FlyerTalk Forums - Saver VS Flex Fare Changes...

FlyerTalk Forums (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/index.php)

- Emirates | Skywards (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/emirates-skywards-490/)

- - Saver VS Flex Fare Changes... (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/emirates-skywards/1194370-saver-vs-flex-fare-changes.html)

Quote:

Originally Posted by dxbtraveller (Post 16331764)

Sorry, maybe my logic wasn't clear.

In the future, a Gold member travelling in Y on an oversold flight would have an higher chance of an opup, compared to today. This is due to a decrease in the future Gold population. This is completely independent of the type of ticket (Flex/Saver) purchased.

For example, assume Gold population decreases to 50,000 (vs. current 100k) due to less tier miles being dished out. I am a gold member and my flight is oversold in Economy; 10 opups are required. My chances of being one of those 10 is now significantly improved (doubled in this example, assuming there are more than 20 Y golds on the flight) simply because there are less EK Golds out there.

Of course, there are load patterns specific to certain routes that may make this observation less relevant (e.g. a route with consistently low Y loads and high J loads). Similarly, if the number of Golds is less than opups available, then this is purely academic (step forward some very happy Silver members). On the routes I fly, there are typically opups available, but increasingly even more Golds chasing them. This, of course, is not the same situation on every route that Emirates fly.

I too have been perplexed by the mystical opup criteria for Golds, so I hadn't considered the prioritisation of FLEX ticket holders over SAVER ticket holders. However, since you mention it we probably shouldn't assume that EK would not consider using this as one of the mystery criteria in the future.

Ok, I get it now. My apologies. I think so much of "our" argument depends on our own flying patterns. And all of the above arguments, while very logical, are purely speculative.

We have no idea what the EK monster is contemplating ;)

For example, in my case, I don't think I'll be impacted by the change. EK's business will continue to grow out of Australia into Asia, so loads will continue to increase. MEL will increase both in number of flights and ultimately airframe capacity (ie as more and more 380's populate the fleet).

I have a completely different mindset when I'm flying to DXB from SIN as I know the J cabin can often have 30+ Gold's (whereas the J cabin from SIN-MEL) you might be lucky to have 3-4.

I've not scored a single op-up out of DXB and I set my expectations low.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dxbtraveller (Post 16331544)

I have a slightly different take on the whole SAVER / FLEX debacle.

snip

I think you've expressed it very well.

The changes will effectively eliminate regular silvers and reduce regular golds (50K to 100K) to silver unless they pay significantly extra for the status. The majority will not pay the extra.

This is what EK wants as numbers of these have grown with the airline and they just can't cope any more.

The question as I see it is that once all the dust has settled is the overall EK/Skywards experience, at whatever level, better than the alternatives?

It is a bit galling when you see the profit figures, but it is their business after all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ft101 (Post 16333657)

I've usually enjoyed flying EK especially because of their staff but with prices above competition (as in *A for me) I don't see any reason to keep flying EK, the programme changes were only the latest thing to push me off the EK train.

I just had a C trip booked to Europe and EK was 2000 AUD more than LX/TG. TG is not comparable to EK on the A380 but is neck to neck when comparing with EK on 777. LX (new C) is just as good as EK (new C) and *G is absolutely superior to EK Gold. So easy decision for me.
Other options incl. SK/TG, SQ/LH or QF/LH, BA/AY were also cheaper than EK so it's not only limited to *A

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wome (Post 16337395)

. TG is not comparable to EK on the A380 but is neck to neck when comparing with EK on 777.

TG is also hugely better than EK on the A330's. It's 2-2-2 vs 2-3-2, and nice seats and hosties as well.

How does EK get away with that? Must be a lot of people around with more money than sense.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ung1 (Post 16331341)

That fares have all once again gone back to showing as Saver. Should have just bought tickets yesterday! :(

even F fares with flex in fare rules are coming up with saver miles

Changes again. Flex miles shown and Saver in Fare Rules as before. Book some now before they change it again.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ft101 (Post 16398673)

Changes again. Flex miles shown and Saver in Fare Rules as before. Book some now before they change it again.

hmmm.. I did a cursory check on a route I travel and it still shows saver miles..

Last week I spoke to the local EK sales office and they confirmed the following : Currently there are no differences between Saver and Flex T&C's except the miles difference.. so if we pay less we get less miles ( which though bad for us , is pretty much what most airlines are doing nowadays :( )

Quote:

Originally Posted by abhilife2001 (Post 16399642)

hmmm.. I did a cursory check on a route I travel and it still shows saver miles..

Yes, the one I spotted has reverted back to Saver as well. I should have booked it last night!

Quote:

Originally Posted by abhilife2001 (Post 16399642)

Last week I spoke to the local EK sales office and they confirmed the following : Currently there are no differences between Saver and Flex T&C's except the miles difference.. so if we pay less we get less miles ( which though bad for us , is pretty much what most airlines are doing nowadays :( )

I had asked a similar question a couple of weeks ago. I chased them for an answer at the weekend and was told they were still working on it.

This is Interesting..

Was checking out some fares and miles and this seems interesting..

CCU - DXB - DME ( return ) -- dep - 20/05, return 26/05 -- fare-- approx Eur 760, tier miles - 5000..

DME - DXB - CCU ( return) -- dep - 20/05, return 26/05 -- fare-- approx Eur 730, tier miles - 10000!!!

:confused:

Even stranger thing a couple days ago on ACC-HKG route.

W Class : $1830+ = Flex
R Class : $1930+ = Saver

Needless to say, I bought the CHEAPER fare which was FLEX...

Quote:

Originally Posted by abhilife2001 (Post 16412905)

But you have to get yourself to DME.

Were you going there?

Quote:

Originally Posted by B747-437B (Post 16412984)

Even stranger thing a couple days ago on ACC-HKG route.

W Class : $1830+ = Flex
R Class : $1930+ = Saver

Needless to say, I bought the CHEAPER fare which was FLEX...

U mean on the same day on same sector u were able to find saver and flex online and flex was cheaper :confused:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Budley (Post 16413020)

But you have to get yourself to DME.

Were you going there?

Point is that for the same routes with similar prices depending on the POS, the miles are different..

Quote:

Originally Posted by abhilife2001 (Post 16413036)

U mean on the same day on same sector u were able to find saver and flex online and flex was cheaper :confused:

Online booking is not possible to/from Accra. This was via the GDS. But yes, the premise is the same.

Quote:

Originally Posted by abhilife2001 (Post 16412905)

This is a fairly common occurence, because fares are different depending on originating city. Ex-US fares to DXB are very different from ex-DXB fares to the US.

Quote:

Originally Posted by B747-437B (Post 16412984)

Even stranger thing a couple days ago on ACC-HKG route.

W Class : $1830+ = Flex
R Class : $1930+ = Saver

Needless to say, I bought the CHEAPER fare which was FLEX...

I have seen this happen in the past, when the fare priced online was a low Flex fare, but when looking at fare data in ExpertFlyer, there were higher fares that would have priced as Saver.