Personal greetings
#61
Moderator: Emirates Skywards and Qatar Airways Privilege Club
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: 12R/30L
Programs: EK Gold|EY Gold|Bonvoy Ambassador| IHG Plat|HHonors Diamond
Posts: 2,818
#62
Ambassador, Emirates
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: LGW / AMS / CPT
Programs: SA KL BA EK
Posts: 4,267
When flying Y into DXB, I always get a greeting when they give me the Fast Track card (although last time the purser came to inform me that they would be giving me a Fast Track card but it never materialised ). Don't really need the Fast Track card as with a J label on your carry on the usher at the entrance of the Fast Track lane lets you through anyway.
On all other flights, it is I would say about 80% greeting (apart from at the door when I always get a 'welcome back' remark). My wife, who also is Gold, once used the 'if there is anything we can do for you' promise by insisting on getting her first choice meal. " You said to tell me if there was anything you could do for me. Well, please can you get me my first choice meal". She is usually quite demure so I was quite surprised (and proud of her) when she told me afterwards.
On all other flights, it is I would say about 80% greeting (apart from at the door when I always get a 'welcome back' remark). My wife, who also is Gold, once used the 'if there is anything we can do for you' promise by insisting on getting her first choice meal. " You said to tell me if there was anything you could do for me. Well, please can you get me my first choice meal". She is usually quite demure so I was quite surprised (and proud of her) when she told me afterwards.
#63
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Economy, mostly :(
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 7,801
When flying Y into DXB, I always get a greeting when they give me the Fast Track card (although last time the purser came to inform me that they would be giving me a Fast Track card but it never materialised ). Don't really need the Fast Track card as with a J label on your carry on the usher at the entrance of the Fast Track lane lets you through anyway.
On all other flights, it is I would say about 80% greeting (apart from at the door when I always get a 'welcome back' remark). My wife, who also is Gold, once used the 'if there is anything we can do for you' promise by insisting on getting her first choice meal. " You said to tell me if there was anything you could do for me. Well, please can you get me my first choice meal". She is usually quite demure so I was quite surprised (and proud of her) when she told me afterwards.
On all other flights, it is I would say about 80% greeting (apart from at the door when I always get a 'welcome back' remark). My wife, who also is Gold, once used the 'if there is anything we can do for you' promise by insisting on getting her first choice meal. " You said to tell me if there was anything you could do for me. Well, please can you get me my first choice meal". She is usually quite demure so I was quite surprised (and proud of her) when she told me afterwards.
#64
Ambassador, Emirates
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: LGW / AMS / CPT
Programs: SA KL BA EK
Posts: 4,267
But if they don’t hand them out anymore they probably won’t accept them either.
#65
Moderator: Emirates Skywards and Qatar Airways Privilege Club
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: 12R/30L
Programs: EK Gold|EY Gold|Bonvoy Ambassador| IHG Plat|HHonors Diamond
Posts: 2,818
I'd wager at them working anyway. Happened to me once at AUH, was handed a fast track card onboard but had an old format one in my carry on which I thought best use now and save the "new" for a rainy day. Officer at immigration, turned it over looked at his colleague and said to him in Arabic "look at this guy with his fast track from 1980".
#66
Moderator: Emirates Skywards and Qatar Airways Privilege Club
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: 12R/30L
Programs: EK Gold|EY Gold|Bonvoy Ambassador| IHG Plat|HHonors Diamond
Posts: 2,818
For a data point I haven't had a greeting in F, J or Y as a Gold or Silver in the last 3 or 4 years. Don't really care as its a tick in the box for them and doubt they will go out of the way to do anything for you anymore unlike the old days
#67
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: AU
Programs: EK platinum, ET, SAS
Posts: 542
I still receive them (last time was 28 November). I also store them but never use them myself because I use SmartGate at DXB. I sometimes give them to friends travelling in Y.
#68
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Economy, mostly :(
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 7,801
#73
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Kuwait
Programs: WoH Globalist
Posts: 601
I just came back from a DXB - KWI flight and had the opportunity to chat with an EK crew. I asked her about the gold privileges (I told her I read stories online that you can request a first class dessert if you are flying in economy and she denied that this was possible.)
I then asked her if I can get a pillow from business class and again denied. I finally asked her if at least I can get dental/shaving kits from the lavatories and again she denied.
I then told her then the only benefit is the personal greeting (which literally means nothing if such requests are declined) and then she just said that I can upgrade onboard if I'm a GOLD member.......
After this flight I should be silver now, but not really sure if gold is worth spending extra for or I should stay in silver...... Anyways just wanted to share my experience here.
I then asked her if I can get a pillow from business class and again denied. I finally asked her if at least I can get dental/shaving kits from the lavatories and again she denied.
I then told her then the only benefit is the personal greeting (which literally means nothing if such requests are declined) and then she just said that I can upgrade onboard if I'm a GOLD member.......
After this flight I should be silver now, but not really sure if gold is worth spending extra for or I should stay in silver...... Anyways just wanted to share my experience here.
#74
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Economy, mostly :(
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 7,801
I just came back from a DXB - KWI flight and had the opportunity to chat with an EK crew. I asked her about the gold privileges (I told her I read stories online that you can request a first class dessert if you are flying in economy and she denied that this was possible.)
I then asked her if I can get a pillow from business class and again denied. I finally asked her if at least I can get dental/shaving kits from the lavatories and again she denied.
I then told her then the only benefit is the personal greeting (which literally means nothing if such requests are declined) and then she just said that I can upgrade onboard if I'm a GOLD member.......
After this flight I should be silver now, but not really sure if gold is worth spending extra for or I should stay in silver...... Anyways just wanted to share my experience here.
I then asked her if I can get a pillow from business class and again denied. I finally asked her if at least I can get dental/shaving kits from the lavatories and again she denied.
I then told her then the only benefit is the personal greeting (which literally means nothing if such requests are declined) and then she just said that I can upgrade onboard if I'm a GOLD member.......
After this flight I should be silver now, but not really sure if gold is worth spending extra for or I should stay in silver...... Anyways just wanted to share my experience here.
You're not even Silver, yet you requested all these things, which are not benefits even for Gold members (not even unofficially).
You're right, what's the point of Gold status, who needs worldwide lounge access, priority call centre support (for what, if one can take an expensive taxi to a local sales office instead), seat guarantee, priority baggage, free seats, free unlimited WiFi, bonus miles. Good call asking an inexperienced FA who's never experienced the Skywards programme and likely has no interest in it what benefits you get
Last edited by skywardhunter; Dec 11, 2018 at 10:40 am
#75
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 9,304
I'm another one who experienced this, but in transit for me last week. Asked on board when I hadn't received one and was told they'd been stopped. Invite would be on my boarding card but wasn't. Nobody seemed to notice anyway.