are entitled to go to the Sky Team lounge at the airport). Please note my friend is a very experienced flyer and had his Sky Team Elite Plus card with him. There was no issue raised regarding whether he was eligible for an invitation, the Delta rep said that invitations are no longer being issued (this new policy only arose in the last 7-10 days)

paulmoscow

This fight was initiated by (extremely stingy?) aeroflot which recently started to deny Delta Medallions access to SU business lounges at SVO. So it's nothing more that tit for tat intended to provide similar treatment to aeroflot bonus members.

NewYorkMoscowFlyer64

I am not saying anything about the origins of this new policy. I am only saying that the consequences of this new policy appear to me to be a direct violation of one of the big Sky Team marketing points (I suspect it is also a violation of the Delta SkyMiles Program rules).

paulmoscow

It's a fight between aeroflot and Delta, which protects its own members. I can only applaud their stance over this issue.

NewYorkMoscowFlyer64

If this is truly what it is, then Delta should not let any Aeroflot Elite Pluses in the lounges at JFK either.

Xeno

Is this confirmed that STEP flying SU economy do not get into SU lounges at SVO and elsewhere?

a7m

There have been rumors and stories about SVO lounge access circulating for the past year or two. Although there is indeed enough evidence that the ST alliance is becoming increasingly fragmented, I have not encountered any problems at SVO lounges as recently as early January, when I was let into a lounge without any pass (just my KLM economy ticket and an elite plus card). From what I understand, most "bad" stories about lounge access can be explained in simple terms: misunderstanding and / or under-educated lounge attendants. It can happen anywhere. In fact, my "bad" story took place in Los Angeles, of all places, where a Korean Airlines lounge attendants tried to convince me that I was not entitled to access the lounge (I had a ticket for a SU flight and my Elite Plus card in hand). Eventually I was let in with a lame apology. The same happened at LED. But I never had problems at SVO. The moral of my story, I would not take seriously anything attendants and airport workers say. They hardly know regulations, let alone possible changes.

paulmoscow

They fly from different terminals at JFK, so there's not much ground for friction.

It seems aeroflot tries to reap rewards of SkyTeam membership giving as little as possible in return. For example, last August aeroflot was abruptly kicked out of terminal E at CDG by Air France. Apparently, their business relationship was also deteriorating.

Xeno

Thanks. I gifted a friend GM and SVO is her connecting city for SU flights so I want to make sure she has lounge access when on ST.

NewYorkMoscowFlyer64

I was allowed into the SVO Terminal D lounge on the basis of STEP on Delta on Dec 26. No issue at all. My friend who is very knowledgeable was not allowed on Jan 20. I do not know how knowledgeable the Delta rep who spoke with him was, but she explained the lack of the usual "invitation" as a change of policy. In my experience, I always get an "invitation" when I check in and that is how I enter the lounge. I have never tried to go to an SVO lounge without one. My friend did not attempt to enter the lounge without an invitation.

StefanNYC

I was allowed into the abovementioned lounge on the basis of STEP on Delta on Jan 4. (Although I was asked to obtain and bring them an invitation "retrospectively": I misconnected and had to actually check in, airside, for my new flight. So they told me, quite politely: "please come in, and when checkin opens, please go get an invitation and bring it to us". Which I did.)
Will be at SVO, flying Delta, at the end of next week. Will make a point to try and get into the lounge. We'll see what happens...

MSPeconomist

Around that time, there were reports of AF people being denied access to the SU lounge at SVO. SU claimed at the time that AF was behind in paying the bills for lounge use. There was a thread about this in either the SkyTeam or FB/AF forum at the time.

StefanNYC

Well, I, for one, will no more (unless something changes)...
For sample dates this March:
JFK-SVO-KBP on SU: $645, E class, 0% MQM
JFK-CDG-KBP on AF: $747, L/R class, 100% MQM
All right -- SU doesn't need my money any longer. What can I do?..