While I have disagreed with you on many things over the past, this is one thing I am in perfect harmony with you...:)

The QF/EK tie up now will perhaps influence the 4th tier benefits, given the QF Platinum/Platinum One structure and benefits.

I dont see the qualification level being much higher than 100K to 125K tier miles, which is still too easy in my book - but then it will be in line with other programs.

They could always bump up the tier requirements, e.g. Silver at 30k, Gold at 70k and Platinum at 150k.

*runs*

The Skywards overhaul has been coming for some time now - and while perhaps future tier changes could/might be guided by the recent QF alliance, they will also be mindful of the tier thresholds of other ME carriers (such as Etihad) who run 25/50/100K tier levels - and Etihad also has a 125K Gold Elite tier).

We heard back in June that EK had the new "Platinum" level program ready to roll, but launch details since then have been difficult to come by...

I think EK needs to look at their own base, and see how many people earn what, and decide those levels based on how many members that would roughly be. Keep in mind that their earning structure is different than EY's and other airlines' - flying Y it is now difficult to get status relatively easily, flying J and F one earns a lot of tier miles.

In my opinion, if they want to get it right, focus it on people flying J extensively (they have iO for top F customers, Gold and Silver for different levels of Y heavy and J lite customers). If there are tens of thousands of people doing 100k tier miles in J, maybe a better level is at circa 200k, where the benefits can be tangible and of value to J customers (so, obviously, they would have to be more creative than 5 kg extra baggage allowance).

If they just want to devalue the whole thing again, they can set any level they want and switch the Gold benefits over to that tier.

Good points about studying their database, but what is the value of Gold to someone flying 50K-100K in J anyway? (For me, the best part is the more-than-occasional op-ups to F, which would presumably largely disappear for those in the second-highest tier, except perhaps with last names beginning with "A". :p) Then there are the extra redeemable miles earned, but that's about it.

F lounge access might be one benefit to add to make the new tier interesting, and I would expect them to make that a benefit, or else the announcement of a new tier would be equivalent to simply raising the qualification thresholds for the existing tiers as B747-437B points out. The only other thing that I can think of would be to create a whole new infrastructure in DXB -- Platinum check-in counters, Platinum (non-F) lounges, to allow Platinums to avoid the crowds -- but that doesn't seem realistic. Or how about, finally, a Platinum reservations/Skywards phone line? That would be a legitimate benefit.

I am probably a good example of a customer (with about one-third J and two-thirds Y travel) for whom adding a new tier at 100K-150K would be beneficial for Emirates. Being based in DOH, I am highly motivated to reach EK Gold -- for the benefits when flying Y -- even if I have to take an extra connection vis-a-vis QR, though it's not that hard now, and also would be highly motivated to stretch a bit for the new tier. There is no doubt that I would buy more J and fly them more to reach it. Hello QR Silver!

Are you going to the same F lounge I have been going to? I have been in there at least 20 times in the past 9 months and it has always been a ghost town.

Your argument that the F lounge is for F customers is likely not shared by EK, after all the J lounge clearly isn't just for J customers, and access is already granted to IO, even when they are not F customers.

Have you been going to the F lounge at different times whinemike ? The F lounge can get crowded at times .
By crowded I mean having to share the same couch with another person.

I do agree that one of those can seat 3 people at a push ( the one's on the right side just after the entrance) But then what's the point of flying F if you don't have enough privacy.I don't mind sharing that area with another person but there are those who wouldn't like it.But if u ask me to sit with 2 other people then it would be nasty.

Like whimike, I have been in the F lounge a lot this year and I have never, ever seen it filled to a point where people have been sharing a couch. The dining area is huge, there are tables and chairs in front of that, one entire side is filled with sofa's, plus all the seats at the front of the lounge. I have no idea of the actual capacity (but I will find out now as I am curious). I have been in the F lounge for 8+ hours straight (thru the main departure bank window) and still never saw it "full". Or remotely close to.

I apologise if I am breaking with forum etiquette by referring to a post in another forum but I spotted an interesting comment by chinatraderjmr (EK-I/O) on the QF forum which may add to the discussion here.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/19269085-post191.html

We don't have any forum etiquette on here. After all, we let Ung1 bang on about things that none of us have any interest in listening to....go right ahead :)

Maybe I am getting soft in my old age but I am starting to feel sorry for Ung1 ... he is definitely starting to resemble a punchbag:D

Will I be able to reach Platinum with 6 R/T Europe - China in F per year?

From Europe to China you'd earn 24,000 tier miles for a saver fare and 30,000 for a flex fare round-trip in F.

So that's 144,000 to 180,000 with six trips. Most likely good enough.

In that thread he states:

"I asked a friend today whos a top exec w DNATA and was told the F lounge will still & ONLY be only for F passengers (Of both EK & QF). No one other then F passengers will be admitted regardless of status as its just not something EK does or wants to do."

Except what he is being told we already know is not accurate. EK IO members get F lounge access even if they fly in Y.

I have been in the F lounge at every hour of the day. Mostly from 6 AM - 9 AM (flights to USA), but have been there quite a bit from 11 AM - 3 PM (flights to CAI and NBO), and 8 PM - 3 AM (flights arriving from USA connecting to HKG).