Real life benefits of Platinum?

Old Jul 14, 2019, 1:19 am
  #16  
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: DXB
Programs: EK, AA, DL, UA, SPG, HGP, Amex
Posts: 1,207
I would say forget about loyalty and maximize your budget. If the status comes organically, then sure. I've made that round trip to Muscat to get those extra 2,000 tier miles I needed...

Couple more subtle benefits that I use:
  • Being able to guest 1 adult and 2 children into the F lounge is a nice plus (I tell my wife that's why I won't have more children) except that the kids now scoff at the J lounge (I tell my wife that's also why I won't have more children)
  • I've made good use of the (fka) SPACE upgrade availability for Plats although I wish it was a bit more transparent.
  • My wife loooves the reserved parking access at the Dubai Mall. You simply register your car plate. This is actually a nice little perk if you are Dubai-based as that parking is well located and always available. They've recently added free access to the in-mall buggy service (not sure if Plat only)
  • I usually get picked up in Dubai in an S-Class even if flying J, which is nice. F Car queue usually a bit shorter at DXB arrivals.
  • Priority First luggage which, while being quite hit or miss (especially at out-stations), is better than the Business tags.
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Old Jul 15, 2019, 12:15 am
  #17  
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Cairo
Programs: EK Skywards Gold, TK Elite Plus, QR Platinum, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 290
Originally Posted by Lkaroo
This used to be a quota of two seats per flight for Platinum members and as it was an unpublished benefit, it was usually very easy to find availability. You could also call in advance to check if there was space available and hold the space while booking the ticket.

I am not sure when it changed but the benefit is no longer quite as useful. As far as I understand it, some revenue management software now decides and you can only check if there is availability after you have booked the ticket. There appears to be no way of predicting the outcome; I got refused on a flight which was J7 C7 I7 O7 (and eventually upgraded at the airport) but recently had success for an upgrade on a flight which was J4 C0 I0 O0 during a major sports event (and the flight was eventually overbooked in J).

In theory I suppose it should be possible to buy a Flex Plus ticket to check and then cancel it but I am unsure if the software considers initial booking fare bucket when opening upgrade space.

It takes time and effort, but I have had good success with calling (just before booking) and asking them to check if there are any platinum upgrades available on specific flights (no regular upgrade availability showing on EF or EK website). Then I book via the web, with the agent waiting on the phone, then they process the upgrade directly. They seem very happy to do this, and like I said I had good success with this method in the past....
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Old Jul 15, 2019, 9:43 am
  #18  
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: EK Plat
Posts: 244
Originally Posted by UAworldwide



It takes time and effort, but I have had good success with calling (just before booking) and asking them to check if there are any platinum upgrades available on specific flights (no regular upgrade availability showing on EF or EK website). Then I book via the web, with the agent waiting on the phone, then they process the upgrade directly. They seem very happy to do this, and like I said I had good success with this method in the past....
That's definitely what it used to be but at some stage recently this has changed...
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Old Jul 15, 2019, 11:11 pm
  #19  
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Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Manchester/London
Programs: Skywards Plat, Bonvoy Titanium
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Originally Posted by extramileage
I would say forget about loyalty and maximize your budget. If the status comes organically, then sure. I've made that round trip to Muscat to get those extra 2,000 tier miles I needed...

Couple more subtle benefits that I use:
  • Being able to guest 1 adult and 2 children into the F lounge is a nice plus (I tell my wife that's why I won't have more children) except that the kids now scoff at the J lounge (I tell my wife that's also why I won't have more children)
  • I've made good use of the (fka) SPACE upgrade availability for Plats although I wish it was a bit more transparent.
  • My wife loooves the reserved parking access at the Dubai Mall. You simply register your car plate. This is actually a nice little perk if you are Dubai-based as that parking is well located and always available. They've recently added free access to the in-mall buggy service (not sure if Plat only)
  • I usually get picked up in Dubai in an S-Class even if flying J, which is nice. F Car queue usually a bit shorter at DXB arrivals.
  • Priority First luggage which, while being quite hit or miss (especially at out-stations), is better than the Business tags.
For some these benefits could be quite useful but for me all I am bothered about these days is the on board experience. My connections are now normally quite tight to reduce the overall travel time so whilst the F lounge is a good perk, it is not a priority for me.

