nmenaker

At some point, I would imagine they would HAVE to stop listing the benefits and requirements for qualification or else they are going to have to be continuing to offer them into 2018. If by say March, they don't announce something dramatic, I would think requalifying would persist through end of 2018/Q12019

ptownca

I completely agree, as well, and the Fairmont folks I talk to are well aware about the discrepancies in the programs.

If Accor management is smart, having lived in France, I'm skeptical they will follow what Alaska Air is doing with trying to retain the very very loyal Virgin America flyers. Thinking that they will retain the strong loyalty of the Fairmont FPC folks without some real enhancements to the Accor is pure folly to me.

submonte

Will be a hard landing for FPC members. Would be for others, too. I try to make friends with Le Club program since years and make one attempt after the other, but no success yet. Find it complicated in terms of promotions, miss them or misunderstand them, and website, and the new scheme makes it not easier, and the benefits for Platinum members are not really visible imho.

iflyjetz

When I looked at making the switch from Hyatt to Fairmont, I saw that Accor Golds/Plats got 2 free upgrades. With that in mind, I bought some Accor stock and got Gold status through the Accor Shareholders Club. Link: http://www.accorhotels-group.com/en/...ders-club.html

I joined FPC after being elevated to Accor Gold and got the two free upgrade certs.

I am anticipating the following for FPC/Accor integration:
FPC Platinum = Accor Platinum
FPC Premier = Accor Gold
FPC Club = Accor Silver

Upon renewal of Accor status (after FPC is gone), one will likely need to qualify based on Accor requirements.

The above integration scenario is just my opinion; take it with a huge grain of salt.

gilbertaue

My communication with Accor HQ is that a real update will come around March/April - for LCAH Members. So it may be that an update for both sides may come at that time.

CanuckFlyHigh

I will miss the free night and suite upgrade certs. I will no longer have any reason to stay at Fairmonts if they change to Accor.

CanadaDH

I wouldn't go quite that far. While the Accor Le Club program is basically a pile of crap (like most of their brands and properties), a hotel chain is a lot more than its loyalty program. The Four Seasons doesn't have any loyalty program at all, yet I'm still spending a lot with them for my vacation travels. Fairmont has a lot of properties that I love, and great service. If the standards are maintained, and the brand integrity is kept intact and separate, I will still stay at Fairmont properties. I would instead say, that if they change the loyalty program to be more like the Accor, I will have LESS reason to stay there.

If it was all about the free night and upgrade certs, then I would stop staying at Fairmont once my certs for the year have been used up, or once I requalified to earn the certs. Yet, on many of my stays, I'm not redeeming any FPC certificates, nor adding to my status re-qualification.

On the other hand, if the Fairmont service and properties start to resemble that which is offered by Accor, then I agree, I will have no reason at all to stay there.

Presumably (hopefully?) Accor purchased a chain of quality hotels so they can learn to fix their existing product, not to bring their new asset down to the level of the lowest common denominator. If not, I shudder to think what that might look like. Even a bed bug wouldn't stay in an ibis or a Novotel!

nock

According to the LA Times: "Fairmont is retaining its President’s Club loyalty program, which does not have a points system but rewards travelers with benefits such as free nights, upgrades and on-property credits based on the number of stays they complete."

http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-...115-story.html

CanadaDH

I'm not sure that article means much. All it did was talk about all the programs as they presently exist, with info that can be found on their own websites. I don't think there was any real inside knowledge or investigative reporting going on to give a glimpse into the future. The statement that Fairmont is retaining the FPC is absolutely true. They already announced as much. For 2017. It's the years beyond that everyone is concerned about.

YOWCDNFF

Based on our respective travel patterns, I think that we all have our own wish list when it comes to the future of FPC, both from a benefit perspective and a qualification requirement.

As with most on this forum I much prefer the benefits offered by FPC than what is offered at the equivalent level for Le Club Accor. What I am most curious though will be qualification requirements going forward. As a Canadian-based, primarily domestic traveler, the 10-stays qualification requirement was reasonable to achieve top level. There is no way that with the still limited footprint that Le Club Accor will have in North America that I would reach the 60-night requirement (or roughly 30 nights spent requirement, using the Sofitel earn ratio as a proxy). Although rare, I am wondering if Accor would consider different qualifications requirements based on residency.

Now, not sure of this is related or not but I have yet to see one single 2016 certificate being lifted from my account. For all my stays, I have had confirmed or "surprise" upgrades, yet all certs are still in the account.

allbrosca

Interesting. All my upgrade certs stayed in my account for 2016 too and I can recall arranging for upgrades in advance for 3 stays off the top of my head.

CanuckFlyHigh

All of my certificates were lifted upon use, just as an FYI.

allbrosca

deleted

nock

They have "redeemed" only about half of The certs I've used. It seems to vary based on which property I use them at.

MasterGeek

Maybe there is some trick to make it less likely that certificates are marked as "redeemed" after use, anyone ?