Platinum Experience 2013
May 3, 2013 | 5:58 am
#31
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: VCE
Posts: 14,165
FWIIW when I was in F to VCE yesterday I checked with purser (for the first time on any flight) how may plats and golds were on board and to my surprise he said 3 Plats and 20 or so Golds - I had expected fewer of each as I did not think it was a service that would be used much by regulars.
May 3, 2013 | 6:33 am
#32
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Denver, CO
Programs: UA GS-2MM, QF LTG, EK Gold, Marriott Amb, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 4,006
Oddly enough I used to be greeted as Gold but have not been greeted once in any class as a Platinum. In fact the purser yesterday even asked me after take off if I had flown with them before and when I nodded he then asked if I was familiar with Dine on Demand. Go figure ...
FWIIW when I was in F to VCE yesterday I checked with purser (for the first time on any flight) how may plats and golds were on board and to my surprise he said 3 Plats and 20 or so Golds - I had expected fewer of each as I did not think it was a service that would be used much by regulars. Anyhow, with my last name beginning with a T I don't think I will be risking flying J and hoping for opups based on Platinum status anytime soon.
FWIIW when I was in F to VCE yesterday I checked with purser (for the first time on any flight) how may plats and golds were on board and to my surprise he said 3 Plats and 20 or so Golds - I had expected fewer of each as I did not think it was a service that would be used much by regulars. Anyhow, with my last name beginning with a T I don't think I will be risking flying J and hoping for opups based on Platinum status anytime soon.
May 3, 2013 | 7:58 pm
#36
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Dubai, UAE
Programs: Skywards Plat, Etihad Gold, Aerosvit Gold, Virgin Silver, AA lifetime Gold, Sirius Gold
Posts: 1,229
May 3, 2013 | 9:29 pm
#37
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: West Coast, USA
Programs: Skywards Platinum
Posts: 3,747
I just had my first flight since becoming Platinum. F from SFO-DXB. Purser introduced herself after takeoff, but not a word from anybody about being Platinum. Service has always been great on this flight so not sure how the experience could be any better.
May 4, 2013 | 6:23 am
#39
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Denver, CO
Programs: UA GS-2MM, QF LTG, EK Gold, Marriott Amb, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 4,006
They should, but I'm not convinced the process is always followed. Consistency in terms of onboard/inflight service delivery is something EK still needs to work on...
May 4, 2013 | 6:48 am
#40
Join Date: May 2010
Location: BOM
Programs: EK Plat, HHonors Gold
Posts: 3,000
On a recent flight a cabin crew asked me if I was hoping to get platinum soon, I responded thinking it was an elaborate joke saying " well this io card doesn't get much recognition since platinum was introduced!" he responded deadpan " don't worry am sure you will get it soon". I said well I hope not! Which only added to the confusion!!
May 4, 2013 | 9:22 am
#42
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Aberdeen
Programs: BA Exec Silver, Hilton Honors Gold, Porter
Posts: 1,203
Just curious, but what was the load in F on your flight? The last time I did SFO-DXB in F I was alone; so far I am alone on my flight on in a few weeks.
May 4, 2013 | 10:41 am
#43
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Dubai, UAE
Programs: Skywards Plat, Etihad Gold, Aerosvit Gold, Virgin Silver, AA lifetime Gold, Sirius Gold
Posts: 1,229
May 5, 2013 | 1:05 am
#44
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: Eurostar Carte Etoile, SBB-CFF-FFS GA-AG, SNCF Grand Voyageur LeClub
Posts: 9,005
Several flights so far, regional and intercont, in First (intercont and regional) and Business (regional).
The experience ranged between no "recognition" (in the widest possible sense of the term) on half the flights to "you must be Mr. Gottardo", but not more than that. Things where I would have thought they'd try to make it possible didn't happen: "I could not take a newspaper at the entrance door, are the any papers on board?"; or "Someone has taken my seat, is there anything you can do about it?" - "Sorry Sir, but I'll just find you another seat" - which was then much further in the back and not the window seat that I had specifically requested (to their credit I am not sure how much they could do about that person that had taken my seat. She refused to sit across the aisle from her brother/son/husband next to a strange man and therefore just took my seat next to her brother/son/husband. Since I had only obtained that seat at the gate there would have been an opportunity for them before to make up their minds and choose seats together rather than just take them. I fully respect their wishes not to seat next to whomever if that makes them feel uncomfortable but I would expect that they also respect the mechanisms of seat assignments and get seat assignments together rather than just occupy other people's seats. But that is another debate, nothing to do with Plat)
Thus, other than the F lounge on departure which I obviously welcome there was no difference to the Gold days before.
The experience ranged between no "recognition" (in the widest possible sense of the term) on half the flights to "you must be Mr. Gottardo", but not more than that. Things where I would have thought they'd try to make it possible didn't happen: "I could not take a newspaper at the entrance door, are the any papers on board?"; or "Someone has taken my seat, is there anything you can do about it?" - "Sorry Sir, but I'll just find you another seat" - which was then much further in the back and not the window seat that I had specifically requested (to their credit I am not sure how much they could do about that person that had taken my seat. She refused to sit across the aisle from her brother/son/husband next to a strange man and therefore just took my seat next to her brother/son/husband. Since I had only obtained that seat at the gate there would have been an opportunity for them before to make up their minds and choose seats together rather than just take them. I fully respect their wishes not to seat next to whomever if that makes them feel uncomfortable but I would expect that they also respect the mechanisms of seat assignments and get seat assignments together rather than just occupy other people's seats. But that is another debate, nothing to do with Plat)
Thus, other than the F lounge on departure which I obviously welcome there was no difference to the Gold days before.
May 5, 2013 | 5:17 am
#45
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 82