As for the tags, I don't see there is much real life difference between First and business class, however this does raise an issue. On 4 flights this year, I have travelled with my girlfriend and whilst I watched the check in staff place priority tags on her bags, by the time we landed her bags came out with the rest of economy class and the tags had been ripped off. If this happened once or twice I could believe it was an 'accident' but not four times. On my last flight a couple of weeks ago I checked all the bags in under my name, we landed and all tags remained in place.
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Old Jul 16, 2019, 12:43 am
  #20  
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: United Kingdom
Programs: Skywards Blue :-(, HHonors Gold, SPG Gold, GHA Platinum
Posts: 2,527
If two people are travelling the bags get checked in under the surname of the person higher up in the alphabetical order.( even if they dont have any status )

That's what I have noticed and they do it unless you specifically tell them not to..I wish they would ask before doing this..

PS: Not a issue specific to EK. Every airline seems to do the same IMHO.Bit painful as my surname begins with a letter towards the end of the alphabet :-(
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Old Jul 16, 2019, 2:06 am
  #21  
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: DXB
Programs: EK, AA, DL, UA, SPG, HGP, Amex
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Originally Posted by Will08
On 4 flights this year, I have travelled with my girlfriend and whilst I watched the check in staff place priority tags on her bags, by the time we landed her bags came out with the rest of economy class and the tags had been ripped off. If this happened once or twice I could believe it was an 'accident' but not four times. On my last flight a couple of weeks ago I checked all the bags in under my name, we landed and all tags remained in place.
That is odd indeed. Assuming you see the bags leave the check-in agent intact, how would anyone in the back even know/care? (other than, perhaps, they know the bag is already in the wrong Y container and rip the tags then not to be reprimanded by managers or pax later).

I travel a lot with my family and we are often on different PNR and bags get tagged randomly, but never had the red tags come off.
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Old Jul 16, 2019, 2:46 am
  #22  
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Programs: Skywards Plat, Bonvoy Titanium
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Originally Posted by extramileage
That is odd indeed. Assuming you see the bags leave the check-in agent intact, how would anyone in the back even know/care? (other than, perhaps, they know the bag is already in the wrong Y container and rip the tags then not to be reprimanded by managers or pax later).

I travel a lot with my family and we are often on different PNR and bags get tagged randomly, but never had the red tags come off.
Whilst I cannot offer up an explanation I can only go off experience. I have had plenty of flights where the tag has never been ripped off my bag, yet four times this year the tags have come off my girlfriends bag, making my priority luggage pointless. Then, as previously mentioned with the exact same bags but all under my name they stayed on. It is interesting you say they have not come off when on a different PNR because I was beginning to think that may have been the cause.
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Old Jul 16, 2019, 6:31 am
  #23  
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: LGW / AMS / CPT
Programs: SA KL BA EK
Posts: 4,251
As far as luggage priority ‘issues’ are concerned:
My understanding is that the barcode on the luggage has the information on class of service / status and that this then determines how it gets loaded / delivered. The tag itself has little influence on this, it is more to please the customer.
Having said that, Mrs t who is a Gold member and therefore has priority luggage benefits, once travelled in Y on a ticket paid with business rewards points. She checked in at the J desk as usual and the BP did not show ‘gold’ like it usually does (this appears to be an issue with this type of ticket but that’s a different story). She however convinced the check in agent of her status and a J tag was attached to her bag. On arrival, the luggage came out with the general Y bags and the tag had been ripped off. That sort of confirms that the tag by itself is no indicator. But there appears to be someone removing priority tags from luggage going into the non-priority luggage containers.
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Old Jul 16, 2019, 6:33 am
  #24  
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Dubai
Programs: Skywards Plat, QR privilege club Gold, Topbonus Gold
Posts: 106
Originally Posted by extramileage
I would say forget about loyalty and maximize your budget. If the status comes organically, then sure. I've made that round trip to Muscat to get those extra 2,000 tier miles I needed...

Couple more subtle benefits that I use:
  • Being able to guest 1 adult and 2 children into the F lounge is a nice plus (I tell my wife that's why I won't have more children) except that the kids now scoff at the J lounge (I tell my wife that's also why I won't have more children)
  • I've made good use of the (fka) SPACE upgrade availability for Plats although I wish it was a bit more transparent.
  • My wife loooves the reserved parking access at the Dubai Mall. You simply register your car plate. This is actually a nice little perk if you are Dubai-based as that parking is well located and always available. They've recently added free access to the in-mall buggy service (not sure if Plat only)
  • I usually get picked up in Dubai in an S-Class even if flying J, which is nice. F Car queue usually a bit shorter at DXB arrivals.
  • Priority First luggage which, while being quite hit or miss (especially at out-stations), is better than the Business tags.
Hi there extramileag, How do you register your car for Dubai Mall parking? Thank you
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Old Jul 16, 2019, 6:42 am
  #25  
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Dubai
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Originally Posted by thijsseh
As far as luggage priority issues are concerned:
My understanding is that the barcode on the luggage has the information on class of service / status and that this then determines how it gets loaded / delivered. The tag itself has little influence on this, it is more to please the customer.
Having said that, Mrs t who is a Gold member and therefore has priority luggage benefits, once travelled in Y on a ticket paid with business rewards points. She checked in at the J desk as usual and the BP did not show gold like it usually does (this appears to be an issue with this type of ticket but thats a different story). She however convinced the check in agent of her status and a J tag was attached to her bag. On arrival, the luggage came out with the general Y bags and the tag had been ripped off. That sort of confirms that the tag by itself is no indicator. But there appears to be someone removing priority tags from luggage going into the non-priority luggage containers.
Had the same thing happen to me earlier this year in Y - wife was gold / I was silver however the booking was under my name. Priority tags were attached to 4 bags (we were traveling with our Son) and all were ripped off and our luggage delivered to the non-priority belt at LGW.
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Old Jul 16, 2019, 8:57 am
  #26  
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Thanks for the info, it appears mystery solved. From now on i'll always check-in the bags as my own, I never get anywhere near the maximum weight.
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Old Jul 16, 2019, 8:58 am
  #27  
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: DXB
Programs: EK, AA, DL, UA, SPG, HGP, Amex
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Originally Posted by Bubus78
Hi there extramileag, How do you register your car for Dubai Mall parking? Thank you
Hmm.... I can't actually remember.

Try downloading the Dubai Mall app first and link your skywards account. I know I can update the vehicle number in the app, but can't remember if the initial sign up was through the app or elsewhere (I received an email confirmation initially from the Dubai Mall)
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Old Jul 16, 2019, 11:42 am
  #28  
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: MAN DXB ✈️
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Originally Posted by nmc980
Had the same thing happen to me earlier this year in Y - wife was gold / I was silver however the booking was under my name. Priority tags were attached to 4 bags (we were traveling with our Son) and all were ripped off and our luggage delivered to the non-priority belt at LGW.
never had tags ripped off but they go by the status of the lowest Alpha name in the booking....
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Old Jul 24, 2019, 3:38 am
  #29  
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Programs: Skywards Gold, Bonvoy Plat
Posts: 43
I had priority baggage tags ripped off last week.
Gold, flying in Y with family, DXB-MAN, all same surname.
5 suitcases, all tagged at check in, all ripped off and last on the belt on arrival at Manchester.
Great way to piss your customers off............
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Old Jul 25, 2019, 12:43 am
  #30  
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: SIN
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Posts: 740
Originally Posted by Will08
Thanks for the info, it appears mystery solved. From now on i'll always check-in the bags as my own, I never get anywhere near the maximum weight.
This is double edged. If nothing happens sure you gain the priority, but in the event that baggage is lost or delayed, being able to claim under each traveler's individually maintained travel insurance is a huge plus for me.
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